Common Mistakes using Anxious
This is your host Danny and this is common mistakes from English plus podcast. In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about the common mistakes we’ve made using the word anxious. But before we do that, let me remind you that you can support English plus podcast by becoming a patron on Patreon. And by doing that, you will be helping me creating more of the episodes you love. And you will be getting every single issue of English plus magazine. And now without further ado, let’s start talking about the common mistakes we make using the word anxious.
Let me start with a very simple example. I always feel anxious when I have to make a speech. Oh, that is normal, right? But what’s not normal about this sentence? Is the word anxious itself. Maybe anxious is not the perfect word to use here, maybe there’s a better word we should consider. But first, what does anxious mean? What does it really mean? Now, to be anxious means to be worried because you fear that something bad may happen, or may have happened, for example, their daughter hadn’t come home from school, and they were anxious about her safety. Well, that makes sense. worried because you fear something bad may have happened. Alright, another example. I knew it was just a minor operation. But I couldn’t help feeling anxious. Now, when we talk about these situations, it is normal to feel anxious, it is normal to be worried because you fear that something bad may happen or may have happened, right? But you come back to this example. And we’re talking about making a speech, well, that doesn’t work really anxious doesn’t work here, maybe the word we should use is nervous, not anxious. Now, nervous is different. It is worried again, but worried because you are in or about to enter a stressful situation. Not because something bad may happen or may have happened. It’s different. The situation is different. And when we talk about making a speech, that is exactly a stressful situation for a lot of people, even for the ones who are very good at giving speeches, they still feel nervous, not anxious, or anxious. What could happen unless you are worried something bad may happen. That’s a different story. But I just want you to note here when I say I always feel anxious, because I say always so it makes sense that I’m talking about nervous here, the word I should use is not anxious. It is nervous. Okay. So that was our first mistake. Let me give you another example. She is anxious that the hotel rates will be too expensive. Another one, I was anxious that somebody would see us through the window? Well, again, we talked about anxious, anxious means you’re worried because you think something bad may happen or may have happened. But it doesn’t work here. What because the rates will be too expensive. Well, this is not the bad stuff, we’re talking about the one we should use anxious for, or someone would see me through the window. I mean, that’s not that serious to be anxious about right. But here, maybe I just say worried. And that is a good tip. By the way, if you’re not sure which words to use, maybe you should use just worried. Worried means unhappy because you have or expect that you’re going to have a problem that is worried like the business is losing money. And the boss is very worried, not anxious, well, can be anxious. Not a big deal. But it’s not the perfect word to use here. I know you might be saying, well, what’s the big deal? anxious, worried nervous? That’s not a big deal. Yeah, I know, people will get what you’re trying to say. But here are those small differences between these adjectives will make all the difference in your language, people will know that your language is great is better than they expected. Because you know the differences, you know those slight differences between these words. So going back to these examples, instead of saying she is anxious that the hotel rates will be too expensive, we should simply say she is worried that the hotel rates will be too expensive. And instead of saying I was anxious that somebody would see us through the window. I should simply say I was worried that somebody would see us through the window. Let me give you one more example. He obviously isn’t anxious about public opinion. Again, you can’t be anxious about public opinion. I mean, remember anxious, you’re worried because you think something bad may happen or may have happened. It doesn’t work here. It’s not the best word to use in this context. Just use worry or concern or maybe bothered. You can say he obviously isn’t worried about public opinion isn’t concerned about public opinion. That means feeling that something is not a problem when you just want to say that he isn’t feeling that bad. Public opinion is a problem. Use worried concerned bothered about it not anxious. Alright, now let’s move to a couple of more examples. I’m anxious to hear about your new boyfriend, or I’m anxious to see how British people celebrate Christmas. Wow, I just want to know that is not anxious guys. If you are anxious to do something, you want to do it in order to improve a difficult or unpleasant situation. For example, we are anxious that people are informed of the truth of the matter. we’re anxious. We want to do something in order to improve a difficult or an unpleasant situation is serious thing. But not I’m anxious to hear about your new boyfriend or to see how British people celebrate Christmas doesn’t make any sense. If you want to use anxious you say something like the police are anxious to speak to anyone who witnessed the accident. They want to solve the case they are anxious, of course we can use it here. But if you simply have a strong desire to do something, you are keen, you are eager, you are longing you’re dying to do something, or you cannot wait to do it. Like I can’t wait to get out of these wet clothes. That makes sense. I can’t wait. You simply have a strong desire to do something can’t wait. I am keen, eager, longing, dying, dying here, of course in the metaphorical meaning dying to do something that just means that you have a strong desire to do something. So here instead of saying I’m anxious to hear about your new boyfriend, you can say I can’t wait to hear about your new boyfriend. I have a strong desire to hear about your new boyfriend. not anxious. I can’t wait. I’m keen. I’m eager. I’m longing. I’m dying. I don’t know. I’m maybe dying here is a little bit exaggerated. But if you want to exaggerate why not but not anxious. Or the second example, I’m anxious to see how British people celebrate Christmas while not anxious. Again. Don’t be anxious about things like that. I’m longing to see how British people celebrate Christmas. I’m eager to see I can’t wait to see fine, but not anxious. Now, our very last example, most unemployed people are anxious for finding work. Well, what’s wrong with that? Obviously, the word anxious works here. Yes, it works. But it doesn’t work the way we use that we cannot be anxious for doing something it doesn’t work this way this structure doesn’t work this way. We should say anxious to do something not anxious for doing something. Alright, so here instead of saying most unemployed people are anxious for finding work, you say are anxious to find work. Okay, so that is everything I wanted to share with you about anxious I hope you can use the knowledge I shared with you today to improve your choice of vocabulary and to use anxious in the right place when you really mean anxious. Now that being said, this is your host Danny thank you very much for listening to another episode from English plus podcast. Don’t forget to consider becoming a patron of English plus on Patreon, the link in the description. I’ll see you next time.
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