teach
A2Neutral to formal, but also common in informal contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To impart knowledge, skill, or understanding to someone through instruction or example.
To show or persuade someone how to behave, think, or feel; to cause someone to learn or understand something through experience; to serve as a lesson or example.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Typically implies a conscious, deliberate act of instruction. It can be ditransitive (teach someone something) or monotransitive (teach a subject). Unlike 'learn', which focuses on the recipient, 'teach' focuses on the agent of instruction.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage patterns are very similar, though British English has slightly more colloquial uses like 'to teach someone a lesson' (in a punitive sense). The forms 'taught' (past) and 'teaching' (present participle) are identical.
Connotations
Generally neutral in both. In professional contexts (e.g., 'teaching a class'), it is standard. In metaphorical contexts ('The experience taught him humility'), it is equally common.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties; a core lexical item.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
SBJ teach OBJ (e.g., She teaches.)SBJ teach OBJ1 OBJ2 (e.g., He taught me French.)SBJ teach OBJ to-INF (e.g., They taught me to swim.)SBJ teach OBJ wh-CL (e.g., She taught him how the engine works.)SBJ teach OBJ that-CL (e.g., Life taught her that patience is key.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “teach someone a lesson”
- “teach your grandmother to suck eggs”
- “you can't teach an old dog new tricks”
- “those who can, do; those who can't, teach”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Often used in training contexts: 'We need to teach the new software to the team.'
Academic
Central to pedagogy: 'Her research focuses on how to teach complex concepts.'
Everyday
Common for skills and life lessons: 'Can you teach me to drive?' or 'That mistake taught me to be more careful.'
Technical
In computing: 'The AI is taught to recognise patterns.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She teaches at the local comprehensive.
- That will teach you not to be so cheeky!
- He's been teaching himself guitar from online videos.
American English
- She teaches at the local high school.
- That'll teach you to be more careful!
- He taught himself coding over the summer.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial form. 'Teachably' is extremely rare and non-standard.
American English
- No standard adverbial form. 'Teachably' is extremely rare and non-standard.
adjective
British English
- He comes from a teaching family.
- She holds a teaching qualification.
American English
- He comes from a family of teachers.
- She has a teaching credential.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My mother teaches English.
- Can you teach me your name?
- He teaches children to read.
- The university teaches a wide range of subjects.
- Experience is the best teacher; it teaches you what books cannot.
- She taught me how to bake a cake.
- The course is designed to teach critical thinking skills.
- His failure taught him the importance of meticulous planning.
- They use interactive methods to teach complex scientific concepts.
- The documentary seeks to teach viewers about the intricacies of geopolitical conflict.
- Her approach to teaching literature challenges conventional pedagogical frameworks.
- The harsh conditions of the expedition taught them resilience and mutual dependence.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TEACHer who REACHes out to impart knowledge. A TEACHer REACHes students' minds.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE IS A COMMODITY (impart, give); TEACHING IS TRANSFERRING (pass on, hand down); TEACHING IS GUIDING (lead, show the way).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'учить' as 'teach' when the subject is the learner. Russian 'Я учу английский' means 'I am learning English', not 'I am teaching English'.
- Do not confuse 'teach' with 'study' (учиться) or 'learn' (выучить).
- The object structure differs: 'teach somebody something' vs. Russian 'учить кого-то чему-то'.
Common Mistakes
- *I will teach you swimming. (Correct: I will teach you to swim / how to swim / swimming.)
- *She teaches us maths. (Correct, but note the dropped 'to' in ditransitive patterns is fine.)
- *He is teaching me driving. (Correct: He is teaching me to drive / how to drive.)
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'teach' INCORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Teach' is what the instructor does (active imparting of knowledge). 'Learn' is what the student does (active acquiring of knowledge). You teach someone, but you learn something from someone.
Yes, intransitively: 'She teaches at a university.' However, it usually implies a subject or group being taught.
No. The correct past simple and past participle form is 'taught' (irregular verb). 'Teached' is a common error made by learners and children.
It has two meanings: 1) Literally, to instruct someone. 2) Figuratively (and more commonly), to punish or cause someone to have an unpleasant experience so they will not repeat a mistake.