Difference between stupid and dumb

[Alan]

Please activate Javascript and Adobe Flash for view MP3 player

16 views

Download mp3	Click to listen

Hi Nick,

Thank you for your interesting and practical comments. It is very hard sometimes when you create a test to decide which is the correct/best word to fill in the gap. You have to weigh up in your mind whether to make up the list of possible answers with related words or words that are in stark contrast to one another. If you look back on this thread which is now being raised again by Esl_Expert as she currently calls herself, you will see that I have stuck to my guns and not been railroaded into making a change as at the time I wrote the test I thought the choice of the 'correct' answer was the right one. If as a test writer you are at the beck and call of anyone who disagrees with your choice, the whole point of the test is lost. The main point of this forum is to allow subscribers to comment as they will and that in itself stimulates discussion but making demands that this or that should be changed to suit personal preferences achieves nothing.

I certainly like your idea of 'best' choice but unfortunately in this kind of situation we have to make a definite decision.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Phrasal Verbs/go

[Anhlando]

Hi everyone,

I just read about the different between stupid and dumb, and i wonder that dumb is a bad word or not.

And my problem here is about the grammar when i talk. i realized my mistake when i was talking but i could not fix it because i spoke it out. I often watch English movies, read English books...

Please help me. Thank you very much. Anh.

[Alan]

Hi,

My advice is not to worry about mistakes you make when you speak. Gradually you will improve and not make these mistakes again. After all it's only by using the language by speaking and writing and reading it that you will make progress. At least you are making an effort and trying and that's a good start.

Alan
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Well, Hello!

[Torsten]

[RussianBear]

[Yuri Yurinov]

Hello!
What a discussion! I have got millions topic reply notifications about "stupid" and "dumb"!
And from my point of view, "stupidity" is a condition of a human which is not curable (if you are stupid - it is for ever), and if a man is "dumb" everybody have a strong desire to get rid of him because he isn't interesting to deal with.

Wish you'll solve at last this "global problem"

Yuri.
_________________
An interested teacher, interesting lessons, interested pupils - these are three sides of a triangle named 'teaching'.

[Yuri Yurinov]

Sorry.
In last message I've made a mistake. I was to write "everybody has". The first person singular in Present Tense is one of the most complicated points for learners.

Best wishes.

Yuri.
_________________
An interested teacher, interesting lessons, interested pupils - these are three sides of a triangle named 'teaching'.

[RussianBear]

[YusriThea]

I think the best answer "everybody have", it is true?

[Anhlando]

[Anhlando]

Hi Alan,

Thank you for your advice. I would appreciate it.
Have a nice week.
Anh

[RussianBear]

[Esl_Expert]

[Kiprida]

Dear Torsten,

I got 10 out 10!!!!!! I'm happy

Regards,

Phoebe
_________________
incomplete....

[Dreamgirl09]

I perfectly understand "stupid" is the same that "dumb" so I don't understand why I was wrong here, for me is the same, Am I wrong?