Cool MateAwesome vs That's a terrific story
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Awesome
InformalTop 1,000 (very common)B1adjective
That's a terrific story
Top 2,000 (common)
Most formal: That's a terrific storyMost common: Awesome
| Awesome | That's a terrific story | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˈɔːsəm//🇺🇸 //ˈɔːsəm// | 🇬🇧 //ðæts ə təˈrɪfɪk ˈstɔːri//🇺🇸 //ðæts ə təˈrɪfɪk ˈstɔri// |
| Meaning | Very good or impressive | It's a great story. |
| Example | That movie was awesome! | After hearing her tale, I told her, 'That's a terrific story!' |
| Register | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | awesome experience, awesome job, awesome view, awesome performance | tell a story, great story, hear a story, share a story, exciting story |
| Antonyms | terrible, awful, bad | - |
| Common mistakes | Used too frequently; try to vary vocabulary., Confused with 'awful', which means very bad., Overused for minor achievements. | Using 'terrific' incorrectly as negative (it means great), Confusing 'terrific' with 'terrible', Not using 'that's' when starting the phrase |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in casual conversation. Avoid in formal writing, where 'impressive' or 'excellent' might be more appropriate. | Use this phrase to express enjoyment or admiration for someone's story. It's appropriate in most conversational contexts but may sound overly enthusiastic in formal situations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Awesome vs That's a terrific story
What's the difference between Awesome and That's a terrific story?
Awesome: Very good or impressive That's a terrific story: It's a great story.
Which is more formal: Awesome and That's a terrific story?
That's a terrific story is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Awesome and That's a terrific story?
Awesome is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Awesome: That movie was awesome! That's a terrific story: After hearing her tale, I told her, 'That's a terrific story!'
Can I use Awesome and That's a terrific story interchangeably?
Not always. Awesome and That's a terrific story 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.