Vocabulary Question

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Loh Jane

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Hi English Teachers,
is the below sentence acceptable? Thanks a lot in advance.
Fortuitously, I saw my best friend in the shopping center just now.
 

emsr2d2

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Hi English Teachers,
is the below sentence acceptable? Thanks a lot in advance.
Fortuitously, I saw my best friend in the shopping center just now.

We don't use "fortuitous[ly]" very often these days. I would use "Fortunately" or "Luckily". Of course, it is impossible to tell if that is the correct word without the context. Why was it fortunate/lucky that you just saw your best friend in the shopping center?
 

Loh Jane

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Hi emsr2d2,
I used 'fortuitously' because I saw my friend without planning.
 

emsr2d2

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Hi emsr2d2,

I used 'fortuitously' because I saw my friend without planning.

In that case, "fortuitously", "fortunately" and "luckily" are all inappropriate. You simply "bumped into" your friend "unexpectedly".
 

Loh Jane

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thanks emsr2d2.
I have one last question before going to bed,how did you improve your vocabulary?Your English is so good.
 

5jj

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I was on a tram recently when inspectors asked to see my tram pass. I did not have it on me, but, just as they were about to fine me, my wife fortuitously boarded the tram; she had my tram pass in her handbag.
 

emsr2d2

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thanks emsr2d2.
I have one last question before going to bed,how did you improve your vocabulary?Your English is so good.

I'm a native English speaker. I have never consciously improved my vocabulary. This is just how I speak!
 

Loh Jane

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Thank you 5jj for your example.
 
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