An opportunity is a chance or a good moment to do something; a possibility is the chance that something might happen. The two words can look interchangeable, so focus on the meaning. If it is a chance you can take, use opportunity; if you are talking about something that may happen, possibility fits.
opportunity or possibility — can you pick the right one?
Pick a word and write a sentence — we'll check right away that it fits the meaning and explain any mistakes.
The check is taking longer than usual. Your feedback will appear here automatically.
opportunity to + verb; take/miss an opportunity; possibility of + noun/-ing; there is a possibility that + clause
- The exchange programme gave me the opportunity to live in Japan for a year.
- Don't miss the opportunity to ask the speaker questions after the talk.
- There is a possibility of delays because of the storm, so leave early.
What changed
First versionLast summer I had the possibility to practise English with native speakers.
RevisionLast summer I had the opportunity to practise English with native speakers.
The speaker is talking about a chance they actually had and used, and for that English uses opportunity: have the opportunity to do something. Possibility is about how likely something is, so had the possibility to sounds unnatural to native speakers. That is why possibility was replaced with opportunity.
Possibility is the right word when you discuss options and risks: We discussed the possibility of moving to a bigger office. Nobody has been given a chance yet; people are only discussing whether it might happen. And when you simply mean that something can be done, can is often the easiest choice: You can pay by card.
Your turn
There is a real ___ that the flight will be cancelled because of the fog.
Show the answer
possibility — This is about likelihood: the flight may be cancelled because of the fog. That needs possibility, which here is followed by that and a full clause. Opportunity means a welcome chance, and nobody wants their flight cancelled.
Think of a chance you were given at work or in your studies. Write what the opportunity was and whether you took it.
In my second year at university I got the opportunity to do an internship in Berlin, and I took it.
Learn to use new words without mistakes
Write phrases with the words you are learning. LetsWords shows mistakes in usage and grammar, suggests corrections and explains them, and review helps the words stick.