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Do both sentences suggest probability? |
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Yes, in the right context. However, they don't suggest probability in the same way. Not to me, anyway.
She may be right
suggests that it is possible that she is right and it is possible that
she is not right. It's saying that a possibility exists with regard to
the rightness.
She will be right
Or, in my preferred version,
She'll be right
suggests that it is certain that she will be found to be right, in the
opinion of the speaker. It reveals that the degree of belief held by
the speaker is quite high (in comparison to the previous version with
may). It's saying that a near certainty exists with regard to the speaker's belief about the rightness.
In short, the difference is between possibility and near certainty,
both of which can be said to "suggest probability". (The use of
will to indicate probability in this way is much less frequent than the use of
will to indicate the future. In fact, the
will of probability is nearly absent from everyday American English.)
CJ