Wednesday, February 3, 2016

word usage - Is it okay to use "to present" to mean "to make a gift" in informal setting?


I'd like to say:




I was going to present you another book.



Meaning, "to make a gift." But from what I can see, "to present" and "to gift" are used in this sense in rather formal contexts. I could probably say "to give," but that doesn't sound like "making a gift." How do you say that?



Answer



You are right "to present" and "to gift" are rather formal


present is most commonly used in the format "I present to you the award for..."


In your sentence I would use give, give does mean a present, a gift



I was going to give you another book




Here is a warning: I am waiting for the 'but' at the end of that because of the 'was'.



I was going to give you another book, but Judy said your reading pile is already a year long



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