Words of the week: “pretend”, “pretence” and “pretentious”

Author: Mark

Reading level: B1

Hello! Today, let’s look at the NOUN pretence and how it relates to the ADJECTIVE pretentious and the VERB pretend. Understanding these words will boost your English skills in general and allow you to say more advanced ideas in your IELTS exams!

What Does “Pretence” Mean?

Pretence (countable noun) refers to an action where someone makes something seem to be true when it is not. Pretence (uncountable noun) is similar to this, but means this behaviour in general – it is not talking about one specific situation when this happened. In simpler terms, “pretence” is like putting on a show to create a false impression.

• Pronunciation: /prɪˈtɛns/ or /ˈpriːtɛns/
• Explanation: Imagine you’re smiling at a party but feel sad inside. That smile could be described as a pretence of happiness.

Examples of “Pretence” in Sentences:

• “He made a pretence of knowing the answer, even though he had no idea.”
• “She kept up the pretence of being confident during her presentation.

How Is It Similar To “Pretend”?

The word pretend describes the action of creating a pretence! While pretence is the NOUN form, pretend is the VERB.

Examples of “Pretend” in Sentences:

• “He pretended to be interested in the conversation.”
• “Don’t pretend you’re fine if you’re not!”

Think of it this way: Pretence is the result of pretending!

Why Are These Words Useful?

Both pretence and pretend allow you to talk about situations where things are not as they seem. These words are great for describing hidden feelings.

Memory Tip:

To remember the connection, think of a performance on stage. An actor pretending to be someone else is part of the pretence of the play!

How Is It Similar To “Pretentious”?

The ADJECTIVE “pretentious” is a very useful word! We use “pretentious” to describe people’s behaviour or to describe something that has been created by people (for example: movies, books or art). It has a negative connotation (it is not a nice thing to say about someone!)

• Pronunciation: /prɪˈtɛnʃəs/
• Explanation: Being pretentious is like trying to make yourself seem more important than you really are. If people realise that you are only pretending to be intelligent or important, they will call you “pretentious“.

Examples of “Pretentious” in Sentences:

• “I really hate pretentious movies.”
• “After spending some time with him, I started to dislike Terry. I just found him far too pretentious!”
• “Did you like the book?” “Kind of, I enjoyed some of the plot, but other parts were too pretentious for me.”

Practice Challenge:

1. Write a sentence using the word pretence.
2. Write another sentence using pretend.
3. Write another sentence using pretentious.
4. Share your sentences in the comments below, and let’s practice together!

Happy learning! 🌟 Language is your tool—use it to express exactly how you feel!

What other words or topics would you like to explore next? Let me know in the comments below!