Would it surprise you to learn that continual and continuous have two different meanings? The meanings are similar, but it's important to be able to differentiate between the two.
Continual refers to something that happens repeatedly and frequently, but it doesn't happen constantly. There are breaks between.
· The dog continually licked his chops in anticipation of his next bite.
· AP style is continually being updated.
Continuous is used for things that are ongoing or constant. There are no interruptions or breaks.
· The dog continuously barked until the mailman disappeared from sight.
· The continuous noise threatened to drive me insane.
Although these two words are often used interchangeably, using the correct one can add precision to your writing.
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