Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

405

Expressing possibility, etc.

405a

Other common verbs which express modal meanings of possibility and likelihood,

especially with a first person singular subject, include:

I 

gather she may be back Sunday.

(I believe it is true, based on what I have been told)

I 

guess the bus service isn’t too good, is it?

(I suppose/it is likely that …)

The final next week 

promises to be an exciting match.

(is likely to be/has the potential to be)

Anyway, I 

reckon I’d better be going.

(I think …)

She 

seems to be quite clever for her age.

(it is reasonable to believe that from the evidence)

It doesn’t make any sense at all, Diane. It 

sounds a load of rubbish.

(typically refers to what someone has said or written: conclusion based on the

evidence)

appear

believe 

expect 

feel

gather 

guess 

know 

look

promise

reckon

seem

sound 

suppose 

tend

think