Many people use the term of ‘chance’ mixed with ‘opportunity’. The two terms have similar meanings; probability, a way of expressing the belief that an event will happen. However, the two terms have some differences with their not only the meaning but also the usage. The meaning of the two terms are different that the words used to positive or negative events. In addition, we can divide them with the usage: whether it fluently was used in spoken or written English ? Moreover, you could compare the two words with what words usually come before? In these three aspect, i will define the differences of two terms chance and opportunity.
First of all, opportunity always means the probability of good luck, but chance is not. Chance means the probability of something that will happen. We don’t know whether it is good luck or bad luck. However, opportunity means that probability of good luck. Therefore, if you want to say that you got a probability of something that you really admire, you should say opportunity. Otherwise, you cannot judge the chance will be helpful for you or not.
Second, chance was fluently used in spoken language but opportunity was used in written language more. Change used 16122 times in spoken English but, in written English it used only 5445 times. Opportunity used 11620 times in spoken English, in written English it used 13253 times. Opportunity used many times both in spoken and written English. However, it used fluently in written English. Therefore, I could find out that opportunity is more proper in written English, and it’s more formal word.
Lastly, they have differences in words that usually come before. Usually, chance used with ‘fat’ or ‘surviving’. The two words have the most high rank. However, ‘window’ and ‘equality’ are fluently used with opportunity. ‘Fat chance’ means that it could be impossible. In addition, opportunity of window means the entrance of probability. They have different meaning according to the words that come before.
In conclusion, there are some differences in two words; chance and opportunity. They have differences in their meaning, usage and the words that usually come before. In addition, I could find out these differences through search the terms in corpus. It is really helpful not only find the meaning of words but also the usage and the relation of words.
Davies, Mark. (2008-) The Corpus of Contemporary American English: 450 million words, 1990-present.
