genuine interest — real interest
collocationB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
A strong feeling of wanting to know more about something or someone, and truly caring about it, not just pretending.
Say it like a native
Textbook He exhibited authentic curiosity regarding my work.
Native He took a genuine interest in my work.
'Exhibited authentic curiosity' is stiff; 'take a genuine interest in' is natural.
Pattern: genuine interest (in something/someone)
In use
- She showed a genuine interest in learning about different cultures.daily life
- In my opinion, teachers who have a genuine interest in their students' progress can really make a difference in education.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ She has a genuine interest about art.
✓ She has a genuine interest in art.
'Interest IN' — not 'about'.
Common collocations
genuine interest— in, a, show a, take a
Don't confuse it
Compare with 'fake interest', which means pretending to care.