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B1At the Office

Catch Up On Work: Staying Updated at the Office

Phrasal Verb: catch up on |Grammar: Present Continuous

Objective

Students will learn how to use 'catch up on' with the Present Continuous tense to talk about getting up to date with work tasks.

Article

In many offices, employees often need to catch up on work after being away or busy with other projects. Right now, Sarah is catching up on emails she missed while she was in meetings all morning. Tom is catching up on reports that are due by the end of the day. Catching up on work is important because it helps everyone stay updated and meet deadlines. Some people are catching up on phone calls, while others are catching up on reading new project documents. At the office, catching up on tasks is a daily activity as priorities change quickly. By catching up on work regularly, employees make sure they are informed and ready to contribute to their team.

Grammar Explanation

Meaning

The phrasal verb 'catch up on' means to do something that you have not done yet, often because you were busy or away, especially to get up to date.

Grammar Note

The Present Continuous tense is used to describe actions that are happening right now or around the current time. It is formed with the verb 'to be' + verb ending in -ing.

Usage Tips

  • Use 'catching up on' to talk about current activities that update you on work.
  • Remember to use the Present Continuous for actions happening now.
  • You can catch up on emails, reports, meetings, or any missed tasks.

Examples

I am catching up on the client emails this afternoon.

Talking about reading emails now

She is catching up on project updates after the weekend.

Getting updated after some days off

We are catching up on the latest reports before the meeting.

Preparing reports before a meeting

They are catching up on phone calls missed during lunch.

Making calls now to update

He is catching up on training videos this week.

Watching training materials

Dialogue

Context: Two colleagues discussing their work after returning from a short break.

A:
Hi, I’m just catching up on the emails from this morning. How about you?
B:
I’m catching up on the new project documents we received yesterday.
A:
That sounds important. Are you also catching up on the team meeting notes?
B:
Yes, I’m reading them now to make sure I’m up to date.
A:
Great! I’m catching up on client feedback before the afternoon call.
B:
Perfect, looks like we’re both busy catching up on work!

Vocabulary

Emails
Messages sent electronically to communicate
Example: I am reading emails to find important updates.
Synonym: Messages
Reports
Documents giving information about work progress
Example: She is catching up on reports for the project.
Synonym: Documents
Deadline
The latest time by which something must be done
Example: We are catching up on work before the deadline.
Synonym: Due date
Meeting
A gathering to discuss work topics
Example: They are catching up on the meeting notes.
Synonym: Conference
Task
A piece of work to be done
Example: I am catching up on my tasks today.
Synonym: Job
Project
A planned piece of work with a goal
Example: She is catching up on the new project details.
Synonym: Assignment
Phone call
A conversation made by telephone
Example: He is catching up on phone calls missed yesterday.
Synonym: Call
Training
Learning new skills or information
Example: We are catching up on training videos this week.
Synonym: Instruction
Document
A written or printed paper with information
Example: She is catching up on important documents.
Synonym: File
Update
The latest information or changes
Example: I am catching up on updates from the manager.
Synonym: News

Tips

  • Use 'catching up on' to describe current efforts to complete missed tasks.
  • Pair 'catching up on' with specific work items like emails or reports for clarity.
  • Avoid saying 'catch up on' in the simple present for ongoing actions; use Present Continuous instead.

Summary

In this lesson, you learned how to use 'catch up on' with the Present Continuous tense to talk about getting up to date with work. You practiced using it in sentences and dialogues related to office tasks. Remember, 'catching up on' describes actions happening now to complete missed or delayed work.

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