Fall through meaning
Fall through means to not happen, used for a plan or agreement.
fall through
fall through · fell · fallen · falling
Our holiday plans fell through when the airline went bust.
Fall through meanings and examples
One meaning, each with its own CEFR level from Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries and the Cambridge Dictionary.
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1
Not happen, used for a plan or agreement
fall through
- Our holiday plans fell through when the airline went bust.
- The sale of the house fell through at the last minute.
- What will you do if the job offer falls through?
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use fall through in real conversations
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Is fall through separable?
Fall through has no object. The plan or deal is the subject: The deal fell through. You cannot fall through a plan.
Literally, fall through something means drop through a hole: He fell through the ice. That use has an object; the plan meaning does not.
Verb tenses for fall through
| Present | I fall through · she falls through |
|---|---|
| Past | fell through |
| Present perfect | have fallen through |
| -ing form | falling through |
Common mistakes with fall through
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: They fell through the deal.
Right: The deal fell through.
The plan or deal is the subject; there is no object.
Wrong: Our plans fell through to the bad weather.
Right: Our plans fell through because of the bad weather.
Give the reason with because of.
Wrong: The meeting fell through and we had it on Friday.
Right: The meeting was moved, and we had it on Friday.
Fall through means it did not happen at all.
Synonyms and opposites of fall through
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- fall apartfail after it started; fall through means never happening
- call offsomeone decides to cancel; fall through just happens
- come to nothingfail to produce any result
Fall through quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1We were going to buy the flat, but the mortgage ___.
A deal falls through when it does not happen.
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2Choose the right sentence.
The plan is the subject, with no object.
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3“The trip fell through, so I’m free this weekend.” What happened?
If a plan falls through, it does not happen.
More phrasal verbs with fall
All phrasal verbs with fall, by level, with an exercise
6 phrasal verbs start with fall. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Fall through FAQ
Questions people ask about fall through.
What is the difference between fall through and fall apart?
A plan that falls through never happens. Something that falls apart started, then failed.
Is fall through formal?
It is neutral. People use it in conversation and news, especially about deals, sales and plans.
What does the deal fell through mean?
It means the agreement was not completed, so the sale or business did not happen.
Use fall through in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.