Phrasal Verb: Show up

Phrasal verbs can feel like a puzzle. You have a verb like show and a particle like up. Together, they create a new meaning. The best part about show up is that it is "intransitive." This is just a fancy way of saying it does not need an object. You do not "show up a party." You just show up. You can use it alone. For example, you can say, "I waited for an hour, but he didn't show up." It describes the act of being present. It often implies that someone was expected to be there. Sometimes, it even suggests a little bit of surprise. If you show up at a friend's house without calling, you are making an appearance. It is a very active verb. It is about the moment you become visible in a place.

1. 1Using show up is quite simple. You just need to remember the tense. Here is how you build it:
2. 2Present Tense: Use show up for I/you/we/they. Use shows up for he/she/it. Example: "She always shows up on time."
3. 3Past Tense: Use showed up for everyone. Example: "They showed up late to the movie."
4. 4Continuous Tense: Use is/am/are showing up. Example: "More people are showing up now."
5. 5Negative Form: Use did not show up or does not show up. Example: "He didn't show up for the interview."
6. 6Remember, the word up never changes. Only the word show changes to match the time or the person. It is like a grammar traffic light. The show part tells you when to go, and the up part stays exactly where it is.

There are three main times you will want to use this phrase. First, use it for social events. If you are going to a birthday party, you show up. If you are meeting a friend for coffee, you show up. Second, use it for professional situations. You show up for a job interview. You show up for a meeting. Third, use it for lost objects. This is a fun one! If you lost your keys and then found them on the table, you can say, "My keys finally showed up." It means they appeared.

Real-world scenario: Imagine you are at a restaurant. You are waiting for your friend, Sarah. You check your watch. Finally, the door opens. You say, "Sarah finally showed up!" It feels natural and warm. It is much better than saying "Sarah has arrived," which sounds like she is a plane landing on a runway.

Even though show up is great, it is not for every situation. Do not use it in very formal writing. If you are writing a legal document or a formal letter to a king, use arrive. Also, be careful with the phrase "show someone up." If you add a person in the middle, the meaning changes. To "show someone up" means to make them look bad by being better than them. For example, if you run faster than your boss, you might show him up. That is a different rule for a different day! For now, stick to using show up to mean arrive. Also, don't use it for abstract ideas. You don't say your "happiness showed up." Stick to people and physical things.

Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes! The biggest mistake is adding an object directly after the phrase.

• ✗ Wrong: "I showed up the meeting."
• ✓ Correct: "I showed up at the meeting" or "I showed up to the meeting."

You need a preposition like at or to if you want to mention the place. Another mistake is using the wrong past tense. Some people try to say "she has shown up" in casual talk. While grammatically okay, "she showed up" is much more common and sounds more natural. Don't overthink it! Keep it simple. Think of it like a pair of shoes. It needs to fit the situation comfortably.

You might wonder about turn up. They are very similar! In many cases, you can use either one. However, turn up is a bit more common in British English. Show up is very popular in American English. Another similar word is appear. Appear sounds a bit like magic. If a rabbit appears in a hat, that is magic. If your friend shows up at your house, that is just a normal Tuesday. Arrive is the most formal. Use arrive for schedules and show up for people. It is the difference between a robot talking and a friend talking.