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Face up to Phrasals
Bob & Jackie's Chemistry Project
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Episode 3: Come On, Bob!

Jackie: Bob, wake up and help me! We have to finish

this project today if we don't want to fall behind.

Will Bob wake up and help her? Is he interested in the

chemistry project? Find out in episode 4 of Bob and
Jackie's Chemistry Project.

Fall behind – fell behind – fallen behind

Meaning: If you fall behind, you fail to do something on time or as fast as necessary.

Grammar: This phrasal verb may or may not have an object. The verb and particle are not usually
separated. If an object is used, it takes the preposition with.

She fell behind

She fell behind with her car payments
She fell behind with them

She fell with her car payments behind

She fell with them behind

Example sentence: She had to work in her family's restaurant most evenings, and even though she
tired to work on her studies at night, she often fell behind.

Synonyms: fall back, drop behind, fail to keep up

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Face up to Phrasals bbclearningenglish.com ©BBC Learning English 2008

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