Meaning & use
to give a gift
Last updated
Meaning
phrasetransitive
To present something to someone as a present, usually for a special occasion.
Grammar: Often followed by 'to' and the person: give a gift to someone. Also: give someone a gift.
Patterns
- give a gift to someone
- give someone a gift
We usually give gifts to our family members on Christmas morning.
She gave a beautiful gift to her best friend at the wedding.
He gave me a gift for my birthday.
Common combinations
- give a gift to someone
- They gave a gift to the teacher at the end of the year.
- give someone a gift
- I want to give my mother a gift for her birthday.
- give a gift for an occasion
- What do you give as a gift for a housewarming?
- give a gift of money
- In some cultures, it's common to give a gift of money at weddings.
Synonyms and how they differ
- present
- As a verb, 'present' is more formal and often used in ceremonies: present an award. 'Give a gift' is more everyday.
- donate
- Used for giving to a charity or organization, not typically for personal gifts.
Opposites
Word family
- gift noun
- A present; something given willingly without payment.
- gifting noun
- The act of giving gifts, often used in marketing contexts.
Commonly confused: to give a gift or give a present?
to give a gift vs give a present
'Present' and 'gift' are often interchangeable, but 'gift' is slightly more formal and common in written English.
Practice
On her birthday, I decided to ______ a gift to my sister.
Choose one answer.
'Give' is the correct verb because it means to present something to someone. 'Make a gift' means to create a gift yourself, which is not the intended meaning here. 'Do' and 'take' do not collocate with 'a gift' in this context.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to give a gift”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.