possible - possibly

◊ 'possible'

Possible is an adjective. If something is possible, it can be done or achieved.

It is possible for us to measure his progress.

A breakthrough may be possible next year.

\

Possible is often used in expressions such as `as soon as possible' and `as much as possible'. If you do something as soon as possible, you do it as soon as you can.

Go as soon as possible.

I like to know as much as possible about my patients.

He sat as far away from the others as possible.

\

Note that you do not say that someone does something `as soon as possibly' or `as much as possibly'.

\

You also use possible to say that something may be true or correct.

It is possible that he said these things.

That's one possible answer.

\

◊ 'possibly'

Possibly is an adverb. You use possibly to indicate that you are not sure about something.

Television is possibly to blame for this.

The threat was possibly not very great.

\

For a graded list of words used to say how sure you are about something, see section on probability in entry at ↑ Adverbials.

\

You also use possibly when you are asking someone to do something in a very polite way. For example, you say `Could you possibly give me a lift to town?'

Could you possibly find a moment to tell them I'll be in on Saturday.

For more information about requests, see entry at ↑ Requests, orders, and instructions.

\