recent

[Unregistered]

Hi there,
Is there difference between 'In recent days' and 'recently'?

BTW, is 'In recent days' correct?

thanks
pete

[Naamplao]

Hi there,
Is there difference between 'In recent days' and 'recently'?

BTW, is 'In recent days' correct?

thanks
pete

Both are correct...recently is more commonly used. But then again you have given me no sentence to judge how you will use these.

[David L.]

"In recent days" is very 'political documentary', 'TV news report' kind of language. Even 'recently' is more 'newspaper report' style writing. In everyday speech, it is quite formal. A native speaker would have some kind of throw-away, arch (=deliberately or affectedly playful and teasing) comment where they would use this word.
(I'll try to think of one and edit this post with it.)

Did you have any situation in mind that calls for some reference to this short-term frame of reference??

[abra]

What's the informal way of putting 'recently' then?

And exactly :) how long is your 'short-time frame of reference'?

[David L.]

' a few days ago, I went...'
"a few weeks ago, I was talking to..."
'Not long ago, I bought petrol and it was only half the price. Boy, it's gone up!'
'a little while back'

And exactly :) how long is your 'short-time frame of reference'?

Exactly!! that's why I asked you. 'Recent' could be days, weeks, depending on the person's perspective. If we are saying, 'in recent history', we could be talking a couple of centuries!