followed

/ˈfɒl.əʊ/ (bre, ipa) · [fˈɑlod] /ˈfɑː.loʊ/ (ame, ipa) · [fˈɑlod] /ˈfä-(ˌ)lō/ (ame, mw)

followed — verb

  • followedpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • followeds3rd person singular
  • followeding-ing form
  • followededpast simple

1. the past tense and past participle of 'follow' when a person, animal, or vehicle

1.動詞及物 / 不及物A2
釋義

the past tense and past participle of 'follow' when a person, animal, or vehicle went after another person or thing, or when somebody stayed on the same road, path, or route.

例句

Hugo followed the tour guide through the narrow market streets.

followed + person for moving behind someone

The ambulance followed our car up the hill to the clinic.

followed + vehicle

文法句型

followed + somebody

followed + a path / road

have/has/had followed

be followed

用法筆記

Common with people, animals, vehicles, roads, and paths. The same form works for a finished past event and after have, has, had, or be when English needs the past participle.

常見錯誤

❌We followed after the guide through the museum.
✅We followed the guide through the museum.
💡'follow' already includes the idea of going after someone, so 'after' is usually unnecessary.
❌The bus followed behind of us for ten minutes.
✅The bus followed us for ten minutes.
💡do not add 'behind of'; the verb already shows the position.

2. the past tense and past participle of 'follow' when someone did what instruction

2.動詞及物B1
釋義

the past tense and past participle of 'follow' when someone did what instructions, advice, rules, or a plan required, or kept to a chosen course so events developed in that way.

例句

Jessica followed the recipe exactly, and the bread rose evenly.

followed + recipe / instructions

After the warning, Kabir followed the safety rules and left his bag behind.

followed + rules

文法句型

followed the instructions

followed somebody's advice

followed a plan

followed a calmer course

用法筆記

Use this sense with directions, advice, rules, recipes, and plans. When the source is a person, the object is usually what that person said or set out, rather than the person physically being behind them.

常見錯誤

❌I followed to the instructions exactly.
✅I followed the instructions exactly.
💡'follow' takes the rule or instruction directly, without 'to'.
❌She followed her doctor's on advice.
✅She followed her doctor's advice.
💡do not insert a preposition before 'advice'.

3. the past tense and past participle of 'follow' when one event came after another

3.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

the past tense and past participle of 'follow' when one event came after another, or when a later effect grew out of an earlier cause.

例句

Weeks of dry wind followed the early spring storm.

event followed an earlier event

A long silence followed Mira's question about the missing money.

reaction followed a question

文法句型

silence followed the announcement

costs followed the change

was followed by + noun

用法筆記

Often used when the later event becomes the subject of the sentence. In passive patterns such as 'was followed by', the earlier event comes first and the next part is introduced after 'by'.

常見錯誤

❌A short speech followed after the prize ceremony.
✅A short speech followed the prize ceremony.
💡with a direct object, do not add 'after'.
❌The refund followed because the complaint.
✅The refund followed the complaint.
💡after 'followed', use the cause directly as the object.

4. the past tense and past participle of 'follow' when someone kept close watch on

4.動詞及物B1
釋義

the past tense and past participle of 'follow' when someone kept close watch on news, progress, or a subject they cared about, or subscribed to a social-media account for updates.

例句

Felix followed the election results on his phone all night.

followed + results closely

Mei's parents followed her recovery closely after the bicycle crash.

followed somebody's progress

文法句型

followed the results closely

followed somebody's progress

followed an account

用法筆記

Common with news, sports, recovery, progress, results, and online accounts. In the social-media meaning, the object is usually the person, page, or organization being tracked for updates.

常見錯誤

❌I followed on the museum's account last year.
✅I followed the museum's account last year.
💡social-media objects come directly, without 'on'.
❌She followed about the case online.
✅She followed the case online.
💡use the topic directly as the object.

5. the past tense and past participle of 'follow' when someone kept up with an expl

5.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

the past tense and past participle of 'follow' when someone kept up with an explanation, a story, music notes, or written words as they were being presented.

例句

Jessica could not follow the science talk until the teacher drew a diagram.

could not follow + explanation

Niran followed the printed lyrics while the choir rehearsed the chorus.

followed the words while listening

文法句型

could not follow + explanation

followed the lyrics

followed the notes

用法筆記

Often appears in negatives and questions when someone does not fully understand. With music or speeches, the object is the material being heard or read in real time.

常見錯誤

❌I couldn't follow with what the coach meant.
✅I couldn't follow what the coach meant.
💡do not add 'with' before the object or clause.
❌She followed to the notes during rehearsal.
✅She followed the notes during rehearsal.
💡the thing being read comes directly after the verb.

6. the past tense and past participle of 'follow' when someone copied another perso

6.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

the past tense and past participle of 'follow' when someone copied another person's action, or in cards played the same suit after the lead card.

例句

When the captain raised his glass, the rest of the table followed.

followed suit after another person's action

West led with hearts, and East followed with the queen.

cards: followed with the same suit

文法句型

followed suit

followed somebody's example

followed with + card

用法筆記

In ordinary copying, the model may be a person's action, example, or lead. In card games, the object is often omitted because the required suit is understood from the earlier card.

常見錯誤

❌Rina followed his example suit.
✅Rina followed his example.' or 'Rina followed suit.
💡use either pattern, not both together.
❌East followed the queen.
✅East followed with the queen.
💡in card play, name the card after 'with'.