How to Use Follow Up or Follow-Up (Explanation, Usage)

What does follow up mean?

The phrase follow up means to pursue something further, to take additional steps, or to check back on a previous conversation, task, or event. Follow up is widely used in business, health care, customer service, and everyday communication.

👍🏼Usage Note

✓
I will follow up with you next week.

✓
Please send me a follow-up email after the meeting.

✗
Can you follow-up with me tomorrow?

✗
She scheduled a follow up appointment.

Follow up can function as a verb (“to follow up on something”) or as a noun/adjective (“a follow-up call”). Getting the form right is key for clear, professional writing.

When to use “follow up” vs “follow-up”?

The difference depends on how you’re using the phrase in a sentence:

Follow up (verb)	To take action after something, or to check back in.
Follow-up (noun or adjective)	A thing (call, email, appointment) that comes after the original event.

Here are some examples in action:

I’ll follow up with you about the project.

Let’s schedule a follow-up meeting for Thursday.

The nurse will follow up after your procedure.

Don’t forget to send a follow-up email.

Etymology of “follow up”

The phrase follow up comes from the verb “to follow” + the adverb “up,” meaning to continue or pursue something further. Its use in business English dates back to the early 1900s. The noun/adjective form—follow-up—emerged soon after, especially in medical and corporate settings.

How to write and punctuate “follow up” and “follow-up”

Verb: Always two words — “follow up” (“I will follow up next week.”)
Noun/adjective: Always hyphenated — “follow-up” (“Let’s have a follow-up discussion.”)

💡Study Tip

Try swapping “follow up” for “check in” or “continue”—if it still makes sense, you’re using the verb form. If it’s a thing (an email, meeting, or call), use the hyphenated noun/adjective: “follow-up.”

Sentences using “follow up” (verb)

She will follow up with the client next week.

Did you follow up on the application?

We need to follow up after the training session.

I’ll follow up once I have more information.

Our team should follow up with a phone call.

Sentences using “follow-up” (noun/adjective)

He sent a follow-up email to clarify the details.

The doctor recommended a follow-up appointment.

The follow-up survey was sent to all participants.

We’ll have a follow-up call after the interview.

The manager scheduled a follow-up review for next month.

Common phrases with “follow up” and “follow-up”

Phrase	Meaning
Follow up on	To take further action regarding something
Follow-up question	An additional question asked after the initial inquiry
Follow-up appointment	A subsequent medical visit after an initial procedure
Follow-up call	A phone call made to check on progress or provide more information
Follow-up email	An email sent to check in or provide additional details

FAQs

Q: When should I use “follow up” as two words?
A: Use “follow up” as a verb when you mean to pursue something or check in. Example: “I will follow up tomorrow.”

Q: When do I hyphenate “follow-up”?
A: Use “follow-up” as a noun or adjective to describe an event, item, or action that comes after the original. Example: “She sent a follow-up email.”

Q: Is “follow-up” ever used as a verb?
A: No. The verb form is always two words: “follow up.” Only the noun/adjective use the hyphen: “follow-up.”

Q: Can I say “follow-up on” as a verb?
A: No, use “follow up on” (no hyphen) as a verb. The hyphenated “follow-up” is only for nouns/adjectives.

Q: Is there a difference in British and American usage?
A: Both US and UK English use this distinction: verb = “follow up,” noun/adjective = “follow-up.” Always check your organization’s style guide for specifics.