9. Chance and Probability

Question 1

to be certain to happen
(because it always happens)

There’s ____ to be heavy traffic at this time of day.

Answer 1

to be bound to happen

There’s bound to be heavy traffic at this time of day.

Question 2

sth will very probably happen

They are ____ to find out.

Answer 2

to be certain to happen

They are certain to find out.

Question 3

there is a good possibility that

Only six people have applied for the scholarship, so Joanna is ____ winning it.

Answer 3

to be in with a chance of

+ing form

Only six people have applied for the scholarship, so Joanna is in with a good chance of winning it.

Question 4

one/sth probably won’t

They are ____ to accept, but we can still try.
It is ____ that they will let us in without tickets.

Answer 4

to be unlikely to
it is unlikely that

They are unlikely to accept, but we can still try.
It is unlikely that they will let us in without tickets.

Question 5

to ruin your chances
(of getting/achieving sth)

We ____ his chances of a promotion when his boss overheard him criticising the firm’s methods.

Answer 5

to blow your chances

We blew his chances of a promotion when his boss overheard him criticising the firm’s methods.

Question 6

to quickly accept a good opportunity, especially because you think you will not get that opportunity again

When the opportunity to work abroad presented itself, he ____.

Answer 6

to grab an opportunity/chance
(with both hands)

When the opportunity to work abroad presented itself, he grabbed it with both hands.

Question 7

sth will very probably happen

He will, ____ probability, deny having had anything to do with it and put the blame on us.

Answer 7

(sth will), in all probability, (happen)

He will, in all probability, deny having had anything to do with it and put the blame on us.

Question 8

sth probably won’t happen

Given his injury, his doctors say that it is ____ he will ever play again.

Answer 8

it is doubtful whether/that sth will happen

Given his injury, his doctors say that it is doubtful whether he will ever play again.

Question 9

it was complete chance that sth happened

It was ____ that I found out about the job.

Answer 9

it was purely by chance that

It was purely by chance that I found out about the job.

Question 10

to quickly accept a good opportunity

She was offered a free holiday in the Caribbean and, of course, she jumped ____.

Answer 10

to jump at the chance/opportunity

She was offered a free holiday in the Caribbean and, of course, she jumped at the chance.

Question 11

do sth hoping it will succeed although you think it is unlikely

We knew they would be fully booked, but we still went there ____ that somebody might have cancelled at the last minute.

Answer 11

(to do sth) on the off-chance

We knew they would be fully booked, but we still went there on the off-chance that somebody might have cancelled at the last minute.

Question 12

to say no to a good opportunity
(a good job offer, etc)

She’d be a fool to ____ like that (up).

Answer 12

to pass up a chance/opportunity

She’d be a fool to pass up a chance like that (up).

Question 13

to have no possibility
(of achieving/getting sth)

Win the lottery? You don’t ____.
With Senator Fox withdrawing from the race, she ____ chance of winning the election.

Answer 13

(not) to stand a chance

Win the lottery? You don’t stand a chance.
With Senator Fox withdrawing from the race, she stands a good chance of winning the election.

Question 14

sth will probably happen

Man will definitely walk on Mars and the chances are ____ in the next thirty years.

Answer 14

the chances are that sth will happen

Man will definitely walk on Mars and the chances are that this will happen in the next thirty years.

Question 15

there is very little possibility that sth will happen

The chances of his winning the next election are ____.

Answer 15

the chances of sth happening are very remote

The chances of his winning the next election are very remote.

Question 16

sth probably won’t happen

The odds ____ her passing the exam, as so few people get through first time.

Answer 16

the odds are against sth happening

The odds are against her passing the exam, as so few people get through first time.

Question 17

there is not much possibility of sth happening

There is, I suppose, ____ chance that you’ll get your money back, but I wouldn’t bank on it

Answer 17

there’s a slim/remote/little chance that sth will/could happen

There is, I suppose, a slim chance that you’ll get your money back, but I wouldn’t bank on it

Question 18

there is much possibility of sth happening

There’s ____ chance that she’ll win the race.

Answer 18

there’s every chance that sth will happen

There’s every chance that she’ll win the race.

Question 19

all the signs show that sth will very probably happen

There’s ____ to suggest that by the end of the year the economy will be on its feet again.

Answer 19

there’s every indication (to suggest) that sth will happen

There’s every indication to suggest that by the end of the year the economy will be on its feet again.

Question 20

sth will very probably happen

There’s ____ of his being re-elected in next month’s general election.

Answer 20

there’s every likelihood of sth happening/that sth will happen

There’s every likelihood of his being re-elected in next month’s general election.

Question 21

sth will not probably happen

There’s ____ that they will agree to such a deal, as they stand to gain so tittle from it.

Answer 21

there’s little/no likelihood of sth happening/that sth will happen

There’s little likelihood that they will agree to such a deal, as they stand to gain so tittle from it.