English Phrasal Verbs With “Fall”
Phrasal verbs are an essential part of English, and learning them can significantly improve your fluency. Below is a comprehensive list of phrasal verbs that use the word “fall”, along with their meanings, examples, and exercises to test your understanding.
1. Fall apart
Meaning: To break into pieces; to disintegrate or fail.
- My old shoes finally fell apart after years of use.
- Their marriage fell apart due to constant arguments.
- The book was so old that its pages fell apart when I touched them.
2. Fall back
Meaning: To retreat or move backward; to rely on something as a backup.
- The soldiers had to fall back when the enemy advanced.
- If Plan A fails, we can always fall back on Plan B.
- She fell back on her savings when she lost her job.
3. Fall behind
Meaning: To fail to keep up with others; to lag in progress.
- He fell behind in his studies because of illness.
- If you don’t work hard, you’ll fall behind the rest of the class.
- The company fell behind its competitors due to poor management.
4. Fall for
Meaning: To be deceived by something; to develop strong feelings for someone.
- She fell for his lies and lost all her money.
- He fell for her the moment they met.
- Don’t fall for scams promising easy money.
5. Fall in
Meaning: To collapse inward; to line up in formation (military).
- The roof fell in after the heavy snowfall.
- The soldiers were ordered to fall in for inspection.
- The old building fell in due to poor maintenance.
6. Fall off
Meaning: To decrease in quantity or quality; to drop from a height.
- Sales fell off sharply during the recession.
- She fell off her bike and scraped her knee.
- The leaves fall off the trees in autumn.
7. Fall out
Meaning: To argue and stop being friendly; to happen as a result.
- They fell out over a business deal and haven’t spoken since.
- It fell out that we both got the same job offer.
- Her hair started to fall out due to stress.
8. Fall through
Meaning: To fail to happen or be completed.
- The deal fell through at the last minute.
- Our vacation plans fell through because of bad weather.
- The project fell through due to lack of funding.
9. Fall under
Meaning: To be classified or included in a category.
- This topic falls under the category of science.
- These expenses fall under the company’s travel budget.
- His actions fall under the definition of fraud.
10. Fall over
Meaning: To trip and land on the ground; to collapse.
- He fell over while running on the wet floor.
- The stack of books fell over when I bumped into the table.
- She was so tired that she fell over in the middle of the race.
Exercises
Test your understanding of these phrasal verbs by completing the following exercises.
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Choose the correct phrasal verb to complete each sentence.
- After the argument, they _____ and stopped talking. (fell out / fell over)
- The old bridge _____ after the storm. (fell apart / fell under)
- She _____ her colleague and they started dating. (fell for / fell back)
- Our plans for the picnic _____ because of the rain. (fell through / fell in)
- He _____ his chair while laughing. (fell off / fell over)
Exercise 2: Match the Phrasal Verb to Its Meaning
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Fall behind | To fail to keep up |
| Fall back | To retreat or rely on a backup |
| Fall for | To be deceived or develop feelings |
| Fall under | To be classified in a category |
| Fall off | To decrease or drop from a height |
Exercise 3: Write Your Own Sentences
Create sentences using any five of the phrasal verbs listed above.