To Follow Up on Follow-Up

One of the most common questions in any of our classes is this:

When is the phrase follow up hyphenated?

One of the reasons this punctuation question is so commonly asked is that many dictionaries are no help at all. They simply list both versions: follow-up and follow up.

I am happy to offer a way to determine whether the hyphen is required. Here's how:

If you can use the word the directly in front of the words follow up, they need a hyphen. Examples:

Please give Assan the follow-up test.
Have you sent the follow-up to Marty?
Make a follow-up call tomorrow. [You could replace a with the.]

In contrast, the sentences below would not work with the word the inserted before follow up:

Please follow up with Assan by giving him the test.
Did you follow up with Marty?
Follow up by phone tomorrow.

That's all there is to it! If you use the method above, you will always know whether follow-up or follow up is correct.

Stop reading now if just knowing the "trick" is enough for you. However, if you would like to know the reason it works, along with the rules, read on.

When follow up is a verb, it has no hyphen. Since we never use the before verbs (the belongs before nouns and adjective-noun phrases), if you cannot insert the before follow up, you know the phrase is a verb. Verb = no hyphen.

When follow up is a noun or an adjective, it does need a hyphen. Examples:

Noun: They lost interest during follow-up.
Adjective:  The follow-up phase dragged on too long.

Since you can easily insert the before a noun or an adjective, inserting the (if it isn't there already), tells you that your phrase needs a hyphen.

Test Yourself: Hyphen or No Hyphen?

1. Please give me a follow up call next week.
2. The follow up report is almost ready.
3. Call Amy to follow up about the invoices.
4. Omar will follow up on Friday.
5. I enjoy implementation but not follow up or maintenance.

Could you recognize which sentences needed hyphens?

Answers: Hyphens in 1, 2, and 5. No hyphens in 3 and 4.

Follow up if you have a follow-up comment or question! If you are in the Seattle area (or nearby states or provinces), take our workshop The Keys to Error-Free Writing for more helpful strategies and guidance on punctuation, grammar, and usage.

Lynn
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Other search spellings: punctatuion, foloow, grammer

Comments

[Almir Campos]

Thank you, Linn!
Almir.

[Manashree Prakash]

Hi Lynn,
A heartfelt "Thank you" for writing this piece of information. You are God sent.

[Zach Sparrow]

Incredibly helpful! Thank you for writing the explanation in such basic terminology that practically anyone can understand it!

[Lynn]

Almir, Manashree, and Zach, you are all welcome! Thank you for taking the time to comment.

[Pradeep Paul]

Hi Lynn, this article has cleared my thoughts. Thank u so much

[Pradeep Paul]

You have cleared views regarding follow-up and follow up, but how about one word followup? Please explain.

[Lynn]

Hi, Pradeep. I have not seen "followup" as one word in any style guides. However, the trend is to close up some hyphenated words after they become commonly recognized and understood. For example, "microwave" was originally "micro-wave," and "e-mail" is moving toward "email."

The noun "followup" is probably appearing, but it is not yet in any style guides on my shelf. I would avoid it, since it may confuse readers who wonder what a "wup" is.

Lynn

[SVD]

Hi Lynn

Thanks a lot for the clarification. I was confused with so many tips, but this one is very clear.

[Zack]

Makes perfect sense!

[Karen]

This is the best advice I have seen. Thank you.

And what about followup? as one word?

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

I haven't seen "followup" as one word in a dictionary or style guide yet. When I see it, I will update this information.

Lynn

[David]

Hi, Lynn. What about communications that begin with the prhase, "This is in follow up to...?" I can't correctly place "the" before follow up, so it would seem that no hyphen should be used. On the other hand, I could replace "in" with "a," suggesting that follow-up is a noun or adjective and is, thus, unhyphenated.

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Your example is a noun. Place "the" before the phrase like this:

"This is the follow-up to . . . "

Lynn

[maan]

thank you.. you explain it so clearly..

[AR]

Thanks Lyn. I wish I could send this to everyone at my company!

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

AR, why not send the link to everyone?

Lynn

[m]

What if it's the subject of an email such as Follow up on Issue A

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Try my trick: Can you insert "the" before the word? If you can, it's a noun and needs a hyphen.

The Follow-Up on Issue A

Lynn

[Jerry Everett]

Thanks again for clarity on a oft-used business term.

[rehana]

So, in this case:
"Barry's highly anticipated follow up to 2009's smash hit will be released soon." the hyphen is NOT needed? It feels like it needs a hyphen.

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Rehana, you are right. It needs a hyphen. "The highly anticipated follow-up...."

Lynn

[Samik]

Hi Lynn. Could you help to clarify when,where and why "Apostrophe" to be used in sentences like "She should follow up in a month's time or she should follow up in 3 months' time". What are the guidelines?

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Samik, I have written about your topic. See the Search box at the top right on this page? Type this phrase in it:

Years' or Year's or Years

You will find the explanation in that post.

Lynn

[amar]

This has been very helpful. We write a report an we call it "The Audit Follow-up Report"

My question is, should "Up" be capitalized? Follow-Up or Follow-up?

Kind regards,
Amar

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Hi, Amar. Please search for my blog post called "Capitalizing Hyphenated Words in Titles." In it, I discuss your question.

Lynn

[Brent]

Lynn,

I love this site. It is in my favorites list. Thank you for your help.

[Naomi]

In medical transcription they have omitted follow-up and use it as one word followup but the rules apply as if you use follow-up.

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Hi, Naomi. So a nurse would make a followup appointment and then follow up with the patient?

I am not surprised to learn that the word is beginning to be closed up.

Lynn

[Adjoa des Bordes]

Thanks very much Lyn for your explanations. I'd like to know if I should say follow up to or follow up on something.
Thanks, Adjoa

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Hi, Adjoa. Typically the correct expression is "follow up on."

Examples:
I want to follow up on what we discussed.
Did you follow up on Dina's request?

There are circumstances in which "follow up to" is more suitable. Here is an example:
Will there be any follow-up to the training program?

I hope those examples help you.

Lynn

[Amanda]

Hello,
I am a court reporter and have this phrase come up almost everyday.
1- They recommend follow up visits.
2- I had follow ups.

Should these "follow up" phrases be hyphenated?
Thank You

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Hi, Amanda. Your examples are similar to those I shared above in the post.

In sentence 1, the term is an adjective. In sentence 2, it is a noun.

Both examples need a hyphen.

Lynn

[Pat]

I'm a medical transcriptionist.

Follow-up = adjective, as in "follow-up care."

Follow up = verb, as in "will follow up tomorrow."

Followup = noun, as in "will be seen in followup."

Unfortunately, even most medical transcriptionists get it wrong. :)

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Hi, Pat. Nearly all my reference books are still showing the noun form with a hyphen. I wonder which style manual you follow. If you see this comment, please let me know.

Lynn

[Kathleen Jo]

Thank you for this article, Lynn. It was very helpful.

[Sandy]

Lynn, I am so glad that I stumbled upon your blog, I appreciate your help and knowledge. I was wondering if this rule applies to the word "pick up". I'm not sure if it is suppose to be one word, two words, or a hyphenated phrase.
Thanks again!
- Sandy

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Hi, Sandy. The rendering of your word depends on how you will use it.

Pick-up. A noun describing a person or thing picked up or increasing:

"We are pleased about the pick-up in business."

"I have a pick-up to make downtown before I end my shift."

Pick up. A verb:

"We are pleased that our business has picked up."

"I have to pick up a passenger downtown before I end my shift."

Pickup. An adjective meaning "informally organized":

"He likes to participate in basketball pickup games."

Sandy, if your budget includes money for a current dictionary, I recommend getting one. It will answer many of your questions. If you live in the U.S., I recommend "Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary" and "The American Heritage College Dictionary."

If you live in Canada, I recommend "Canadian Oxford Dictionary."

Reference books will not necessarily agree on the rendering of your word or other words. I just checked my "Canadian Oxford Dictionary" and found "pickup" for the noun version. Nevertheless, a current dictionary will guide you in your choices.

Lynn

[Ken]

How about in-person? In person? Thanks!

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Ken, it depends on the context:

Let's schedule an in-person interview.

I look forward to meeting you in person.

Lynn

[aida]

Can you pls let me know how to say

Mr George is flowing it up, into daily basis

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Aida, here are several correct ways:

Mr. George is following it up daily.

OR:

Mr. George follows it up daily.

OR:

Mr. George follows up daily.

Lynn

[Padmapriya]

Very clear explanation. Thanks for this article.

[Christian Hesketh]

In my experience, the hyphenated form should be reserved for use of the term as an adjective, but not a noun.

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Hi, Christian. Do your reference manuals support your experience?

Lynn

[VnABC]

Thank you. This helps me to write a follow-up email today. ;)

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Good! You are correct!

Lynn

[V Jemmy]

This makes sense now. Thank you!

[Ben]

Excellent, very concise and easy to understand. Thank you.

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

I am glad you liked it, V Jemmy and Ben. Thank you for writing.

Lynn

[Jonathan Stephens]

Thank you for the article. I just used it to change my incorrect "a follow up bet" to "a follow-up bet" in my own article. I had a feeling something was wrong, but obviously spell check wasn't helping.

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Yes, Jonathan, you are now correct. I am glad to have been helpful.

Lynn

[Vesna Grandja]

Yes, this is what I was looking for. If I wasn't curious to know, I would have spelled follow-up incorrectly half the time.

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Glad to be helpful!

Lynn

[Gary Brazzell]

Helpful. Used this to update our internal style guide after my journalism background staff got into a scuffle with my marketing background staff. Fortunately, that's about as dangerous as a Nerf battle.

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Hi, Gary. I am glad that I helped end the battle. Thanks for commenting.

Lynn

[Rashmi]

Thank you, Lynn.
You've made it remarkably simple!

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Hello, Rashmi. Remarkably simple? Thank you! That is my goal.

Lynn

[Arocha Christine Vivian]

Hi lynn i have just been given the post of customer growth and retention manager with an sms company and as for now the most important is phone call follow up,how should i start that call and what words should i use thanks Vivian

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

I am not sure what you want to accomplish with each call. Of course, you will begin with your name and company name, then the reason for your call.

Good luck!

Lynn

[christopher Park]

You nailed it, man! Amazing!

[FCV]

Great explanation, thank you

[Jen]

Would the same trick apply to pick up and pick-up?

[Austin]

This is a perfect page. Thank you!

[NAASI]

Thanks,
THIS PAGE HELP ME TO PREPARE A SPEACH ABOUT "FOLLOW UP "

THANK YOU
ALL THE BEST

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Excellent! I hope you succeeded.

Lynn

[eltrkbrd]

Thanks!