‘Alright’ is a simple word with lots of different meanings. We use it in so many ways! I will teach you ten different ways that native English speakers use this word in different situations by varying the tone of voice in speech. I’ll also teach you how Cockneys (Londoners) use this word as a greeting and the unexpected way of replying to it as if you’re a local. Also… what’s the difference between ‘alright’ and 'all right’? I’ll teach you that too, so you won’t have any more confusion. Alright?
Test your understanding of this lesson with the quiz: https://www.engvid.com/10-ways-to-use-alright-all-right/
TRANSCRIPT
Hi, everyone. In today’s lesson I’m going to show you ten ways to use the word „alright”. Let’s begin with some grammar, because there are difference between British English and American English in whether you’re writing the word „alright”. So, in American English, their preference is to write „all right” as two words. That’s considered more grammatically correct. In British English, it depends. Some people say it should always be written as two words, and some people it’s now acceptable to write „alright” as one word. Personally, I generally write the word as one word. I write it like this. And that is because I consider it quite an informal expression, and most of the time I use it, it feels to me that it has an informal register. But if you wanted to be really, really certain that you weren’t making a grammatical mistake, if you’re writing something formal, then you can spell it two words in British English.
Okay, let’s move now to examples of when we use this word: „alright”. What’s important to know about this word is it has different meanings, depending on how… On the tone that we use when we say it. Let’s start with here. Number one, when we want to reassure someone we can say: „Everything’s going to be alright. Don’t worry, everything’s going to be alright.” That’s also a song. Do you know it? „Everything’s Gonna Be Alright.” Sorry about my singing, but Bob Marley told us first that everything’s going to be alright.
Number two we can use the word „alright” to check: Is something satisfactory? That means: Is it okay? I want to check that the thing I want to do is okay. I can say: „Does this soup taste all right? I want you to tell me. Is it delicious? Does the soup taste all right?” Perhaps I’m going out for the evening, I’m not sure what to wear, so I try on my dress and I ask you: „Is my dress alright? Do you think it’s alright for the party?”
Number three, we say the word „all right” when we’re asking people about their health. Perhaps they’ve not been well lately, so we can say: „Are you all right?” We can also say that… if this would normally happen if you’re walking in the street and somebody falls over, maybe they slip because the pavement’s wet or they have a bicycle accident, you can say to them: „Are you all right? Are you all right?” And when we say it fast, then it all blends into one: „Are you all right? Are you all right?”
Next we have permission. If you want to sit down somewhere and you’re not sure if somebody’s already sitting there, you can politely say: „Is it alright if I sit here? Is it alright?” And they will say: „Yeah, sure. Sit down.”
My next examples are mainly British English examples, and these are informal expressions, things we would say when we’re just chatting in conversation. So, here I have spelt „alright” as one word every time. In my previous examples I spelt it two ways to show: Yes, this is possible, and this is also possible; depends on your preference. So, number five, in British English in London specifically, but many other areas, especially in the south of England, we can use „alright” as a greeting, so instead of saying: „Hello. How are you?” we just say to each other: „Alright?” And then they say: „Alright.” We don’t really put a lot of enthusiasm in it. -„Alright?” -„Alright.” So the first „alright” sounds like more of a question. „Alright?” And it depends, the other one sometimes doesn’t sound like a question. „Alright. Alright.” But they might do the question-sounding one back as well. -„Alright?” -„Alright?” It depends. Then you can also add „mate” or „love”; very, very informal and very familiar kind of language to use. A lot of people don’t like to be called „mate” or „love” if they don’t actually know you. Some people think it’s impolite. So you could say: „Alright, mate?” Or you could say: „Alright, love?”
Next we’ve got when you say yes to something but you don’t really mean it, you would rather say no, but you don’t feel it’s possible. So imagine your mom says to you: „Go and tidy your room”, or: „Can you tidy your room today?” You’d say: „Alright.” Or you’d say: „Alright.” You’re saying yes, you’d rather not do it today, but you don’t have a choice. So it’s not like: „Yes!” It’s not enthusiastic. […]
