Cool MateHe's pretty good at that vs Skilled
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
He's pretty good at that
Top 2,000 (common)
Skilled
Top 2,000 (common)B2adjective
| He's pretty good at that | Skilled | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //hiːz ˈprɪti ɡʊd æt ðæt//🇺🇸 //hiz ˈprɪti ɡʊd æt ðæt// | 🇬🇧 /["/skɪld/"]/🇺🇸 /["/skɪld/"]/ |
| Meaning | He is quite skilled at that. | Good at doing something because of practice |
| Example | He's pretty good at that painting technique. | a skilled engineer/negotiator/craftsman |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | B2 |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | pretty good at something, really good at something, not so good at something | be, become, extremely, fairly, very, at, in, with, skilled in the art (of something), be, become, extremely, fairly, very, at, in, with, skilled in the art (of something) |
| Antonyms | - | unskilled, inexperienced, inept |
| Common mistakes | Using 'pretty' with negative phrases, e.g., 'not pretty good', Misplacing the adjective, saying 'good pretty at that', Replacing 'at' with 'in', which changes the meaning | Using 'skilled' with 'to' instead of 'at' (e.g., 'skilled to play' instead of 'skilled at playing'), Confusing 'skilled' with 'skillful' — while similar, 'skillful' often refers to someone who is good at doing something in a practical context., Overusing 'skilled' when a more specific word (like 'talented' or 'expert') would be more fitting. |
| Usage notes | Used in informal contexts to compliment someone's ability. Avoid in very formal writing. | Use 'skilled' to describe someone's ability in a certain area, especially in a professional or artistic context. It's appropriate in both casual and formal settings. |
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Frequently asked questions: He's pretty good at that vs Skilled
What's the difference between He's pretty good at that and Skilled?
He's pretty good at that: He is quite skilled at that. Skilled: Good at doing something because of practice
Can you show an example of each?
He's pretty good at that: He's pretty good at that painting technique. Skilled: a skilled engineer/negotiator/craftsman
Can I use He's pretty good at that and Skilled interchangeably?
Not always. He's pretty good at that and Skilled are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.