Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'look after' to describe being responsible for the well-being of people, animals, or objects over a period of time.
- Always keep 'look' and 'after' together; never put the object in between them (e.g., 'look after him').
- Conjugate the verb 'look' normally for tense (looked, looking, looks) while 'after' remains unchanged.
- Use it for both temporary tasks (babysitting) and permanent responsibilities (owning a house).
Overview
phrasal verbs（短语动词）一直是一个让很多同学感到头疼的难点。对于我们母语为中文的同学来说，英语动词后面的这些“小尾巴”（介词或副词）经常让人摸不着头脑。今天我们要详细拆解的就是一个非常实用、且在日常生活中高频出现的短语动词：look after。look 这个词加上不同的介词，意思会产生翻天覆地的变化。比如 look at（看）、look for（寻找）、look after（照顾）。很多同学在初学时，容易受到中文思维的影响，认为 look 就是“看”，从而在表达“照顾”时产生困惑。掌握 look after 不仅仅是为了应付考试，更是为了在微信聊天、跟外教交流或者在国外生活时，能准确地表达出你对人或物的责任感。它不仅是一个语法点，更是地道英语表达的核心。理解这个短语，能让你在描述“谁负责照顾谁”或者“谁负责保管某物”时，显得更加自然和专业。look after 在语法上被归类为“不可分短语动词”（inseparable phrasal verb）。这意味着 look 和 after 这两个词必须像连体婴儿一样紧紧粘在一起，中间不能插入任何成分。如果强行把它们拆开，句子就会变得非常奇怪，甚至产生歧义。look 本身是“看”，after 是“在……之后”。结合在一起，字面意思可以理解为“盯着（某人/某物）之后的情况”，引申为“持续关注并确保其安全或健康”。这与中文里的“看护”、“照看”在逻辑上有异曲同工之妙。中文里我们说“我照看孩子”，英语里则是 I look after the child。关键点在于，look after 是一个及物动词短语，它必须带宾语。你不能只说 I look after，后面必须加上你照顾的对象。look after 的构成非常简单，但必须遵循英语动词的时态变化规则。由于 look 是实义动词，它会根据主语的人称（如 he/she/it 要加 s）和句子的时态（如过去式加 ed）进行变化，而 after 永远不变。look 变身，after 不动，宾语紧跟在 after 后面。千万不要把宾语放在 look 和 after 中间，比如 look my cat after 是绝对错误的。look after 的使用场景非常广泛，涵盖了从生活琐事到职业责任的方方面面：- 1照看人或动物：这是最常见的用法。无论是照顾生病的长辈、年幼的弟弟妹妹，还是帮朋友照看宠物，都可以用
look after。例如：Can you look after my dog while I am on vacation?（我度假时你能帮我照看小狗吗？） - 2保管财物：当你把重要的东西交给别人保管时，也可以用这个词。例如：
Please look after my passport.（请帮我保管好我的护照。） - 3负责某项工作或流程：在职场或者大学社团里，如果你负责某个任务的跟进，也可以用它。例如：
The manager looks after the daily operations.（经理负责管理日常运营。） - 4自我照顾：这在现代生活压力下非常重要，即
look after yourself（照顾好你自己）。比如在考研或高考前夕，老师常说：You should look after yourself and get enough sleep.
look after 时最容易犯以下三个错误，这主要是因为中文语法中没有“短语动词”这个概念，导致我们习惯性地进行字面拆解或直接翻译。- 1错误拆分：很多同学受中文“把东西看好”的影响，习惯把宾语放在中间。错误示范：
Please look my bag after.这种错误是因为在中文里，“看”和“管”中间可以插入宾语。但在英语中，look after是一个整体，宾语必须放在最后。 - 2与
look for混淆：中文里“找”和“照顾”虽然逻辑不同，但都是“看”的变体。错误示范：I need to look after my keys.（我需要照顾我的钥匙——这听起来像是在说你要给钥匙喂食）。这是典型的母语负迁移，没分清look for（寻找）和look after（保管/照顾）。 - 3忽略时态变化：中文动词没有时态，我们习惯直接说“昨天我照看他”。错误示范：
Yesterday I look after him.很多同学忘记了look必须变成looked。这是因为中文没有动词变位，我们对动词的时态变化缺乏敏感度。
look after 和其他容易混淆的短语：look after | 照顾、照看、保管 | 侧重于保护、负责、持续关注 |look for | 寻找 | 侧重于试图找到某物 |look at | 看向、注视 | 侧重于视觉上的接触 |take care of | 照顾、处理、负责 | 与 look after 含义最接近，但 take care of 还可以指“处理掉/解决问题” |take care of 的适用范围比 look after 更广，它不仅能照顾人，还能指“处理麻烦”。比如 I will take care of the problem 是对的，但 I will look after the problem 则听起来非常奇怪。- 1问：
look after和take care of可以互换吗？
take care of。- 1问：我可以把
look after变成被动语态吗？
The children are well looked after.（孩子们被照顾得很好）。这是 B1 进阶阶段常用的表达方式。- 1问：如果在口语中，我可以省略
after吗？
after 后，意思就变成了单纯的“看”，完全失去了“照顾”的含义。这会导致严重的沟通障碍。- 1问：如何记住宾语不能放在中间？
2. Negative Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
do not look after
|
don't look after
|
I don't look after cats.
|
|
does not look after
|
doesn't look after
|
He doesn't look after his car.
|
|
did not look after
|
didn't look after
|
We didn't look after the plants.
|
|
is not looking after
|
isn't looking after
|
She isn't looking after the baby.
|
Conjugating 'Look After'
| Tense | Subject | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
I / You / We / They
|
look after
|
I look after the dog.
|
|
Present Simple
|
He / She / It
|
looks after
|
She looks after the dog.
|
|
Past Simple
|
All subjects
|
looked after
|
We looked after the dog.
|
|
Present Continuous
|
I
|
am looking after
|
I am looking after the dog.
|
|
Present Continuous
|
He / She / It
|
is looking after
|
He is looking after the dog.
|
|
Present Perfect
|
I / You / We / They
|
have looked after
|
They have looked after the dog.
|
|
Future (Will)
|
All subjects
|
will look after
|
I will look after the dog.
|
|
Gerund
|
N/A
|
looking after
|
Looking after a dog is hard work.
|
Meanings
To take care of someone or something by ensuring they have what they need, remain safe, or stay in good condition.
Physical Care
Providing for the basic needs of a living being, like a child or a pet.
“She looks after her younger brother every afternoon.”
“Who is going to look after the dog while we are at work?”
Maintenance/Protection
Ensuring that property or objects do not get damaged or lost.
“Please look after my luggage for a minute while I buy a ticket.”
“You should look after your phone; it was very expensive.”
Responsibility/Management
Being in charge of a task, a department, or a business interest.
“My assistant looks after all my travel arrangements.”
“The finance department looks after the company's taxes.”
Reference Table
| 短语 | 含义 | 使用场景 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
`look after`
|
照顾/监管
|
人、动物、物品
|
Can you `look after` my dog?
|
|
`take care of`
|
照顾或处理
|
类似 look after，也指处理问题
|
I'll `take care of` the arrangements.
|
|
`care for`
|
照料（较正式）
|
老人、病人或情感纽带
|
She `cares for` her ailing mother.
|
|
`mind`
|
短时间照看（英式）
|
临时看管物品
|
Do you `mind` my bag for a minute?
|
正式程度
I am responsible for the oversight and well-being of the children. (childcare)
I am looking after the children today. (childcare)
I'm watching the kids. (childcare)
I'm on kid-duty. (childcare)
Look After 的应用世界
物品
- 手机 My friend looks after my phone.
- 房子 Can you look after the house?
- 行李 Please look after my luggage.
人物
- 孩子 She looks after her children.
- 老人 Nurses look after patients.
- 你自己 Remember to look after yourself.
动物
- 狗狗 Who's looking after the dog?
- 猫咪 I'm looking after a cat.
- 宠物 Looking after pets is fun.
职责
- 业务 He looks after the business.
- 账目 She looks after the accounts.
Look After 与相似短语
我该用 Look After 吗？
动作是关于提供照顾或监管吗？
对象是人、动物或物品吗？
是在寻找某样东西吗？
只是视觉上的观察吗？
你可以 Look After 什么？
人物
- • 孩子
- • 年迈亲属
- • 生病的朋友
- • 你自己
动物
- • 宠物（狗、猫）
- • 农场动物
- • 受伤的野生动物
物品
- • 手机/电脑
- • 房子/植物
- • 贵重物品
- • 包包/行李
职责
- • 财务
- • 项目
- • 部门
- • 客户需求
按水平分级的例句
I look after my cat.
I take care of my cat.
She looks after her baby.
She takes care of her baby.
Do you look after your toys?
Do you take care of your toys?
They look after the garden.
They take care of the garden.
I looked after my brother yesterday.
I took care of my brother yesterday.
Can you look after my bag for a minute?
Can you watch my bag for a minute?
We are looking after our neighbor's house.
We are taking care of our neighbor's house.
He doesn't look after his health.
He doesn't take care of his health.
I've been looking after this department for three years.
I have been managing this department for three years.
It's hard to look after a large house by yourself.
It is difficult to maintain a large house alone.
Who is looking after the arrangements for the party?
Who is handling the party arrangements?
You need to look after your skin in the sun.
You need to protect your skin in the sun.
The government needs to look after the interests of small businesses.
The government must protect small business interests.
She has a reputation for looking after her employees well.
She is known for taking good care of her staff.
If you look after your tools, they will last a lifetime.
If you maintain your tools, they will last forever.
He was looking after his elderly parents while working full-time.
He was caring for his aged parents while also working.
The executor is responsible for looking after the estate until probate is granted.
The executor manages the property until legal processes are finished.
In this industry, you really have to look after number one.
In this field, you must prioritize your own interests.
The charity looks after the welfare of retired greyhounds.
The charity manages the well-being of former racing dogs.
The museum looks after some of the world's most precious artifacts.
The museum preserves very valuable historical items.
The state's failure to look after its most vulnerable citizens led to a crisis.
The government's inability to care for the poor caused a crisis.
One must look after the nuances of the contract before signing.
One must attend to the small details of the contract.
He has spent a lifetime looking after the legacy of his late father.
He dedicated his life to preserving his father's reputation.
The ecological balance is looked after by a complex web of predators.
Nature's balance is maintained by predators.
容易混淆
Both start with 'look' and involve an object, but one is about care and the other is about searching.
Learners sometimes use 'look after' when they just mean 'observing' something.
They are very similar, but 'take care of' can be used for solving problems, while 'look after' cannot.
常见错误
I look my dog after.
I look after my dog.
I look for my baby.
I look after my baby.
He look after the cat.
He looks after the cat.
I am look after the house.
I am looking after the house.
I will look after to you.
I will look after you.
She looked after her bag for a minute.
She looked after my bag for a minute.
Did you looked after the plants?
Did you look after the plants?
The project was looked after me.
The project was looked after by me.
I look after to my health.
I look after my health.
I'm looking after for a new job.
I'm looking for a new job.
He looks after number one's interests.
He looks after number one.
句型
I need someone to look after my ___ while I am ___.
It is important to look after your ___ if you want it to ___.
Who is going to look after the ___ for the ___?
Having to look after ___ taught me a lot about ___.
Real World Usage
I am looking after a Golden Retriever this weekend.
I looked after the budget for the entire marketing department.
Can someone look after Grandma on Tuesday?
Could you look after my seat while I go to the restroom?
He looks after the lawn every Saturday.
The nurses look after the patients around the clock.
别拆散它们！
I will look after the children.
别和 'look for' 搞混！
I am looking for my lost dog.
用法超级广
He looks after his younger brother.
英式 vs 美式
过去式超简单！
She looked after the plants last week.
Smart Tips
Use 'look after' to sound more like a leader. It implies you are in control of the outcome.
Treat 'look after' as a single, long verb that cannot be broken. If you can't put a word inside 'care', don't put one inside 'look after'.
Always put the pronoun at the very end. Phrasal verbs like 'pick up' change order with pronouns, but 'look after' never does.
Place the adverb at the end of the sentence, not between 'look' and 'after'.
发音
Stress Pattern
The primary stress is on the verb 'look', while 'after' is spoken more quickly and with less emphasis.
Linking
The 'k' in 'look' often links smoothly to the 'a' in 'after' in fast speech, sounding like 'loo-kafter'.
Falling Intonation
I'll look after it. ↘
Conveys a promise or a statement of fact.
记住它
记忆技巧
Think of 'After' as 'Behind'. If you look after someone, you are 'watching their back' to keep them safe.
视觉联想
Imagine a mother duck walking in front and 'looking after' her ducklings who are following 'after' her in a line.
Rhyme
To keep it safe and keep it clean, look after things that must be seen.
Story
Once there was a boy who had a magic plant. He had to look after it every day. He looked after the water, he looked after the sunlight, and eventually, the plant looked after him by growing gold leaves.
Word Web
挑战
Find three things in your room right now that you need to look after. Say out loud: 'I look after my [object] because [reason].'
文化笔记
In the UK, 'look after' is the standard way to talk about childcare. 'Babysitting' is the activity, but 'looking after' is the verb used most often in conversation.
Americans use 'look after' frequently, but 'take care of' is often the first choice in casual speech.
Using 'look after' in a CV or resume is seen as a positive trait, suggesting the candidate is reliable and capable of management without sounding overly aggressive.
The phrase dates back to Middle English. The word 'look' comes from Old English 'locian' (to see), and 'after' comes from 'æfter' (behind/following).
对话开场白
Who looks after your pets when you go on holiday?
What is the most difficult thing you have ever had to look after?
In your opinion, should the government look after everyone's health for free?
How do you look after your mental health during busy times?
日记主题
常见错误
Test Yourself
Score: /3
练习题
8 exercisesYesterday, I ___ my neighbor's cat.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
She is look after the baby right now.
I take care of the garden every Sunday.
1. Look after, 2. Look for, 3. Look at
A: Can you help me? B: Sure, I can ___ your bags while you go.
Sentence: 'He looks his health after.'
after / will / your / who / dog / look / ?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesDon't worry about your jacket, I'll ___ it for you.
Which of these sentences is grammatically incorrect?
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: '她照顾她年迈的父母。'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the subjects with the correct ending:
My job is to ___ the customers' needs and ensure their satisfaction.
Which sentence is correct?
Translate into English: '我不在的时候你能帮我照看房子吗？'
The security guard looks out for the valuables in the gallery.
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Score: /11
常见问题 (8)
No, 'after' is the only preposition needed. Adding 'to' is a common mistake. Just say `look after someone`.
Not at all! You can `look after` pets, plants, houses, cars, and even abstract things like a business or your health.
They are mostly the same. However, `take care of` can also mean 'to deal with a problem' or 'to kill someone' (in movies!), while `look after` is strictly about caring and maintenance.
It is neutral. You can use it with your friends, but it is also perfectly fine to use in a business meeting or a job interview.
No. Unlike some phrasal verbs, `look after` is inseparable. The object must always come after the word 'after'.
Similar, but `look after` is more active. If you 'watch' a baby, you might just be looking at them. If you `look after` a baby, you are responsible for their needs.
You can say `The dog is looked after by my sister`. Note that 'looked' and 'after' still stay together.
It is very common in both, but British English speakers use it slightly more frequently than Americans, who might prefer 'take care of'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Cuidar / Ocuparse de
English requires the particle 'after' to change the meaning of 'look'.
S'occuper de / Garder
The English structure is not reflexive and uses a phrasal verb.
Aufpassen auf / Sich kümmern um
German prepositions don't always map 1:1 with English particles.
世話をする (Sewa o suru)
Japanese uses a 'Noun + Verb' construction instead of a 'Verb + Particle' construction.
يعتني بـ (Ya'tani bi)
The direction of the prepositional logic differs.
照顾 (Zhàogù)
Chinese has no verb conjugation for tense, unlike 'look/looked/looking'.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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