Meaning trap
open up
talk honestly
To start talking more honestly or freely about your feelings, thoughts, or experiences.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To start talking more honestly or freely about your feelings, thoughts, or experiences.
Another meaning of 'open up' is 'make access possible'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- It took a while, but eventually he opened up about his worries.relationships
- In my opinion, it's important for people to open up to their friends when they're feeling stressed, because talking can really help.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: open up (to someone/about something)
WrongIt took him a while to open up with me.
RightIt took him a while to open up to me.
You 'open up TO someone', not 'with'.
Patternopen up (to someone/about something)
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Open up' is the natural verb for sharing feelings; 'disclose innermost feelings' is clinical.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
open up + to someoneto meto a friendabout itemotionally
Don't confuse it
Not the same as 'open up' meaning to make something accessible or available.
Related
- open up (make access possible) — Another meaning of 'open up' is 'make access possible'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.