How to use continuous and continual in English - Learn English - English Lesson with Mr Duncan

I'm often asked to explain the

differences between certain words some

English were

birds appear similar which can lead to

the assumption of their meanings must

also be the same a good example of this

misconception occurs with the similarity

of the words continuous and continual on

appearance they look almost identical

while it is true that they are both

adjectives and their definitions do

overlap somewhat there is still a

distinction between them

first of all the word continuous means

forming an unbroken hole without

interruption something that goes on

without stopping is continuous to form a

series with no exceptions or reversals

is to be continuous there are continuous

advances in medicine and treatment cell

phones have evolved by continuous

improvements on previous designs

continuous is always moving forward

without reversing or making exceptions

then there is the word continual which

to a certain degree can be used in the

same way as continuous when describing

something that goes on without

interruption however in this sense the

word continuous tends to be the

prominent one the word continuous can

also be used to refer to space as well

as time that is to say that something

goes on in distance as well as over an

open-ended period the development forms

a continuous line along the coast the

alarm sounded with a continuous whining

noise

continual on the other hand typically

means happening frequently with

intervals between as in the bus service

has been disrupted by continual

breakdowns overall continuous occurs

much more frequently than continual so

to recap continuous is to go on without

a break deviation or reversal relating

to time and space continual is to happen

frequently with breaks or pauses in

between

the use of these words an adverb form

are bound by the same definitions as

their adjective forms continuously and

continually relate to have something

occurs or behaves

having said that in adverb form

continuously and continually can both be

used to mean constantly and without a

break or pause often in a negative way

which is where the confusion between

these two words often arises