Phrasal verb
follow up
Definition
phrasal verb. to take further action after a first step has been made. you use this to check on progress or get more information about something you started earlier.
phrasal verb. to pursue a matter further or take additional steps to ensure the completion or success of a previous action; often used in professional contexts regarding communication or medical care.
Examples
“I will follow up with a phone call tomorrow.”
“The doctor asked me to follow up in two weeks to see if the medicine is working.”
“Although the initial meeting was productive, the project failed because no one followed up on the agreed action points.”
Examples
simple
“I will follow up with a phone call tomorrow.”
contextual
“The doctor asked me to follow up in two weeks to see if the medicine is working.”
complex
“Although the initial meeting was productive, the project failed because no one followed up on the agreed action points.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “follow up” in context.
Verb
01. fail to follow up
“The project stalled because the manager failed to follow up on the initial meeting notes.”
verb + infinitive
02. follow up on a lead
“The detective decided to follow up on a lead that a witness had provided earlier that morning.”
verb + prep + noun
03. follow up with a call
“I will send the proposal by email today and follow up with a call on Wednesday.”
verb + prep + noun
04. promptly follow up
“It is professional to promptly follow up after a job interview to thank the recruiter.”
adv + verb
Noun
05. follow up appointment
“The doctor scheduled a follow up appointment for next month to check the patient's recovery.”
noun + noun
06. follow up email
“I haven't received a response yet, so I'll send a polite follow up email tomorrow.”
noun + noun
07. follow up question
“During the press conference, the journalist asked a difficult follow up question about the budget.”
noun + noun
Usage
often used with the preposition 'with' for a person or 'on' for a topic.
Teaching tip
contrast the phrasal verb 'follow up' with the noun 'follow-up' (hyphenated); the verb is used for the action of checking, while the noun is the check-up itself.
Pitfall
I need to follow-up the client.
I need to follow up with the client.
the verb form does not use a hyphen and usually requires 'with' when referring to a person.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up
Separability
optional
Pattern
follow + up (+ on/with + object)
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/follow-up