Lindsay McMahon
"The English Adventurer"

You know how to use the word “interesting” in the traditional sense but did you know that there is another way that natives use this word?

Find out what it means and how to use it in this way today.

How do you give feedback on a movie that you’ve seen, a plate of food that you’ve tried, or some kind of performance that you have attended when it wasn’t that great?

Or when it wasn’t what you were expecting?

Here is our listener’s question:

I have heard for example if someone asks “Did you like the movie?” and then you say “It was interesting” and that means “so so” or “not so good” so I’m just confused about this one.

 

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What does “interesting” mean?

  • Meaning 1: evokes curiosity, engagement, pulls you in
  • Meaning 2: Used to say that something wasn’t that great, or was strange, but you don’t want to say it directly
    • Example: You attended a friend’s drama performance and another friend asks you how it was. You thought it was weird but instead you say “It was interesting.”

 

How do you know which meaning the person is using?

Listen to their tone of voice.

It will tell you exactly which meaning they are using.

*Listen to the episode where we demonstrate both meanings based on tone of voice.

 

Other ways to give feedback when you didn’t like the show, performance, meal:

  • Creative
  • Interesting
  • Pretty good
  • An experience
  • Different
  • Let’s just say
  • Let’s put it this way
  • It was ____ we’ll give it that
  • It was ___ I’ll say that much

 

Get the transcripts to hear these examples being used and follow along as you listen.

Leave your comments and questions below.

 

 

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