Remember, there’s a difference in vocabulary when you, yourself, express something and when you describe a situation. In this English video, here’s how that comes into play with the word “doubt”.
The word doubt means to not completely believe. Maybe you want to, but there’s some hesitation involved. Sometimes, the hesitation can be very strong, and you don’t believe something at all.
Let’s imagine that there’s a sale at your electronics store. Something that is normally expensive is marked down for a cheap price. We all like finding a good deal. However, if you saw an iPhone for only $20, would you believe that’s right? Probably not!
In this case, you’re doubtful. That’s the term to describe your attitude. But if you were going to speak out loud– actually expressing your thoughts– you’d say something like “A $20 iPhone? I doubt it!”
This is an issue of adjectives and verbs. Don’t confuse them. They really impact your fluency.
If you’re interested in learning more conversational English like this, connect with Jon to sign up for online private English coaching or face-to-face sessions in Boston. We’ll work on making you sound like a native speaker.
