第一个问题，可能性大小的比较：

依次为probable, likely，possible

possible表示客观上潜在的可能性，也许实际发生的可能性并不大。probable表示有几分根据的推测，比possible表示的可能性大。换句话说，probable的“有可能”，是指有实际的依据或逻辑上合乎情理。likely强调表面上看来有可能，与probable意思接近，有时可以互换，但likely常暗示从表面迹象来判断；probable则经过权衡正反两方面的理由后而相信某事是真实的或大概会发生

①It is possible that it will rain, but with such a blue sky it doesn’t seem probable.下雨的可能是有的，但天空一片蔚蓝，可能性似乎不大。
②His success is not impossible but hardly probable.他的成功并非是不可能的，但是希望极小。
③It is possible but not probable that it will rain.句中possible和probable的位置能否调换，为什么？如果调换意思会发生什么变化？
[解答]：possible表示客观上潜在的可能性，但常带有可能性很小的暗示；probable是有几分根据的推测，语气比possible强；句意为可能下雨，但不见得会下。如果二者互换，不合逻辑。

④It’s possible but not likely/probable that he’ll come here next month.他下月有可能来这里，但是不是很肯定。

⑤It’s probable, not only possible.这事多半如此，不只是可能。

⑥Such accidents are not only possible but also probable.这类意外不但可能，而目还会发生。
从此句可看出，possible的词义比probable弱。
possible只表示有此可能，而probable则表示可能性很大或很可能会发生。

⑦People are encouraged to speak openly, but careless remarks are _____ to hurt others’ feelings. < C >
A. possible B. probable C. likely D. perhaps

⑧这事多半如此，不只是可能。It's probable, not only possible

第二个问题，三个词的使用句型

⒈接从句：It’s probable / possible / likely that… (V)

⒉用It is + V-to do句型

It is possible to do sth. (V)
It is likely to do sth. (v)

It is probable to do sth (X)

⒊接不定式：sb./sth be likely to do sth… (V)
sb. / sth be probable to do sth.… (X)

sb. / sth be possible to do sth… (X)

（注：这里sth.不指it）

⒋接不定式复合结构

It is possible for sb to do sth. (v)
It is likely for sb to do sth. (X)

It is probable for sb to do sth. (X)

例句举要：

⒈接从句：

①It is possible that the weather will change. (V).

②It is possible that I might be of some use in that part of work.在做工作的那一部分时，我可能帮得上

③It is very likely that he will not agree.他很可能不同意。

④It’s likely that she will pass the exam= She is likely to pass the exam.她有可能通过这次考试。
⑤It is probable that it will rain this afternoon．今日下午大约会下雨。
⑥It is probable that it will rain today. Bring your umbrella with you.今天极有可能要下雨。带上雨伞吧。

⒉用It is + V-to do句型

①It is probable to happen．（错）

②It's possible to prevent AIDS．艾滋病是可以预防的。

③It isn’t likely to rain.不大像要下雨。

⒊接不定式：sb./sth be likely to do sth… （V）

①The weather is possible to change. (X).

②I’m hardly likely to finish it within a week.我不可能在一周内把它干完。
③Tomorrow is Sunday and he has a day off, so he is ______to attend our party.

A. probable B. possible

C. likely D. possibility 答案：C

④He’s likely to ring me tonight.= It’s likely that he will ring me tonight.他可能今晚给我打电话。

⑤Susan isn’t likely to win.苏珊不可能赢

⑥My brother is not____ to attend your birthday party.
A. possible B. probable C. perhaps D. likely1. (D)

⑦句子：我们学英语时很可能犯错。
误译：We are probable to make mistakes when we learn English.
　　正译：
　　1. It is probable /Likely that we will make mistakes when we learn English.
　　2. Probably / Likely, we'll make mistakes when we study English.
　　3. We are likely to make mistakes when learning English.
⑧He is likely to come.他可能要来。

⑨She is likely to go abroad .
⑩He is possible / probable to lend us the car.（X）

⒋接不定式复合结构

①It is ____ for you to persuade him.
②A. possible B. likely C. probable D. possibly (A)

③It is possible for us to get fromBeijingtoTianjinin less than an hour.我们有可能用不到1小时的时间就可从北京到达天津。
④It’s quite possible for us to finish the work before dark．

⑤Is it possible for us to get to the airport before five？五点钟之前可否赶到机场？

⑥It is possible for the train to be late.

5.作为adj.的普通结构

①Most likely he will lose his way.很可能他会迷路。

②Sth. is probable/ likely/ probable

③likely adv.通常与very, most, quite连用，very/most/quite likely很可能；as likely as not可能；十之八九
④为了加强语气，可以在probable之前加个most，如：
It is most probable that it will happen；这时候，most probable等于very likely（很有可能）之意。
⑤The doctors are trying in every way possible（every possible way）to save the terminal patient．医生们正在用一切可能的方法去挽救那临终病人。

⑥当possible与另一形容词同时修饰一个名词时，它经常放在该名词之后。例如to try in every way possible；in the shortest time possible；by all means possible．
⑦I think it probable．我想或许会的。
第三个问题，possible用人做主语的问题

possible一般不用表示人的词做主语，但若真的要用表示人的词做主语，possible后接不定式，这个不定式动作的逻辑宾语应是句子的主语，但此时的possible已经转意为“容易的”。

AIDS is possible to prevent.（X）

但，You are impossible to reasonwith (without "with", the sentence does not work).

You are impossible to get onwith

[练习一]中译英

1.他很可能是忘了。It is probable that he forgot.
2.他或许没听懂我的话。Probably, he didn't catch my meaning.
3.她很可能被雨淋透了。It is likely that she got soaked through in the rain.
4.你觉得可能会发生什么事情？What do you think is likely to happen?

5.很可能将要在年底以前做出决定。It’s quite likely that a decision will be made before the end of the year.

（所附答案并不是说是唯一的，只要按上文句型公式套用即可）

[练习二]Likely / possible / probable
1.It is ____ that it will rain today. Bring your umbrella with you.
2.She is not ___ to pass the examination as she doesn’t work hard.
3.It is ____ for them to lose the football match.
4.It is very ___ that they will win the match.
5.The weather is ___ to be fine.
参考答案

1-5.probable / likely / possible / likely/ likely

[练习三]

1. I think it quite _____ for us to reach the railway station before the train leaves.
A. perhaps B. possibly C. likelyD. probably
2. Who is _______ to go traveling with us?
A. possible B. likelyC. maybe D. perhaps
3. What do you think is the most _____ result?
A. like B. likelyC. possibly D. probably
4. He began to realize his dream would not ______ come true.
A. probably B. likely C. possibly D. perhaps
5. Was it when no one had been ______ to do that that he came to deal with it?
A. maybe B. possible C. likely D. probable

参考答案：

1-3 likely； 4 likely.I wouldn't choose "possibly" only because of "would not". If it were "could not", I would choose "possibly"；5. likely；"Likely" is the best of all the bad choices; all the others are definitely wrong. I can't see how it makes much sense, though, with "likely" in it.

[练习四]多重选择

A. perhaps B. possible (possibly) C. likely D. probable (probably)
1. I think it quite _____ for us to reach the railway station before the train leaves.
2. Who is ______ to go traveling with us?
3. What do you think is the most _____ result?
4. He began to realize his dream would not ______ come true.
5. The car is _____ to be repaired.
6. Juvenile delinquency is _____ to prevent.
7. Such accidents are not only ____ but also ____.
答案：1.只能是B，C不行；2.只能是 C ; 3. C，D均可以; 4. 只能是 C ; 5. 只能是 C ，B不行; 6. 没答案; 7. 按B

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