AEE 2516: Assumption Versus Presumption in English

Summary

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Episode Overview

Title: Assumption Versus Presumption in English
Podcast: All Ears English Podcast
Hosts: Lindsay McMahon & Michelle Kaplan
Episode Number: 2516
Date: November 19, 2025

In this episode, Lindsay and Michelle tackle a nuanced vocabulary question from a listener: What’s the difference between "assumption" and "presumption" in English? The hosts break down the subtle distinctions in meaning, formality, and tone between these two commonly confused nouns, discuss their adjective and verb forms, and examine the phrase “to be presumptuous” as a key connector in American English. They use practical examples, natural dialogue, and even a business role play to help listeners grasp when and how to use each word.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Listener Question and Context

• [02:37] The hosts address a two-part YouTube listener question: “Can you explain the words ‘jarring’ and ‘presumption’? Lindsay mentioned them in the episode. Thank you.”
• "We actually did jarring already... But we wanted to do presumption." – Michelle (03:02)

2. Defining "Presumption"

• Basic Meaning:
  • To believe or act without proof, often with a hint of arrogance.
  • Frequently used in legal contexts, e.g., "the presumption of innocence."
  • Example: “She acted under the presumption that her rent wasn’t going to increase this year...” – Michelle (04:22)
• Formality and Connotation:
  • Presumption is more formal, less commonly used in everyday conversation.
  • May carry a slightly negative, entitled, or arrogant connotation.
  • "There's a level of arrogance to presumption." – Lindsay (03:53)
• Adjective Form:
  • Only "presumptuous" exists (not "assumptuous").
  • "You might hear someone say, ‘I don't mean to be presumptuous, but...'" – Lindsay (05:05)

3. Defining "Assumption"

• Basic Meaning:
  • Also means believing something without proof.
  • Slightly less formal, more neutral, and more common in everyday speech.
• Connotation and Use:
  • Assumption doesn’t necessarily have a negative or entitled sense.
  • “Assumption is probably going to be the safer bet for most of your everyday situations.” – Michelle (14:04)
• Example:
  • "I made an assumption that the schedule would be full. I should have called you first." – Michelle (08:26)

4. Comparing Presumption vs. Assumption

• Formality:
  • Presumption: More formal/legal; less common in daily speech.
  • Assumption: More casual, everyday use.
• Tone:
  • Presumption: Slightly negative or arrogant.
  • Assumption: Neutral, sometimes even positive depending on context.
• Memorable Exchange:
  • Lindsay: “Presumption is more dramatic, right?” (08:12)
  • Michelle: “It could sound a little bit more arrogant, a little bit more negative.” (10:06)
• Subtlety in Switching:
  • "If we switch these up, like, ‘I assume you will be bringing over all our dinners,’ that would sound fine. A little less arrogant maybe.” – Michelle (11:09)

5. Verb Forms: "Presume" vs "Assume"

• Both terms have verb forms, but again, context often determines which is more suitable.
• “I presume you will be bringing over all of our dinners.”
• “I assume you heard from the bank."
• "I presume you heard from the bank. That's a little much... unless you're trying to be fancy." – Lindsay (11:17)

6. Social Distance and Connection

• Use of "presumptuous" in conversation:
  • Can be used to check oneself for overstepping social boundaries.
  • “I don’t mean to be presumptuous...” is a polite way to show self-awareness.
  • "It’s a way of pulling ourselves back and checking our place in terms of connection." – Lindsay (15:14)
• Calling out presumptuous behavior:
  • “That’s a little presumptuous” can be used playfully when someone over-assumes.
  • Example: If someone assumes you’ll say yes to a date, answering “Which restaurant are we going to?” could prompt: “That’s a little presumptuous.” (15:36)

7. Real-Life Role Play (Business Meeting)

• [12:32–13:35] The hosts act out a dialogue:
  • Michelle: “I presume you will be on time this time.”
  • Lindsay: “Yeah, of course.”
  • Michelle: “I was under the assumption that we would be out by 8.”
  • Lindsay analyzes: “It was just very snooty... You’re elevating yourself... putting a little distance there.” (13:02)
• Demonstrates formality, tone, and resulting social distance.

8. Practical Takeaways

• "Assumption" is the safer choice for everyday English.
• "Presumption" might be encountered in legal/media contexts or when drama/formality is intended.
• “Presumptuous” as an adjective is a fun tool to check yourself or others in social contexts.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “[Presumption]...there's a level of arrogance to presumption.” – Lindsay (03:53)
• “Assumption is more just everyday life.” – Michelle (08:26)
• "It's a little more entitled, for sure." – Michelle (10:33)
• “Presumption is more dramatic, right?” – Lindsay (08:12)
• “I presume you heard from the bank. That's a little much... unless you're trying to be fancy...” – Lindsay (11:17)
• “It's a way of pulling ourselves back and checking our place in terms of connection. It's a polite thing to say.” – Lindsay (15:14)
• “That’s a little presumptuous.” – Michelle (15:36)

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Important Timestamps

• [03:02] – Introduction of listener question
• [03:53] – “Presumption”: meaning, legal use, and adjectives
• [05:05] – Discussion of "presumptuous" (adjective)
• [07:26] – Shift to "Assumption": definition and differences
• [08:26] – Everyday vs. formal contexts
• [11:04] – Comparing various uses: swapping presume/assume
• [12:32] – [13:35] – Business role play
• [13:45] – Key insights on when to use each word
• [14:04] – Main recommendation: “Assumption is probably the safer bet…”
• [15:14] – Social use of “presumptuous”
• [15:36] – Playful use in dating/social context

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Takeaways & Recommendations

• For ESL Learners: Use "assumption" in most everyday situations. Reserve "presumption" for more formal, legal, or intentionally dramatic contexts. Recognize "presumptuous" as a useful social cue.
• For Advanced Understanding: Listen for "presumption" and "presumptuous" in movies (especially legal dramas or scenes depicting formality/royalty) to grasp their subtle, often elevated or distancing tone.
• For Fluent Connection: Use “I don’t mean to be presumptuous, but…” to soften requests or comments that could be seen as overstepping.

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Further Listening

• For the episode explaining “jarring,” check out episode 2499: “English Vocabulary For Your Most Jarring Moments.”

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End of Summary

Transcript

[A]

This is an All Ears English podcast. Episode 2516, assumption versus presumption in English.

[B]

Welcome to the All Ears English podcast, downloaded more than 200 million times. Are you feeling stuck with your English? We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection, with your American hosts. Listen, Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer, and Michelle Kaplan, the New York radio girl, coming to you from Colorado and New York City, usa. And to get your transcripts delivered by email every week, go to allearsenglish.com subscribe we don't mean to be presumptuous, but you need this vocabulary today. Find out the key differences between assumption and presumption and get a fun way to use presumptuous to gauge your social connectedness. Think about the last time someone leaned in and said, sorry, can you say that again? It's frustrating, right? You know the word, you said it, but the sound wasn't clear. That's not a grammar or a vocabulary problem. It's a pronunciation problem. And it doesn't mean changing who you are or erasing your accent. It's. It means making your English easy to follow and clear every time. Want to see what's getting in your way? Take our two minute quiz to get your English level at allearsenglish.com fluency score. That's allearsenglish.com flute n c y S C O R E.

[A]

Hey, Lindsay, how are you?

[B]

Feeling great today, Michelle, how's everything with you?

[A]

I'm doing well, thanks. Lindsay, do you ever make assumptions about something and they turn out to be false?

[B]

I would like to say no, but of course everyone does. Right? Of course.

[A]

Yeah. Right. I mean, sometimes I may prejudge a book or a restaurant or whatever it may be. Right.

[B]

So many things are counter to what we imagine at first. You know, often the best food is in the smallest hole in the wall that doesn't have a fancy front to it as a restaurant. Right. It's just like maybe three or four seats and it's. But it's really good food, right?

[A]

Yes, yes, exactly. So today we're going to answer a listener question about a similar word and we're going to talk about how these two words work. So this question came to us from YouTube and it was a two parter, actually. So it's from. And the question was, can you explain the. Explain the words jarring and presumption? Lindsay mentioned them in the episode. Thank you. So we actually did jarring already. So. But we wanted to do presumption. Guys, towards the end of the Episode. We will let you know where to find the episode where we talk about the word jarring.

[B]

Yes. Yeah. So make sure you hang out to the end and while you're here, hit, follow. Make sure you are following all ears English. So you don't miss a single episode. So, yeah, we answered the first listener's question about the word jarring in that other episode. But we're coming back now, Michelle, to presumption.

[A]

Assumption.

[B]

Presumption. Let's talk about it.

[A]

Okay, so we're gonna actually talk about the words presumption and assumption. Yeah. Since they're so widely used and they have so much in common. So, yeah, Lindsay, let's start with presumption. So what is presumption?

[B]

I know. Well, these words are in meaning. I'm actually curious to know what the difference is because they feel very similar in a lot of ways. So presumption is where you believe something or acted in a way without proof. Right. There's a level of arrogance to presumption. You know, this could also be related to the legal system, like the presumption of innocence. In the US you're presumed. Presumed innocent in until proven guilty.

[A]

Right, right, the presumption of innocence. Yeah. Or she acted under the presumption that her rent wasn't going to increase this year, so that's what she thought would happen. And she. She presumed that it wasn't going to increase, but we don't know for sure.

[B]

Or she made. He made a lot of presumptions about the job that weren't even remotely true, and so he was quite unhappy. So assumptions that happen beforehand, would you say, Michelle, is that kind of it?

[A]

Like could be. Could be before it. Yeah, right, exactly. So you believe that something will happen, but you don't really have, you know, the proof.

[B]

And of course, we've hear. We've heard people say the word presumptuous as the adjective to describe themselves. Like you might hear someone say, I don't mean to be presumptuous, but xyz. Right. So just to be aware of that as an adjective. But we can't say assumptuous, can we?

[A]

No, no. There's no, there's no form like that.

[C]

No.

[A]

Maybe. Yeah, we don't think.

[B]

I've never heard of that before. I don't think it's a thing. So after we come back from the break in just a minute, we're going to go into assumption, assumptions, assuming things.

[A]

Right.

[B]

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[A]

Yes, exactly. So this is also what sim. I mean, these words are very close. This is also believing something without proof, right? Lindsay? We can't say this joke, but there's kind of a joke with a. About how to spell this word. Do you know? Oh, oh, oh, oh.

[B]

I know when you assume you make a.

[A]

Yes, you guys can look that up. Look up, look up, assume, spelling, joke, and you can find it. But let's talk about the difference here. I mean, that's, you know, it's almost the same. But to me, this is a little less formal than a presumption. And it also, it doesn't necessarily have the same negative, like as negative a connotation. Like, it sounds less entitled. Yeah, yeah, I agree.

[B]

It's more dramatic. Presumption is more dramatic, right? Yeah, less entitled. I do agree with that. There's a little less drama about this.

[A]

Right. And the other thing is assumption is more common.

[C]

Right.

[A]

It's not really. Presumption kind of sounds a little bit more legal. Assumption is more just everyday life. So, for example, I made an assumption that the schedule would be full. I should have called you first.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So. So to make an assumption, I could. I mean, it just wouldn't have sounded it right if I said I made a presumption.

[B]

Yeah, you're right. You're right. This is the. This is the difference. It's a Little hard to explain. My assumption was that her flight was going to arrive late. I really wouldn't say. My presumption was that her. No, that's too formal sounding.

[A]

Right, right, right. Or I'm working under the assumption that we will have met our goals by the end of the month. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I mean, you could say instead of I made a pres. An assumption, you could say like, I'm acting under the presumption. Right. So like, for example, earlier up, I said she acted under the presumption that her rent wasn't going to increase this year. So. But I think that that's kind of a whole expression to act under the presumption. Yeah, right.

[B]

Maybe that. Maybe the difference is if, oh, let's say we're roommates and I tell you, oh, I acted under the assumption that our rent would stay the same. I'm telling that to you because we're roommates. It's more casual. But maybe if. Maybe it wouldn't have to be true. But maybe if I go to the landlord and I sit down in their office and I'm trying to be more formal, I could say I acted under the presumption that our rent. Rent wouldn't increase. So I'm asking for an exception. Maybe that could be so. Presumption. More formal, right?

[A]

Yes, definitely. Yeah. So again, presumption, like Lindsay said, more formal, a little less common. I don't think that I use presumption too much, but I. But I. I might say assumption more frequently, more every day. Also, presumption, it could sound a little bit more arrogant, a little bit more negative. Oh, I presume that you will be paying for our, you know, trip. Right.

[B]

It's.

[A]

It's a little more entitled, for sure.

[B]

Whereas assumption is less formal. It's a little more common. It's more everyday. Speak everyday language, talking to anyone. And it doesn't necessarily have a negative connotation. It doesn't have to.

[A]

Right. And then. Right, it doesn't have to. I mean, it could, but it depends on the context. And then there's presume and assume. Right. So just the verb form. So like, for example, I presume you will bring. Be bringing over all of our dinners.

[B]

Or I assume you heard from the bank.

[A]

You know, if we switch these up, like, I assume you will be bringing over all of our dinners. That would sound fine. A little less arrogant maybe.

[B]

Yeah, it would be. Okay. All right. Getting. Taking away the arrogance. And then what if we swapped in? I presume you heard from the bank. That's A little much. That's a little much. You know, unless you're trying to be fancy and you're trying to say something on a pedestal. I presume you heard from the bank.

[A]

Right?

[B]

Right.

[A]

Do. And I do think, Lindsay, something that you said earlier on is important here because if you think about it, I. It. Presumption, it has the word pre in it. Right. So like you said, it may be more for something like in the future. I presume this will happen. I. Right. So I'm not sure if that's necessarily connected, but it does make more sense to me if I say, I presume you heard from the bank. It's. To me, it sounds a little awkward.

[B]

Exactly. And I feel like it would. It comes more. Comes up more in movies, too, especially movies dealing with, like, royalty or something, or cartoon characters that are supposed to be elevated in a society. I presume this. You presume this. It's really. It's got an elevated nature to it, right?

[A]

Yes. Yes, totally. So we are going to do a role play now, so you can kind of see. See how this would fit together. So here we are in a business meeting.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Okay, let's do it. All right. Okay. So I presume you will be on time this time.

[B]

Yeah, of course.

[A]

Thanks.

[B]

And will you be staying late?

[A]

Well, I was under the assumption that we would be out by eight.

[B]

Yeah, that's right.

[A]

Okay, great.

[B]

Yeah. So the way you asked me that, I had a weird reaction, right?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because. Yeah. That. Yeah. I don't know. It was just very snooty.

[C]

You're.

[B]

You're elevating yourself a little bit in that sense. You're separating yourself from me a little bit. Distance wise. Social distance. Yeah. You're really. You're saying more than just, I think you'll be on time. I believe you'll be on time.

[C]

Right.

[B]

You're putting a little distance there.

[A]

Right. A little distance there. And then what did I say later on?

[B]

Later, you said I was under the assumption that we would be out by eight.

[A]

I could have said presumption. I. I acted under the presumption. But again, that's. It's. It's a little less neutral sounding.

[B]

Yeah, there's a lot here. This is a really good question. And I love this episode. I love comparing presumption and assumption because they're kind of the same, but they're also not the same at all.

[A]

Right. And that's what I love.

[B]

Yeah. Guys, go back and listen. If anything confused you today, go check out 24.99 English vocabulary for your most jarring moments. The first answer to the first part of the question from our amazing YouTube listener. Check out that episode.

[A]

Right, Michelle?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So, yeah, takeaways for today. Again, I think if you are really trying to decide between the two, assumption is probably going to be the safer bet for most of, you know, your everyday situations. I agree. I, I would, I would say that that's kind of the key takeaway for today. But listen, you'll hear it in movies. You'll hear it and you know, probably if you are watching maybe like a, a court, like a legal movie, like a courtroom movie or a show, to make it presume presumption of innocence and all of these things. Right, exactly. The only, the only one that I.

[B]

Would say does work as a social connector is using presumptuous to refer to yourself.

[A]

Oh, like, I don't mean to be presumptuous.

[B]

Like, for example, let's say you just got engaged, Michelle, and we start talking about your wedding and I'm assuming I'm going to be in your wedding party.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Or I, I say something that alludes to the fact that I assume I'll be in your wedding party. I might want to back up socially and say, oh, I don't mean to be presumptuous. Right. I might add that in. It's like, it's a way of pulling ourselves back and checking our place in terms of connection. It's, it's a polite thing to say.

[A]

A lot of ways. Right. Or actually, I mean, on the, on the other end, you could say, like, let's say somebody asks you out on a date, but they ask you in a way that makes it seem like, oh, they think you're gonna say yes. Or they know yes. You might say like, all right, so which restaurant are we going to?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And you could say, like, that's a little presumptive.

[B]

So it's a fun. So there is some way we can have fun with the word presumptuous by pushing people back, checking our own social place. So there is some connection moments built into these words. There are for sure.

[A]

Okay. Definitely Interesting. Yeah. This is fun.

[B]

Yeah. Really interesting. Really good stuff today, Michelle. And I'll see you back on Allers English very soon. All right.

[A]

All right, you too. Bye. Bye, guys.

[B]

Bye. Thanks for listening. To all ears. English. Would you like to know your English level? Take our 2 minute quiz, go to allearsenglish.com forward/english fluency score. And if you believe in connection, not perfection, then hit subscribe now to make sure you don't miss anything. See you next time.

[C]

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