ENGLISH
REFERENCE

follow on from

phrasal verb.
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford Academic General-service
Definition

phrasal verb. to happen as a result of something else or to be the next part of a process.

phrasal verb. to occur as a logical consequence or chronological successor to a previous event or statement.


SIMPLE

The discussion will follow on from our meeting last week.

CONTEXTUAL

The new policy follows on from a series of successful pilot programs conducted across the country.

COMPLEX

The subsequent investigation followed on from the initial discovery of financial irregularities within the department's quarterly reports.

  • result from
  • come after
  • stem from
  • succeed
Particles
on from
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
follow + on + from + object
Usage

commonly used in academic or professional contexts to link ideas or events.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'follow' (simple sequence) and 'result from' (direct cause); 'follow on from' suggests a smoother, more logical progression in a series.

Pitfall

This follows from on the previous chapter.This follows on from the previous chapter.the sequence of particles is fixed as 'on' then 'from'.

Last updated April 24, 2026