fall If a person or a thing goes down, it falls, or a situation changes in some way. The first set of sentences shows how to use "fall" as a verb. This is an irregular verb. Pay attention to how the main verb changes in various tenses. | simple | past | past participle |
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fall | fell | fallen |
She fell over in her chair. The word "fall" is a popular choice when talking about the beginning of a romantic relationship: - Kim says she’s falling in love with her new boyfriend.
- Roger and Sue got married soon after they fell in love thirty years ago.
- Stevie and Pam have fallen in love.
- I think I’m falling in love. (This is a common expression.)
- We fell in love with New Orleans when we visited it the first time. (You can fall in love with a thing.)
- Edgar fell in love with his car immediately upon first laying eyes on it.
The word "fall" is also a noun: - Students return to school in the late summer or early fall. (fall = autumn)
- Fall is a beautiful time of year in the north.
- The leader’s fall from power happened suddenly. (fall = loss of power)
- We visited Niagara Falls when we were in New York. (falls = falling water as part of a river)
- You took a big fall. Are you okay?
- Henry had a falling out with his boss. (falling out = a situation creates bad feelings between people.)
There are many idioms that use "fall." - The business deal fell through. (fall through = It didn’t happen.)
- The teacher fell for the joke. (fall for = She believed what was told to her and was made to feel foolish.)
- Labor Day always falls on a Monday. (fall on = happen; occur)
- The drill sergeant told his troops to fall in. (fall in = line up)
- Sales at our company have fallen off. (fall off = to do poorly.)
- Plans to build a new park fell by the wayside. (fall by the wayside = to be ignored or forgotten)
Click here to go to the Word of the Day page. August 6, 2015 | 