Your opinion?

Welcome to ESL Printables, the website where English Language teachers exchange resources: worksheets, lesson plans, activities, etc.
Our collection is growing every day with the help of many teachers. If you want to download you have to send your own contributions.

ESL Forum:

Techniques and methods in Language Teaching

Games, activities and teaching ideas

Grammar and Linguistics

Teaching material

Concerning worksheets

Concerning powerpoints

Concerning online exercises

Make suggestions, report errors

ESL forum > Ask for help > Your opinion?

Your opinion?

Your opinion?

Hi
I have seen in the dictionary that both words are synonyms. But I have read a sentence and I do not understand the difference between the two words.

I really live in spain, but I am actually from canada.

When I have to use really or actually? Are both the same?

Thanks

21 Jun 2016

maryse pey�

Well, ACTUALLY is strong and means IN THE EXISTING FACTS or CONCRETELY. It is for something absolutely undeniable, exact and that you can check.

French is actually (= for sure) a difficult language to learn with all its exceptions.

REALLY often shows astonishment - Oh ! Really ?. It is more neutral.

Is he really sad ?

I am not really (= completely) sure about my information.

And as far as I can remember I have always been said not to use one for the other. "Be careful ! These 2 words are not at all synonyms !" was what I was taught when I was a student.

21 Jun 2016

Apodo

I agree the sentence does seem confusing. I wouldn�t use them both like that unless making some kind of explanation.

I �m only in England for a few months. I really live in Spain, but I am actually from Canada.

The sentence would mean the same if you reversed the position.

I �m only here in England for a few months. I actually live in Spain, but really I �m from Canada.

My own preference would be to say but I �m from Canada originally. The words do have the same meaning in this sentence.

They are not always interchangeable.

21 Jun 2016

Thank u very much.

21 Jun 2016