What Does “Hand sb in” Mean?
“Hand sb in” means to formally give someone to the authorities, usually because they have done something wrong. It is often used when reporting a person to the police or other officials.
Introduction
The phrase “hand sb in” is a common English phrasal verb used to describe the action of giving someone to the police or an authority figure. When you “hand someone in,” you usually report them because they have committed a crime or broken a rule. This phrase often appears in contexts like law enforcement or school discipline. Understanding the hand sb in meaning helps learners use it correctly when talking about reporting someone. It is a useful expression in everyday English, especially when discussing responsibility or accountability.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: hand somebody in (hand sb in)
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2 (Upper-intermediate)
- Short meaning: to give someone to the police or authorities
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Hand sb in” is a separable phrasal verb. This means you can place the object (sb) between “hand” and “in” or after the entire phrase.
- hand someone in
- hand in someone
However, the first form is more common and sounds more natural.
Examples of patterns:
- Subject + hand + someone + in
- Subject + hand + in + someone
How to Use “Hand sb in”?
You use “hand sb in” when you want to say that someone is being given to the police or authorities. It is often used in formal or serious situations involving crime or wrongdoing. For example, if you see someone stealing, you might say, “I will hand him in to the police.”
The phrase can also be used in less serious contexts, like handing in a student who broke school rules to the principal.
Examples
Imagine you witness a crime and decide to report the person. You could say:
- “She decided to hand the thief in to the police.”
- “The teacher handed the student in for cheating during the exam.”
- “If you find out who did this, you should hand them in.”
- “He was handed in by his own family for breaking the law.”
- “Hand sb in in a sentence: The shopkeeper handed the shoplifter in after seeing him steal.”
Common Mistakes
Sometimes English learners confuse “hand sb in” with similar phrases like “hand in” (which means to submit something) or misuse the object placement.
- Incorrect: I will hand in him to the police.
- Correct: I will hand him in to the police.
- Incorrect: She handed in the thief.
- Correct: She handed the thief in.
- Incorrect: I will hand in my homework to the teacher. (This is correct but different meaning)
Remember, “hand sb in” always involves a person and giving them to authorities, not submitting documents or homework.
Differences / Synonyms
There are similar phrasal verbs like “turn sb in” and “report sb,” but they have slight differences.
- Turn sb in: Very similar to “hand sb in,” also means to give someone to the police. It is more informal and common in American English.
- Report sb: Means to tell the authorities about someone, but does not always mean physically giving them over.
While “hand sb in” often implies physically taking the person to the authorities, “report sb” can be just sharing information. “Turn sb in” and “hand sb in” are often interchangeable.
Common Collocations
Here are some common objects used with “hand sb in” and what they mean:
- Hand a criminal in: to give a criminal to the police
- Hand a thief in: to report or give a thief to authorities
- Hand a suspect in: to deliver a suspect to law enforcement
- Hand a student in: used in schools when reporting a student for bad behavior
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of hand sb in:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “hand sb in”:
Anna: Did you see who took the money from the office?
Ben: Yes, I did. I think we should hand him in to the manager.
Anna: I agree. It’s important to be honest.
Ben: I’ll talk to the manager tomorrow and hand him in.
Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of “hand sb in”:
- If you catch the thief, you should __________ to the police immediately.
- The teacher __________ the student __________ for cheating on the test.
- They decided to __________ the suspect __________ after the evidence was found.
FAQs
- Q: Can “hand sb in” be used for objects?
A: No, it is used only for people, usually to give them to the police. - Q: Is “hand sb in” formal or informal?
A: It is mostly neutral but used in serious contexts. - Q: Can I say “hand in someone”?
A: Yes, but it sounds less natural than “hand someone in.” - Q: What is the difference between “hand sb in” and “turn sb in”?
A: Both mean the same, but “turn sb in” is more informal and common in American English. - Q: Can “hand sb in” be used in school?
A: Yes, it can mean reporting a student to a teacher or principal.
