Cool MateExactly vs Precisely vs That's absolutely right vs That's correct vs That's true vs You're right
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Exactly
Precisely
That's absolutely right
That's correct
That's true
You're right
| Exactly | Precisely | That's absolutely right | That's correct | That's true | You're right | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪɡˈzæktli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪɡˈzæktli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/prɪˈsaɪsli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/prɪˈsaɪsli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ðæts ˈæbsəluːtli raɪt//🇺🇸 //ðæts ˈæbsəluːtli raɪt// | 🇬🇧 //ðæts kəˈrɛkt//🇺🇸 //ðæts kəˈrɛkt// | 🇬🇧 //ðæts truː//🇺🇸 //ðæts tru// | 🇬🇧 //jʊəˈraɪt//🇺🇸 //jʊrˈraɪt// |
| Meaning | In a precise or accurate manner. | Exactly or very accurately. | You're completely correct. | You are right. | It is correct. | You are correct. |
| Example | The instructions say to follow the recipe exactly for the best results. | They look precisely the same to me. | If you think the sky is blue, then that's absolutely right. | Yes, that's correct; the meeting is at 3 PM. | She really loves painting, and that's true. | When she pointed out the error, I realized she was right. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | B2 | - | - | - | - |
| Part of speech | adverb | adverb | ||||
| Collocations | exactly right, exactly what, exactly the same, exactly how, know exactly | precisely define, precisely state, precisely measured, precisely understand | that's absolutely true, that's absolutely correct, that's absolutely clear | that's correct, use it, that's correct, agree, that's correct, confirm | that's true for, that's true about, that's true in | You're right about that, You know you're right, If you're right, You're definitely right, I'm glad you're right |
| Antonyms | approximately, roughly | imprecisely, approximately, vaguely | That's completely wrong, That's absolutely incorrect, That's totally false | That's incorrect, That's wrong, That's false, That's mistaken | that's false, that's incorrect | - |
| Common mistakes | 'Exactly' is often confused with 'correctly' — they have different nuances., Learners sometimes use 'exact' instead of 'exactly' in adverbial contexts., Misplaced in sentences, such as using it at the beginning instead of near the verb. | Confused with 'precis' which means a summary., Using it in overly casual settings., Misplacing it in a sentence structure. | Using it when you only partially agree., Confusing with 'that's not right' which indicates disagreement., Misplacing emphasis leading to unclear agreement. | Confused with 'that's right' – similar but less formal., Used inappropriately in serious contexts when more formal language is needed. | Using 'that's truth' instead of 'that's true'., Confusing with 'that's truthfully'., Overusing in formal writing. | Using 'your' instead of 'you're'., Saying 'you are right' too often instead of using the phrase., Not using it when someone needs agreement. |
| Usage notes | Use 'exactly' to emphasize precision or correctness. It's suitable for both spoken and written contexts. Avoid in overly casual conversations where a simpler term may suffice. | Use in contexts where exactness is necessary. Avoid in casual conversations where approximate terms may suffice. | Use this phrase to agree strongly with someone. It's appropriate in both formal and informal contexts. | Use in conversations to confirm that someone else's statement is accurate. Avoid in very formal writing, where 'that is correct' might be better. | Used to agree with a statement. Avoid in overly formal contexts; prefer 'that is correct' instead. | Commonly used to agree with someone. Suitable in both formal and informal contexts, but avoid in argumentative situations. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Exactly vs Precisely vs That's absolutely right vs That's correct vs That's true vs You're right
What's the difference between Exactly, Precisely, That's absolutely right, That's correct, That's true, and You're right?
Exactly: In a precise or accurate manner. Precisely: Exactly or very accurately. That's absolutely right: You're completely correct. That's correct: You are right. That's true: It is correct. You're right: You are correct.
Which is more advanced: Exactly, Precisely, That's absolutely right, That's correct, That's true, and You're right?
Precisely is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.
Can you show an example of each?
Exactly: The instructions say to follow the recipe exactly for the best results. Precisely: They look precisely the same to me. That's absolutely right: If you think the sky is blue, then that's absolutely right. That's correct: Yes, that's correct; the meeting is at 3 PM. That's true: She really loves painting, and that's true. You're right: When she pointed out the error, I realized she was right.
Can I use Exactly, Precisely, That's absolutely right, That's correct, That's true, and You're right interchangeably?
Not always. Exactly, Precisely, That's absolutely right, That's correct, That's true, and You're right 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.