Cool MateAll of a sudden vs Immediately
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
All of a sudden
Top 2,000 (common)
Immediately
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adverb
Most common: Immediately
| All of a sudden | Immediately | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ɔːl əv ə ˈsʌdən//🇺🇸 //ɔl əv ə ˈsʌdən// | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪˈmiːdiətli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪˈmiːdiətli/"]/ |
| Meaning | Unexpectedly or very quickly. | right away, without waiting |
| Example | All of a sudden, it started to rain heavily. | He answered the question immediately after it was asked. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | adverb | |
| Collocations | all of a sudden, a loud noise, all of a sudden, they appeared, all of a sudden, it happened | respond immediately, act immediately, notify immediately |
| Antonyms | gradually, slowly, over time | eventually, later |
| Common mistakes | Using in overly formal contexts., Confusing with similar phrases like 'suddenly.', Omitting 'of' in the phrase. | Using 'immediate' instead of 'immediately'., Confusing with 'eventually', which means later., Incorrectly placing 'immediately' at the end of a sentence. |
| Usage notes | Used to describe a change that happens suddenly. Suitable for both spoken and written English; avoid in formal writing. | Use 'immediately' to emphasize urgency or promptness. It's appropriate in both spoken and written English, but avoid in very casual contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: All of a sudden vs Immediately
What's the difference between All of a sudden and Immediately?
All of a sudden: Unexpectedly or very quickly. Immediately: right away, without waiting
Which is more common: All of a sudden and Immediately?
Immediately is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
All of a sudden: All of a sudden, it started to rain heavily. Immediately: He answered the question immediately after it was asked.
Can I use All of a sudden and Immediately interchangeably?
Not always. All of a sudden and Immediately are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.