Meaning trap
give away
reveal a secret
To accidentally or intentionally let someone know something that was meant to be kept secret.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To accidentally or intentionally let someone know something that was meant to be kept secret.
Another meaning of 'give away' is 'give something for free'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- He accidentally gave away the surprise party by mentioning it in front of Sarah.communication
- Sometimes, people give away important information without realizing it, especially when they are nervous.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: give something away
WrongDon't give away it!
RightDon't give it away!
With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'give it away', never 'give away it'.
Patterngive something away
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
For letting something slip, natives say 'give away'. 'Revealed her true intentions' is narration, not speech.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
give away + secret/infothe secretthe endingthe surprisethe answer
Don't confuse it
'Give away' in this sense is about revealing information, not giving objects.
Related
- give away (give something for free) — Another meaning of 'give away' is 'give something for free'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.