Will, might or won't

These words tell us how likely something is to happen and are great to use when talking about the future, especially with regards to career development.

Will - something is certain or very likely

Might - something is possible

Won't - something is impossible or very unlikely (won't = will not)

Will

Use this word carefully because it tells someone that something is certain or very likely to happen. Don't say something will happen if there is a chance that it won't (will not). In this case it's better to use might.

"Business was great this year! We will all get a good bonus!"

"With this bonus I will be able to afford the new car I wanted!"

"Anna is great with people. She will be promoted to department manager soon."

Anna will be promoted to department manager soon.

Might

This is a great word to use if you are not sure about something. It doesn't mean that something will happen for certain, but it also doesn't say that it won't happen at all.

"Ben might leave soon. I heard that he was looking for a new job."

"We might need to hire some new customer service team members soon if business keeps increasing like this!"

"We might not meet the sales target for this quarter."

Note: it is also possible to put 'not' after might to say that something is unlikely to happen. It doesn't say that it will not happen at all, just that there is a possibility.

Won't

This means something is impossible or very unlikely to happen. Again be careful when you use this word, "we won't get a bonus this year" sounds very harsh. If there is a possibility that something will happen then it is better to use might not.

"We might not get a bonus this year."

"We won't be able to start work on the new t-shirts this afternoon as the material won't arrive until tomorrow."

"We won't get chance to meet again until after my holiday, so let's take 5 minutes now for a quick catch up."

"I won't be able to attend the meeting later. I have to go and visit a customer."

We won't be able to start work on the new t-shirts this afternoon.

Definitely and probably

These words are used to add an element of certainty or uncertainty when using will and won't. We use them after the word will and before the word won't.

Definitely is used at the extremes.

Will definitely means something is very certain to happen.

"You will definitely get that promotion. I spoke to HR about it this morning."

"We will definitely get that new contract. The customer told me they are signing the paperwork this afternoon."

"I will definitely need a holiday once this project is finished!"

Definitely won't means something is very unlikely to happen.

"You definitely won't get the funding for that project. I'm sorry, budgets are being cut across the company at the moment."

"I definitely won't get chance to look at that document today. I have too many meetings."

"We definitely won't order from them again, the food was awful!"

I will definitely need a holiday once this project is finished!

Probably is used to refine will and won't.

It's says that something is more or less than certain.

Will probably means something is likely to happen, but it's not 100% certain.

"We will probably see some rain soon, looking at those clouds."

"I will probably be late for work tomorrow as I have a dental appointment and the schedule there often runs late."

"You will probably notice the difference once we have the IT upgrade. Everything should run much more quickly."

Probably won't means something is unlikely to happen, but it's not 100% certain that it won't.

"I probably won't be able to make the meeting tomorrow. I have another meeting with a customer across town and I'm unlikely to be back on time."

"You probably won't get an answer to that email until tomorrow. I heard the accounts department are very busy with quarter-end closing at the moment."

"You probably won't see me tomorrow. I will be in very early and then leave around 8:30am."

I probably won't be able to make the meeting.

Do you have any questions about this, or any other business English topic?

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The lessons were completely adapted to tasks I have to do at work. 

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