Hand out means to give something to each person in a group: leaflets, tests, gifts, samples. It's used when one person or team gives things to many people: The teacher handed out the tests. The noun handout comes from it: a sheet of paper you get at a lecture or meeting.
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hand out + leaflets/tests/gifts (to + people); hand them out; a handout (noun)
- Volunteers were handing out free water to runners along the route.
- Before the meeting, could you print the agenda and hand it out?
- Our teacher always hands out a short vocabulary list at the end of the lesson.
What changed
First versionCould you handout the worksheets before the lesson starts?
RevisionCould you hand out the worksheets before the lesson starts?
Handout as one word is a noun: a sheet with information or tasks. The verb is written as two words: hand out the worksheets. So handout is split into two words.
Hand over means to give something to one person, from hand to hand, often officially or because you're asked to: We handed over the keys to the new owners. Hand out means giving to many people, one each: The guide handed out maps to everyone in the group.
Your turn
At the start of the seminar, the lecturer ___ a reading list to every student.
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handed out — The lecturer is giving a list to every student, from one person to many, so handed out. Handed in means submitted, as when students give their work to a teacher, and here it's the other way round.
Describe an event where people were given something: a conference, a celebration, a charity run. Say what was handed out and by whom.
At the charity run last Sunday, local students handed out bananas and water to runners at the finish line.
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