INDEX:
1. when the real situation is different from what people think
2. when what really happens is different from stories, films etc
3. when you want to add something surprising or interesting to what you are saying
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ TRUE
↑ REAL
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1. when the real situation is different from what people think
▷ actually /ˈæktʃuəli, -tʃəli/ [adverb] especially spoken
used to tell or ask someone what the real situation is, when they think it is something different :
▪ ‘Here’s the $10 I owe you.’ ‘Actually, you owe me 20.’
▪ Did he actually hit you or just threaten you?
▪ It turns out that one of the children I thought was a girl was actually a boy.
▷ in fact /ɪn ˈfækt/ [adverb]
used to tell someone what the real situation is, when they think it is something different. Actually is more informal and is used more in conversation than in fact. Actually is also used more in questions than in fact. Actually is often used at the beginning of a sentence that answers a question, but in fact is not. :
▪ He said it would be cheap but in fact it cost over £200.
▪ No, I’m not offended at all. In fact, I’m glad you asked the question.
in actual fact/in point of fact
▪ They seem to think that building a new road will improve the traffic problem, whereas in point of fact it will make it worse.
▪ There are almost 200,000 possible combinations of symbols. In actual fact, only a small number of these are used.
▷ really /ˈrɪəli/ [adverb] spoken
used to say what the truth is, especially because something about the situation may make people believe something that is wrong :
▪ He failed his tests, but he’s quite a bright guy, really.
▪ Are you sure she’s really a lawyer? She doesn’t act like one.
▪ They’re asking £600,000 for the house. That’s more than it’s really worth.
▷ in reality/the reality is /ɪn riˈælə̇ti, ðə riˈælə̇ti ɪz/ []
used to introduce the second part of a statement when you want to show that the first part is not true or exact :
▪ It seems like just yesterday, but in reality it was five years ago.
▪ Nowadays owning a car may appear to be a necessity, but in reality it isn’t.
▪ They say that the economy is already coming out of the recession, but the reality is that there has been no improvement at all.
the reality of the situation is
▪ The reality of the situation is that by sending drug users to jail, the government may be discouraging people from seeking treatment.
▷ the truth/fact is /ðə ˈtruːθ, ˈfækt ɪz/
used to show what the real truth or fact is in a situation, when this is surprising or different from what people believed was true :
▪ The truth was that she did not enjoy getting together with the rest of her family.
▪ The fact is he was murdered. He didn’t commit suicide at all.
▪ I may make it all look easy, but the truth is I work very hard.
▷ in practice /ɪn ˈpræktə̇s/ [adverb]
used to show the difference between what is supposed to happen according to a rule or law, and what does happen :
▪ Teenagers are not allowed to drink in bars, but in practice they often do.
▪ Economic predictions are highly theoretical. It’s what they mean in practice that is important.
in theory ... in practice
▪ The law seemed like a good idea in theory, but in practice it has proved far too expensive.
▷ in effect/effectively /ɪn ɪˈfekt, ɪˈfektɪvli/ [adverb]
used to show what really happens, even though this was not clear from what was said or done :
▪ Foreign companies have been effectively running the country for decades.
▪ Management seems to be saying, in effect, that if we don’t like the offer, we can all quit.
2. when what really happens is different from stories, films etc
▷ really/actually /ˈrɪəli, ˈæktʃuəli/ [adverb]
▪ Does Santa Claus really exist?
▪ There are many stories which describe wolves as dangerous, blood-thirsty animals, but actually they prefer to avoid human beings.
▷ in the real world /ɪn ðə ˈrɪəl ˌwɜːʳld/ [adverb]
in the world in which people really live, not in the world which exists in people’s imagination :
▪ Romances of that kind don’t happen in the real world.
▪ In the real world no one actually dies of a broken heart, but it happens in operas all the time.
▪ His sudden success is something you never really expect to happen in the real world.
▷ in real life /ɪn ˌrɪəl ˈlaɪf/ [adverb]
in real life, as opposed to what happens in films or stories :
▪ In real life there’s no magic wand to make all our problems disappear.
▪ On TV he plays a teenager, but in real life he’s married with two children.
3. when you want to add something surprising or interesting to what you are saying
▷ actually/as a matter of fact/in fact /ˈæktʃuəli, əz ə ˌmætər əv ˈfækt, ɪn ˈfækt/ [adverb] spoken :
▪ Robert’s an old friend of mine. We were at school together, actually.
▪ The company is doing very well. As a matter of fact, we’ve doubled our sales budget.
▪ Of course I know your mother. We go to the same church, in fact.
▪ The performance was excellent. In fact, it was probably the best I’ve seen.