今天我们来学习一下英语中对于“有可能”“可能性”的表述。

1. possible : if something is possible, there is a chance that it may happen or it may be true

例：

Accidents are always possible in heavy industries like mining. （像煤矿等重工业一直都存在发生意外事故的可能性。）

You can't be a Muslim and a Catholic at the same time - it's just not possible. （你不能既是穆斯林又是天主教徒——二者不可能兼得。）

technological changes and their possible effects on our lives （科技变革以及变革对我们的生活可能造成的影响）

it is possible for somebody to do something

It is possible for more than one person to win the competition. （可能不止一个人会胜出。）

it is possible that + 句子

It is possible that the children are still alive. （孩子们可能还活着。）

2. can : if something can happen, it is possible for it to happen at some time

例：

Mistakes can occur, even in the most carefully controlled situations. （把控最严格的环境下也有可能出错。）

A lot can happen in two years. （ 2 年内可能会发生很多事。）

It can be warm in England, even in March. （英格兰即使 3 月也可能很暖和。）

3. there is a chance/possibility : use this to say that it is possible that something will happen

例：

there is a chance/possibility of

On the northern hills there is always the possibility of a snow shower, even in June. （北部山区即使六月天也可能下大雪。）

There's a 50 percent chance of rain this afternoon. （今天下午有可能下雨，有可能不下雨，说不准。）

With the operation, he'll have a fifty-fifty chance of walking again. （手术后，他有 50% 的几率可以恢复行走能力。）

there is a chance/possibility that + 句子

Is there any chance that he will recover from his injury in time for the race? （他的伤病有没有可能及时好起来、赶得及比赛？）

There's a chance that she left her keys in the office. （她可能把钥匙落在办公室了。）

表示“极小的可能性”：

There's still a slim chance that we can win. （我们还有一点点赢的希望。）

There's an outside chance that something could go wrong. （出错的可能性很小。）

There's a remote/faint/slight possibility that I will not be chosen for the job. （我不太可能应聘不上这份工作 / 我很可能会聘上这份工作。）  

表示“极大的可能性”：

Chances are (= It is very likely that) she has already heard the news. （她很有可能已经听说了这个消息。）

There's a good chance that we will finish on time. （我们很有可能按时完成。）

There's a strong/real possibility that I will not be chosen for the job. （我很可能应聘不上这份工作。）  

There's a distinct possibility that there will be another earthquake. （很可能还会有一次地震。）

补充： 有关 ''possibility'' 的其他用法：

① outside the range of possibility ：不可能； within the range of possibility ：可能。

例：

It is not outside the range of possibility that he could get laid off. （他可能会被炒鱿鱼。）

② beyond the bounds of possibility : used to describe things that cannot happen 不可能； within the bounds of possibility : 可能。

备注：这个用法常用于英式英语中。

例：

They might get married - it's not beyond the bounds of possibility. （他们或许会结婚——这不是没可能。）

You shouldn't worry about things that beyond the bounds of possibility. （你不该为不可能发生的事烦心。）

It was not beyond the bounds of possibility that they could meet again. （他们可能还会再见面。）

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