# follow up

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/follow-up
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I need to follow-up the client." but "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.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.