actually
adv.-
1 in fact or reality (adv.) A2 Elementaryused to emphasize that something is true, especially if it is surprising.
used to stress the factual truth of a statement, frequently to correct a misconception or highlight an unexpected reality.
ExampleI thought the movie would be boring, but it was actually quite good.
ExampleWhile many assumed the project had been cancelled, the team was actually working on a revised version in secret.
UsageOften placed at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis or before the main verb.
PitfallActually, I am living in London now.Currently, I am living in London now.In many languages, 'actually' sounds like the word for 'now'. In English, it means 'in fact', not 'at this moment'.
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2 correcting someone politely (adv.) B1 Intermediateyou use this when you want to correct someone in a gentle way.
serves as a pragmatic marker to introduce a correction or a differing opinion with a degree of politeness or hesitation.
ExampleActually, the meeting is at three o'clock, not two.
ExampleActually, if we look at the data again, we might find that the initial conclusions were somewhat premature.
UsageCommonly used as a sentence starter in spoken English to soften a correction.
- as a matter of fact
- to be honest
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3 expressing surprise (adv.) B2 Upper Intermediateused to show that you are surprised that something happened.
used to express surprise or to indicate that something is more impressive or extreme than expected.
ExampleDid he actually finish that giant pizza all by himself?
ExampleIt is remarkable that they actually managed to secure the funding despite the economic downturn.
Teacher's tipIn this sense, the word is often stressed in speech to convey disbelief or amazement.
From Middle English actually, actuelly, equivalent to actual + -ly.
A calque of Tagalog talaga.