Phrasal verbs · Free lesson
Look after someone: talk about taking care of them
Your sister has an appointment and needs someone to care for her daughter for two hours. You can offer to look after her.
Professor Scott MendozaMeaning in this lesson
look after
Take responsibility for someone’s care or for keeping something in good condition.
Example
“I looked after my niece while her mother was at an appointment.”
I took care of my niece during that time.
The short answer
Look after someone means take care of them. Say “look after my niece” or “look after her.” Keep look after together; “look her after” does not work for this meaning.
Keep the care expression together.
Look after introduces the person, animal or thing receiving care. Unlike try it on, you do not move a pronoun into the middle: say look after him, her or them. In the past, use looked after. Add a time or useful detail to make an offer clear.
Make a clear offer of help.
Could you look after Lia from two until four?
Yes. I can look after her during those hours.
Her replaces Lia and stays after the complete expression look after.
Offer care clearly
Name who needs care
I can look after Lia.
Keep the pronoun after after
I can look after her.
Confirm the practical details
What time should she have her snack?
Try it now
Check what you’ve learned.
Read all answers and explanations
“I’m looking after my cousin this afternoon.” What does this mean?
I’m taking care of my cousin.Looking after someone describes care. Looking for someone describes searching.
Replace my cousins with them: “I looked after my cousins.”
I looked after them.Use the object pronoun them after the full expression: looked after them.
Which situation clearly illustrates looking after a pet?
Feeding it while its owner is away.Feeding the pet meets a care need. Searching or taking a photograph does not by itself describe that care.
Put it into practice
Offer help, then check a care detail.
Your sister asks you to care for Lia from two until four. You are available for those hours. Agree, then ask about Lia’s snack.
- Your sister
Can you look after Lia from two until four?
See a model answer
- Sister
Can you look after Lia from two until four?
- You
Yes, I can look after her from two until four.
- Sister
She’ll need a snack while I’m out.
- You
What time should I give her the snack?
- Sister
At three, please.
The first reply uses look after her correctly. The next question connects the offer of care to a useful practical detail.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
Can I look after a thing as well as a person?
Yes. You can look after a plant, a building or your belongings by taking care of them.
“Could you look after these plants while I’m away?”
Is take care of similar to look after?
Yes, for this meaning. Take care of is a useful alternative. Both expressions keep the pronoun at the end.
“I’ll look after him.” / “I’ll take care of him.”
Take it into your day
Keep look after together, then name who or what needs care. A useful follow-up checks a detail that will help you provide that care.
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Use phrasal verbs to make everyday arrangements.
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