ENGLISH
REFERENCE

bound to do sth

idiom.
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford

idiom. you use this when you are certain that something will happen because it is natural or expected.

idiom. an adjectival idiom expressing a high degree of certainty or inevitability regarding a future action or state.


SIMPLE

It's bound to rain if you don't take an umbrella.

CONTEXTUAL

With his talent and hard work, he is bound to succeed in the music industry.

COMPLEX

Given the volatility of the current market, prices are bound to fluctuate significantly before the end of the fiscal year.

Usage

always followed by an infinitive verb and usually preceded by a form of 'to be'.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'likely to' (probability) to show that 'bound to' implies a sense of inevitability or destiny.

Pitfall

It is bound to happening.It is bound to happen.the phrase must be followed by the base form of the verb, not the -ing form.

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