What Does “Be behind with sth” Mean?
“Be behind with sth” means to be late or delayed in completing a task, paying money, or fulfilling an obligation.
Introduction
The phrase “be behind with sth” is commonly used in English to express that someone is not keeping up with a schedule, payment, or responsibility. It often refers to situations where a person has fallen behind deadlines or is late in completing work or financial obligations. Understanding the phrase “be behind with sth meaning” helps learners communicate delays clearly and politely. For example, if you are behind with your rent, it means you have not paid it on time. This phrase is useful in both formal and informal contexts and helps describe various situations involving time management or responsibilities.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: Be behind with something
- Type: Intransitive
- Level: B1 (Intermediate)
- Short meaning: To be late or delayed in doing or paying something
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Be behind with sth” is an intransitive phrase, meaning it does not take a direct object immediately after the verb. The structure includes the verb “be,” the adjective “behind,” followed by “with,” and then the noun or pronoun indicating what you are late with.
Patterns:
- Subject + be + behind + with + noun/pronoun
- Examples: I am behind with my homework. She was behind with her payments.
How to Use “Be behind with sth”?
Use “be behind with sth” when talking about being late in completing tasks, paying bills, or meeting deadlines. It can refer to any responsibility that is overdue. This phrase is commonly used in work, school, and financial contexts.
For example, you might say, “I’m behind with my work because I was sick,” or “He is behind with his credit card payments.”
Examples
- She is behind with her rent and needs to pay it soon.
- I’m behind with my assignments because I had too much to do.
- They were behind with the project deadlines and asked for an extension.
- We are behind with the schedule due to unexpected delays.
- He was behind with his loan payments and received a notice.
Here is “Be behind with sth in a sentence”: “I am behind with my taxes, so I need to file them quickly.”
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: I am behind my homework.
Correct: I am behind with my homework. - Incorrect: She is behind in paying the bills.
Correct: She is behind with paying the bills. - Incorrect: They are behind on the project.
Correct: They are behind with the project.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrases include “fall behind,” “be late with,” and “lag behind.”
- Be behind with sth means to be late in completing or paying something.
- Fall behind often implies gradually losing progress over time.
- Be late with is used mostly for payments or appointments.
- Lag behind usually refers to being slower than others in progress.
Example: “She fell behind in her studies” vs. “She is behind with her homework.”
Common Collocations
- Be behind with payments
- Be behind with work
- Be behind with rent
- Be behind with assignments
- Be behind with schedule
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of be behind with sth:
Real-life Dialogue
Anna: Are you okay? You look worried.
Ben: I’m behind with my reports at work. I have too much to finish before Friday.
Anna: Maybe you can ask your manager for an extension.
Ben: Good idea. I’ll do that today.
Practice
Fill in the blank with the correct phrase:
She is __________ with her electricity bill and needs to pay it soon.
- a) behind with
- b) behind on
- c) late at
- d) behind in
FAQs
- Q: Can “be behind with” be used for things other than payments?
A: Yes, it can be used for any delayed task or responsibility. - Q: Is “be behind with” formal or informal?
A: It is neutral and suitable for both formal and informal use. - Q: Can I say “behind on” instead of “behind with”?
A: “Behind on” is sometimes used, but “behind with” is more common for tasks and payments. - Q: What is the opposite of “be behind with”?
A: The opposite is “be up to date with” or “be ahead of.” - Q: Is “be behind with” followed by a verb?
A: Yes, often followed by a noun or a gerund (verb+ing).
