As a matter of fact

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi guys,

When I can use the expression ‘’ as a matter of fact’’?

Thank you very much in advance.

Regards,
Yousef

2

Hello Yousef,

You would usually use it at the beginning of a sentence, to emphasise that the rest of the sentence is entirely factual.

Best wishes,

MrP

3

Could you explain the use of the expression here?

Generalizing is a matter of saying what else things identified by the same concept have in common, not as a matter of logic but as a matter of fact . This distinction is clear-cut only at its extremes. Democracies have freely elected governments as a matter of definition and elect a minority of women as a matter of fact ; but their possession of a rational-legal system is not so easily classified.

Explaining and understanding international relations. Smith, S and Hollis, M. New York: OUP, 1991

4

Those are different cases, old chap.

In the first case, read “not in terms of logic, but in terms of fact”.

In the second, “as a matter of definition” means “by definition”, while “as a matter of fact” means “as is known to be a fact”.

MrP

5

And how do you know that the example in the thread post is not one of these, MrP?

6

My original reply began:

  1. You would usually use it…

Your example has unusual stylistic features.

MrP