Mastering ‘Give Away’ for IELTS Success: A Comprehensive Guide

1. Definition and Explanation

The phrasal verb ‘give away’ is a versatile expression with multiple meanings, making it a valuable addition to your IELTS vocabulary. Let’s explore its various definitions:

1. To donate or present something for free
2. To reveal information, often unintentionally
3. To hand over or relinquish control of something
4. To betray or expose someone

Synonyms for ‘give away’ include donate, distribute, disclose, reveal, and surrender, depending on the context.

2. Usage in Context

Understanding how to use ‘give away’ in different situations is crucial for IELTS success. Here are some examples:

• Formal: “The charity organization gives away food parcels to those in need.”
• Informal: “Don’t give away the ending of the movie!”
• Written: “The company decided to give away free samples to promote their new product.”
• Spoken: “I accidentally gave away the surprise party plans to my sister.”

3. Grammar Analysis

‘Give away’ is a separable phrasal verb, meaning you can place the object between ‘give’ and ‘away’ or after ‘away’. For example:

• “She gave away her old clothes.” (Object after ‘away’)
• “She gave her old clothes away.” (Object between ‘give’ and ‘away’)

When using pronouns, they must be placed between ‘give’ and ‘away’:

• “She gave them away.” (Correct)
• “She gave away them.” (Incorrect)

4. Application in IELTS

Speaking

In the IELTS Speaking test, using ‘give away’ can demonstrate your command of phrasal verbs. Here’s how you might incorporate it:

Question: “Do you think it’s important to donate to charity?”

Sample answer: “Absolutely. I believe it’s crucial to give away a portion of our income to those less fortunate. Not only does it help people in need, but it also gives us a sense of purpose and connection to our community.”

Charitable donation concept

Writing

In IELTS Writing, ‘give away’ can enrich your essays. However, be mindful of the formality level required:

Task 2 example: “Many corporations are now implementing corporate social responsibility programs, where they give away a percentage of their profits to charitable causes.”

5. Related Phrasal Verbs

1. Hand out /hænd aʊt/ – to distribute or give something to each person in a group
   Example: “The teacher handed out the test papers to the students.”

2. Pass on /pæs ɒn/ – to transmit or transfer something to someone else
   Example: “I’ll pass on the message to the manager when he returns.”

3. Throw away /θrəʊ əˈweɪ/ – to discard or get rid of something
   Example: “Don’t throw away those old books; we can donate them to the library.”

4. Give up /gɪv ʌp/ – to surrender or stop trying
   Example: “After months of searching, he finally gave up looking for his lost watch.”

5. Hand over /hænd ˈəʊvə/ – to transfer control or possession of something
   Example: “The criminal was forced to hand over all the stolen goods to the police.”

6. Give out /gɪv aʊt/ – to distribute or to stop functioning
   Example: “The batteries in my flashlight gave out during the power outage.”

7. Let on /let ɒn/ – to reveal or disclose information
   Example: “Don’t let on that you know about the surprise party.”

8. Give in /gɪv ɪn/ – to surrender or yield to pressure
   Example: “After hours of negotiation, the company finally gave in to the workers’ demands.”

6. Practice Exercises

Fill in the Blanks

1. The charity organization ___ food to the homeless every weekend.
2. Don’t ___ the secret! It’s supposed to be a surprise.
3. She decided to ___ her old books to the local library.
4. The company ___ free samples at the trade show.
5. He ___ his position as CEO after the scandal.
6. The teacher ___ the exam papers to the students.
7. After hours of interrogation, the suspect finally ___ and confessed.
8. Please ___ this message to your manager.
9. We need to ___ these old clothes; they no longer fit.
10. The batteries in my remote control have ___.

Sentence Transformation

1. Original: They donated all their old furniture to charity.
   Rewrite: They ___ all their old furniture.

2. Original: Don’t reveal the ending of the book to me.
   Rewrite: Don’t ___ the ending of the book.

3. Original: The company distributed free samples at the event.
   Rewrite: The company ___ free samples at the event.

4. Original: She accidentally disclosed the surprise to her brother.
   Rewrite: She accidentally ___ the surprise to her brother.

5. Original: He surrendered his position as team captain.
   Rewrite: He ___ his position as team captain.

6. Original: The teacher distributed the worksheets to the class.
   Rewrite: The teacher ___ the worksheets to the class.

7. Original: After hours of pressure, he finally yielded to their demands.
   Rewrite: After hours of pressure, he finally ___ to their demands.

8. Original: Please transmit this information to your colleagues.
   Rewrite: Please ___ this information to your colleagues.

9. Original: We need to discard these old magazines.
   Rewrite: We need to ___ these old magazines.

10. Original: The engine stopped functioning in the middle of the race.
    Rewrite: The engine ___ in the middle of the race.

Answers and Explanations:

Fill in the Blanks:

1. gives away
2. give away
3. give away
4. handed out
5. gave up
6. handed out
7. gave in
8. pass on
9. throw away
10. given out

Sentence Transformation:

1. gave away
2. give away
3. handed out / gave away
4. gave away
5. gave up
6. handed out
7. gave in
8. pass on
9. throw away
10. gave out

Explanations:

1. ‘Give away’ means to donate or give something for free.
2. ‘Give away’ in this context means to reveal information.
3. Both ‘hand out’ and ‘give away’ can be used to mean distribute.
4. ‘Give away’ here means to reveal unintentionally.
5. ‘Give up’ means to surrender or relinquish a position.
6. ‘Hand out’ means to distribute items to a group.
7. ‘Give in’ means to yield to pressure or demands.
8. ‘Pass on’ means to transmit information to others.
9. ‘Throw away’ means to discard or get rid of something.
10. ‘Give out’ can mean to stop functioning or working.

7. Memorization Tips

To remember ‘give away’ and its various meanings, try these techniques:

1. Visualization: Imagine yourself literally giving away objects to represent each meaning. For example, picture yourself handing out free samples (donating), accidentally dropping a sealed envelope (revealing information), or handing over keys (relinquishing control).

2. Mnemonic device: Create a memorable phrase like “Generous Individuals Value Empathy: Always Willing to Aid You” (GIVE AWAY).

3. Context associations: Link each meaning to a specific context. For example, associate ‘donate’ with charity events, ‘reveal’ with secrets, and ‘relinquish’ with job positions.

8. Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Mistake: Using ‘give away’ when ‘give up’ is meant.
   Correct: “He gave up smoking last year.” (Not “gave away”)

2. Mistake: Incorrect word order with pronouns.
   Correct: “She gave it away.” (Not “She gave away it.”)

3. Mistake: Overusing ‘give away’ in formal writing.
   Solution: In academic essays, use more formal alternatives like ‘donate’, ‘reveal’, or ‘relinquish’ where appropriate.

4. Mistake: Confusing ‘give away’ with ‘give out’ when talking about distribution.
   Solution: Remember that ‘give away’ often implies free donation, while ‘give out’ is more neutral.

IELTS Speaking Test illustration

9. Conclusion

Mastering the phrasal verb ‘give away’ can significantly enhance your IELTS performance. Its versatility allows you to express various concepts concisely and naturally, a key skill for achieving a high band score. Remember to practice using ‘give away’ in different contexts, and don’t be afraid to incorporate it into your IELTS responses where appropriate. With consistent practice and application, you’ll find that this phrasal verb becomes a valuable tool in your English language arsenal, helping you to give away a polished, confident performance in your IELTS exam.

To further enhance your IELTS preparation, consider exploring related topics such as how to describe a place where you go to get away from it all or describing a place where you like to go for a weekend getaway. These resources can help you expand your vocabulary and improve your ability to discuss various topics in the IELTS exam.