Follow-up vs Follow up vs Followup
What’s the difference between them?
Follow-up
Meaning:
Follow-up is a noun or adjective that refers to an action taken by a person or organization to check on the progress or outcome of something that has already been done or initiated.
Examples:
1. Our team will set up a follow-up meeting to discuss the results of the experiment.
2. I sent a follow-up email to the company to inquire about the job opening.
3. I'm going to schedule a follow-up appointment to check on my patient's health.
Follow up
Meaning:
Follow up is a verb that means to take action after an initial step or contact, typically in order to check progress or gain further information.
Examples:
1. I'll send you an email to follow up on our conversation.
2. I'll give you a call tomorrow to follow up on the meeting.
3. I'd like to follow up on my application for the job.
Followup
Meaning:
Incorrect usage.
Examples:
no examples
Learn similar and opposite words to spot the difference
Synonyms
Antonyms
Follow-up
Check-in
review
There are no direct antonyms for this word.
Follow up
look into
chase up
There are no direct antonyms for this word.
Followup
This word doesn't exist, so there are no synonyms for it.
This word doesn't exist, so there are no antonyms for it.
Tricks for mastery
Useful tips to understand the difference between confusing words "Follow-up", "Follow up", "Followup".
1. Remember that 'Follow-up' is one word with a hyphen between the two words, 'Follow' and 'Up'.
2. Remember that 'Follow up' with hyphen stands for adjective, while without hyphen stands for verb.
3. Remember that 'Followup' is not a word.
4. Put 'to' before the word. If the sentence still makes sense, 'follow up' is a verb and shouldn't be hyphenated. If the sentence doesn't make sense, it's an adjective and should be hyphenated.
Practice English with the Promova app and avoid misusing confusing words
Frequently asked questions
When to use the first word?
The first word refers to 'follow-up'. It is used as a noun or adjective to indicate an action or event that is related to a prior action or event. For example, when a patient visits a doctor for an appointment, a follow-up visit may be required to check on the patient’s progress. This is a situation where the term 'follow-up' is used to indicate a subsequent action or event related to a prior one.
When to use the second word?
The second word is 'follow up'. It is also used to indicate an action or event related to a prior action or event. However, it is more commonly used as a verb phrase to describe an action or activity that is related to a previous action or activity. For example, if someone has sent an email, the sender may 'follow up' with a phone call to see if the recipient received the email.
When to use the third word?
The third word is 'followup' is not a word, so it shouldn't be used in any contexts.
Do the words have the same pronunciation?
Yes, all three words have the same pronunciation. The pronunciation is /ˈfɒləʊˌʌp/
What are common mistakes associated with words?
One common mistake is confusing 'follow-up' with 'follow up'. While they both indicate an action or event related to a prior action or event, 'follow-up' is usually used as a noun and 'follow up' is used as a verb phrase.
Fill in the gaps to check yourself
1. The doctor scheduled a ___ appointment in two weeks to check the patients progress.
2. I will ___ with the vendor to ensure our order arrives on time.
3. The interviewer promised to give a ___ call next week.
4. Its essential to ___ on client feedback to improve our services.
5. After the initial meeting, the team needed a ___ strategy to address unresolved issues.
6. Can you please ___ with the HR department about my application status?
1. The doctor scheduled a follow-up appointment in two weeks to check the patients progress.
Explanation: Follow-up is used as an adjective to describe the type of appointment. Its an appointment meant to check on something previously discussed or initiated.
2. I will follow up with the vendor to ensure our order arrives on time.
Explanation: Follow up is used as a verb, indicating the action of checking with the vendor about the order.
3. The interviewer promised to give a follow-up call next week.
Explanation: Follow-up is used as a noun here, indicating the type of call that the interviewer is going to make.
4. Its essential to follow up on client feedback to improve our services.
Explanation: Follow up is a verb indicating the action of checking back or addressing client feedback.
5. After the initial meeting, the team needed a follow-up strategy to address unresolved issues.
Explanation: Follow-up is used as an adjective to describe the type of strategy needed.
6. Can you please follow up with the HR department about my application status?
Explanation: Follow up as a verb indicates the action of checking or seeking further information from the HR department.
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Download the PDF with a list of commonly confused words made as flashcards for comfortable learning.
List of Commonly Confused Words
Finding your way around the English language can be hard, especially since there are so many confusing words and rules. So, a list of the most confusing words in English is an extremely useful tool for improving language accuracy and sharing the ideas clearly.