Meaning trap
speak up
express an opinion openly
to say what you think or feel, especially if it is important or difficult.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to say what you think or feel, especially if it is important or difficult.
Another meaning of 'speak up' is 'talk louder'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- It's important to speak up if you see something unfair happening.work
- In my opinion, students should speak up in class discussions to share their ideas and learn from each other.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: speak up (about/for/against something)
WrongShe spoke up her opinion at the meeting.
RightShe spoke up at the meeting.
'Speak up' is used alone here — don't add 'her opinion'.
Patternspeak up (about/for/against something)
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Speak up' is the natural verb for saying what you think, especially when it's hard.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
speak up + causefor yourselfagainst itabout the problemin meetings
Don't confuse it
'Speak up' here is about sharing your opinion, not about volume.
Related
- speak up (talk louder) — Another meaning of 'speak up' is 'talk louder'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.