student asking question

Can I replace "if I'm being honest" to "to be honest" in any case? Which expression is more common?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Yes! You can replace "if I'm being honest" to "to be honest" in most cases. Both are fairly interchangeable. The more common expression is "to be honest." Here are some example sentences with both phrases used. Ex: If I'm being honest, I don't really like this meal. Ex: To be honest, I don't really like this meal. Ex: If I'm being honest, I would rather go to the movies than go out to a fancy restaurant. Ex: To be honest, I would rather go to the movies than go out to a fancy restaurant.

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