📧 Email English中文版
What does “follow up” mean?
follow up (on sth / with sb)
/ˈfɒləʊ ʌp/
＝ to contact someone again or check on something later, to see what has happened
You will see it in work emails every day. The verb is two words (follow up). The noun and adjective have a hyphen (a follow-up).
In plain English
You start something: you send a quote, you have a meeting, you ask a question. Later you go back to it to see what happened. That is following up.
Sending a second email after no reply, or calling a client after a meeting: both are ways of following up.
Spelling tip: the action is follow up (verb, no hyphen). The thing you send is a follow-up (noun, with a hyphen).
6 meanings of follow up
- follow up on sthto check on a task or issue againWork
I'll follow up on the invoice tomorrow.
- follow up with sbto contact a person again to ask about progressWork
Can you follow up with the client today?
- a follow-up (n.)an email, call or meeting that comes after an earlier oneWork
I haven't heard back. I'll send a follow-up.
- follow-up (adj.)coming after something, to continue itCommon
Let's set up a follow-up meeting next week.
- just following upa polite way to start a reminder emailEmail
Hi Mandy, just following up on my email from Monday.
- follow sth up with sthto do one thing and then do another thing after itGeneral
He followed up the call with a written quote.
Sentence patterns
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| follow up on sth | Could you follow up on the delivery date? |
| follow up with sb (about sth) | I'll follow up with HR about your leave. |
| send / get a follow-up (email) | I sent a follow-up email but got no reply. |
| a follow-up meeting / call / question | Can I ask a follow-up question? |
| Just following up on sth | Just following up on the contract. Any news? |
Real-life examples
📧 A reminder email
Hi Kevin, just following up on the quotation I sent last Thursday. Do you have any questions?
👥 Giving out tasks in a meeting
Manager: Who can follow up with the printer about the brochure?
Cindy: I'll do it. I'll send them a follow-up this afternoon.
💬 Teams message
Leo: Did Finance approve the budget?
Sara: Not yet. I'll follow up on it after lunch.
Common mistakes
✗ I will follow-up with the client.
✓ I will follow up with the client.
Do not use a hyphen in the verb. Use “follow-up” only as a noun or before another noun.
✗ I sent a followup email.
✓ I sent a follow-up email.
“Followup” as one word is a common misspelling. Write “follow-up” in work emails.
✗ Please follow this case.
✓ Please follow up on this case.
“Follow this case” sounds like “watch it”. To say you will take action, use “follow up on”.
✗ I will follow up the client.
✓ I will follow up with the client.
Use “with” before a person and “on” before a thing.
✗ Just follow up my email.
✓ Just following up on my email.
The email opener is “Just following up on…”. Without -ing it sounds like an order.
Before and after ✨
An email about a quote, rewritten with Dictionify’s Polish: removed words are crossed out and new words are highlighted.
Dear Mr Chan, I want to follow-up the quotation I send you last week. Please reply me ASAP because my boss keep asking. Thanks.
Dear Mr Chan, I want to follow-up am just following up on the quotation I send sent you last week. Please reply Could you let me ASAP because my boss keep asking. Thanks. know if you have any questions? I would be happy to help. Thanks!
- follow-up the quotation → following up on the quotation: no hyphen in the verb, and use “on” before a thing. “Just following up” sounds softer.
- I send you last week → I sent you last week: use the past tense for last week.
- reply me should be reply to me. Saying “my boss keeps asking” puts pressure on the reader; offering help sounds more professional.
Similar and opposite phrases
| Phrase | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| check in (with sb) | to ask how someone or something is going | More relaxed. There may be no special task to check. |
| chase (sb / sth) | to push someone for a reply or a payment | Common in British offices. Sounds more urgent. |
| get back to sb | to reply to someone later | You promise to reply. The other direction from following up. |
| circle back | to come back to a topic later | Used in meetings. It means “later”, not always action. |
Opposite: drop the ball (to forget to do something you were responsible for); let sth slide (to ignore something and let it get worse)
Quick quiz
Pick an answer to check it straight away.
Which sentence is spelled correctly?
Answer: C. The verb is “follow up”: two words, no hyphen.
“Can I ask a follow-up question?” means…
Answer: A. A follow-up question builds on the answer you just heard.
You want to contact the client again. What do you say?
Answer: B. Use “follow up with” before a person.
FAQ
What is the difference between “follow up” and “follow-up”?
“Follow up” is the verb: “I will follow up.” “Follow-up” is the noun or adjective: “a follow-up”, “a follow-up email”. “Followup” as one word is common online, but avoid it in work emails.
Does “just following up” sound pushy?
No. It is a very normal and polite way to start a reminder. To sound even softer, try “Just following up on my email below, in case it got buried.”
Do I say “follow up on” or “follow up with”?
Use “on” before a thing (follow up on the order) and “with” before a person (follow up with Peter). You can use both: “follow up with Peter on the order”.
How long should I wait before sending a follow-up email?
Usually two or three working days, or one day if it is urgent. In the follow-up, include your first email and say clearly what you need and by when.
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