Common Business English Phrasal Verbs with “Fall”

Apr 16, 2025
4 min read

Updated: Dec 22, 2025

Business English phrasal verbs with fall explained through real workplace situations, with interactive quizzes and practice to help professionals use natural, correct English in meetings, emails, and everyday work communication

Everyone knows the verb fall. The real challenge is understanding the phrasal verbs built with it. In Business English, these phrasal verbs are used to talk about plans, money issues, delays, and results at work. The meaning often changes completely once fall becomes part of a phrase. In this article, you’ll see how common phrasal verbs with fall are used in real work contexts.

Today’s Challenge:

Jeff and Mia are close friends. For months, they’ve been planning to open a small store together.

They found a good location, talked to suppliers, and even started telling friends about it. Everything seemed to be moving forward.

Then something went wrong. The bank approved less money than they expected, and their savings weren’t enough to cover the rest.

The excitement quickly turned into stress. No one said much at first.

Later, a colleague explains what happened and says:

Their plan to open a new store fell _____ due to a lack of funding.

A) behind on

B) short of

C) through

D) into place

Which option works here? Choose and listen.

Did you get it right?

FALL BEHIND (ON)

phrasal verb

not to do something on time or as planned

I fell behind on my homework and had to stay up late.
She fell behind on her rent and got a warning.
They fell behind on payments after the project was delayed.

FALL SHORT OF

phrasal verb

to not reach a goal or expected level

The results fell short of what we hoped for.
His performance fell short of expectations.
Our sales fell short of the target this month.

FALL THROUGH

phrasal verb

when a plan or deal falls through, it doesn’t happen, it fails suddenly

The deal fell through at the last minute.
Our trip fell through because of bad weather.
Their plan to open a new store fell through due to a lack of funding.

FALL INTO PLACE

phrase

to start to happen in a good or correct way without problems

After weeks of practice, everything started to fall into place.
We were confused at first, but now things are falling into place.
The team worked hard, and soon the whole plan fell into place.

That's right! The correct answer is C) through.

More Business English Phrasal Verbs with “Fall”: Learn and Practice

Business English phrasal verbs with fall used in real workplace situations, including fall through, fall behind, fall short, fall back on, and fall out, with practical examples and quizzes for professional communication

You’ve learned some phrasal verbs with fall. Now it’s time to learn a few more and practice them in real Business English situations.

Read each situation carefully and choose the answer that sounds most natural.

Situation 1.

Two business partners had been working well together for years. When it came time to invest more money in the company, they couldn’t agree on who should pay what.

They stopped speaking to each other after a serious disagreement about costs.

Later, someone on the team explains the situation and says:

They fell _____ over money.

A) short

B) behind

C) through

D) out

CHECK HERE

The correct answer is D) out.

They fell out over money.

FALL OUT

phrasal verb

to have a serious argument with someone and stop getting along with them

They fell out over money and stopped speaking to each other.
She fell out with her business partner after a disagreement about costs.
We used to work well together, but we fell out during the project.

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Situation 2.

The team was expecting new funding before the end of the month.

The deal didn’t happen, and there wasn’t time to find another investor.

To pay salaries and cover basic costs, they used their own money.

Later, the founder said:

We had to fall _____ on our savings to keep the business going.

A) back

B) off

C) through

D) short

CHECK HERE

The correct answer is A) back.

We had to fall back on our savings to keep the business going.

FALL BACK ON something

phrasal verb

to use something as a backup when your original plan fails

When the funding didn’t arrive, we had to fall back on our savings.
If this plan doesn’t work, we’ll fall back on the original proposal.
Under pressure, she fell back on her experience to make the decision.

Situation 3.

The team started the project feeling confident.

Everyone knew their role, and the first few weeks went smoothly.

Then small problems started adding up — quick fixes, extra meetings, people being pulled into other work.

Nothing dramatic, just constant interruptions.

During a team check-in, someone looks at the progress board and says:

We’re falling _____. Everyone’s busy, but it doesn’t feel like we’re getting ahead.

A) off

B) out C) behind D) short

CHECK HERE

The correct answer is C) behind.

We’re falling behind. Everyone’s busy, but it doesn’t feel like we’re getting ahead.

Review the definition.

Situation 4.

The sales team agreed on the terms, and the client seemed ready to move forward. But the final approval had to come from headquarters.

That approval never came, and the project was quietly dropped.

Later, the team leader explained:

The deal fell _____ because final approval never came.

A) short

B) through

C) back

D) out

CHECK HERE

The correct answer is B) through.

The deal fell through because final approval never came.

Review the definition.

Situation 5.

The team worked hard on the campaign, and early feedback was positive. Everyone expected stronger numbers, especially after the time and budget invested.

When the final report came in, the results were decent — but not what management had hoped for.

In the review meeting, someone sums it up and says:

Unfortunately, the results fell _____ of our expectations. Honestly, I thought we’d see stronger numbers by now.

A) close B) back C) short D) out

CHECK HERE

The correct answer is C) short.

Unfortunately, the results fell short of our expectations. Honestly, I thought we’d see stronger numbers by now.

Review the definition.

In this article, you practiced phrasal verbs that are common in everyday work conversations. You saw them used in real situations and checked your understanding step by step. Practicing language this way makes it easier to recognize and use these expressions naturally at work.

Ready for more practice? Click the image below to try another Business English Quiz!

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Erin West is a Business English educator, writer, and founder of RealBusinessEnglish.com. She creates practical lessons, quizzes, and learning materials that help professionals use clear, natural, and confident English at work — with just the right amount of fun.