Open Secret – Catch Phrase
This service for English Language Learners supplements our stories.
You probably know what a secret is: it’s a piece of information that you keep hidden and don’t tell certain people.
But do you know what an open secret is? Think about the phrase – an open secret.
Let’s listen to an example of it being used. This is a clip from the story Katie’s Black Friday. It features Katie – an ordinary girl who’s actually a witch and can cast magic spells. Can you work out what an open secret means here:
“And how come you’re suddenly such a Miss Know-all about the cards? demanded Samantha.
“Because I am,” stated Katie firmly. Of course, it’s an open secret that Katie is a witch, and that she knows a great deal about anything magical or mystical.
Did you get it? An open secret is a secret that’s meant to be hidden, but is in fact known by a lot of people. An open secret.
So in the last clip although no-one is meant to know that Katie is a witch, it’s an open secret, so in fact a lot of people do know. She can’t say that she’s a witch, but because it’s an open secret, the people she’s talking to already know why she understands so much about magic.
“And how come you’re suddenly such a Miss Know-all about the cards? demanded Samantha.
“Because I am,” stated Katie firmly. Of course, it’s an open secret that Katie is a witch, and that she knows a great deal about anything magical
or mystical.
There are lots of examples of open secrets out there, and it’s a phrase you often hear when people are talking about politics or military matters.
For example, a government minister might have certain opinions, which can’t say because they contradict the government’s official policy. So it would be an
open secret what he really thinks.
Think of your own examples of open secrets, and try to use the phrase in conversation. It’s a really useful expression – an open secret.
