Fall back means to retreat or move back. With on, the meaning changes: fall back on something means to turn to a backup option, to rely on something you've kept in reserve when the main plan hasn't worked. It might be savings, a previous profession or help from your parents.
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fall back (= move back); fall back on + savings/plan/skill/person; have something to fall back on
- When the ambulance arrived, the crowd fell back to let the paramedics through.
- If the scholarship doesn't come through, I can fall back on my savings for the first year.
- Learn a practical skill so that you always have something to fall back on.
What changed
First versionAfter two weeks in hospital, I fell back with my maths homework.
RevisionAfter two weeks in hospital, I fell behind with my maths homework.
When you can't keep up, you end up at the back, so back seems logical. But fall back means to retreat or to rely on a reserve, while not keeping up with a schedule or a course is fall behind: fell behind with my homework. Back was replaced with behind.
Rely on means to depend on someone or something all the time: I rely on my parents for advice. Fall back on means to turn to something only when the main thing has failed: I can fall back on my parents if I lose my job. That's where the noun fallback, written as one word, comes from: a fallback plan, a backup plan.
Your turn
My first job offer fell through, but luckily I had a part-time job to ___ on.
Show the answer
fall back — The first job offer fell through, and a part-time job saved the day as a backup option: fall back on. Fall behind means not to keep up, and that doesn't fit with luckily.
Write about a backup option in case something goes wrong at work, in your studies or with a move. Name the main plan and the backup.
If I don't get into the master's programme in Berlin, I'll fall back on the job offer from a local IT company.
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