Phrasal Verb: Look after

This is a phrasal verb. Phrasal verbs combine a verb and a preposition. Here, we have look and after. Together, they create a brand new meaning. On its own, look is about your eyes. On its own, after is about time. But together, they mean "to care for." This verb is "inseparable." That is a big grammar word. It just means you cannot put words in the middle. You cannot say look the dog after. That sounds very strange to native speakers! You must keep look and after side by side. Also, the word look changes with the subject. If I do it, I look after. If he does it, he looks after. It follows the normal rules for the present tense. It also follows normal rules for the past tense. Yesterday, I looked after my brother. It is very predictable. This makes it a great verb for beginners. You don't have to learn crazy new rules. You just have to remember the pair. Think of it like a sticky note. The word after is stuck to the word look with glue.

1. 1Using this verb is like building a sandwich. You need the right layers in the right order. Follow these steps to make a perfect sentence:
2. 2Start with the Subject. This is the person doing the caring. Examples: I, You, My mom, The doctor.
3. 3Add the verb look. Remember to change it for the person. Use look for I/you/we/they. Use looks for he/she/it.
4. 4Add the word after immediately. Do not wait! Do not add other words here.
5. 5Finish with the Object. This is the person or thing you are helping. Examples: the baby, the cat, my phone.
6. 6Here is a simple formula: [Subject] + [look/looks/looked] + [after] + [Object].
7. 7Example: I + look + after + the plants.
8. 8It is that simple! No extra ingredients are needed. Even if you are talking about the future, the pattern stays. I will look after you. The pair stays strong. It is like a grammar anchor.

There are many times to use look after. The most common is with family. You look after your younger sister. You look after your grandparents. It is also perfect for pets. If your friend goes on vacation, you look after their cat. You give it food. You give it water. You keep it happy. You can also use it for plants. If you water your flowers, you look after them.

Real-world scenarios are everywhere! Imagine you are at the airport. You need to go to the bathroom. You ask your friend: "Can you look after my bags?" This means "Please watch them so no one steals them." Or imagine a job interview. The boss might ask: "Can you look after our customers?" They want to know if you are helpful. It is also used for houses. If you go away, a neighbor might look after your house. They check the mail. They make sure everything is okay. It is a verb about responsibility. If you are the person in charge of safety, use look after.

Do not use look after when you are searching for something. If you lost your keys, you do not look after them. You look for them! This is a very common mix-up. Look after is for things you already have. You have the baby, so you care for it. You have the dog, so you feed it. If the dog runs away, you stop looking after it and start looking for it!

Also, do not use it for simple watching. If you are at the cinema, you look at the screen. You do not look after the movie. The movie does not need your care! It is fine on its own. Only use look after when something needs your help to stay safe or healthy. You also shouldn't use it for fixing things. If your car is broken, you repair it. You don't look after it to make it work again. Look after is more about maintenance and protection. It is not about fixing a broken engine. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Green means "care and safety." Red means "searching or fixing."

Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes! The biggest mistake is the "Split." People try to put the object in the middle.

✗ I look my sister after.

This is wrong. It sounds like you are looking at her back!

✓ I look after my sister.

Keep the verb and the preposition together like glue.

Another mistake is forgetting the s.

✗ He look after the dog.

Remember, he and she always need that extra s in the present tense.

✓ He looks after the dog.

Finally, don't confuse it with take care of. They mean the same thing, but the grammar is different. You can say I take care of the cat. But you cannot say I look care of the cat. Pick one or the other! Beginners often try to mix the two phrases together. It becomes a messy grammar soup. Stick to look after until you feel like a pro. It is shorter and easier to remember.

Let's compare look after with its cousins.

First, look at. This is just using your eyes. You look at a painting. You look at a map. There is no responsibility.

Second, look for. This is for lost things. You look for your phone. You look for a new job.

Third, look up. This is for finding information. You look up a word in a dictionary.

Think of it this way:

• Look at: I see you.
• Look for: I want to find you.
• Look after: I will protect you.

Each one uses the word look, but the second word changes everything. It is like a video game character. The character is the same, but different hats give them different powers! The after hat gives the power of protection. The for hat gives the power of searching. Always check the hat before you speak!