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Business English Vocabulary: Talking about the Future (+ Quiz)
- Oct 23, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 18
In this article: Workplace scenario and quiz
Things change fast at work - new projects, new tools, and unexpected challenges come up all the time. To talk about what might happen next, you need business English vocabulary that professionals actually use in workplace conversations. Native speakers often use expressions like It’s likely to cause delays or It’ll definitely take longer than we thought when making predictions at work.
For a broader look at how native speakers handle uncertainty at work, read our guide to 10 Essential Business English Phrases for Handling Uncertainty at Work (Meetings, Updates, Negotiations).
Talking about the Future: Workplace Scenario
It’s Friday afternoon.
The team has been talking about the same technical issue for days, but no one has found the time to fix it.
Your manager looks at the report and says:
If we don’t fix this problem soon, it’s bound _____ worse.
A) get
B) got
C) getting
D) to get
Choose the correct option and listen to the sentence.
Using Business English Naturally at Work
Many learners understand a phrase when they read it, but the harder part is using it naturally in a real conversation at work.
That’s what you practice in Pro Vocabulary Lab.
Inside the program, you’ll work with:
realistic workplace situations
short dialogues based on real work conversations
speaking practice with natural Business English
Ready to sound more natural in real work conversations?
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What does "be bound to" mean?
Now, let’s look at what this expression means and how you can use it naturally at work.
BE BOUND TO + V1
When something is bound to happen, we’re almost sure it will happen.
The new project is bound to succeed - the idea is strong.
If we delay again, costs are bound to increase.
Without regular updates, problems are bound to appear.
That's right! The correct answer is D) to get.
Business English Vocabulary: How to Talk About Probability and Certainty in English
At work, we often need to talk about how likely something is to happen. We might think something will probably happen, feel sure it will, or doubt that it will happen at all. English has several common ways to say this, including likely, unlikely, probably, definitely, and certainly.
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LIKELY / UNLIKELY TO V1
adjectives
Use likely to and unlikely to to talk about how probable something is — how sure you are that it will (or won’t) happen.
be likely to + V1 / It is likely (that) something will V1 = there’s a good chance it will happen
be unlikely to + V1 / It is unlikely (that) something will V1 = there’s a small chance it will happen
It’s likely to rain during the event, so bring umbrellas.
She’s unlikely to agree with the new policy.
The results are likely to improve after the next update.
It’s likely that sales will increase this quarter.
It’s unlikely the team will finish before Friday.
It’s likely that we’ll need more resources for the next phase.
For more examples, read our guide to essential Business English phrases like bound to and projected to.
PROBABLY / DEFINITELY / CERTAINLY
adverbs
Use probably, definitely, and certainly to show how sure you are that something will happen in the future.
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Something will probably + V1 = there’s a good chance it will happen
Something will definitely / certainly + V1 = you’re very confident it will happen
We’ll probably finish early.
They’ll definitely notice the difference.
The app will certainly get more users after the redesign.
It will probably take longer than we initially thought.
They’ll definitely want to discuss the results.
Practice What You’ve Learned - Take the Quiz
Now it’s your turn to practice. In the short quiz below, choose the correct option for each sentence. Then check your answers and listen to the sentences.
Download the PDF Worksheet: Talking About Change and Progress in English
Skip textbook phrases—get real workplace scenarios, full dialogues, and speaking practice in Pro Vocabulary Lab.
ANSWER KEY - QUIZ
1. It’s likely we’ll be here late this week — head office moved the deadline up.
A) definitely
B) likely
C) bound
2. We’re asking for a lot more money than we did last quarter. This will _____ raise a few questions.
A) certainly
B) bound
C) probable
3. I’ll probably _____ the call from home today — my internet’s faster there.
A) join
B) to join
C) joining
4. With a track record like that, they’re bound _____ the deal.
A) win
B) to win
C) winning
5. There are a few extra costs in here that nobody asked for. _____ unlikely they’ll approve the budget without a few changes.
A) It
B) It’ll
C) It’s
6. We’ve started using a project-tracking tool instead of updating spreadsheets by hand. This _____ definitely save us time in the long run.
A) will
B) is
C) -
Now that you know these phrases, try using them the next time you talk about plans, delays, or possible results at work. They’ll help you say what you mean more naturally.
Erin West is a Business English educator, writer, and founder of RealBusinessEnglish.com. She creates practical lessons, quizzes, and learning materials that help professionals use clear, natural, and confident English at work — with just the right amount of fun.
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