It's Bound to Change
Speculating about the future — bound to, set to, on the verge of. Three years on, the group reads an economic report; Leo gives the least dramatic optimistic speech ever recorded.
📖 Reading: The Next Chapter
It is three years since Café Colibri opened. The group is gathered, as they often are, on a Sunday.
"Toronto's independent café scene is set to face increasing pressure from large chains over the next decade," Omar reads from an economic report.
"We're bound to have difficult conversations about this," says Leo quietly.
"But you're also on the verge of something good," says Maya. "The mentorship programme with Elena. That could change things."
"It's likely to take time," says Leo. "Real change always does."
"On the other hand," says Priya, "the demand for independent spaces is unlikely to decrease. People are bound to keep wanting places like this."
"I'm about to say something optimistic," warns Leo. "Everyone prepare."
"Go on," says Omar.
"The café is set to turn three next month. We've survived. We've won an award. We're on the verge of a mentorship programme. And — here's the optimistic part — I think we're bound to make it."
There is a pause.
"That," says Jess from New York via her phone, "is bound to be the least dramatic optimistic speech ever given."
"Thank you, Jess," says Leo. "I try."
🔑 Vocabulary Box
Eight key words from this lesson.
| Word | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| imminent | About to happen very soon | adj. — The change is imminent. |
| verge | The edge or brink of something | n. — On the verge of something important. |
| optimistic | Hopeful and confident about the future | adj. — He's about to say something optimistic. |
| mentorship | A developmental partnership involving guidance and support | n. — The mentorship programme begins soon. |
| decade | A period of ten years | n. — Pressure will increase over the next decade. |
| dramatic | Relating to drama; strikingly impressive or alarming | adj. — That was the least dramatic speech ever. |
| speculation | The act of forming theories about something without firm evidence | n. — Future speculation about the café's path. |
| survive | To continue to live or exist despite difficulties | v. — We've survived three years. |
📚 Key Verbs & Structures in This Lesson | |
bound to + verb | She's bound to succeed. / We're bound to face challenges. |
set to + verb | The café is set to turn three. / Prices are set to rise. |
on the verge of + noun/gerund | He's on the verge of a breakthrough. / On the verge of expanding. |
likely to / unlikely to + verb | Demand is likely to remain strong. / It's unlikely to decline. |
📚 Grammar Focus
📚 Future Speculation Structures | |
bound to (near-certain) | He's bound to succeed. / This is bound to cause debate. |
set to (planned/expected) | She's set to open a second location. / The law is set to change. |
on the verge of (imminent) | She's on the verge of a breakthrough. / The city is on the verge of transformation. |
likely to (probable) | Demand is likely to remain strong. |
unlikely to (improbable) | Independent cafés are unlikely to disappear entirely. |
Degree of Certainty
📚 Degree of Certainty | |
100% | will / going to (planned) |
90%+ | bound to / certain to / sure to |
80% | set to / expected to |
60–70% | likely to / probably will |
Imminent, not certain | on the verge of / about to |
Register
📚 Register | |
Journalistic | The company is set to announce major changes. |
Professional/business | Revenue is likely to increase in Q3. |
Personal/spoken | He's bound to forget. / She's on the verge of quitting. |
🎭 Dialogue: What's Next?
Leo summarises the next chapter for the café: the mentorship, the possible second location, and the question of whether optimism and confidence are the same thing.
The mentorship programme is set to start next month.
That's huge. It's bound to attract a lot of attention.
Elena says we're on the verge of something significant.
What about the second location?
Still not sure. It's likely to happen, but not soon.
The demand for independent cafés is unlikely to drop.
Agreed. And Café Colibri is set to survive.
Is that optimism or confidence?
Both, hopefully.
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
What does the economic report say about the café scene?
What does Maya say Leo is on the verge of?
What is Leo's optimistic speech about?
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
Choose: 'The café WILL turn three — it's confirmed.' (use 'set to')
Choose: 'She MIGHT quit, and it seems close.' (use 'on the verge of')
Choose: 'I'm VERY sure he'll get the award.' (use 'bound to')
🎭 Now It's Your Turn — Role Play
Practice with a partner. Use the dialogue as a model and extend it.
- Student A: You are a journalist interviewing someone about the future of their field (education, medicine, design, hospitality, technology).
- Student B: Respond using future speculation structures: bound to / set to / on the verge of / likely to / unlikely to.
- Each prediction must include a reason or piece of evidence.
- Then swap. Compare your predictions — which are most and least certain?