Follow Up vs. Follow-Up – Which is Correct?

The choice between “follow up” and “follow-up” depends entirely on its grammatical function within a sentence. “Follow up” (two words) is a verb phrase, meaning to pursue or investigate further. “Follow-up” (hyphenated) acts as a noun, referring to a subsequent action or event, or as an adjective describing something that occurs after a previous event.

Follow Up or Follow-Up – Which is Correct?

Both “follow up” and “follow-up” are correct in American English, but they serve different grammatical purposes. The key distinction lies in whether you need a verb phrase to describe an action or a noun/adjective to describe a thing or quality. Think of it as an action versus a result or description.

This grammatical pattern, where spacing or hyphenation changes the part of speech, is also evident in phrases like up to date.

Word	Part of Speech	Meaning	Example
Follow up	Verb Phrase	To pursue, investigate further, or maintain contact.	I need to follow up on that email.
Follow-up	Noun or Adjective	(Noun) A subsequent action or continuation. (Adjective) Coming after a previous event.	The meeting requires a follow-up. (Noun) This is a follow-up email. (Adjective)

How to Use Follow Up

“Follow up” is a two-word verb phrase. It means to pursue something further, investigate, continue contact, or take additional action. It’s an active verb and can be used in both formal and casual contexts, often in professional settings when discussing tasks, leads, or communication strategies.

Example 1: Please follow up with the client regarding their outstanding invoice.

Example 2: The detective decided to follow up on the new lead.

Example 3: After our interview, I will follow up with a thank-you note.

What are the different forms of follow up?

As a verb phrase, “follow up” conjugates like a regular verb, with “follow” being the main verb. The “up” acts as a particle, making it a phrasal verb.

• Present Tense: I follow up, he/she/it follows up, we/you/they follow up
• Past Tense: followed up (e.g., “She followed up on the complaint.”)
• Future Tense: will follow up (e.g., “We will follow up next week.”)
• Present Participle (Gerund): following up (e.g., “He is following up on the details.”)

Etymology of the word follow up

The verb “follow” originates from Old English folgian, meaning “to go after, pursue.” The particle “up” comes from Old English upp. The combination “follow up” as a phrasal verb to mean “pursue further” or “investigate” became common in English by the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reflecting the dynamic nature of English in combining verbs with prepositions to create new meanings.

How to Use Follow-Up

“Follow-up” (hyphenated) functions as either a noun or an adjective. As a noun, it refers to an act or instance of following up, a continuation, or a subsequent action. As an adjective, it describes something that is done as a follow-up or that occurs after an initial event. This form is common in business, medical, and administrative contexts.

Example 1 (Noun): The doctor scheduled a follow-up for next month to check on my progress.

Example 2 (Adjective): This is a follow-up meeting to discuss the project’s next steps.

Example 3 (Noun): We need to ensure there’s a proper follow-up to all customer inquiries.

What are the different forms of follow-up?

As a noun, “follow-up” can be pluralized:

• Singular Noun: a follow-up
• Plural Noun: follow-ups (e.g., “There were several follow-ups required.”)

As an adjective, “follow-up” does not change form (e.g., “a follow-up call,” “follow-up questions”).

Etymology of the word follow-up

The hyphenated form “follow-up” emerged as a nominalization of the verb phrase “follow up.” This process, where a verb phrase is converted into a noun or adjective, is common in English, especially in professional and technical jargons. Its usage as a noun and adjective became prominent in the mid-20th century as a concise way to refer to subsequent actions or events stemming from an initial one.

Related Concepts

Understanding the difference between “follow up” and “follow-up” is a great illustration of how phrasal verbs can be nominalized into compound nouns or adjectives. A phrasal verb combines a verb with a preposition or adverb (like “up”), creating a new meaning. When this phrasal verb’s action or result becomes a concept in itself, it often transforms into a hyphenated compound noun or adjective. This grammatical shift helps distinguish the action being performed from the item or event that results from that action, providing clarity and conciseness in language.

Examples from Media and Literature

• “He promised to follow up on the details and report back to the team by Friday morning.” (Verb phrase – action)
• “The journalist conducted a series of interviews and then wrote a powerful follow-up article for the Sunday edition.” (Adjective – describes the article)
• “After the initial consultation, a strategic follow-up was crucial for securing the deal.” (Noun – refers to the subsequent action)
• “We will need to follow up on that lead immediately, before the trail goes cold.” (Verb phrase – action)
• “Her detailed follow-up to the client’s concerns ultimately saved the partnership.” (Noun – refers to the detailed action)

Practice Exercises

Choose the correct word to complete the sentence.

1. The manager asked me to ______ with the sales team about their quarterly targets.
2. We received a ______ email confirming the appointment.
3. A thorough ______ is essential after any major incident.
4. Please ______ on this task by the end of the day.
5. The doctor scheduled a ______ visit for next week.

Answer Key

1. follow up
2. follow-up
3. follow-up
4. follow up
5. follow-up

Follow Up Synonyms

Synonym	Definition
Pursue	To continue to follow or strive for.
Investigate	To carry out a systematic or formal inquiry to discover and examine the facts of (an incident, allegation, etc.) so as to establish the truth.
Maintain contact	To keep in touch or continue communication with someone.
Revisit	To discuss or consider (a subject or problem) again.

Follow-Up Synonyms

Synonym	Definition
Continuation	The action of continuing or the state of being continued.
Update	An act of updating something or someone.
Review	A formal assessment of something with the intention of instituting change if necessary.
Recheck	A subsequent examination or verification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: When should I use the hyphenated “follow-up”?
Use “follow-up” with a hyphen when it functions as a noun (e.g., “We need a follow-up on this issue”) or as an adjective modifying another noun (e.g., “This is a follow-up email”).

Question 2: Can “follow up” ever be one word?
No, “followup” as a single, unhyphenated word is generally considered incorrect in standard American English. Always use “follow up” as a verb phrase or “follow-up” as a noun or adjective.

Question 3: Is there a simple trick to remember the difference?
Think of it this way: if you are *doing* the action, it’s “follow up” (verb phrase). If you are referring to *the thing* that comes after, it’s a “follow-up” (noun or adjective). If you can put “the” or “a” in front of it, it’s likely the hyphenated noun.

Conclusion

Distinguishing between “follow up” and “follow-up” is a matter of understanding their distinct grammatical roles. “Follow up” is always a verb phrase, denoting an action to pursue or continue. “Follow-up,” with a hyphen, functions as a noun (the subsequent action itself) or an adjective (describing something as subsequent). Mastering this distinction enhances clarity and precision in your writing, especially in professional communications. Using the correct form demonstrates attention to detail and reinforces your credibility.