Question

22 January

Portuguese (Brazil)

English (US)

Question about English (US)

is there any differece between these two sentences? do they sound the same meaning
- It's 4:02 a.m, to be precise. or
-It's 4:02 a.m to be accurate.

or

- This clock isn't precise or
- This clock isn't accurate

help me

See a translation

Answers

orphean

22 January

English (US)
Simplified Chinese (China) Near fluent

Precise is referring to something that is close to accurate. For example, someone could say: It's about 4 o'clock, 4:02 to be precise. However, accurate isn't usually used. If you say that the clock is accurate, that means it works properly and tells the correct time.

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Viviane_Morais_Melqu

22 January

Portuguese (Brazil)

@orphean thankyou very much 🙏🙏🙏🙏

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MetRon

22 January

English (US)

Technically, accurate refers to how correct a measurement is, how close to the actual value a measurement is. A clock is accurate when it gives you the exact time.
Precise is how reliable something is in giving measurements. If you measure something with three different rulers, but the numbers are all different, then the rulers are not precise (because the rulers do not agree with each other). For rulers that measure something and they all give you the same number, but that number is too long or too short of the actual measurement of the thing, then the rulers are precise (because they agree with each other) but they are not accurate (because the measured number is different from the true number).
That being said, they are usually used interchangeably. People do not make a distinction.

Highly-rated answerer

Viviane_Morais_Melqu

27 January

Portuguese (Brazil)

@MetRon thankyou, So if I say "this clock isn't precise" or
"this clock isn't accurate" they you sound the same meaning?

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MetRon

28 January

English (US)

In common use, yes, they are used the same. Most people don't make a distinction. But "This clock isn't accurate" is better. This is the sentence you should use.

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Highly-rated answerer

Viviane_Morais_Melqu

28 January

Portuguese (Brazil)

Viviane_Morais_Melqu

28 January

Portuguese (Brazil)

@MetRon thankyou very much

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is there any differece between these two sentences? do they sound the same meaning- It's 4:02 a.m, to be precise. or -It's 4:02 a.m to be accurate. or - This clock isn't precise or - This clock isn't accurate help me See a translation

Precise is referring to something that is close to accurate. For example, someone could say: It's about 4 o'clock, 4:02 to be precise. However, accurate isn't usually used. If you say that the clock is accurate, that means it works properly and tells the correct time.

In common use, yes, they are used the same. Most people don't make a distinction. But "This clock isn't accurate" is better. This is the sentence you should use.

is there any differece between these two sentences? do they sound the same meaning
- It's 4:02 a.m, to be precise. or
-It's 4:02 a.m to be accurate.

or

- This clock isn't precise or
- This clock isn't accurate

help me

See a translation