Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'face up to' when someone finally stops avoiding a difficult truth and accepts it with courage.
- Always use 'up' and 'to' together; never say 'face to' or 'face up'.
- It is inseparable: the object must come after 'to' (e.g., 'face up to it').
- Follow 'to' with a noun or a gerund (-ing form), never a base verb.
Overview
face up to（面对）你中了彩票这个事实，但你会 face up to 你沉迷于冰拿铁且没有存款这个事实。这是一个“沉重”的动词，承载着责任。把它看作是“不再找借口”的动词。在现代语境下，这是 YouTuber 在丑闻发生后发布道歉视频时的状态；他们终于（希望如此）在 facing up to（正视）自己的行为。它常见于成功学书籍、商务会议以及凌晨 3 点与朋友的深夜长谈。它暗示了一定程度的成熟。如果你不能 face up to 自己的错误，你就无法成长。这也是让自己听起来更像地道英语母语者的好方法。与其说“我需要接受我的债务”，不如说“我需要 face up to 我的财务状况”。这样听起来更自然且更能引起情感共鸣。只是不要把它用于快乐的事情，否则人们会认为你在讽刺。How This Grammar Works
face up to 是一个及物的、不可分的、由三个部分组成的短语动词。让我们拆解一下：“及物”意味着它需要一个宾语。你不能只说 I faced up，你必须 face up to 某事。“不可分”意味着这三个词（face, up, to）必须像派对上的好朋友一样待在一起，你不能把宾语放在中间。你不能说 I faced the truth up to，那听起来像是在自创语言。它始终遵循以下顺序：
face + up + to + [名词/动名词]。因为它以介词 (to) 结尾，所以紧随其后的任何动词都必须采用 -ing 形式（动名词）。例如，“你需要 face up to 丢掉 Duolingo 连胜纪录这件事”。在变位方面，它的表现就像一个普通动词。你可以使用 faces, faced, is facing 和 has faced。up 和 to 永远不会改变，它们是这个短语稳定的支柱。这个动词常用于情态动词如 must, should 或 need to 之后的不定式。在祈使句中很少见到它（对某人说 Face up to it!），因为这听起来很有侵略性。它通常是一种反思或建议。
Formation Pattern
face，根据时态进行变位（例如：face, faces, faced）。
up 和介词 to。
-ing)。
When To Use It
face up to 环境危机”。在个人成长中使用它：“我终于 faced up to 我是一个糟糕的厨师这个事实”。在科技领域使用它：“我们必须 face up to 我们在社交媒体上浪费了多少时间”。它也适用于人际关系：“他不愿 face up to 这段关系已经结束的事实”。基本上，如果涉及“现实检查”，这就是你要用的动词。它在体育评论中也很常见。当一支球队输掉冠军赛时，教练可能会说：“我们今天必须 face up to 我们的表现”。这展现了领导力，关乎不再逃避。在这个充满滤镜和精心策划的 Instagram 动态的时代，facing up to 生活中凌乱的现实实际上是一个非常有力量的概念。它是“无滤镜”照片的口头表达版；它很原始、很诚实，而且非常有 C1 水准。
Common Mistakes
to。学习者经常说 I need to face up the truth，这是错误的。没有 to，意思就消失了。另一个错误是将其与单纯的 face 混淆。虽然 face the truth 在语法上是正确的，但 face up to the truth增加了一层内在挣扎的含义。
face 通常是外部的（面对挑战），而 face up to 更多是内在的（接受你不想看到的真相）。不要把它用于积极的事情。说“我需要 face up to 我很漂亮这个事实”听起来像是你认为漂亮是一个沉重的负担，这可能会让你听起来有点自负。另外，请记住动名词规则。不要说 She faced up to lose her job，必须是 She faced up to losing her job。这里的 to 是介词，不是不定式的一部分。如果你把它当作不定式，你听起来就像个初学者，在 C1 水准上我们可不能允许这种情况发生！Contrast With Similar Patterns
Face up to对比Accept:Accept是通用术语。Face up to暗示之前存在否认或逃避。你accept（接受）一件礼物；你face up to（正视）一个错误。Face up to对比Deal with:Face up to是心理上的接受。Deal with是解决问题的物理行动。你face up to车坏了的事实，然后去和修理工deal with（交涉）。Face up to对比Confront:Confront更具侵略性，通常涉及两个人。你confront（对质）一个骗子。你face up to（正视）你自己的谎言。Face up to对比Own up to:Own up to专门用于承认自己做错了事（坦白）。Face up to关乎接受现状，无论是否由你引起。
Quick FAQ
face up to 正式吗？Face up to it!（正视现实吧！）吗？
face up to 和 face up 有什么区别？face up 主要用于玩牌（牌面朝上）。为了表达“接受现实”的意思，你必须包含 to。Conjugating 'Face up to'
| Tense | Subject | Form | Object Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
I / You / We / They
|
face up to
|
the truth
|
|
Present Simple
|
He / She / It
|
faces up to
|
the truth
|
|
Past Simple
|
All subjects
|
faced up to
|
the reality
|
|
Present Continuous
|
I
|
am facing up to
|
the facts
|
|
Present Continuous
|
He / She / It
|
is facing up to
|
the facts
|
|
Present Perfect
|
I / You / We / They
|
have faced up to
|
my mistakes
|
|
Future (Will)
|
All subjects
|
will face up to
|
the challenge
|
|
Gerund Form
|
N/A
|
facing up to
|
the situation
|
Contractions with 'Face up to'
| Type | Full Form | Contracted Form |
|---|---|---|
|
Negative Present
|
I do not face up to
|
I don't face up to
|
|
Negative Past
|
She did not face up to
|
She didn't face up to
|
|
Future Negative
|
They will not face up to
|
They won't face up to
|
|
Modal Negative
|
We cannot face up to
|
We can't face up to
|
Meanings
To accept that a difficult or unpleasant situation exists, especially when you have been avoiding it or pretending it isn't true.
Accepting Truth
Acknowledging a reality that is painful or inconvenient.
“You need to face up to the truth about your health.”
“She couldn't face up to the reality of the situation.”
Taking Responsibility
Accepting the consequences of one's actions or duties.
“It's time you faced up to your responsibilities as a parent.”
“The company must face up to its role in the environmental crisis.”
Confronting Challenges
Preparing oneself to deal with a looming difficulty.
“We must face up to the challenges of climate change.”
“The team is facing up to a difficult season ahead.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
S + face + up + to + Noun
|
She faced up to her debt.
|
|
Negative
|
S + auxiliary + not + face + up + to + Noun
|
He didn't face up to the truth.
|
|
Question
|
Auxiliary + S + face + up + to + Noun?
|
Will they face up to the facts?
|
|
Gerund Object
|
S + face + up + to + V-ing
|
I'm facing up to losing my job.
|
|
With 'Fact'
|
S + face + up + to + the fact that + Clause
|
Face up to the fact that you're late.
|
|
Modal
|
S + modal + face + up + to + Noun
|
You must face up to it.
|
|
Imperative
|
Face + up + to + Noun!
|
Face up to your actions!
|
|
Passive (Rare)
|
Noun + be + faced + up + to
|
The reality must be faced up to.
|
正式程度
The department must face up to the fact that the initiative has not met its objectives. (Workplace)
We need to face up to the project's failure. (Workplace)
We've gotta face up to it—the project's a bust. (Workplace)
Time to face up, guys; this thing is dead in the water. (Workplace)
The Anatomy of 'Face up to'
Meaning
- Acceptance Accepting reality
- Courage Bravery to look
Common Objects
- Truth The truth
- Reality The reality
- Facts The facts
Grammar
- Inseparable Cannot split
- 3-Part Verb+Part+Prep
Face vs. Face up to
Can I use 'Face up to'?
Is it a difficult reality?
Were you avoiding it?
Is there an object?
Collocations with 'Face up to'
Abstract Nouns
- • Reality
- • Truth
- • Facts
- • Inevitability
Responsibilities
- • Duties
- • Obligations
- • Consequences
- • Role
Challenges
- • Fears
- • Problems
- • Crisis
- • Shortcomings
按水平分级的例句
I face up to the problem.
I accept the problem.
She faces up to her mistakes.
She accepts her mistakes.
Do you face up to the truth?
Do you accept the truth?
He does not face up to it.
He does not accept it.
You must face up to your homework.
You must accept you have homework.
They faced up to the loss.
They accepted the loss.
We are facing up to the news.
We are accepting the news.
She didn't face up to the bill.
She didn't accept the bill.
It's time to face up to your responsibilities.
It's time to accept your duties.
He is finally facing up to his drinking problem.
He is finally admitting he has a problem.
I can't face up to going back to work.
I can't accept the idea of going back.
Have you faced up to the fact that she's gone?
Have you accepted that she left?
The government needs to face up to the housing crisis.
The government must acknowledge the crisis.
Facing up to failure is part of the learning process.
Accepting failure helps you learn.
She had to face up to being wrong in front of everyone.
She had to accept being wrong publicly.
They haven't yet faced up to the consequences of their actions.
They haven't accepted the results of what they did.
We must face up to the harsh reality of the economic downturn.
We must accept the difficult economic situation.
Few people are willing to face up to their own prejudices.
Few people admit their biases.
The industry is finally facing up to its carbon footprint.
The industry is acknowledging its environmental impact.
He struggled to face up to the inevitability of his retirement.
He found it hard to accept he had to retire.
The protagonist's failure to face up to his hubris leads to the tragedy.
His refusal to accept his pride causes the disaster.
Society must face up to the ethical implications of AI development.
Society must acknowledge the moral issues of AI.
There is a profound difference between merely facing a crisis and facing up to it.
Encountering a crisis is different from acknowledging its depth.
The administration is being forced to face up to the systemic inequities it ignored.
They are forced to admit the unfair systems.
容易混淆
Learners use 'face up to' for simple physical directions or simple encounters.
'Faced with' is passive/situational; 'face up to' is active/psychological.
'Face up' (without 'to') usually refers to the position of an object (like a playing card).
常见错误
I face up the truth.
I face up to the truth.
He face up to it.
He faces up to it.
Face up to the truth!
Face up to the truth!
I face to the problem.
I face up to the problem.
She faced up to go.
She faced up to going.
They face up to it not.
They don't face up to it.
Face the truth up to.
Face up to the truth.
I'm facing up to the fact to be late.
I'm facing up to the fact that I'm late.
He faced up to his mistakes yesterday.
He faced up to his mistakes yesterday.
We must face up to the realitys.
We must face up to the realities.
The reality was faced up to by him.
He faced up to the reality.
He faced up to have been wrong.
He faced up to having been wrong.
She faced up to the fact of her failure.
She faced up to her failure.
They faced up to the challenge's difficulty.
They faced up to the difficulty of the challenge.
句型
It's time you faced up to ___.
He is struggling to face up to ___.
Unless we face up to ___, we will never solve the problem.
I can't face up to ___ right now.
Real World Usage
I had to face up to the fact that my previous strategy wasn't working.
We need to face up to our problems instead of ignoring them.
The nation must face up to the reality of the energy crisis.
It's time for certain influencers to face up to their problematic pasts.
You have to face up to the fact that you need surgery.
Facing up to your debt is the first step to financial freedom.
The 'Fact' Bridge
Inseparability
Courage Nuance
Accountability
Smart Tips
Try replacing 'accept' with 'face up to' to sound more like a native speaker.
Always check if the next word should be an -ing verb. 90% of the time, it should be.
Add the adjective 'harsh' before 'reality'. It's a very common collocation.
Use 'face up to the fact that' to introduce a complex idea or clause.
发音
Linking
The 'p' in 'up' often links to the 't' in 'to', sounding like 'up-tuh'.
Stress
The primary stress is on the verb 'face', but 'up' receives a secondary stress. 'To' is usually unstressed (schwa).
Falling intonation
You need to face up to the TRUTH. ↘
Conveys a sense of finality and seriousness.
记住它
记忆技巧
FACE the truth, stand UP tall, and go TO the reality.
视觉联想
Imagine a person standing at the edge of a dark forest (the problem). Instead of turning around and running, they look 'UP' at the tall trees and walk 'TO' them. They are no longer hiding.
Rhyme
Don't hide or run away, face up to the truth today.
Story
John lost his job but told his wife he was still working. Every morning he went to the park. Finally, he couldn't live the lie anymore. He went home and faced up to the truth. He admitted he was unemployed, and they made a plan together.
Word Web
挑战
Write down one thing you have been procrastinating or avoiding. Now, write a sentence: 'I need to face up to...' and finish it with that task.
文化笔记
Commonly used in political debates to demand 'stiff upper lip' accountability.
Often associated with 'self-help' culture and personal growth narratives.
Used as a 'soft' way to discuss failure without using the word 'fail'.
The verb 'face' comes from the Old French 'face' (countenance/front), which derives from Latin 'facies'.
对话开场白
What is a difficult truth that society needs to face up to?
Have you ever had to face up to a big mistake at work?
Is it harder to face up to your own flaws or the flaws of others?
When was the last time you faced up to a fear?
日记主题
常见错误
Test Yourself
He finally faced ___ ___ the truth about his health.
You need to face up to ___ more responsibility.
Find and fix the mistake:
She faced the reality up to.
He finally accepted that he was wrong.
You can use 'face up to' for positive surprises like winning the lottery.
A: I think I'm failing the class. B: Well, you need to ___ and start studying.
Select the valid object.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
练习题
8 exercisesHe finally faced ___ ___ the truth about his health.
You need to face up to ___ more responsibility.
Find and fix the mistake:
She faced the reality up to.
He finally accepted that he was wrong.
You can use 'face up to' for positive surprises like winning the lottery.
A: I think I'm failing the class. B: Well, you need to ___ and start studying.
Select the valid object.
Face up to
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesIt took him a long time to `face up ___` his chronic procrastination.
The company faced up with their declining sales figures.
Translate into English: 'Es hora de que afrontemos nuestros miedos.'
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the sentence fragments.
It's important to `face up ___` the difficult decisions we've made.
They couldn't face the harsh facts up to.
Select the correct option:
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Translate into English: 'Tuvimos que aceptar la dolorosa verdad.'
Match the situations with their corresponding realities.
Score: /12
常见问题 (8)
'Face' is neutral and means to encounter or look at. 'Face up to' implies you were avoiding something and now you are bravely accepting it.
Yes, if 'he' represents a difficult reality or person you've been avoiding. E.g., 'You need to face up to your boss and tell him the truth.'
It is neutral. It's perfectly fine in a business report or a casual conversation with a friend.
No. It is an inseparable phrasal verb. The particles 'up to' must stay together.
No. Use 'to' + gerund (-ing) or a noun. E.g., 'face up to losing', not 'face up to lose'.
Rarely. It almost always refers to something unpleasant, difficult, or challenging.
Synonyms include 'acknowledge', 'accept', 'confront', and 'admit'.
Technically yes ('The truth must be faced up to'), but it is much more common in the active voice.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Hacer frente a / Enfrentarse a
English uses the particle 'up' to add psychological depth.
Faire face à / Se rendre à l'évidence
French uses a reflexive verb for the 'acceptance' nuance.
Sich einer Sache stellen
German is reflexive ('sich'), whereas English is not.
現実を直視する (Genjitsu o chokushi suru)
Japanese uses a formal Sino-Japanese compound (Kanji) for this advanced concept.
واجه الأمر (Wajaha al-amr)
Arabic relies on additional verbs rather than particles like 'up'.
面对 (Miànduì) / 正视 (Zhèngshì)
Chinese has no prepositions like 'to' or particles like 'up' in this context.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
相关视频
Related Grammar Rules
时间介词：in, on, at 的用法
### Overview 在英语学习的初期，介词（Prepositions）就像是我们句子里的“胶水”，把不同的时间点和动作粘在一起。对于我们中文...
短语动词：Take off（脱下和起飞）
### Overview 动词短语（Phrasal Verbs）是英语学习中一个极具挑战性但又充满魅力的部分。对于我们母语为中文的学习者来说，动...
等一下！使用 'Hold on'
### Overview 在英语交流中，我们经常需要暂停一下，或者请别人稍等片刻。这时候，一个非常实用且常用的短语就是 `hold on`。它...
盛装打扮：正装与戏服 (Dress up)
### Overview 在英语学习的进阶过程中，动词短语（Phrasal Verbs）往往是让中国学习者感到最头疼的环节之一。今天我们要深入探...
英语短语动词：初学者指南
### Overview 英语中的**短语动词 (Phrasal Verbs)** 是一个非常普遍且重要的语言现象，尤其是在日常交流中。它们是由一个**主...
