Cool MateGive it to vs Pass
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Give it to
Top 2,000 (common)
Pass
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Most common: Pass
| Give it to | Pass | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ɡɪv ɪt tuː//🇺🇸 //ɡɪv ɪt tə// | 🇬🇧 /["/pɑːs/","/ˈpɑːsɪz/","/pɑːst/","/ˈpɑːsɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/pæs/","/ˈpæsɪz/","/pæst/","/ˈpæsɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | Hand something over to someone. | To move past something or someone, or to allow something to happen. |
| Example | Please give it to me when you are done. | 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 it to someone, give it to me, give it to them | 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 | Confuse with 'give up' which means to stop trying., Omit the 'to' when specifying the recipient., Use with incorrect object pronouns. | 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 everyday conversation to express handing something to someone. 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 it to vs Pass
What's the difference between Give it to and Pass?
Give it to: Hand something over to someone. Pass: To move past something or someone, or to allow something to happen.
Which is more common: Give it to and Pass?
Pass is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Give it to: Please give it to me when you are done. Pass: I will pass the ball to you during the game.
Can I use Give it to and Pass interchangeably?
Not always. Give it 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.