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Prepositions after verbs

Reveal to or reveal in

Reveal commonly takes to before the person receiving information. Reveal in is not a standard complement pattern for this verb.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct after reveal?

Use reveal to when someone receives information: reveal something to someone. Reveal in is usually not idiomatic as the main pattern, though in may appear separately in phrases about place, time, or context.

reveal the truth to reporters
The company revealed its plans to investors
The flaw was revealed in the report
New details were revealed in court

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
reveal something to + person

Showing information to someone

Use to for the person who receives the information.

She revealed the secret to her friend
The witness revealed the facts to police
2
be revealed in + place/document

Stating where information appears

In can introduce the context where something becomes visible or known. It is not selected directly by reveal.

The error was revealed in the audit
The image was revealed in the final scene

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
reveal to
He revealed the decision to the staff.
standard pattern for the receiver of information
reveal in
The change was revealed in the report.
in introduces the context where something appears or becomes known
reveal something
The article revealed new evidence.
direct object without an additional preposition
reveal oneself as
She revealed herself as the author.
as introduces an identity or role

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using in for the receiver

Use to, not in, before the person receiving information.

✕ She revealed the plan in me. ✓ She revealed the plan to me.

Adding an unnecessary preposition

Reveal can take a direct object without a preposition.

✕ They revealed about the problem. ✓ They revealed the problem.

Confusing context with recipient

In shows where something is revealed, not who learns it.

✕ The manager revealed in the staff the news. ✓ The manager revealed the news to the staff.

Using reveal to without an object

Reveal to usually needs the information being revealed.

✕ He revealed to the audience. ✓ He revealed the answer to the audience.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The scientist revealed the results ___ the public.
2. The mistake was revealed ___ the investigation.
3. She revealed her identity ___ her colleagues.

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Frequently asked questions

Is reveal in ever correct?

Yes, when in introduces a place, document, or context, such as revealed in the report.

Can reveal be used without to?

Yes. You can simply say reveal the truth or reveal new information.

What is the passive form?

Common passive forms include was revealed to the public and was revealed in court.

radiate-from-into-around-to, with "raise in" or "raise by"? rake in, through, across, at or over? rally in, around, to, behind or on? "rape by" or "rape in"? ratify by, in, on, according or as? ravage by, from, on, through or with? rave about, at, from, to or before? reach for, by, at, to or into? react to, with, in, by or like? read about, in, on, through or for? "realize in", "realize at" or "realize by"?

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