Question 1

What is the difference between fill in and fill out?

Accepted Answer

"Fill in" and "fill out" both mean to complete a form, questionnaire, or document by writing the required information. The difference is regional: "fill in" is the standard British English form, while "fill out" is the American English preference. In British English, you would say "Please fill in the registration form." In American English, the same request would be "Please fill out the registration form." Both are widely understood in all English-speaking countries. For Cambridge and IELTS exams, "fill in" is the safer choice because these exams use British English. "Fill in" is separable: "Fill the form in" or "Fill it in" are both correct. Remember that "fill in" can also mean to give someone information they missed: "Can you fill me in on what happened?"

Question 2

How do I use check in correctly in different situations?

Accepted Answer

"Check in" is used in several different contexts, all related to arriving and registering. At a hotel, you check in when you arrive and receive your room key: "We checked in at reception and went straight to our room." At an airport, you check in to get your boarding pass and drop off your luggage: "You should check in at least two hours before your flight." In modern usage, you can also "check in" online before you travel: "I checked in on the airline's website." The phrasal verb is inseparable in all these cases — you do not put an object between "check" and "in." The noun form "check-in" (with a hyphen) is used as an adjective: "the check-in desk," "the check-in time."

Question 3

What phrasal verbs with IN are most useful for academic English?

Accepted Answer

For academic and school contexts, the most useful phrasal verbs with "in" are: "hand in" (submit work to a teacher: "Hand in your essays by Friday"), "take in" (understand and absorb: "There was so much information to take in"), "bring in" (introduce something new: "The school brought in a new dress code"), and "fill in" (complete a form or provide missing details: "Fill in the gaps with the correct word"). At a higher level, "result in" (cause: "Poor planning resulted in delays") and "believe in" (have faith: "She believes in hard work") are important for B2 and C1 academic writing. All of these appear frequently in Cambridge B1 Preliminary and B2 First exams.

Phrasal Verbs with IN Exercises

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-ed vs -ing Adjectives

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