Cool MateGive this to vs Pass
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Give this to
Top 2,000 (common)
Pass
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Most common: Pass
| Give this to | Pass | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ɡɪv ðɪs tuː//🇺🇸 //ɡɪv ðɪs tu// | 🇬🇧 /["/pɑːs/","/ˈpɑːsɪz/","/pɑːst/","/ˈpɑːsɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/pæs/","/ˈpæsɪz/","/pæst/","/ˈpæsɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | Hand this over to someone. | To move past something or someone, or to allow something to happen. |
| Example | Please give this to your brother when you see him. | I will pass the ball to you during the game. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | give this to someone, give something to a friend, give your attention to, give a gift to, give notice to | quickly, rapidly, soon, help (to), quickly, rapidly, soon, help (to), unanimously, overwhelmingly, narrowly, by… to…, peacefully, come to, let something, between, pass unnoticed |
| Antonyms | - | stop, hold, block |
| Common mistakes | Incorrectly omitting 'to' after 'give'., Confusing 'give' with 'give away' when not implying donation., Using 'give' with an indirect object without 'to'. | Confusing 'pass' with 'past' in writing., Using 'pass' without an object when it requires one., Mixing up the different meanings of 'pass' in verbal contexts. |
| Usage notes | Use in casual and formal settings when asking someone to pass or hand over something. Avoid in very formal writing. | Commonly used in both casual and formal contexts. Can refer to physical movement or to allowing someone to take a turn (e.g., in games). Not typically used in very formal writing when describing decisions. |
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Frequently asked questions: Give this to vs Pass
What's the difference between Give this to and Pass?
Give this to: Hand this over to someone. Pass: To move past something or someone, or to allow something to happen.
Which is more common: Give this to and Pass?
Pass is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Give this to: Please give this to your brother when you see him. Pass: I will pass the ball to you during the game.
Can I use Give this to and Pass interchangeably?
Not always. Give this to and Pass are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.