Show vs You exposed the program

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Show

High-frequency chunkA1verb

You exposed the program

Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Show
 ShowYou exposed the program
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/ʃəʊ/","/ʃəʊz/","/ʃəʊd/","/ʃəʊn/","/ˈʃəʊɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ʃəʊ/","/ʃəʊz/","/ʃəʊd/","/ʃəʊn/","/ˈʃəʊɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 //ɪkˈspəʊzd//🇺🇸 //ɪkˈspoʊzd//
Meaningto let someone see somethingYou showed or made something visible.
ExampleCan you show me how to solve this math problem?You exposed the program's flaws during the meeting.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonHigh-frequency chunkTop 2,000 (common)
CEFR levelA1-
Part of speechverb
Collocationsclearly, conclusively, convincingly, appear to, seem to, go to, to, a chance to show something, clearly, conclusively, convincingly, appear to, seem to, go to, to, a chance to show something, clearly, conclusively, convincingly, appear to, seem to, go to, to, a chance to show something, clearly, conclusively, convincingly, appear to, seem to, go to, to, a chance to show something, clearly, conclusively, convincingly, appear to, seem to, go to, to, a chance to show something, hardly, begin to, let something, hardly, begin to, let something, clearly, conclusively, convincingly, appear to, seem to, go to, to, a chance to show something, clearly, conclusively, convincingly, appear to, seem to, go to, to, a chance to show something, clearly, conclusively, convincingly, appear to, seem to, go to, to, a chance to show somethingexpose a secret, expose a flaw, expose a truth, expose an issue, expose a problem
Antonymshide, conceal, cover-
Common mistakesConfused with 'exhibit' in formal contexts, Using incorrectly as a noun instead of a verb, Confusing the past tense 'showed' with 'shown'Confused with 'disclosed' - both involve revealing, but 'disclosed' often implies a secret., Using 'expose' incorrectly as a synonym for 'show' - 'exposed' suggests something was hidden before.
Usage notesUse 'show' when presenting something to someone. Avoid in very formal contexts; instead, use 'demonstrate'. Common in everyday conversation.Use 'exposed' when revealing or showing something that was hidden. It's appropriate in both formal and informal contexts, but avoid using it for trivial matters.

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You exposed the program

Frequently asked questions: Show vs You exposed the program

What's the difference between Show and You exposed the program?

Show: to let someone see something You exposed the program: You showed or made something visible.

Which is more common: Show and You exposed the program?

Show is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Show: Can you show me how to solve this math problem? You exposed the program: You exposed the program's flaws during the meeting.

Can I use Show and You exposed the program interchangeably?

Not always. Show and You exposed the program 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.

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