Acceptable vs Adequate vs Fair

Quand utiliser chacun en anglais, avec le sens, le registre et des exemples.

Acceptable

Top 2000 (courant)B2adjective

Adequate

Top 2000 (courant)B2adjective

Fair

Top 1000 (très courant)A2adjective
Le plus courant: Fair
 AcceptableAdequateFair
Prononciation🇬🇧 /["/əkˈseptəbl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əkˈseptəbl/"]/🇬🇧 //ˈædɪkwət//🇺🇸 //ˈædɪkwɪt//🇬🇧 /["/feə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/fer/"]/
SensOkay or good enough to be used.Good enough for what is needed.Treating everyone equally and justly.
ExempleThe noise level in the library is not acceptable for studying.The food was adequate, but I expected something better.The decision was fair and just for everyone involved.
RegistreNeutreNeutreNeutre
FréquenceTop 2000 (courant)Top 2000 (courant)Top 1000 (très courant)
Niveau CEFRB2B2A2
Nature grammaticaleadjectiveadjectiveadjective
Collocationsbe, prove, seem, highly, very, completely, to, the boundaries of acceptable…, the bounds of acceptable…, the limits of acceptable…, be, prove, seem, highly, very, completely, to, the boundaries of acceptable…, the bounds of acceptable…, the limits of acceptable…adequate resources, adequate solution, adequate responsebe, seem, make something, scrupulously, very, absolutely, to be fair, to, be, seem, make something, scrupulously, very, absolutely, to be fair, to
Antonymesunacceptable, unsatisfactory, poorinadequate, insufficientunfair, biased, inequitable
Erreurs fréquentesConfused with 'acceptable' vs 'accepted'., Using 'acceptable' as a noun incorrectly., Overusing 'acceptable' in contexts that require stronger words like 'excellent' or 'outstanding'.Confused with 'sufficient' - 'adequate' implies minimum quality, while 'sufficient' means enough in quantity., Using 'adequate' too casually, as it is more formal., Mispronouncing it, especially in unstressed syllables.Confused with 'fare', which refers to the cost of a ticket., Using 'fair' when meaning 'light-skinned', instead of using 'fair-skinned'.
Notes d'usageUsed in both spoken and written contexts to indicate something that meets necessary standards. It can be formal in academic contexts and more casual in everyday conversations. Avoid in circumstances that require high standards or exceptional quality.Use 'adequate' when something meets the necessary requirements, but is not exceptional. It's often used in formal contexts, like reports or evaluations.Use 'fair' to describe situations or actions that are just and equitable. It's appropriate in most contexts including discussions about justice, games, and competitions. Avoid using it in overly formal or legal contexts where 'equitable' might be better.

Questions fréquentes : Acceptable vs Adequate vs Fair

Quelle est la différence entre Acceptable, Adequate et Fair ?

Acceptable: Okay or good enough to be used. Adequate: Good enough for what is needed. Fair: Treating everyone equally and justly.

Lequel est le plus courant : Acceptable, Adequate et Fair ?

Fair est le plus courant dans l'anglais de tous les jours.

Acceptable, Adequate et Fair sont-ils au même niveau CEFR ?

Acceptable: B2, Adequate: B2, Fair: A2 sur l'échelle CEFR.

Quelle est la nature grammaticale de Acceptable, Adequate et Fair ?

Acceptable: adjective, Adequate: adjective, Fair: adjective.

Peux-tu montrer un exemple de chacun ?

Acceptable: The noise level in the library is not acceptable for studying. Adequate: The food was adequate, but I expected something better. Fair: The decision was fair and just for everyone involved.

Puis-je utiliser Acceptable, Adequate et Fair de façon interchangeable ?

Pas toujours. Acceptable, Adequate et Fair sont proches et se recoupent parfois, mais elles diffèrent par le registre, la fréquence et l'usage, donc remplacer l'une par l'autre peut changer le sens ou le ton. Regarde les différences ci-dessus avant de substituer.

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