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Tung Quoc Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
right now vs right away
Go there right now = Go there right away. ?
That means right now and right away have the same meaning and interchangeable. Right?
If not, how to distinguish them?
Q
That means right now and right away have the same meaning and interchangeable. Right?
If not, how to distinguish them?
Q
Top answer
To my ear there is a very, very slight difference. If I say I'll do something right away , I'll probably do it somewhat later than if I say I'll do it right now . To me, right now is absolutely immediately.
- To my ear there is a very, very slight difference.
- If I say I'll do something right away , I'll probably do it somewhat later than if I say I'll do it right now .
- To me, right now is absolutely immediately.
- Right away is almost as soon as right now .
- It is as soon as I can possibly do it, which may be right now , and may be in a short while .
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11 Answers
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To my ear there is a very, very slight difference.
If I say I'll do something right away, I'll probably do it somewhat later than if I say I'll do it right now.
To me, right now is absolutely immediately.
Right away is almost as soon as right now. It is as soon as I can possibly do it, which may be right now, and may be
If I say I'll do something right away, I'll probably do it somewhat later than if I say I'll do it right now.
To me, right now is absolutely immediately.
Right away is almost as soon as right now. It is as soon as I can possibly do it, which may be right now, and may be
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I agree with CJ here.
Indeed, right away is ASAP, but not necessarily now (it could be now).
Indeed, right away is ASAP, but not necessarily now (it could be now).
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Hi,
You could also consider the past -
When I received your request last Wednesday, I mailed the package to you right away.
Best wishes, Clive
You could also consider the past -
When I received your request last Wednesday, I mailed the package to you right away.
Best wishes, Clive
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Thanks, Clive. I completely neglected to mention that right now doesn't work in the past tense.
CJ
CJ
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In past time, right away and right now have the same meaning, absolutely.
Right?
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Right?
Q
00
Wrong. You can't say:
My wife called me to dinner, and I went right now.
It has to be: I went right away.
CJ
My wife called me to dinner, and I went right now.
It has to be: I went right away.
CJ
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Sorry, I mean:
In present: Right away (as soon as possible,not necessarily now ) # right now (absolutely immediately)
In past: Right away means as soon as possible or absolutely immediately?
Q
In present: Right away (as soon as possible,not necessarily now ) # right now (absolutely immediately)
In past: Right away means as soon as possible or absolutely immediately?
Q
00
In the past right away means the same as in the present -- as soon as it is/was possible.
CJ
CJ
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What is the past form of right now? (with the meaning of absolutely immediately)?
Is the past form of right now right away?
If yes, do you think in past tense, right away has 2 meanings: absolutely immediately
or as soon as possible ?
Q
Is the past form of right now right away?
If yes, do you think in past tense, right away has 2 meanings: absolutely immediately
or as soon as possible ?
Q
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The past form of right now is right then.
I want to finish writing the letter right now.
I wanted to finish writing the letter right then.
CJ
I want to finish writing the letter right now.
I wanted to finish writing the letter right then.
CJ
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