Phrasal verb
look after sb/sth/yourself
Definition
phrasal verb. To take care of someone or something. You are responsible for their safety or well-being.
phrasal verb. To assume responsibility for the welfare, supervision, or maintenance of a person, animal, or object.
Examples
“Can you look after my cat this weekend?”
“My parents often look after my children when I have to work late.”
“The conservator meticulously looked after the ancient manuscript, ensuring its preservation for future generations.”
Examples
simple
“Can you look after my cat this weekend?”
contextual
“My parents often look after my children when I have to work late.”
complex
“The conservator meticulously looked after the ancient manuscript, ensuring its preservation for future generations.”
Usage
This phrase always takes an object, which is the person, animal, or thing being cared for.
Teaching tip
Contrast with 'take care of' (a near-synonym) and 'care for' (slightly more formal); 'look after' is the most common in everyday speech.
Pitfall
She looks after of her little brother.
She looks after her little brother.
The object follows 'after' directly; no extra preposition like 'of' is needed.
Phrasal verb
Particles
after
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
look + after + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/look-after-sb-sth-yourself