To start off, let’s look at nice easy words “kind” and “pretty” that I’m sure you already know very well. They are nice and positive words, but often native speakers use them in a different way from what you would expect. You have probably already noticed that, but we will just try to sum it up (= to make general observations and conclusions)
Learn to use them in a way that will make your English sound much more natural :
– “pretty” can be used if front of any adjective/characteristic to mean “a little”
– “kind of” can be used in front of a verb/action or an adjective/characteristic to mean the same thing, but maybe a little less!
These words are difficult to explain without examples, so let’s analyze them directly:
Example : “Can we talk about this later? I’m pretty busy right now!” (It means “I’m not extremely busy, and a little less than very, but enough to make it important).
You can also say “I’m quite busy”, or “I’m rather busy”, but it sounds much less natural.
You can also say “I’m kind of busy right now.” (It means “not really, but just a little”) – It’s pronounced (and sometimes written) “kinda”
LET’S PRACTICE: Find all the places in these phrases where you could place “pretty” or “kind of”:
I like this restaurant because it’s original. Still, the food can be strange there sometimes.
If you want to add a little extra touch of natural English, you can say : “I kind of like this restaurant because it’s pretty original. Still, the food can be pretty strange there sometimes.
I want to go to this concert, but I’m afraid it will be crowded.
If you want to sound more natural, you could say “I kind of want to go to this concert, but I’m afraid it will be pretty crowded.
Now, let’s look at the words TOUGH and ROUGH. You’ve probably already met them. Watch out for their pronounciation : [taf ] and [raf]
You can express a lot of ideas with these words that are used to characterize a lot of situations.
Let’s look at their basic meaning first, which is always a good start before moving on to more imaged and sophisticated expressions:
The basic meaning of “tough” :
If you want to succeed in business, you have to be tough. – Can you guess what the word means?
“tough” means “strong, determined, ready to fight and defend yourself”
“Tough” can also mean “difficult” to speak about a problem or a situation that is hard to solve
The basic meaning of “rough”:
Why do I have to sit on this old chair? It’s scratching my back because it is so rough. – Can you guess what it means?
“rough” is used to describe a surface that is unpleasant to touch because it is hard and irregular
“Rough” is also used to describe an experience that is physically unpleasant or difficult to go through emotionally.
“Rough” also means “imprecise”, “not defined”
Now boost your expression by looking at these often-used phrases. Can you guess which word fits each one: “tough” or “rough” ?
I’m really hesitating between eating a hamburger or a sandwich. It’s a _______ decision to make.
“tough” because it applies to a decision, so more to a mental process
When you are in high school and when you have a lot of extra weight, and your classmates make fun of you, it’s a really ______________ experience.
“rough” because it’s unpleasant physically and emotionally
When he says that he doesn’t react to criticism, he just wants to appear __________, but in fact every little comment on his personality affects him deeply.
“tough” because the person wants to appear strong and solid
If you want me to go to the supermarket for you, you need to give me a hundred or two hundred euros. I don’t know how much money I will need exactly, so this is just a ________________ idea.
“rough” is a word often used to talk about imprecise quantities
Are there any other words that you don’t master and that you would like to practice? Write your suggestions, and we will create exercises for you!
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