Know & Now – What’s The Difference? (Confusing English Words) | English In 2 Minutes

Lesson summary

In this English lesson you will learn the difference between 'know' and 'now'. You will learn what these words mean and how to pronounce them.

Video transcript

Hey guys it’s Shane from English Understood here.

 

I got a question the other day from a student who said, ‘What’s the difference between know, K N O W, and now, N O W?’

 

So let’s look at the pronunciation first.

 

K N O W is pronounced ‘know’. Know. The K is silent and the W is silent.

 

N O W is pronounced ‘now’. Now. N ow.

 

So what do these words mean?

 

Well ‘know’, K N O W means to have knowledge of something. For example, I know how to speak English. I have knowledge in my head about how to speak English.

 

Now, N O W, is talking about the present time. So for example, it’s 4:45pm so I can say, ‘Right now in the present, it’s 4:45pm.’

 

Okay let’s test what you hear. I will say a word and you can tell me what you heard.

 

Now. N O W.

 

Know. K N O W

 

Know. K N O W

 

Okay, I’m going to say some sentences with missing words and I want you to fill in the missing word with ‘no’ K N O W or ‘now’ N O W.

 

I ___ you want to speak English. I ___ you want to speak English.

 

It should be ‘I know you want to speak English’ because I have knowledge that you want to speak English.

 

And the second one, this video is going to finish ____. This video is going to finish ___.

 

It should be ‘now’ because I am talking about the present.

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