Do we say "fill out" or "fill in" a form? Do you "fill up" or "fill in" your gas tank? In this lesson, I will teach you 11 ways to use "fill" in phrasal verbs. When you combine "fill" with three prepositions, you get the common expressions "fill up", "fill out", and "fill in". Each one of these has several different meanings and can be used in different contexts. Watch the lesson to fill up on new knowledge, and then fill out the quiz at https://www.engvid.com/11-fill-phrasal-verbs/ to test your understanding of the material.

NEXT, watch these other lessons for more important English expressions:
1. English Expressions: Talking about good and bad habits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J622HQz79QY&index=7&list=PLs_glF4TIn5bEURiUZr-gfD5Za9S4BBpp

2. 10 "TIP" Expressions in English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHP0T_CKlSg&index=15&list=PLs_glF4TIn5bEURiUZr-gfD5Za9S4BBpp

TRANSCRIPT

So, we got to hold on to what we got. It doesn't make a difference if we... E, what are you doing? Want to fill me in? Oh, thanks: Today's lesson. Hi. James from engVid. Today's lesson is on "fill", a common verb that we use in English and has many different meanings when we put it with prepositions. In other words, this lesson that I'm going to fill you in on is on phrasal verbs with "fill". Okay? I'm going to use three prepositions to show you the different ways we use it, and give you, you know, the bonus and that a little bit later on. Let's go to the board.

So: "Fill in the blank" is the first one. Some of you, if you've been to English-speaking countries, have heard this before; maybe not. But let's look: What does the word "fill" mean? First of all, it's a verb, and it means to put somebody or something in a space, a situation, or a container so it is completely or almost completely full. So, an example is: If you were to have a cup of coffee and you said: "Fill it up", they would take the coffee from here and put it in this space or container, and make it go up. Okay? Cool. Let's go to the board and see what else we can do.

I'm going to start with "up". "Up" is a direction, and it means to increase. Right? So when someone, for instance, says: "Fill up"-in this case: "Fill up my car"-it means make it completely full. If you are going on a long journey or destination and you are taking your car with you, you might want to fill up the gas. In this case, make it full. Right? Now, "fill up" also could be for food. "I don't want to fill up on French fries before I get my salad", that means be completely full. Right? "I'm going to fill up my schedule for next week", make it completely full.

Now, another one with "up" is to "fill up on". It means to have as much of something, as much of something as possible. The example I gave you with French fries: "I need to fill up on fruits today; I didn't have enough yesterday." That means to have one thing and be completely full of it. Cool? All right. So, we could say: "We need to fill up on groceries before we go on vacation", completely, right? Get as much as possible of this thing.

The next one we'll do is "out": "fill out". "Fill out" can be complete the needed information. When you go to the government and you have to do a form, and they say: "Please fill this out", they will give you a piece of paper and there will be places where you might have to put your name, your address, and all sorts of information that they require in order to help you. So: "Fill that out, please." When you go to the doctors the first time, usually they say: "Please fill out this form", and you put down all of your information. So, "to fill out" means to completely put in... Complete needed information for a form or paper. Okay?

Another one for "fill out" is this: To grow or get larger. When you're young, say you're a young boy, you're usually very small. And when you become a man, we say you fill out; you get your muscles, you get bigger, and you get stronger. Also, when you go to the gym, sometimes you need... You will fill out. You will go to the gym for one month, two months, three months - nothing happens. And then one day, people will say: "You filled out. Look at your big, wonderful muscles." They've gotten bigger. Cool? So, in this case: Complete the form; and this one: To grow larger - we grow. Cool?

Third one. "Fill in". Now, you will notice that "fill in" and "fill out" are similar for the first ones; complete needed information and complete needed information. In this case, when someone says: "Please fill in the form" they usually are referring to the blanks, the empty spaces; while in "fill out", they mean the whole form. Think of "larger", they want the big thing completed; while in "fill in", they're saying: "Fill in each blank." All right?

Next: "fill someone in". To fill someone in is to give them information. Let's say Mr. E went to a meeting. […]