Meaning trap
speak up
talk louder
to talk in a louder voice so people can hear you clearly.
phrasal verbB1common
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
talk louder
to talk in a louder voice so people can hear you clearly.
speak up (express an opinion openly)
Another meaning of 'speak up' is 'express an opinion openly'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- Could you please speak up? I can't hear you at the back.daily life
- During my presentation, my teacher asked me to speak up so everyone could understand me.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: speak up
WrongCan you speak up your voice?
RightCan you speak up?
'Speak up' already means talk louder — don't add 'your voice'.
Patternspeak up
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Speak up' is the everyday request to talk louder; 'increase your volume' is formal.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
speak up + contexta bitpleaseso we can hearat the back
Don't confuse it
'Speak up' means to increase your volume, while 'speak out' means to share your opinion.
Related
- speak up (express an opinion openly) — Another meaning of 'speak up' is 'express an opinion openly'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.