ENGLISH
REFERENCE

fill sth in

phr. v..
A2 Elementary Oxford

phr. v.. To write information in the empty spaces on a form or document.

phr. v.. To add required information to the blank spaces of a document, form, or questionnaire. This transitive phrasal verb is separable.


SIMPLE

Please fill in this form with your details.

CONTEXTUAL

You need to fill in your name and address on the first page of the application.

COMPLEX

The historian had to carefully fill in the gaps in the manuscript, using contextual clues from other contemporary sources.

Particles
in
Separability
separable
Pattern
fill + in + object
Usage

Commonly used for forms, applications, and documents that have blank spaces for information.

Teaching tip

Contrast with 'fill out', a near-synonym in American English; 'fill in' can focus on specific blanks, while 'fill out' often implies completing the entire document.

Pitfall

Please fill the form.Please fill in the form.The particle 'in' is required to form the phrasal verb meaning 'to complete'.

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