Confusing Words

Fall or fall down?


We can use fall as a noun or a verb. It means: 
1. suddenly go down onto the ground or towards the ground unintentionally or accidentally
2. come down from a higher position|

Fall as a noun or a verb.
Fall does not need an object: 
● Mrs McGrath had a terrible fall yesterday. She’s in a hospital now. (noun) 
● Four trees fell in the storm. (verb)

Fall down is a phrasal verb. 
We use it when something falls to the ground from its normal position: 
● The picture keeps falling down. (from the wall to the ground) 
● He slipped and fell down.

Warning:
We use fall, not fall down when trees drop their leaves during the autumn: 
● As autumn came and the leaves fell from the trees, she began to feel sad. 
Not: … the leaves fell down …

We can’t use fall down to mean ‘come down from a higher position’: 
● House prices have fallen a lot this year. 
Not: House prices have fallen down a lot …

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