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Mamun Hossen
Help me to know the correct positions of the adverb 'probably' in sentences.
Please let me know which of them are correct in the following sentences:
1. I will probably not be there.
2. I probably will not be there.
3. I won't probably be there.
4. I probably won't be there.
5. He probably does not know.
6. He does probably not know.
7. He does not probably know.
8. He doesn't probably know.
Oct 25, 2017 5:59 AM
Answers · 4
1
I am a native speaker of American English from Southern California so my judgements are based on what I hear regularly.
1. I will probably not be there. - good
2. I probably will not be there. - good, but a bit awkward In spoken language
3. I won't probably be there. - not heard
4. I probably won't be there. - most common in spoken language
5. He probably does not know. - good, but in spoken speech it would more likely be heard "he probably doesn't know"
6. He does probably not know. - not heard
7. He does not probably know. - not heard
8. He doesn't probably know. - not heard
October 25, 2017
1
I don't know what is 'correct' - just what sounds right.
To me, 2,4 and 5 are good.
1 is OK - in spoken language.
The rest are not natural.
October 25, 2017
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Mamun Hossen
Language Skills
Bengali, Chinese (Mandarin), English, Hindi, Spanish
Learning Language
English, Hindi, Spanish
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