actually
- 01 A2 Elementary
used 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.
Simple“I thought the movie would be boring, but it was actually quite good.”
In context“While 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'.
Antonyms - 02 B1 Intermediate
you 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.
Simple“Actually, the meeting is at three o'clock, not two.”
In context“Actually, 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.
Synonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
used 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.
Simple“Did he actually finish that giant pizza all by himself?”
In context“It 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.
Synonyms
actually vs currently — Actually corrects a false assumption; currently describes what is happening right now.
actually vs eventually — Eventually marks the end of a long process or delay, while actually introduces a fact that corrects a misunderstanding.
Usage actually achieve · actually exist · actually improve
From Middle English actually, actuelly, equivalent to actual + -ly.
A calque of Tagalog talaga.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.