What are the differences among 'to pace', 'to stroll' and 'to walk'

[Nguyen Lan]

Hi everyone,

I would like to know what are the differences among `to pace`, `to stroll` and `to walk`. Could you please give me some examples using these verbs so that I can recognize them easily by their own meaning, and can avoid to misuse these verbs?

Hoa Lan

[Romany]

to walk - is just taking normal steps in a normal situation.
For example "I walked to the shop and bought some food", "She is walking with a friend"

to stroll - is a more relaxed way of walking. You will "stroll" when you are not in a hurry, or when you are walking slowly.
For example, "I was strolling on the beach during my holiday" "She was a lazy girl who strolled everywhere."

to pace - usually means a nervous way of walking.
For example "The man paced up and down as he waited for the baby to be born" "the lion paced the cage in the zoo, waiting to be set free"
You might "pace" when you are worried about something (e.g. waiting for news about someone you know who is sick in the hospital), when you are impatient for something to happen (e.g. waiting for exam results) or when you are frustrated (e.g. when you are trapped somewhere).
Unlike normal walking, you usually only pace within a small space, like within a room or in a house. There is also usually no specific direction - you would NOT say "I paced TO the shop" or "I paced TO school".
Using "pace" is quite tricky, so avoid it if you're not sure how to use it!

Hope this helps ^_^

[Nguyen Lan]

Dear Romany,

Thank you very much for answering my question. It is helpful for me to learn English.

Hoa Lan