Phrasal verb
be up to
Definition
phrasal verb. to be doing something, especially something secret or bad.
phrasal verb. to be occupied with or engaged in an activity; frequently carries a pragmatic implication of mischief, secrecy, or illicit behavior.
Examples
“What are you up to this weekend?”
“The children are very quiet, which usually means they are up to no good.”
“The investigative journalist spent months trying to discover what the corporation was actually up to behind closed doors.”
Examples
simple
“What are you up to this weekend?”
contextual
“The children are very quiet, which usually means they are up to no good.”
complex
“The investigative journalist spent months trying to discover what the corporation was actually up to behind closed doors.”
Usage
often used in questions to ask about plans or in the phrase 'up to no good'.
Teaching tip
note that this phrase has multiple senses; focus on the 'doing/planning' sense first before introducing the 'be capable of' or 'be the responsibility of' senses.
Pitfall
What are you up to do?
What are you up to?
the phrase functions as a complete predicate; you do not need to add the verb 'do' after it.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up to
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
be + up + to + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/be-up-to