Q&A Flashcards
difference between two words and phrases, the right usage of a word or phrase, subtle nuances (5 cards)
What is the difference between “I plan to” and “I’m planning to”?
“I plan to” → More definite, structured, and intentional.
Suggests a firm decision or an established plan.
Often used in professional or formal contexts.
Example: “I plan to submit the report by Friday.” (Confident and clear intention)
“I’m planning to” → More flexible, ongoing, or tentative.
Implies you’re still in the process of planning.
Often used in casual or conversational contexts, especially for future personal plans.
Example: “I’m planning to visit Paris next summer.” (You’re in the process of making travel arrangements, but it’s not fully set yet.)
If you’re talking about a concrete next step, “I plan to” is slightly better because it sounds more decisive and professional. That said, “I’m planning to” wouldn’t be unnatural—it would just sound a bit more like you’re still considering or working on the decision, rather than having already made up your mind.
“End up being” – Does it have a negative nuance?
Not necessarily, but it often implies something unexpected or different from the original expectation. It can be neutral or even positive, but in some contexts, it can sound like things didn’t go as planned.
Neutral/positive:
“The party ended up being a huge success.” → (It wasn’t expected to be that great, but it turned out well.)
“The trip ended up being more fun than I expected.”
Can sound negative:
“The event ended up being a disaster.”
“I wanted a quiet night, but it ended up being really chaotic.”
Breakdown of “Turned out to be”
It suggests a process of discovery.
The result might have been uncertain, unexpected, or just not obvious at first.
It’s often used for evaluations made after some time has passed.
Examples:
“It turned out to be a great decision.”
→ At first, you weren’t sure, but in the end, you realized it was great.
“The cake looked weird, but it turned out to be delicious.”
→ You didn’t expect it to taste good, but after trying it, you found out it was delicious.
“We were worried about the weather, but it turned out to be a beautiful day.”
→ The weather was uncertain before, but in the end, it was beautiful.
友達とお出かけする時、朝出かける時は雨が降っていて、午後には晴れていたので、「It turned out to be a sunny day！」と言ったら笑われちゃった…どうしてかな？
Turn out to beは、「Turn」と言う言葉が入っているから「ただ変化する」と言う意味だと思いがちだけれど、実は単なる変化じゃなくて「展開があった結果、こうなった！」っていう、ページがめくられるような「ドキドキの展開感」が出るらしい。
たとえば 「最初は悪いと思ったけど、結果的にすごく良かった！」 みたいな意外性のある流れにはぴったり！
例：
“I thought the hotel would be terrible, but it turned out to be amazing!”
（ホテルひどいかと思ったけど、結果的にすごい良かった！）
“I was nervous about meeting him, but he turned out to be really nice!”
（彼に会うの緊張してたけど、結果的にすごくいい人だった！）
こういう 「予想を覆す」「意外な展開」 みたいな状況ならすごく自然に聞こえるけど、単に「朝は雨だったけど午後は晴れた」みたいな、普通の変化に使うと、「そんな劇的に語る話だったっけ？😂」って笑われちゃうんだって。
🌱 英語圏の人が日常で使う頻度🌱
👉「意外な結果」や「思ってたのと違った！」みたいな状況では、日常会話でもそこそこ使う
👉 でも、「ただ天気が変わった」とか「ただペンが壊れてなかった」みたいな 普通の事実の報告にはあまり使わない
👉 話のスケールが大きくなるほどマッチしやすい（旅行、仕事、人生の話とか）
だから、旅行全体の話で “The trip turned out to be fantastic!” なら自然に聞こえるし、ちょっとした展開のある話ならむしろぴったり！
結論：Turn out to be は、ちょっとした「ドラマチックな要素」や「意外な展開」がある時にこそ映える！
「普通の変化」にはあまり使わないけど、大きな出来事や予想と違った時に使うと、すごくネイティブらしい表現になる！
Difference between ‘I can see how you feel…’ and ‘I can see why you feel…’
“I can see how you feel” focuses more on the emotional side of things. It emphasizes empathy and understanding the emotion behind their situation.
Example: “I can see how you feel frustrated about your job situation.”
This shows you understand the emotional reaction to the situation.
“I can see why you feel” is about the reasoning or cause behind the feeling. You understand the situation that leads them to feel the way they do.
Example: “I can see why you feel frustrated with your job—it sounds like it’s been really stressful.”
This shows that you understand why they are feeling frustrated because of the situation
*it would be odd to say “I can see why you’re torn” if your friend hasn’t shared why they’re torn yet. You’d need to know the reasons before saying “I can see why you feel torn.” On the other hand, “I see” can work just as a simple acknowledgment when they’re explaining their situation.
