follow
/ˈfɒləʊ/ (bre, ipa) · [fˈɑlo] /ˈfɑːləʊ/ (ame, ipa) · [fˈɑlo] /ˈfä-(ˌ)lō/ (ame, mw)
follow — verb
- followpresent simple I / you / we / they
- followshe / she / it
- followedpast simple
- following-ing form
1. to walk, drive, or travel behind a person, animal, or vehicle because you want t
to walk, drive, or travel behind a person, animal, or vehicle because you want to reach the same place they are going to
Élise followed the tour guide through the narrow streets of the old town.
follow + person as object
A stray dog followed the children all the way to the school gate.
The police car followed the blue van for several minutes before turning on its siren.
A black cat followed Shanti to the bus stop every morning without fail.
- lead
to go in front so that others come behind
文法句型
follow + noun phrase (person / vehicle / animal)
用法筆記
This sense focuses on physical movement behind a moving target. It differs from sense 4 (IMITATE), which uses 'follow' in a non-physical way to mean copying someone's behaviour or choices.
常見錯誤
2. to keep moving on a road, path, or waterway, letting it guide you forward as you
to keep moving on a road, path, or waterway, letting it guide you forward as you travel
Follow this road for two kilometres, and you will see the library on your left.
imperative form with road as object
The hiking trail follows the river for most of its length through the forest.
Apinya followed the signs to the train station and arrived just before the doors closed.
Owen followed the winding path through the bamboo forest until he reached a small clearing.
文法句型
follow + road / path / river / trail / sign
用法筆記
The object is always a fixed route or directional marker — a road, path, river, line, or sign — not a person or moving thing.
3. in card games, when another player leads a round by putting a card on the table,
in card games, when another player leads a round by putting a card on the table, to put down a card that shares the suit symbol of that lead card
When the first player puts down a heart, everyone else must follow suit.
fixed phrase 'follow suit'
Ziad had no spades left and could not follow the king of spades.
In bridge, a player who cannot follow suit may play a trump card instead.
Rodrigo played a diamond, and each player at the table had to follow with one.
文法句型
follow suit
follow + noun (card value or suit)
cannot follow
用法筆記
The fixed phrase 'follow suit' is also used outside card games as an idiom meaning 'do the same thing as someone else' — see sense 4 for that meaning.
4. to copy what another person does by taking them as a model for your own behaviou
to copy what another person does by taking them as a model for your own behaviour, career, or choices
Younger children often follow the example set by their older siblings.
follow + example (collocation)
After the bakery became popular, nearby shops followed its lead and started selling sourdough bread.
Femi decided to follow his mother into nursing and enrolled at the local college.
The younger designers followed the creative director's approach and won several industry awards.
- reject
to refuse to accept someone's way of doing things
文法句型
follow + example / lead / advice
follow + person + into + profession/activity
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (GO AFTER): this sense has no physical movement — you can 'follow someone's example' without moving anywhere near them.
常見錯誤
5. to come or happen after something else in time, order, or a sequence of events
to come or happen after something else in time, order, or a sequence of events
A long, uncomfortable silence followed her unexpected announcement about leaving the company.
The main course was followed by a delicious chocolate dessert.
passive: be followed by
Spring follows winter, but this year the cold weather lasted well into April.
A loud round of applause followed the president's farewell speech at the company dinner.
- come after
less formal, used in everyday conversation
- succeed
formal; often used for someone taking over a position or role
- ensue
formal; suggests something happens as a direct result
- precede
to come before something else in time or order
文法句型
follow + noun phrase (event / action)
be followed by + noun
as follows
what follows
用法筆記
In the fixed phrase 'as follows' (sense 6), 'follow' is used to introduce a list. That is a separate usage with a distinct grammatical structure.
常見錯誤
6. used to introduce the items in a list or the next part of a piece of writing, es
used to introduce the items in a list or the next part of a piece of writing, especially in formal or written English
The competition rules are as follows: no phones, notes, or talking to other candidates.
fixed phrase 'as follows' before a list
Please read the following instructions carefully before you begin the test.
adjective use: 'the following + noun'
The following students should report to the main office: Gabriel, Jessica, and Lucas.
The meeting topics are as follows: sales targets, staff changes, and the new marketing plan.
- below
used in writing to refer to later text, e.g. 'see below'
文法句型
as follows + colon + list
the following + noun
用法筆記
This sense only occurs in the fixed expressions 'as follows' and 'the following'. You cannot replace 'follows' with 'comes after' or any synonym in these phrases.
常見錯誤
7. to do what a person, rule, law, or set of instructions tells you to do
to do what a person, rule, law, or set of instructions tells you to do
All staff must follow the safety procedures when operating heavy machinery.
collocation: follow procedures / rules / guidelines
Adina followed her doctor's advice and started walking for thirty minutes each day.
collocation: follow advice / instructions / orders
Drivers who fail to follow traffic laws risk losing their licence.
The camp leader told the children to follow every safety rule without exception.
文法句型
follow + noun phrase (rule / advice / instruction)
用法筆記
Frequently used with nouns such as rule(s), law(s), procedure(s), advice, instruction(s), order(s), or guideline(s). The object specifies what is being obeyed.
常見錯誤
8. to take a specific path of development or to carry out a sequence of actions acc
to take a specific path of development or to carry out a sequence of actions according to a given plan or method
The negotiations followed a familiar pattern, with each side refusing to compromise at first.
follow + pattern / course / route
The novel follows the life of a young woman who moves from Kenya to Canada.
follow + someone's life / career / journey
João followed a strict training schedule for six months before the marathon.
Christopher followed the recipe step by step and the cake turned out perfectly.
文法句型
follow + noun phrase (pattern / course / plan)
S + follow (intransitive)
用法筆記
When transitive, the object is typically an abstract noun describing a sequence or method (pattern, course, plan, schedule). When intransitive, the subject is usually the event or story itself ('the argument followed from the evidence').
9. to pay close attention to something as it changes or develops over time, such as
to pay close attention to something as it changes or develops over time, such as news, a sport, or someone's career
Devika has been following the election results since the polls opened this morning.
follow + news / results / events
Millions of fans around the world follow their favourite football teams week after week.
The research team is following the patient's progress very carefully.
Sora follows several technology blogs to stay informed about the latest gadgets.
- monitor
more formal; suggests systematic and careful observation
- track
emphasises recording changes or movements over time
- keep up with
more informal; similar meaning but phrasal
- ignore
to deliberately pay no attention
文法句型
follow + noun phrase (news / events / career / sport)
用法筆記
Commonly used with topics that unfold over time: sports, politics, scientific research, entertainment. The focus is on staying updated rather than just watching once.
常見錯誤
10. to come about as a necessary outcome of an earlier event, fact, or action
to come about as a necessary outcome of an earlier event, fact, or action
If the factory ignores the warning, serious legal problems will follow.
intransitive: consequences / problems follow
Liam left the milk out of the fridge, and by morning a sour smell followed.
intransitive: result follows from action
A heavy meal followed by a long walk is not kind to your digestion.
The ceasefire was followed by several weeks of peace in the region.
- cause
to make something happen rather than happen as a result
文法句型
it follows that…
A follows from B
B is followed by A
用法筆記
Often used in formal or logical contexts with 'it follows that…' to introduce a conclusion. The passive construction 'be followed by' indicates sequence and consequence simultaneously.
常見錯誤
11. to understand what someone is saying or explaining as they speak or present it
to understand what someone is saying or explaining as they speak or present it
The lecture was so complex that only a few students could follow the professor's reasoning.
can/could follow + argument / reasoning
Élise asked the speaker to slow down because she could not follow his French.
follow + language / accent
I think I follow your logic, but could you explain the last step again?
The instructions were written simply so that everyone could follow them easily.
- understand
broader in meaning; 'follow' implies understanding something as it unfolds
- grasp
suggests fully understanding something that may be complex
- comprehend
more formal; focuses on the mental process of understanding
- get lost
informal phrasal verb meaning to fail to follow
- misunderstand
to understand incorrectly
文法句型
can/could follow + noun phrase (argument / explanation / language)
用法筆記
Commonly used with modals can/could, especially in questions or negative statements ('I can't follow you'). The object is typically an explanation, argument, language, or line of thought.
常見錯誤
12. to look at written words or music symbols while someone speaks, sings, or perfor
to look at written words or music symbols while someone speaks, sings, or performs, keeping your place as they go along
The choir members followed the sheet music while the conductor led them through the piece.
follow + sheet music / score
Xiu followed the lyrics on her phone while the band played the new song.
follow + lyrics / words of a song
The children followed the story in their books as the teacher read it aloud.
Hannah followed the English subtitles while watching the Korean drama.
- read along
phrasal verb with the same meaning; more informal
文法句型
follow + noun phrase (lyrics / score / text)
用法筆記
Often used in classroom or performance settings where the audience reads along with spoken or musical content. The object is typically a written form: lyrics, score, sheet music, or printed text.
13. to press a button on a social-networking site or app so that the content posted
to press a button on a social-networking site or app so that the content posted by a particular person or organisation appears in your feed on a regular basis
Tendai follows her favourite Taiwanese singer on Instagram so she never misses a new photo.
follow + person + on + platform name
Ada decided to follow the cooking channel after watching their first video.
More than ten thousand people follow the mayor's account for local news updates.
Karim started following the university's official page to get scholarship announcements.
If you follow a brand on social media, their posts show up in your newsfeed every day.
- subscribe to
more formal; often used for YouTube channels or newsletters rather than individual social-media accounts
- unfollow
the direct opposite action on the same platform
文法句型
follow + person/organisation/account
用法筆記
Common on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok. The person being followed does not need to follow you back.