英语：短语be likely to和be unlikely to的用法

be likely to和be unlikely to分别用来表示“很可能”和“不可能”，表示与possible和probable相近的含义。

1, 通常，我们用be likely to表达某事发生的可能性，而且多用于表示未来某事发生的可能性。

• The American swimmer is likely to win the race tomorrow.
• They are likely to ask you about your knowledge of computers in the interview, so you should prepare for that.

2, be likely to表示我们自信这个事件发生的可能性是极高的，虽然不能达到百分之百的肯定。

3, be unlikely to表达的含义和be likely to正好相反。但也许是大家对未来的看法都比较悲观，be unlikely to的使用率更高。

• I think it is unlikely that England will win the football World Cup.
• I am unlikely to pass my exams this year.

上述的例子中，说话者几乎确信这事不会发生。

4, 此外，be likely to和be unlikely to也可以用于过去时或现在时，be需要根据情况做相应调整。

• It was unlikely that Sarah knew that her boyfriend was a criminal when she first met him.

5, 另外，和be likely to意思相近的单词possible和probable通常只用物做主语，而不用人做主语，所以据此可以很好地选择相应的单词。