Phrasal Verb: 'Face up to' (Accept)
Use `face up to` when you finally stop avoiding a difficult reality and accept its consequences.
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- Used for accepting difficult, unpleasant, or painful truths or consequences.
- A three-part phrasal verb: face + up + to. Never separate them.
- Follow with a noun or a gerund (-ing). Never use an infinitive.
- Implies previous avoidance or denial of the situation now being accepted.
Quick Reference
| Tense | Structure | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | face(s) up to | She never faces up to her mistakes. |
| Past Simple | faced up to | We finally faced up to the financial loss. |
| Present Continuous | is/are facing up to | They are finally facing up to the climate crisis. |
| With Gerund | face up to + -ing | You must face up to losing your job. |
| With Modal | should/must face up to | He must face up to the truth eventually. |
| Negative | not facing up to | I am not facing up to the reality of the move. |
Key Examples
3 of 8You need to face up to the fact that we are broke.
Tienes que afrontar el hecho de que estamos en la quiebra.
He had to face up to living alone after the divorce.
Tuvo que aceptar el vivir solo después del divorcio.
The company is finally facing up to its toxic culture.
La empresa finalmente está afrontando su cultura tóxica.
The 'Inseparable' Rule
Think of 'face-up-to' as one long word. You wouldn't put a word inside 'apple', so don't put a word inside this phrasal verb!
The 'To' Trap
Because it ends in 'to', many people want to use an infinitive (to go, to eat). Don't! This 'to' is a preposition, so it needs a gerund (going, eating).
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- Used for accepting difficult, unpleasant, or painful truths or consequences.
- A three-part phrasal verb: face + up + to. Never separate them.
- Follow with a noun or a gerund (-ing). Never use an infinitive.
- Implies previous avoidance or denial of the situation now being accepted.
Overview
Life isn't always sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes, you hit a wall. You might ignore a problem for weeks. Maybe you spent too much money. Perhaps you ignored a weird noise in your car. Eventually, the bill arrives. The car stops working. You have to look the truth in the eye. In English, we use face up to for this. It is a high-level phrasal verb. It shows you are ready to handle the consequences. It is about moving from denial to action. This isn't just knowing something. It is about accepting something unpleasant. It takes courage to use this verb correctly. Think of it as the "adulting" verb of the English language. Even native speakers feel a little sting when they have to use it.
How This Grammar Works
This is a three-part phrasal verb. Some call it a phrasal-prepositional verb. Don't let the long name scare you. It just means it is a package deal. You cannot chop it up. You cannot move the pieces around. Face, up, and to are best friends. They go everywhere together. If you move one, the meaning breaks. It is also transitive. This means it always needs an object. You must face up to *something*. You can't just say "I faced up" and stop. Your friends will be waiting for the rest of the sentence. It is like a bridge that must lead somewhere. Without the object, the bridge just hangs over a cliff.
Formation Pattern
- 1Start with the base verb
face. - 2Add the particle
upimmediately after. - 3Add the preposition
toright after that. - 4Finish with a noun or a gerund (-ing form).
- 5Example:
face(verb) +up+to+the facts(noun). - 6Example:
face(verb) +up+to+losing(gerund) +the contract. - 7Remember, only the verb
facechanges for time. Usefacedfor the past. Usefacingfor the continuous. Theupandtonever change. They are solid as a rock. It is like a grammar traffic light; the colors change, but the pole stays put.
When To Use It
Use this when the truth is a bit salty. It is perfect for job interviews. "I had to face up to my lack of experience." This shows character and maturity. Use it in your personal life too. "You need to face up to the fact that the relationship is over." It is for serious, often negative, realities. It implies you were avoiding the truth before. You were running, but now you have stopped. It is a "reality check" in verb form. Use it when there is a sense of responsibility involved. If you made a mistake, this is your go-to phrase. It sounds much more professional than just saying "I know I messed up."
When Not To Use It
Avoid this for small, trivial matters. If you forgot to buy milk, don't use it. "I must face up to the empty fridge" sounds like a bad poem. Unless the lack of milk is a life-changing crisis, keep it simple. Also, do not use it for positive events. You don't face up to winning the lottery. You don't face up to a surprise birthday party. This verb carries the weight of difficulty. If there is no struggle or avoidance, don't use it. It would be like wearing a suit of armor to go get the mail. It is just too much for the occasion.
Common Mistakes
The biggest trap is the "sandwich" mistake. People try to put the object in the middle. "I faced the truth up to." This is a grammar crime. Keep the trio together. Another mistake is forgetting the to. "He finally faced up his debt." This is incorrect. Without the to, the bridge to the object is gone. You are just standing on a ledge. Don't use the infinitive after it either. "Face up to pay" is wrong. Use the gerund: "Face up to paying." Lastly, don't confuse it with face. Just facing something is neutral. Facing up to something is a mental shift. Yes, even native speakers mess this up when they are tired!
Contrast With Similar Patterns
Compare face up to with accept. Accept is a very broad word. You accept a gift or an invitation. Face up to is much narrower. You only use it for things that are hard to swallow. It has more "grit." Then there is confront. Confronting someone is often aggressive. You confront a liar. But you face up to your own mistakes. One is outward, the other is usually inward. It is about your own mental state. There is also deal with. Deal with is about the action you take. Face up to is about the moment you stop lying to yourself. You face up to the problem before you deal with it.
Quick FAQ
Q. Is it formal?
A. It is neutral. Use it with friends or your boss. It works everywhere.
Q. Can I use it for people?
A. Usually, we face up to facts or situations, not people. Use confront for people.
Q. Can I use it in the negative?
A. Absolutely. "He refuses to face up to his drinking problem." It is very common this way.
Q. Does the "up" mean I look physically upwards?
A. No, it is metaphorical. It means standing tall and being honest.
Reference Table
| Tense | Structure | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | face(s) up to | She never faces up to her mistakes. |
| Past Simple | faced up to | We finally faced up to the financial loss. |
| Present Continuous | is/are facing up to | They are finally facing up to the climate crisis. |
| With Gerund | face up to + -ing | You must face up to losing your job. |
| With Modal | should/must face up to | He must face up to the truth eventually. |
| Negative | not facing up to | I am not facing up to the reality of the move. |
The 'Inseparable' Rule
Think of 'face-up-to' as one long word. You wouldn't put a word inside 'apple', so don't put a word inside this phrasal verb!
The 'To' Trap
Because it ends in 'to', many people want to use an infinitive (to go, to eat). Don't! This 'to' is a preposition, so it needs a gerund (going, eating).
Softening the Blow
In business, using 'face up to' shows you are taking ownership. It sounds much more mature than 'I know about the problem.'
Stoic Vibes
This verb is very common in cultures that value 'stiff upper lip' or stoicism. It's about being brave in the face of bad news.
Ejemplos
8You need to face up to the fact that we are broke.
Focus: face up to
Tienes que afrontar el hecho de que estamos en la quiebra.
Standard use with a noun phrase.
He had to face up to living alone after the divorce.
Focus: living
Tuvo que aceptar el vivir solo después del divorcio.
Notice the -ing form after 'to'.
The company is finally facing up to its toxic culture.
Focus: facing up to
La empresa finalmente está afrontando su cultura tóxica.
Used for organizational change.
The government must face up to its responsibilities regarding healthcare.
Focus: responsibilities
El gobierno debe hacer frente a sus responsabilidades respecto a la salud.
Common in political discourse.
Look, just face up to it; you're a terrible cook.
Focus: face up to it
Mira, acéptalo; eres un cocinero terrible.
Using 'it' as a placeholder for the situation.
✗ He faced up his errors. → ✓ He faced up to his errors.
Focus: to
Él afrontó sus errores.
Never forget the 'to'.
✗ You must face the truth up to. → ✓ You must face up to the truth.
Focus: face up to
Debes afrontar la verdad.
Do not separate the three parts.
Failure to face up to these challenges now will lead to disaster later.
Focus: Failure to face up to
No afrontar estos desafíos ahora conducirá al desastre más tarde.
Used as a noun phrase (gerund) at the start.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct form to complete the sentence about a difficult business decision.
The CEO finally ___ the fact that the merger was a failure.
The full three-part phrasal verb 'faced up to' is required before the object 'the fact'.
Complete the sentence using the correct verb form after the preposition.
You have to face up to ___ more taxes this year.
After 'face up to', we must use a noun or a gerund (-ing form).
Identify the natural phrasing for a personal realization.
It's time you ___ your bad habits.
'Face up to' is the standard idiom for accepting unpleasant truths like bad habits.
🎉 Score: /3
Visual Learning Aids
Face vs. Face Up To
Can I use 'Face Up To'?
Is the situation unpleasant or difficult?
Were you avoiding it before?
Are you ready to accept it now?
Common Contexts
Finance
- • Debts
- • Overspending
- • Bankruptcy
Relationships
- • Breakups
- • Lies
- • Neglect
Work
- • Mistakes
- • Poor performance
- • Lack of skills
Frequently Asked Questions
20 questionsIt means to accept a difficult or unpleasant situation that you may have been avoiding. For example, He needs to face up to his gambling problem.
Not quite. Accept is general, but face up to implies the thing is hard to admit or you were in denial about it.
No, that is incorrect. You must include the to at the end: face up to my mistakes.
It is neutral. You can use it in a conversation with a friend or in a serious newspaper article.
No, it is an inseparable phrasal verb. You cannot say face the truth up to.
A noun or a gerund (-ing). For example, face up to the truth or face up to being wrong.
No, it is almost always used for negative or difficult things. You wouldn't face up to winning a prize.
Only change the word face. It becomes faced up to. For example, They finally faced up to the reality.
Usually, we face up to *situations*. If you are confronting a person, just use confront or face.
Yes, it is very common when discussing losses, mistakes, or market changes. We must face up to the falling sales.
Face is just encountering something, while face up to involves a psychological acceptance of something difficult.
No, that is a common mistake. The correct preposition is always to.
It is very rare and sounds unnatural. It is much better to use the active voice: She faced up to it.
Yes! When are you going to face up to the facts? is a very natural question.
Yes, it usually implies you have finally decided to stop ignoring the problem.
No. For physical directions, use face. The house faces the sea.
It is used equally in both. It is a standard part of the English language globally.
Come to terms with or acknowledge are close, but face up to is more direct about the difficulty.
Yes! I really need to face up to my addiction to chocolate. Sarcasm is a great way to use it.
Think of it as: Face (look) + Up (stand tall) + To (point at the problem).
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