Skilled vs You are goddamn gifted

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Skilled

Top 2,000 (common)B2adjective

You are goddamn gifted

InformalTop 3,000 (common)
Most formal: SkilledMost common: Skilled
 SkilledYou are goddamn gifted
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/skɪld/"]/🇺🇸 /["/skɪld/"]/🇬🇧 //jʊ ɑːr ˈɡɒd.dæm ˈɡɪf.tɪd//🇺🇸 //ju ɑr ˈɡɑːd.dæm ˈɡɪf.tɪd//
MeaningGood at doing something because of practiceYou are very talented.
Examplea skilled engineer/negotiator/craftsmanYou are goddamn gifted in playing the piano.
RegisterNeutralInformal
How commonTop 2,000 (common)Top 3,000 (common)
CEFR levelB2-
Part of speechadjective
Collocationsbe, become, extremely, fairly, very, at, in, with, skilled in the art (of something), be, become, extremely, fairly, very, at, in, with, skilled in the art (of something)goddamn talented, goddamn skilled, goddamn exceptional
Antonymsunskilled, inexperienced, inept-
Common mistakesUsing 'skilled' with 'to' instead of 'at' (e.g., 'skilled to play' instead of 'skilled at playing'), Confusing 'skilled' with 'skillful' — while similar, 'skillful' often refers to someone who is good at doing something in a practical context., Overusing 'skilled' when a more specific word (like 'talented' or 'expert') would be more fitting.Using it in formal contexts where swearing is inappropriate., Confusing 'gifted' with 'gift', which refers to a present., Forget to use 'goddamn' when emphasizing 'gifted'.
Usage notesUse 'skilled' to describe someone's ability in a certain area, especially in a professional or artistic context. It's appropriate in both casual and formal settings.Use when expressing admiration for someone's skills. It's informal and can be seen as strong language because of the curse word.

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Skilled
You are goddamn gifted

Frequently asked questions: Skilled vs You are goddamn gifted

What's the difference between Skilled and You are goddamn gifted?

Skilled: Good at doing something because of practice You are goddamn gifted: You are very talented.

Which is more formal: Skilled and You are goddamn gifted?

Skilled is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Skilled and You are goddamn gifted?

Skilled is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Skilled: a skilled engineer/negotiator/craftsman You are goddamn gifted: You are goddamn gifted in playing the piano.

Can I use Skilled and You are goddamn gifted interchangeably?

Not always. Skilled and You are goddamn gifted 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.

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