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

Be due to

404d

Be due to

refers to things which are fixed or destined to happen within or at a

determined or known time after the time of speaking:

Britain’s second child prison 

is due to open next month.

I

’m due to retire next year.

The negative of be due to is formed with not attached to be:

She had only just settled a £136 bill for the last quarter and 

was not due to

receive another one until mid-October. 

Be likely to/that

404e

Be likely to/that 

means that something is probable:

A: When are you likely to hear about the Chicago job?

B: I haven’t been for the interview yet.

A: Oh. Right. 

A: I’m in every afternoon. 

B: All right. 

A: The only time I’m likely to be out is say between ten and twelve. 

Accidents 

are likely to happen, of course.

672 | Modality

Cambridge Grammar of English

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Be likely

is normally used with a preparatory it subject when followed by a 

that

-clause:

[text about global warming]

It is also likely that global rainfall patterns will shift away from the 

subtropical areas towards higher latitudes, so disrupting present 

agricultural patterns.

✪

Preparatory it is not used with the to-infinitive construction:

I

’m likely to be out most of tomorrow.

(It’s likely for me to be out most of tomorrow.)

The negative of be likely to/that is formed either with not or, in more formal

contexts, with unlikely:

[doctor reassuring a patient about possible side-effects of a medication]

In fact they’re not very common but they’re recorded, and I can’t say whether

it’ll happen to you or not. Statistically they

’re not likely to happen to you. 

Then we should say goodbye to the people with whom we were travelling and it

was unlikely that we should see any of them again. 

This opportunity 

is unlikely to occur again.

Be likely

is often used comparatively, with more, most, less and least:

[Blockbuster is a chain of video rental shops]

A: We’re more likely to get what we want at Blockbuster cos er they’ve got like

fifteen thousand of every film, don’t they. 

B: Oh yeah.

A: So if you practise deep breathing exercises you’re less likely to get a chest

infection. Is that right? 

B: Yes.

Other verbs with modal meanings, such as seem and look, can be used instead of

be

with likely to/that:

This year, pre-tax profits 

seem likely to fall to £165 million or less before

recovering next year.

[referring to the European single currency, the Euro]

There seemed plenty of time for EU member governments to rein in inflation

and put fiscal houses in order before the single currency was launched. It also

seemed likely that only seven or eight countries would join initially.

[weather forecast]

The south of England 

looks likely to escape today’s wintry showers.