“Actually” means “in fact” or “really”, not “currently” or “relevant”. We use it to correct someone, share a surprising fact or disagree politely: “Actually, the meeting is on Tuesday.”
actually: will you get the meaning right?
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Actually, + clause (correction or new information); subject + actually + verb; be + actually + adjective
- I thought the test would be hard, but it was actually quite easy.
- Actually, the train leaves at nine, not at ten.
- He looks strict, but he's actually very kind to new staff.
What changed
First versionIs this price list still actual?
RevisionIs this price list still up to date?
“Actual” and “actually” look like words that mean “current” in many other languages, but they are false friends. “Actual” means “real” or “existing in fact”, and “actually” means “in fact”. To ask whether information is still valid, say “up to date” or “current”.
When you mean “current” or “relevant”, choose the English word by meaning. For “important for the situation”, use “relevant”: “relevant experience”. For “recent and valid now”, use “up to date” or “current”: “the current timetable”. For “much discussed at the moment”, use “topical”: “a topical issue”.
Your turn
Anna's English is so good that people often think she's British, but she's ___ from Kazan.
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actually — People think Anna is British, but in fact she is from Kazan. This kind of correction to what people expect is introduced by “actually”. “Currently” means “now, at present”, and where a person comes from doesn't change over time.
Write about a common belief about your city or job that doesn't match reality. Say what people think and what the situation is actually like.
Many people think Novosibirsk is always cold, but in summer it's actually quite warm.
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