Re: MS
Hi, can anyone tell me the difference between "impulsive" and "spontaneous"? I have checked them in the dictionary but both seem to mean "doing something without thinking or planning". Can any teacher help me with some examples?
From learner Joanne
Mayita explained it well.
Joanne, that's an interesting question for examining different dictionaries. Which dictionary did you look it up in?
I looked up "impulsive" in Macmillan, Meriam-Webster, and Oxford.
Macmillan (2003)
1- Someone who is impulsive tends to do things without thinking about what will happen as a result
2- Done suddenly without thinking What the result will be
Oxford advanced learners (online)
(of people or their behaviour) acting suddenly without thinking carefully about what might happen because of what you are doing
Meriam-Webster (online)
1- Doing things or tending to do things suddenly and without careful thought: acting or tending to act on impulse.
2- Done suddenly and without planning: resulting from a sudden impulse.
As you see none of them say anything about "planning" when it comes to "impulsive" but all emphasize on what might happen. Meriam-Webster also refers to "impulse" itself which is really usefull. I'd prefer Oxford and Webster to Macmillan in this case because they both mention "careful" and "carefully".