Search

[Biu]

When can possibly or probably be used in a sentence?
What's the difference between the two words?

[Shereefah]

When there's a good chance, you use probably.
When there's a slim chance, you use possibly.

My bride and I would 'probably' honeymoon in Dubai: This means, almost all arrangements have been made to travel to Dubai after the wedding and we'll most likely go to Dubai.

My bride and I would 'possibly' honeymoon in Dubai: This means, traveling arrangements haven't started yet and we may or may not go to to Dubai.

[Ruthk]

Possibly - Maybe
Probably - in all likelihood

[Yace]

Possibility is used when you are not certain that something may happen, i.e it may or may not e.g 5 - 10% chance that it would happen

Probability is used when you are close to certainty that something would happen e.g 80 - 90% chance that it would happen

[Rocco]

"G Team" and "H Team" have played five matches together.
H team won on four occasions
G team won once.

If G team and H team are to play again, who's more likely to win?

From the record and the available data, most people will vote "H Team," that's probability.

However, we shouldn't forget there's a slight chance that G Team could also win, they won once before afterall, if they prepare well and put all mistakes into consideration, they could as well win, that's possibility.

In English, most people use the two words interchangeably. Where the difference matters is in logic and calculations.