

You heard the speakers use okay several times in the goodbye scene. Now that you have learned about the different meanings of okay, think back to the ending of the film “Before Sunrise.” In this way, neither speaker is surprised when the conversation does end! This use of okay helps make it clear to both speakers that the conversation is coming to a close. In both cases, the employee uses it to show that the conversation will soon be ending.
#Other words for in a timely manner how to
The employee has just explained to the customer how to return the car:Įmployee: Okay, so you understand how to return the car?Įmployee: Okay, I'll see you in a few days! Imagine you are at a car rental business. It can also be used to show the end of a topic in a conversation. Show the end of a conversation (or topic of conversation)Ī second common use of okay is to show a transition to the end of a conversation. In that sense, okay helps organize a conversation.Ģ.

The speakers may disagree about what to eat, but one speaker is using okay to show that she understands what the other speaker is saying. Once again, okay serves the purpose of acknowledging what another person says. Consider the same situation at a restaurant.Ī: Okay, but I would like to eat some kind of vegetable. However, Americans often use okay even when they do not necessarily agree with each other. In this example, one speaker uses okay to show that she acknowledges what the other speaker says. Two friends are ordering dinner at a restaurant.

So, for example, consider this situation. The first use is to acknowledge what another person says. These words show transitions, agreements, disagreements, and so on.Ī common discourse marker in American English is (you guessed it) okay.Īs a discourse marker, it has a few common uses. They are also used as discourse markers – words that organize a conversation. In general, the definition of an adverb is this: a word that describes a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a sentence.Īdverbs are often used to show time, place or manner. They are difficult because they represent a large group of words that have many uses. Now that we have covered some of the basic meanings of okay, we can turn to what it means when it acts as an adverb.Īdverbs are one of the most difficult subjects in English grammar. He or she is okay - not great and not bad. Rather, it means that there is nothing remarkable about the new boss. This statement does not praise the new boss. So, you might hear an American say, "The new boss seems like an okay person."
#Other words for in a timely manner professional
This use is informal but you will hear it often, even in professional settings.įinally, there is the adjective form of okay. This means the boss approved the project. So, a coworker could tell you "The boss okay'ed this project." The verb form of okay has a similar meaning. When speakers use okay as a noun, they usually mean "approval or permission.”įor example, a coworker might tell you, "The boss gave her okay." This is an informal way of saying that the boss gave her permission. Its meaning changes slightly when it is used in different ways. The word okay can act as a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb. We will learn how its meaning can change depending on how it is used in a sentence. In today's Everyday Grammar, we are going to explore the different uses of the word okay. Say goodbye."Īfter you wipe the tear from your eye, some questions might come to your mind: What is the grammatical purpose of okay?* And why do Americans use the word so often?
