student asking question

Would it sound awkward if I say "hurry" instead of "hurry up?"

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

No, it would not sound awkward! Both expressions have a similar meaning, but there is a small difference in nuance. "Hurry" on its own is more appropriate for general situations and doesn't tell us if the person has started the action yet. "Hurry up" is more specific because it implies that the action has started and the person doing it needs to do it faster. Ex: You need to hurry if you don't want to miss this limited-time offer. Ex: Hurry up, the train is leaving in two minutes!

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