Cool MateBut vs The thing is though
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
But
High-frequency chunkA1conjunction
The thing is though
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: But
| But | The thing is though | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/bət//bʌt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/bət//bʌt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ðə θɪŋ ɪz ðəʊ//🇺🇸 //ðə θɪŋ ɪz ðoʊ// |
| Meaning | Used to show contrast or exception. | It's important to understand or consider. |
| Example | I wanted to go, but it started to rain. | I thought the movie was great, but the thing is though, the ending was confusing. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | High-frequency chunk | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | - |
| Part of speech | conjunction | |
| Collocations | but I thought, but what about, but still, but then, but also | the thing is though, the thing is, that said, the point is though, the fact is though |
| Antonyms | and, or | - |
| Common mistakes | Confusing 'but' with 'and' when showing contrast., Starting a sentence with 'but' in very formal writing., Using a comma before 'but' when the clauses are very short. | Using it with formal topics like academic writing., Forgetting to adjust tone when switching between contexts., Overusing it, making dialogue sound repetitive. |
| Usage notes | 'But' is used to connect two contrasting ideas. It’s appropriate in both spoken and written English but may sound abrupt in very formal writing. | Use this phrase to introduce a point that adds nuance or contrast to a previous statement. Suitable for conversations but can be used in writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: But vs The thing is though
What's the difference between But and The thing is though?
But: Used to show contrast or exception. The thing is though: It's important to understand or consider.
Which is more common: But and The thing is though?
But is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
But: I wanted to go, but it started to rain. The thing is though: I thought the movie was great, but the thing is though, the ending was confusing.
Can I use But and The thing is though interchangeably?
Not always. But and The thing is though 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.