Today get the difference between “assume” and “presume” and find out when you should and should not use them in English.
Also, learn about a common Thanksgiving trend for young, urban professionals in the urban US.
Today we have a question from a listener. Here it is:
Hi my amazing hostesses, thank you for another awesome episode. I appreciate your hard work very much.
I have two questions, and hope you would love to cover them someday. First, I heard people end sentences with “though” often. Does though here mean but?
What the difference between though and but? Second, you have introduced ” I bet, I suppose, I think, I reckon”, how about ” I assume” ” I presume”, I feel people use assume more often than presume. But they seem to have similar meanings in dictionary.
Thank you in advance. Have a good one.
“Assume” versus “presume”:
- Assume: To believe something based on little evidence. To take for granted without proof. To to take a guess based on expectations.
- Presume: You believe something because you have more evidence or probability that the thing will happen. You have more of a reason to believe it.
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How do we use these words?
- An assumption you made in the past that is connected to this moment. For example: “I just assumed we would be going in the same car instead of driving separately.”
- “I assume they serve better beer in Vermont than in NH because there are more breweries.”
- “I don’t want to make any assumptions.”
- “Not to be presumptuous”/” I don’t want to be presumptuous but I am guessing that you work in the legal field.”
- “That’s a little presumptuous….’ (tone of voice)
Even though the dictionary meaning is a little different we use these two words very similarly – you’ll see how that’s true in the role play. Listen to the episode to hear the role play.
*Bonus phrase:
To jump to conclusions-To assume that you know something without evidence.
What questions do you have about today’s episode?
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