How to Express "Potential" or "Possible" Situations in English

If you're learning English, you’ve probably come across ways to talk about things that might happen in the future. Whether you're discussing a possible outcome, a potential situation, or something that’s likely to happen, English offers a lot of ways to express these ideas. In this post, we're going to dive into some common words and phrases that describe potential or possible situations. I'll break them down and give you tons of examples to make it easier to understand!

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1. Potential

When we use the word potential, we’re talking about something that could happen, but hasn't happened yet. It’s often about the possibility for something to develop or improve in the future.

Example Sentences:

• "This project has a lot of potential to succeed if we get the right resources."

• "She has great potential in the field of graphic design, but she needs more experience."

• "There's potential for huge growth in the tech industry over the next decade."

Here, potential suggests that something has the ability to develop, even though it hasn't happened yet.

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2. Possible

Possible is pretty straightforward. It’s used when you’re talking about something that can happen, but you’re not sure if it will. It suggests that an event or outcome is within the realm of possibility.

Example Sentences:

• "Is it possible for us to meet next week?"

• "It’s possible that the weather will improve by the weekend."

• "There’s a possible chance we might win the competition if we prepare well."

You can see here that possible is used when the event might happen, but it’s not guaranteed.

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3. Likely

When something is likely, it means there’s a good chance that it will happen. You’re saying it’s more probable than not.

Example Sentences:

• "It’s likely that they’ll announce the winner later today."

• "She’s likely to finish the project ahead of schedule since she's been working so hard."

• "It’s likely we’ll have a full house at the concert tonight due to all the excitement."

When you say likely, you're emphasizing that the event is expected or more probable to happen.

Likely is commonly used in everyday conversation

4. Feasible

Feasible is used to talk about something that’s not just possible, but practically achievable. It's often used in business or planning contexts to talk about whether something can realistically be done.

Example Sentences:

• "Is it feasible to complete the report by tomorrow?"

• "We need to figure out if it’s feasible to move the meeting to next week."

• "The idea is great, but it's not feasible with our current budget."

Here, feasible is saying that something is not just a possibility, but whether it can actually be done, given the circumstances.

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5. Plausible

Plausible is used when something seems reasonable or believable, even though it might not be certain. It’s often used to talk about explanations or reasons.

Example Sentences:

• "Her explanation sounded plausible, but I’m not fully convinced."

• "It’s plausible that traffic caused the delay, but we’ll need more details."

• "The theory seems plausible, but there are still some unanswered questions."

When you say plausible, you're suggesting that something is believable or makes sense, even if it’s not confirmed yet.

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6. Imminent

If something is imminent, it means it's about to happen very soon. It’s often used to talk about something that’s expected to happen immediately or in the near future.

Example Sentences:

• "The storm is imminent, so we should take cover."

• "The company is facing imminent closure unless they make some big changes."

• "The end of the semester is imminent, so students are preparing for finals."

Imminent is a bit more urgent. It suggests that something will happen very soon.

• • A storm is imminent

7. Eventual

Eventual is used when something is going to happen after some time or after certain events. It’s often used to describe long-term results or outcomes.

Example Sentences:

• "The eventual winner of the race was the underdog, which surprised everyone."

• "The eventual outcome of the negotiations will determine the company’s future."

• "We may not see the results immediately, but the eventual success of this strategy is clear."

Eventual is about something that will happen after a series of steps or over time.

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8. Prospective

Prospective refers to something that’s expected to happen or someone who’s expected to do something in the future. It’s common in business when talking about future clients or customers. 

A prospective evaluation of heart score accuracy in chest pain patients

Example Sentences:

• "We have a meeting with prospective investors next week."

• "The prospective employee seemed like a good fit for the position."

• "They are preparing for prospective buyers to visit the property this weekend."