Certainty Signal
How sure is the speaker?
Significado
A signal of certainty, probability, doubt, assumption, hearsay, inference, or confidence.
Como identificar
Look for words like certainly, probably, maybe, apparently.
Exemplos
certainly|probably|maybe|apparently|surely
probably true|maybe later|apparently finished
She is probably at home.
Visual guide
claim: She is at home.
^
certainty layer:
how sure is speaker?
maybe -> probably -> certainly
low mid high
Where can E07 live? adverb: probably particle: maybe modal verb: MOD + verb verb/mood: CERT-form same job: confidence
Vista por língua
Na tua língua materna
Certainty is expressed with adverbs, modal verbs, conditional forms, and discourse markers.
Ela provavelmente já saiu.
She probably already left.
Na tua língua de aprendizagem
English certainty is expressed with modals, adverbs, stance verbs, and intonation.
She must be at home.
must = strong inference/certainty
Learners often confuse epistemic must/may/might with obligation or permission meanings.
Same block, different coding
Both languages use this block strongly, but they signal it differently. Focus on form changes, not only meaning.