Something that comes up time and time again when I write articles in WORD, is the autocorrect functionality (my spelling and grammar ain’t great). It underlines incorrectly spelt words with red and suggests grammatical changes with blue.
WORD constantly wants to correct me when I write the word ‘actually’ and adds a dotted blue line underneath it. This is WORD’s way of telling me that something is grammatically incorrect.
For example, if I write the sentence “What does that actually mean” it, (WORD) asks me if ‘actually’ is necessary, because the sentence still makes sense without it. It does the same with the phrase ‘I’m really happy’ too.
As much as I understand why WORD does this, in real life, WORD could not be more wrong.
The words ‘actually & really’ are such important words when you speak to your friends. We often greet our mates (in England) with the phrase ‘how are you?’ it’s a perfectly normal thing to do.
But, if you’re worried about that friend, then I implore you, if the moment allows it, you need to add the word really to the end of that sentence. In other words, ‘how are you, really?’ The same works if you put actually at the beginning of the same sentence, i.e. ‘actually, how are you?’ You can even go the whole hog... actually, how are you really?
These adverbs can mean the difference between simply having a surface conversation with a friend and getting to the bottom of what is actually (there it is again) going on with them.
So, please ignore WORD the next time you think someone wants to talk. Add the adverbs, ask that question again and be there for your friend.