You can use this expression when you telephone someone.

The idea

Call up means telephone; it is informal. Put a noun before or after up, but put a pronoun before up: call her up.

Examples

  • I will call up my aunt tonight.
  • Please call the driver up before noon.
  • Can you call her up after work?
  • We called up the hotel yesterday.
  • My brother called me up from the station.
  • Call up the library to ask about the book.

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Watch out

Do not say call up her: a pronoun must go in the middle.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. Please call ___ tomorrow. (her up / up her)

    Show answer or example answer

    her up

    her up places the pronoun before the particle.

  2. Choose the correct option. I ___ up the shop yesterday. (called / call)

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    called

    called fits the completed event yesterday.

  3. Choose the correct option. Can you call ___ the clinic? (up / down)

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    up

    up completes the telephone expression.

Use it today

Describe whom you might telephone tomorrow.