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terrified vs. frightened vs. afraid

  • Thread starter Thread starter azz
  • Start date Start date

azz

Banned
Persian
a. I am terrified that he is here.
b. I am frightened that he is here.
c. I am afraid that he is here.

d. I am terrified that he will be here.
e. I am frightened that he will be here.
f. I am afraid that he will be here.


The sentences are mine.

In which cases: 1. I know for a fact that he is here or that he will be hereand that scares me.
In which cases: 2. He might be here and that scares me. I don't know if he is or will be or not.
Which cases are ambiguous?

(c) and (f) might mean I am sorry to say that he is here/ will be here.

Many thanks.
 
  • The terrified and frightened versions don’t quite workand the afraid ones read as though they mean “I’m sorry to sayhe is/will be here”.

    What we would be more likely to say is “I’m terrified that he might be here” or “… that he might turn up/arrive”.
     
    d. and e. would be fine if it were 'there' rather than 'here'. You are here. If he is (or might be) here nowyou wouldn't use 'will be'and if he isn't here now then he has to get hereand in English you usually refer to the travelling rather than the subsequent being.
    I am terrified he will come here.

    Note that 'frightened' might not have quite the meaning you expect in this context. 'He frightens me' means you are genuinely scared. 'I am frightened he will come here' is more an expression of worry. 'I am terrified he will come here' is a far better match for 'he frightens me' and you could naturally follow one sentence with the otherin either order.

    Lingobingo's 'might be here' is a far better choice than 'is here' for the present tense if you are expressing uncertainly. For the future tenseyou can use 'might come' and 'will come' almost interchangeably in this context; the future is always uncertain.

    If you know the person is here in the presentyou probably need a different construction: 'His being here frightens me'perhapsor 'I am frightened by his being here'.
     
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