Skip to main content

Up

Up is an adverb, a preposition and an adjective.

Up is the opposite of down. It refers to movement to a higher level.

Up as an adverb​

We use up as an adverb to talk about movement towards a higher position, value, number or level:

  • She put the books up on the highest shelf.
  • The good weather has pushed sales of summer clothes up.
  • We light the fire every night and that heats the room up.

Up as a preposition​

We use up to talk about a higher position or movement to a higher position:

  • He was up a ladder painting.
  • My grandparents live just up the road.
  • I followed Vivian up the stairs, where there was a small dining room.
  • As we were climbing up the narrow mountain road, we could see the sea below.

Up as an adjective​

We use up as an adjective usually to talk about increases in prices, levels or amounts:

  • The price of fuel is up again.
  • It was cold yesterday but the temperature is up today.

Spoken English:

In informal speaking, we say that something is up when something is wrong. We use the phrase What’s up? to ask what’s happening:

  • Katrina was in that morning. She noticed that something was up and she came over to see me. ‘What’s wrong?’ she asked. ‘Nothing. Nothing’s wrong. I’ve had rather a surprising piece of news, that’s all.’ ‘Why, what’s up?’

Up to with numbers​

We use up to with numbers and amounts when we are being approximate. It means ‘as much as’ or ‘not more than’:

  • There were up to 100 guests at the wedding.
  • [Inspector Morse is a popular British TV detective series]
  • Behind each episode of ‘Inspector Morse’, there’s a crew of up to 80 technicians who make the gentleman detective look his best.
See also
  • Until as a preposition

Up as a particle​

Up is commonly used as a particle in phrasal verbs:

  • He was brought up by his grandmother.
  • Don’t give up. You will find a job.
  • What time did you wake up this morning?

Up is also commonly used as an adverb particle followed by a preposition in phrasal prepositional verbs:

  • I had to run to catch up with Elaine. She walks so fast.
  • I’ve always looked up to my older brother.

You’ll find other phrases that use up as a particle in a good learner’s dictionary.

See also
  • Phrasal verbs
  • Phrasal-prepositional verbs