ENGLISH
REFERENCE

as follows

fixed phr..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford

fixed phr.. you use this to introduce a list or an explanation that comes next.

fixed phr.. a formulaic expression used to introduce a list, sequence, or detailed explanation that immediately follows in the text.


SIMPLE

The rules for the game are as follows.

CONTEXTUAL

The main points of the new company policy are as follows: no smoking, no overtime, and free coffee.

COMPLEX

The methodology for the clinical trial was structured as follows to ensure the highest degree of statistical accuracy and patient safety.

Usage

always used in the singular form 'follows' regardless of whether the list contains one item or many.

Teaching tip

point out that this is a set phrase; students often try to pluralize it to 'as follow' when introducing multiple items, which is grammatically incorrect in this idiom.

Pitfall

The ingredients are as follow:The ingredients are as follows:the phrase is a fixed idiom and the 's' must always be included even if the subject is plural.

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