B1 Prepositions 19 min read Medio

Llegadas y apariciones: Usando 'Show Up'

Domina 'show up' para sonar natural y casual al hablar de llegadas y apariciones en inglés.

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

'Show up' means to arrive or appear, often used when someone is late or when something becomes visible.

  • Use it for people arriving: 'He didn't show up for the meeting.' (max 20 words)
  • Use it for visibility: 'The red ink will show up on white paper.'
  • Use it transitively to mean 'embarrass': 'Don't show me up in front of my boss!'
👤 + 🚶‍♂️ + 🆙 = Arrival / 🔍 + ✨ + 🆙 = Visibility

Overview

### Overview
Si alguna vez has sentido que el inglés es como un rompecabezas donde las piezas cambian de forma según cómo las juntes, no estás solo. Para nosotros, los hispanohablantes, uno de los mayores retos —y a la vez una de las mayores oportunidades para sonar naturales— son los *phrasal verbs*. Hoy vamos a desmenuzar uno que escucharás en cada serie de Netflix, en cada reunión de trabajo y en cada conversación de WhatsApp: show up.
Imagínate esta situación: has quedado con tus amigos en un café a las 7:00 p.m. Son las 7:30 p.m. y tu amigo Juan no aparece.
En español diríamos Juan no llega o Juan no aparece. Pero en inglés, si quieres sonar como un nativo y no como un libro de texto de primer nivel, dirías: Juan didn't show up.
¿Por qué es tan importante este verbo? Porque en inglés, el verbo simple show significa mostrar o enseñar (como cuando enseñas una foto en tu móvil). Sin embargo, al añadirle la partícula up, el significado se transforma completamente.
No tiene nada que ver con mostrar hacia arriba. En el mundo de los *phrasal verbs*, 1 + 1 no siempre es 2. Show up es un verbo dinámico que comunica la idea de presencia, llegada o manifestación.
Como hablantes de español, tenemos una ventaja: nuestro idioma es rico y descriptivo. Tenemos verbos específicos para todo. El inglés, en cambio, prefiere usar verbos básicos (go, get, show, take) y añadirles preposiciones para crear matices.
Dominar show up te permitirá moverte de un nivel B1 intermedio hacia un B2 más fluido, dejando atrás el uso excesivo de arrive (que suena muy formal, casi como de aeropuerto o documento oficial) para usar algo que realmente se siente vivo en el día a día.
### How This Grammar Works
Para entender cómo funciona show up, primero debemos recordar que en español solemos usar prefijos para cambiar el significado de un verbo (por ejemplo: *poner, suponer, disponer, oponer*). En inglés, hacen lo mismo pero ponen la pieza extra *después* del verbo.
Show up funciona bajo dos mecánicas gramaticales distintas dependiendo de lo que quieras decir. Esto es vital porque, si te equivocas de estructura, podrías terminar diciendo algo que no pretendías.
1. El uso Intransitivo (Llegar o Aparecer):
En su sentido más común, show up es un verbo intransitivo. ¿Qué significa esto para ti? Que no necesita un objeto directo. La acción termina en el verbo.
  • Ejemplo: She showed up late. (Ella llegó tarde).
Aquí, no llegas a algo directamente en la estructura gramatical inmediata; simplemente apareces. Es una unidad inseparable. No puedes poner nada entre show y up cuando hablas de llegar a un lugar.
2. El uso Transitivo y Separable (Dejar en evidencia o dejar mal a alguien):
Este es el lado oscuro de show up. Cuando quieres decir que alguien hizo quedar mal a otra persona o que alguien sobresalió tanto que opacó a los demás, el verbo se vuelve transitivo y separable.
  • Ejemplo: He showed me up in front of the boss. (Él me dejó en evidencia/me hizo quedar mal frente al jefe).
Fíjate que el objeto (me) va obligatoriamente en medio. Si dices He showed up me, un nativo te entenderá, pero sabrá inmediatamente que estás traduciendo desde el español en tu cabeza.
La lógica del Up:
Muchos alumnos me preguntan: "¿Por qué 'up'?
. En inglés, la partícula up a menudo se usa para indicar que algo ha finalizado o que algo ha salido a la superficie. Piensa en show up como algo que estaba oculto o no estaba presente y que, de repente,
emerge" en la escena.
Es como si la persona o el objeto subiera al escenario de la realidad.
### Formation Pattern
La formación de show up sigue las reglas de los verbos regulares en cuanto a su conjugación, pero debemos tener cuidado con la posición de las palabras. Aquí tienes cómo estructurarlo correctamente:
Conjugación del verbo show:
  • Presente: show / shows (para he, she, it).
  • Pasado: showed.
  • Participio: shown (se usa con el presente perfecto: has shown up).
  • Gerundio: showing.
#### Estructura para Llegar/Aparecer (Inseparable)
| Sujeto | Verbo Conjugado | Partícula | Complemento (Opcional) |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | show | up | at the party. |
| The sun | showed | up | after the rain. |
| A bug | has shown | up | in the app. |
Regla de oro: Cuando significa llegar, show y up siempre van de la mano. No los separes.
#### Estructura para Dejar en evidencia (Separable)
| Sujeto | Verbo Conjugado | Objeto (Persona) | Partícula | Contexto |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| You | showed | him | up | with your skills. |
| Don't | show | me | up | in public! |
| She | is showing | her sister | up | at the wedding. |
Ojo con los pronombres: Si usas un pronombre objeto (me, you, him, her, us, them), este siempre debe ir en medio de show y up en este contexto transitivo.
### When To Use It
¿Cuándo deberías soltar un show up en lugar de otras palabras? Aquí te doy los escenarios más comunes para que los uses con confianza.
1. Citas y eventos sociales (El contexto del compromiso):
Usamos show up cuando hay una expectativa de que alguien debe estar en un lugar.
  • I waited for an hour, but he never showed up. (Esperé una hora, pero él nunca apareció/llegó).
  • En español, a veces decimos no se presentó. Show up es la traducción perfecta para ese presentarse en una cita, una entrevista o una fiesta.
2. Apariciones inesperadas o de objetos:
No solo se trata de personas. Si pierdes las llaves y aparecen debajo del sofá, o si aparece un error en tu ordenador:
  • My keys finally showed up under the couch. (Mis llaves finalmente aparecieron bajo el sofá).
  • A weird notification showed up on my screen. (Apareció una notificación rara en mi pantalla).
3. El compromiso emocional (
Showing up for someone
):
Este es un uso muy moderno y valioso. Significa estar ahí para alguien, apoyarlo de verdad.
  • Thanks for showing up for me during the funeral. (Gracias por estar ahí para mí durante el funeral).
  • No se refiere solo a llegar físicamente, sino a estar presente emocionalmente. Es un uso muy común en contextos de autoayuda, psicología o relaciones profundas.
4. Superar o dejar en ridículo (El sentido competitivo):
Si eres un crack en el fútbol y haces que los demás parezcan principiantes:
  • You're showing everyone up with those moves! (¡Estás dejando a todos en evidencia con esos movimientos!).
  • Se usa cuando alguien destaca tanto que hace que los demás queden mal por comparación.
### Common Mistakes
Como profesor, veo estos errores repetirse una y otra vez. La mayoría ocurren porque intentamos calcar la estructura del español al inglés.
1. Confundir show con show up
Este es el error número uno.
  • Incorrecto: I showed up the photo to my mom.
  • Correcto: I showed the photo to my mom.
  • Por qué sucede: En español, enseñar y aparecer pueden sonar parecidos en ciertos contextos, pero en inglés, si añades el up, ya no estás enseñando nada; tú (o el objeto) está apareciendo. Recuerda: show = mostrar; show up = llegar.
2. El error de la preposición to
En español decimos
llegar a un sitio
. Muchos estudiantes intentan decir show up to siempre, pero a veces no es necesario.
  • Incorrecto: He showed up to late.
  • Correcto: He showed up late.
  • Ojo: Puedes decir show up to the meeting (llegar a la reunión), pero si vas a usar un adverbio como late (tarde) o early (temprano), no pongas el to.
3. Olvidar la separación en el sentido negativo
  • Incorrecto: She showed up her brother in the race.
  • Correcto: She showed her brother up in the race.
  • Por qué sucede: En español, el objeto va después del verbo (
    Ella dejó en evidencia a su hermano
    ). En inglés, para este significado específico, el objeto debe romper el phrasal verb y ponerse en medio.
4. Usar arrive en contextos demasiado informales
No es un error gramatical, pero sí de estilo.
  • Suena raro: Hey, what time did you arrive to the bar? (Suena como si fueras un oficial de policía).
  • Suena natural: Hey, what time did you show up at the bar?
Como hispanohablantes, amamos arrive porque se parece a arribar, pero úsalo solo para aviones, trenes o situaciones muy formales.
### Contrast With Similar Patterns
Es fácil confundir show up con otros verbos que significan aparecer o llegar. Vamos a compararlos para que sepas cuál elegir.
| Verbo | Matiz principal | Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|
| Show up | Llegar a un compromiso o aparecer físicamente (informal). | He showed up at 9:00. |
| Turn up | Aparecer de forma inesperada o después de estar perdido. | My lost wallet turned up! |
| Arrive | Llegar a un destino (formal/neutro). | The flight arrives at noon. |
| Appear | Hacerse visible (más poético o formal). | A ghost appeared in the room. |
| Show off | Presumir o alardear (¡No confundir!). | He's just showing off his car. |
Show up vs. Turn up:
En muchos casos son intercambiables, pero turn up se usa más cuando algo que estaba perdido aparece por sorpresa. Show up tiene más que ver con presentarse en un lugar donde se te esperaba (o no).
Show up vs. Show off:
¡Mucho cuidado aquí! Show off es presumir. Si dices He is showing up, estás diciendo que él llegó. Si dices He is showing off, estás diciendo que es un presumido que quiere llamar la atención. ¡Una sola partícula cambia todo el juicio sobre una persona!
### Quick FAQ
1. ¿Puedo usar show up en una entrevista de trabajo?
Sí, es perfectamente aceptable en un registro semi-formal. Por ejemplo: Thank you for showing up on such short notice (Gracias por venir/presentarse con tan poco aviso). Sin embargo, en el CV o en un informe escrito, es mejor usar attend o be present.
2. ¿Cuál es la diferencia entre show up at y show up to?
Ambas son comunes. Generalmente, show up at se usa para lugares físicos (at the office, at the party), mientras que show up to se usa más para eventos o citas (to the meeting, to the wedding). No te obsesiones demasiado, los nativos usan ambas indistintamente en el día a día.
3. ¿Cómo se dice no te presentaste de forma natural?
La forma más común es You didn't show up. Si quieres ser un poco más duro o informal, puedes decir You flaked (me dejaste plantado), pero show up es la forma estándar y correcta para decir que alguien faltó a una cita.
4. ¿Existe el sustantivo derivado de este verbo?
¡Sí! Existe show-up (o más comúnmente showup), pero se usa muy poco. Lo que sí existe es no-show, que se refiere a una persona que no se presenta a una reserva o cita. Por ejemplo: We had three no-shows at the restaurant tonight (Tuvimos tres personas que no se presentaron a su reserva).
Espero que esta explicación te ayude a ver que los *phrasal verbs* no son enemigos, sino herramientas para que tu inglés deje de sonar a traducción y empiece a sonar a ti. La próxima vez que alguien llegue tarde a tu café, ya sabes qué decirle:
Finally! You showed up!

2. Negative Contractions

Full Form Contraction Example
do not show up
don't show up
Don't show up late.
does not show up
doesn't show up
He doesn't show up.
did not show up
didn't show up
They didn't show up.

Conjugating 'Show Up'

Tense Subject Form Example
Present Simple
I/You/We/They
show up
They show up every day.
Present Simple
He/She/It
shows up
He shows up on time.
Past Simple
All subjects
showed up
She showed up late.
Present Continuous
All subjects
am/is/are showing up
People are showing up now.
Present Perfect
I/You/We/They
have shown up
They have shown up already.
Present Perfect
He/She/It
has shown up
He has shown up twice.
Future
All subjects
will show up
I will show up at noon.
Gerund
N/A
showing up
Showing up is half the battle.

Meanings

To arrive at a place, especially when expected or after a delay, or to become visible.

1

Arrival

To arrive at an appointment, gathering, or location.

“What time did he finally show up?”

“I'm surprised so many people showed up for the protest.”

2

Visibility

To be able to be seen; to be conspicuous or clear against a background.

“The dirt doesn't show up on this dark carpet.”

“The X-ray showed up a small fracture in the bone.”

3

Outshine/Embarrass

To make someone's faults or lack of ability more apparent by being much better than them.

“He was trying to show me up by finishing the project a week early.”

“She always shows up her siblings with her perfect grades.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Llegadas y apariciones: Usando 'Show Up'
Contexto de Uso Significado Frase de Ejemplo Formalidad
Personas llegando
Llegar; estar presente
He `showed up` for class.
Informal
Cosas apareciendo
Hacerse visible/aparente
The error `showed up` on screen.
Informal
Esfuerzo por asistir
Hacer un esfuerzo por estar presente
She `showed up` despite feeling ill.
Informal
Digital moderno
Aparecer online/en una app
My order `showed up` on the tracker.
Informal
Pasado
Llegó; se hizo visible
The email `showed up` yesterday.
Informal
Futuro
Llegará; aparecerá
Will you `show up` to the party?
Informal

Espectro de formalidad

Formal
The participant was present for the scheduled meeting.

The participant was present for the scheduled meeting. (Workplace attendance)

Neutral
He showed up for the meeting.

He showed up for the meeting. (Workplace attendance)

Informal
He finally rolled in.

He finally rolled in. (Workplace attendance)

Jerga
He finally pulled up.

He finally pulled up. (Workplace attendance)

'Show Up': Significados y Usos Clave

SHOW UP

¿Quién/Qué Llega?

  • Personas friends, colleagues
  • Objetos packages, emails
  • Abstractos problems, results

Cuándo Usarlo

  • Informal casual chats, texts
  • Esfuerzo make an appearance
  • Descubrimiento become visible/known

Cuándo NO Usarlo

  • Formal official reports
  • Mostrar show me the way
  • Arriba Literal show up a picture

'Show Up' vs. Verbos Similares

SHOW UP
He `showed up` late. Llegada informal
The error `showed up`. Se hizo visible
ARRIVE
The train `arrived` on time. Llegada formal/neutra
She `arrived` at the airport. Alcanzar destino
TURN UP
My keys `turned up`. Encontrado inesperadamente
He `turned up` at my door. Llegada casual/inesperada
APPEAR
The moon `appeared`. Apareció a la vista
He `appears` tired. Parece (no es llegada)

¿Debería usar 'Show Up'?

1

¿Estás hablando de que alguien/algo llega o se hace visible/presente?

YES
Ve al siguiente paso
NO
No, elige otro verbo.
2

¿El contexto es informal (amigos, familia, trabajo casual, redes sociales)?

YES
¡Sí, 'Show Up' suele ser una buena opción!
NO
Ve al siguiente paso.
3

¿Es un contexto formal (documento académico, legal, negocio muy formal)?

YES
No, elige 'Arrive', 'Attend' o 'Appear'.
NO
Sí, 'Show Up' generalmente está bien.

Colocaciones de 'Show Up'

Tiempo

  • late
  • early
  • on time
  • after an hour
📍

Lugar

  • at the party
  • for work
  • at school
  • to a meeting
🔍

Contexto

  • in the results
  • on the screen
  • for yourself
  • unexpectedly
💪

Esfuerzo

  • ready
  • prepared
  • despite difficulties

Ejemplos por nivel

1

He did not show up for the party.

He did not arrive at the party.

2

Does the blue color show up?

Can you see the blue color?

3

I will show up at 8:00.

I will arrive at 8:00.

4

She showed up late.

She arrived late.

1

Why didn't you show up to the meeting yesterday?

Why were you not at the meeting?

2

The yellow text doesn't show up on the white background.

You cannot see the yellow text clearly.

3

A lot of fans showed up for the concert.

Many people arrived for the concert.

4

If he shows up, tell him to wait.

If he arrives, tell him to wait.

1

I felt like he was trying to show me up by working through lunch.

I felt he wanted to make me look lazy by working more.

2

The tiny cracks only show up under a microscope.

You can only see the cracks with a microscope.

3

It’s important to show up for your friends when they are sad.

It is important to be there/support your friends.

4

Only three candidates showed up for the interview.

Only three people arrived for the interview.

1

The subtle patterns in the fabric didn't show up in the photograph.

The patterns were not visible in the picture.

2

He’s always showing his brother up with his expensive gifts.

He makes his brother look bad by giving better gifts.

3

We were worried that the guest speaker wouldn't show up due to the storm.

We feared the speaker wouldn't arrive.

4

The results of the test won't show up until tomorrow morning.

The results won't be visible/available until tomorrow.

1

The discrepancies in the accounting showed up during the annual audit.

The errors became apparent during the audit.

2

I didn't mean to show you up; I was just trying to be helpful.

I didn't intend to make you look inferior.

3

Her true character showed up when the company faced a crisis.

Her real personality became visible during the crisis.

4

Despite the rain, a respectable number of voters showed up at the polls.

Many people arrived to vote despite the weather.

1

The latent fingerprints didn't show up until the forensic team applied the powder.

The hidden prints weren't visible until treated.

2

He felt a constant need to show up his colleagues, which eventually led to his isolation.

His drive to outperform and embarrass others alienated him.

3

The sheer scale of the problem didn't fully show up until the data was visualized.

The problem's magnitude wasn't clear until mapped.

4

Whether or not the expected symptoms show up is entirely dependent on the patient's immune response.

The manifestation of symptoms depends on immunity.

Fácil de confundir

Arrivals & Appearances: Using 'Show Up' vs Show Up vs. Show Off

Both involve 'showing' something, but one is about arrival/visibility and the other is about boasting.

Arrivals & Appearances: Using 'Show Up' vs Show Up vs. Turn Up

They are almost identical in meaning regarding arrival.

Arrivals & Appearances: Using 'Show Up' vs Show Up vs. Appear

Appear is more formal and can mean 'to seem'.

Errores comunes

He show up late.

He showed up late.

You must use the past tense 'showed' for completed actions.

I show up the party.

I showed up at the party.

You need a preposition like 'at' or 'to' before the location.

She didn't showed up.

She didn't show up.

After 'did not', use the base form of the verb.

The color shows off on the paper.

The color shows up on the paper.

'Show off' means to boast; 'show up' means to be visible.

He showed up me.

He showed me up.

When 'show up' means to embarrass, it is separable.

I will show up you the city.

I will show you around the city.

'Show up' is not used for giving tours; use 'show around'.

Did he shown up?

Did he show up?

Use the base form in questions with 'did'.

The stain showed up to my shirt.

The stain showed up on my shirt.

Use 'on' for visibility on a surface.

He showed up as a hero.

He turned out to be a hero.

'Show up' is for physical arrival; 'turn out' is for discovering a quality.

I'm showing up for the meeting.

I'm attending the meeting.

While 'showing up' is okay, 'attending' is better for formal progress reports.

The latent image showed up itself.

The latent image showed up.

'Show up' is intransitive in this sense; do not use a reflexive pronoun.

Patrones de oraciones

I'm sorry I didn't ___ for the ___.

The ___ really shows up against the ___.

Stop trying to ___ me ___!

If you don't ___, you'll miss the ___.

Real World Usage

Texting a friend constant

Hey, are you going to show up tonight?

Job Interview common

Thank you for showing up on such short notice.

Medical Appointment occasional

The fracture didn't show up on the X-ray.

Social Media very common

I'm just trying to show up for my community.

Sports/Competition common

He really showed up his opponent in the second half.

Graphic Design occasional

That font won't show up well on a mobile screen.

💡

Piensa primero en 'Presencia'

Usa 'show up' cuando alguien o algo se hace presente o visible. Si hablas de llegar, sobre todo en un ambiente relajado, este 'phrasal verb' es ideal. Se trata de 'hacer acto de presencia':
He showed up at the party.
⚠️

Cuidado con la Formalidad

'Show up' es informal. Genial para mensajes con amigos o charlas de café, pero evítalo en emails formales a un jefe nuevo o en ensayos académicos. 'Arrive' o 'attend' son más seguros ahí:
Please arrive at 9 AM.
🎯

¡No lo Separes!

Cuando significa 'llegar' o 'aparecer', 'show up' es casi siempre inseparable. No dirías 'show your friends up at the party'; lo correcto es 'show up at the party with your friends'. ¡Mantenlos juntos!:
She showed up on time.
🌍

Compromiso y Fiabilidad

En culturas de habla inglesa, decir que alguien 'always shows up' implica fiabilidad y compromiso. Es un cumplido sutil, sugiriendo que es alguien de confianza y que está presente cuando importa:
She always shows up when you need her.
💡

Los Objetos También Pueden 'Show Up'

¡No solo las personas! Artículos perdidos, resultados inesperados en una búsqueda o nuevas funciones en una app pueden 'show up'. Piensa en ello como 'materializarse' o 'hacerse evidente':
My lost keys showed up in the garage.

Smart Tips

Replace 'arrive' with 'show up'.

What time did you arrive at the party? What time did you show up to the party?

Use 'show up' to talk about how clear the colors or details are.

The text is visible on the background. The text really shows up against the background.

Use 'show me up' to tell them to stop making you look bad.

Stop making me look bad! Stop trying to show me up!

Use 'showed up' to apologize for your arrival time.

I arrived late, sorry. Sorry I showed up so late!

Pronunciación

show UP /ʃoʊ ʌp/

Stress on the Particle

In phrasal verbs like 'show up', the stress usually falls on the particle ('up') rather than the verb.

show-w-up

Linking

The 'w' in 'show' and the 'u' in 'up' are often linked with a slight /w/ sound.

Rising on 'up' for questions

Did he show UP? ↗

Conveys curiosity or surprise about an arrival.

Memorízalo

Mnemotecnia

When you 'Show Up', you 'Show' your face 'Up' close to the people waiting for you.

Asociación visual

Imagine a bright yellow highlighter mark on a black piece of paper. It 'shows up' clearly. Now imagine a friend walking through a door into a room full of people—they have 'showed up.'

Rhyme

If you want to be a star, show up exactly where you are.

Story

Once, a man named Joe promised to attend a gala. He didn't show up until midnight. When he finally arrived, his bright red tie showed up against his black suit. He tried to show up the host by bringing a bigger gift, but everyone just thought he was rude.

Word Web

arriveappearpresencevisibilityoutshineattendmanifestmaterialize

Desafío

Write three sentences: one about a time you showed up late, one about a color that shows up on your favorite shirt, and one about someone who tried to show you up.

Notas culturales

In Western business culture, 'showing up' on time is critical. If you 'show up' even 5 minutes late, it is often seen as a sign of disrespect.

The phrase 'showing up' has become a buzzword in self-help and social media, meaning to be consistent, authentic, and present in one's life or for one's audience.

In cultures with more 'fluid' time, 'showing up' to a party at the exact start time might be considered too early. People often 'show up' 30-60 minutes after the stated time.

The verb 'show' comes from Old English 'sceawian' (to look at, exhibit). The addition of 'up' as a particle to indicate arrival or visibility intensified in the 19th century.

Inicios de conversación

Has anyone ever failed to show up for a date with you?

What time do you usually show up for work or school?

If you wear a white shirt, what kind of food stains show up the most?

Do you think it's rude when someone tries to show you up in front of others?

Temas para diario

Describe a time you showed up for an event and realized you were in the wrong place.
Write about a person who always shows up for you when you need help.
Discuss the importance of showing up on time in your culture vs. other cultures.
Imagine you are a detective. Describe how a clue showed up at a crime scene.

Errores comunes

Incorrect

Correcto


Incorrect

Correcto


Incorrect

Correcto


Incorrect

Correcto

Test Yourself

Elige la forma correcta para completar la frase.

She didn't ___ for the meeting, and no one knew why.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: show up
'Show up' significa llegar o estar presente. Show in y show down no son correctos en este contexto.
Encuentra y corrige el error en la frase. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

My name didn't show on the list up.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: My name didn't show up on the list.
'Show up' es un verbo frasal inseparable cuando significa 'aparecer' o 'llegar'. La partícula 'up' debe seguir inmediatamente a 'show'.
Elige la frase correcta. Opción múltiple

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I will show up at the station at 3 PM.
'Show up' es el verbo frasal correcto que significa llegar. Arrive up es gramaticalmente incorrecto, y
show at the station up
separa incorrectamente el verbo frasal.
Traduce esta frase al inglés. Traducción

Translate into English: 'She always makes an effort to be present.'

Answer starts with: ["S...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["She always shows up."]
'Show up' puede implicar hacer un esfuerzo por estar presente o asistir.

Score: /4

Ejercicios de practica

8 exercises
Fill in the correct form of 'show up'.

We waited for two hours, but he never ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: showed up
The sentence is in the past tense ('waited'), so we use 'showed up'.
Choose the correct meaning for the sentence. Opción múltiple

The red wine stain really shows up on your white dress.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The stain is very visible.
In this context, 'show up' refers to visibility against a background.
Correct the error in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

He showed up me by winning the race easily.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He showed me up
When 'show up' means to embarrass or outshine, it is separable.
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Reorder

didn't / for / up / show / he / meeting / the

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He didn't show up for the meeting.
Subject + auxiliary + verb + particle + prepositional phrase.
Match the sentence to its meaning. Match Pairs

1. Show up late | 2. Show someone up | 3. Show up on an X-ray

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-Arrival, 2-Embarrass, 3-Visibility
These are the three primary senses of the phrasal verb.
Which preposition is most common for an event? Opción múltiple

I'm going to show up ___ the party at 9.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: to
'Show up to' or 'show up at' are the standard prepositions for events.
Complete the sentence.

If you don't ___, you won't get the job.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: show up
'Show up' means to attend the interview.
Find the mistake. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

The stars show up better in the city.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: show up better in the country
This is a logic error; stars are more visible in the country (darker), but the grammar 'show up' is correct.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

11 exercises
Completa la frase con el verbo frasal correcto. Completar huecos

The lost cat finally ___ after three days.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: showed up
Identifica y corrige el error en la frase. Error Correction

He needs to show his boss up at the important meeting.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He needs to show up at the important meeting.
Selecciona la frase que usa 'show up' correctamente. Opción múltiple

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The results didn't show up in the experiment.
Traduce la frase al inglés usando 'show up'. Traducción

Translate into English: 'Espero que él venga a la fiesta.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["I hope he shows up at the party."]
Ordena estas palabras para formar una frase. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He always shows up on time for work.
Empareja los sujetos con la frase verbal apropiada. Match Pairs

Match the subjects with what they might 'show up' for:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched
Encuentra y corrige el error en la frase. Error Correction

The new feature will show for all users up next week.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The new feature will show up for all users next week.
Reorganiza las palabras para formar una frase gramaticalmente correcta. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Why didn't you show up to tell me?
Rellena el espacio en blanco con la mejor opción. Completar huecos

I waited an hour, but she never ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: showed up
Elige la frase donde 'show up' se usa correctamente. Opción múltiple

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: His true colors showed up during the crisis.
Traduce al inglés, usando 'show up'. Traducción

Translate into English: 'Un problema inesperado apareció en el informe.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["An unexpected problem showed up in the report."]

Score: /11

Preguntas frecuentes (8)

It is neutral. In a very formal email, use `attend` or `be present`. In a standard business email, `show up` is fine.

`Turn up` is more common in British English and often implies something was lost or arrived unexpectedly. `Show up` is more common in American English.

Yes, both are correct. `Show up to` is more common for events (parties, meetings), while `show up at` is common for specific locations (the office, the door).

It means to make someone look bad or embarrassed by being much better than them at something.

Only when it means 'to embarrass'. For arrival and visibility, it is intransitive and cannot be separated.

Yes, for visibility. 'The details show up well in this light.'

A 'no-show' is a noun referring to a person who made a reservation or appointment but did not `show up`.

This is a modern idiomatic use meaning to take care of your own needs and be consistent in your personal growth.

Scaffolded Practice

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Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Aparecer / Llegar

Spanish doesn't have a direct equivalent to the 'show someone up' (embarrass) sense using the same verb.

French moderate

Se pointer / Arriver

French uses reflexive verbs (se pointer) for the casual arrival sense.

German high

Auftauchen / Erscheinen

German separable verbs follow strict word order rules that differ from English phrasal verbs.

Japanese low

現れる (Arawareru) / 来る (Kuru)

Japanese relies on different verbs entirely for arrival vs. visibility.

Arabic low

ظهر (Zahara) / حضر (Hadara)

Arabic uses distinct roots for these concepts rather than modifying one verb with a preposition.

Chinese partial

出现 (Chūxiàn) / 露面 (Lòumiàn)

Chinese uses compound verbs rather than phrasal verbs with prepositions.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

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