Meaning trap
mix up
confuse two things
To think that one person or thing is another, usually by mistake.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To think that one person or thing is another, usually by mistake.
Another meaning of 'mix up' is 'combine things'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- I always mix up their names because they look so similar.daily life
- Sometimes I mix up the dates for my appointments, especially when I'm busy.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: mix up A and B / mix A up with B
WrongI always mix up them.
RightI always mix them up.
With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'mix them up'.
Patternmix up A and B / mix A up with B
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Mix up' is the everyday verb for confusing two things; 'confuse with one another' is stiff.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
mix up + confusablesthe namesthe datesthe twinsyou two
Don't confuse it
'Mix up' here means to confuse, not to physically combine things together.
Related
- mix up (combine things) — Another meaning of 'mix up' is 'combine things'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.