"afraid to tell her" vs "afraid of telling her"

Question

"afraid to tell her" vs "afraid of telling her"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 'Afraid to tell her' is used when the fear is related to the action of telling her, while 'afraid of telling her' is used when the fear is related to the act of telling itself. The choice between them depends on the nuance you want to convey.

Last Updated: March 21, 2024

This phrase is used when the fear is related to the action of telling her. It implies that the fear is about the consequences or reactions that may follow after telling her something.

Examples:

I'm afraid to tell her about my decision.
He was afraid to tell her the truth.
She is afraid to tell her parents about her relationship.

Alternatives:

scared to tell her
nervous to tell her
reluctant to tell her
hesitant to tell her
unwilling to tell her

This phrase is used when the fear is related to the act of telling itself. It implies that the fear is about the process of communicating the information.

Examples:

He is afraid of telling her the bad news.
She is afraid of telling her boss about the mistake.
They are afraid of telling her the truth.

Alternatives:

scared of telling her
nervous about telling her
worried about telling her
anxious about telling her
concerned about telling her

Answer 1

afraid to tell her

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Answer 2

afraid of telling her

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"afraid to tell her" vs "afraid of telling her"

afraid to tell her

afraid of telling her

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