Speaking: Functional Language B2 - Lesson 5: Expressing Degrees of Certainty & Doubt
Welcome to our final lesson on functional language! In real-world conversations, we aren't always 100% sure about everything. A key skill of an advanced speaker is to express the precise level of certainty1 or doubt2 they feel. This makes your speech more accurate, nuanced, and believable.
The Certainty Spectrum: From Sure to Skeptical
Think of your language on a spectrum. The phrases you choose tell your listener how confident you are.
A Scale of Certainty:
- 100% Certain (Stating a Fact)
- "I'm absolutely positive that..."
- "There's no doubt in my mind that..."
- Example: "I'm absolutely certain I locked the door when I left."
- 90% Certain (Strong Belief / Logical Deduction)
- "I'm pretty sure that..."
- "It's highly likely3 that..."
- "He must be tired after that long journey."
- 50% Certain (Possibility)
- "It's possible that..."
- "He might/may/could be at the library."
- "I wouldn't be surprised if..."
- 10% Certain (Doubt / Skepticism)
- "I highly doubt that..."
- "I'm skeptical4 about that claim."
- "It's very unlikely that..."
Scenario: Discussing Future Predictions
Listen to two colleagues discussing the future of their company. Notice how they use different phrases to show how sure they are about their predictions.
Dara: "I read the CEO's new five-year plan. He says we're going to double our profits."
Thida: "Hmm, **I'm a bit skeptical about that.** Doubling profits in five years is a very ambitious goal. (Doubt)
Dara: "But **it's highly likely that** we'll see significant growth. We're launching two new products next year. (Strong Belief)"
Thida: "**It's possible** the new products will be successful, but they **could** also fail. We don't know for sure. (Possibility)"
Dara: "That's true, but **I'm positive that** our team has the talent to make it work. I have no doubt about our ability." (100% Certainty about the team's talent)
Your Tone of Voice Matters
Your intonation is a key signal of your certainty. You can say the same words but give a different meaning with your voice.
- To sound CERTAIN: Use a strong, clear voice. Your intonation should fall at the end of the sentence.
Example: "I'm sure he'll be there. ➘" - To sound UNCERTAIN: Speak a little more slowly or hesitantly. Your intonation might rise at the end of the sentence, making it sound like a question.
Example: "Well... I'm sure he'll be there...? ➚"
Practice Quiz: What's the Level of Certainty?
Read the sentence and choose the level of certainty the speaker is expressing.
1. "I'm not sure, but I have a feeling it might rain this afternoon."
A) High Certainty
B) Possibility / Some Uncertainty
C) Strong Doubt
→ Answer: B. The phrases "I'm not sure" and "I have a feeling" clearly signal that this is a guess, not a fact.
2. "There's no doubt in my mind. She is the only person who could have solved that complex problem."
A) High Certainty
B) Possibility / Some Uncertainty
C) Strong Doubt
→ Answer: A. "There's no doubt" is one of the strongest phrases to express 100% certainty.
Your Mission: The Fortune Teller Challenge
Your mission is to practice making predictions with different levels of confidence.
- Choose a topic about the future. For example: The future of artificial intelligence (AI), the future of travel, or your own life in 10 years.
- Make three predictions about this topic, each with a different level of certainty.
- Record yourself for 60-90 seconds explaining your predictions. Use one phrase for high certainty, one for possibility, and one for doubt.
- Example (Topic: The Future of AI):
"When I think about AI, **I'm absolutely certain that** it will handle most customer service jobs in the future. **It's also possible that** AI will help scientists make major medical breakthroughs. However, **I highly doubt that** AI will ever be as creative as a human artist."
Vocabulary Glossary
- Certainty: (Noun) - ភាពប្រាកដប្រជា - The state of being completely sure about something; having no doubt. ↩
- Doubt: (Noun) - ការសង្ស័យ - A feeling of not being sure or confident about something. ↩
- Likely/Unlikely: (Adjective) - ទំនង/មិនទំនង - Having a high or low probability of happening. ↩
- Skeptical: (Adjective) - ដែលគួរឱ្យសង្ស័យ - Having doubts; not easily convinced that something is true. ↩
- To speculate: (Verb) - សន្និដ្ឋាន - To make guesses about something without having all the necessary facts. ↩