Mastering ‘Fall Back On’: Your Key to IELTS Speaking Success

Understanding ‘Fall Back On’

The phrasal verb ‘fall back on’ is a crucial linguistic tool that can significantly enhance your IELTS Speaking performance. It’s essential to grasp its meaning and usage to effectively incorporate it into your responses.

Definition and Explanation

‘Fall back on’ means to rely on or resort to something when other options are unavailable or have failed. It often implies using a backup plan or a reliable resource in difficult situations. Synonyms include ‘resort to,’ ‘rely on,’ or ‘turn to.’

Contextual Usage

Here are some examples demonstrating the use of ‘fall back on’ in different contexts:

1. Formal: “In times of economic uncertainty, many investors fall back on gold as a safe haven.”
2. Informal: “When I’m stuck for ideas, I always fall back on my old notebooks for inspiration.”
3. Written: “The company’s decision to fall back on its emergency reserves was met with shareholder approval.”
4. Spoken: “If this project doesn’t work out, we can fall back on our original plan.”

Using 'Fall Back On' in IELTS Speaking

Grammatical Analysis

‘Fall back on’ is an inseparable phrasal verb, meaning the object always comes after the entire phrase. For example:

• Correct: “I can fall back on my savings.”
• Incorrect: “I can fall my savings back on.”

It’s typically used in the present simple, past simple, or present perfect tenses.

Application in IELTS

In IELTS Speaking

Incorporating ‘fall back on’ can demonstrate your advanced vocabulary skills. Here’s how you might use it in response to common IELTS Speaking questions:

Question: “How do you handle unexpected challenges?”
Sample Answer: “When faced with unexpected challenges, I usually try to stay calm and assess the situation. If my initial approach doesn’t work, I fall back on my problem-solving skills and experience to find alternative solutions.”

In IELTS Writing

While ‘fall back on’ is more commonly used in spoken English, it can also enhance your writing, particularly in Task 2 essays. However, be mindful of the formality level required.

Example: “In times of economic hardship, governments often fall back on traditional methods of stimulating growth, such as lowering interest rates.”

Related Phrasal Verbs

1. Back up (/bæk ʌp/) – to support or provide assistance
   Example: “My friends always back me up when I need help.”

2. Rely on (/rɪˈlaɪ ɒn/) – to depend on someone or something
   Example: “I rely on my alarm clock to wake up on time.”

3. Count on (/kaʊnt ɒn/) – to depend on someone or expect with confidence
   Example: “You can count on me to keep your secret.”

4. Turn to (/tɜːn tuː/) – to go to for help or advice
   Example: “When I’m feeling down, I turn to my family for support.”

5. Resort to (/rɪˈzɔːt tuː/) – to use as a last option, often undesirable
   Example: “We had to resort to using candles when the power went out.”

Related Phrasal Verbs for IELTS

Practice Exercises

Fill in the Blanks

1. When all else fails, I always ___ my intuition.
2. The company had to ___ its emergency funds during the financial crisis.
3. If you can’t solve the problem, you can ___ your teacher for help.
4. Many people ___ traditional remedies when modern medicine doesn’t work.
5. In difficult times, we often ___ family and friends for support.
6. The team decided to ___ their original strategy after the new plan failed.
7. When traveling, it’s good to have some cash to ___ in case your card doesn’t work.
8. If the power goes out, we can ___ candles and flashlights.
9. Students often ___ memorization techniques when studying for exams.
10. In emergencies, people usually ___ their basic survival instincts.

Sentence Rewriting

1. Original: I always use my savings when I have financial problems.
   Rewrite: I always ___ my savings when I have financial problems.

2. Original: The hikers resorted to their emergency supplies when they got lost.
   Rewrite: The hikers ___ their emergency supplies when they got lost.

3. Original: When in doubt, she relies on her past experiences to make decisions.
   Rewrite: When in doubt, she ___ her past experiences to make decisions.

4. Original: If the new method doesn’t work, we’ll return to the traditional approach.
   Rewrite: If the new method doesn’t work, we’ll ___ the traditional approach.

5. Original: Many artists depend on their creativity when facing writer’s block.
   Rewrite: Many artists ___ their creativity when facing writer’s block.

6. Original: In times of stress, he turns to meditation for relaxation.
   Rewrite: In times of stress, he ___ meditation for relaxation.

7. Original: The company resorted to cost-cutting measures during the recession.
   Rewrite: The company ___ cost-cutting measures during the recession.

8. Original: When all else fails, we can always use the backup generator.
   Rewrite: When all else fails, we can always ___ the backup generator.

9. Original: She relies on her extensive vocabulary during public speaking.
   Rewrite: She ___ her extensive vocabulary during public speaking.

10. Original: In emergencies, people often depend on their instincts for survival.
    Rewrite: In emergencies, people often ___ their instincts for survival.

Answers and Explanations

Fill in the Blanks:

1. fall back on
2. fall back on
3. fall back on
4. fall back on
5. fall back on
6. fall back on
7. fall back on
8. fall back on
9. fall back on
10. fall back on

Explanation: In all these sentences, ‘fall back on’ is used to express relying on or resorting to something when other options are unavailable or have failed.

Sentence Rewriting:

1. I always fall back on my savings when I have financial problems.
2. The hikers fell back on their emergency supplies when they got lost.
3. When in doubt, she falls back on her past experiences to make decisions.
4. If the new method doesn’t work, we’ll fall back on the traditional approach.
5. Many artists fall back on their creativity when facing writer’s block.
6. In times of stress, he falls back on meditation for relaxation.
7. The company fell back on cost-cutting measures during the recession.
8. When all else fails, we can always fall back on the backup generator.
9. She falls back on her extensive vocabulary during public speaking.
10. In emergencies, people often fall back on their instincts for survival.

Explanation: These sentences demonstrate how to replace phrases like ‘resort to,’ ‘rely on,’ or ‘turn to’ with ‘fall back on’ while maintaining the same meaning.

Memory Tips

To remember ‘fall back on,’ visualize yourself literally falling backwards onto a safety net. This safety net represents the reliable resource or backup plan you’re relying on. This image reinforces the idea of having something to support you when other options fail.

Another technique is to create a memorable sentence: “When plans Fall flat, I Back up and rely ON my skills.” The capitalized letters spell out ‘Fall Back On.’

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Mistake: Separating the phrasal verb (e.g., “fall my savings back on”).
   Correction: Always keep ‘fall back on’ together, with the object after it.

2. Mistake: Using it for first choices or preferred options.
   Correction: ‘Fall back on’ implies a secondary or last resort option, not a primary choice.

3. Mistake: Overusing in formal writing.
   Correction: While acceptable in IELTS Speaking, use more formal alternatives in Writing Task 2, such as ‘resort to’ or ‘rely upon.’

4. Mistake: Incorrect preposition (e.g., “fall back to” or “fall back at”).
   Correction: The correct preposition is always ‘on.’

5. Mistake: Using in continuous tenses.
   Correction: ‘Fall back on’ is rarely used in continuous tenses. Stick to simple tenses for natural usage.

To avoid these mistakes, practice using ‘fall back on’ in various contexts and review your usage regularly. Pay attention to how native speakers use this phrasal verb in different situations.

Conclusion

Mastering ‘fall back on’ can significantly enhance your IELTS performance, particularly in the Speaking test. It demonstrates a sophisticated command of English phrasal verbs and can help you express ideas about resilience, problem-solving, and adaptability more effectively.

Remember to practice using ‘fall back on’ in various contexts, and don’t hesitate to incorporate it into your IELTS responses when appropriate. By doing so, you’ll not only improve your score but also develop a more natural and fluent speaking style.

As you prepare for your IELTS test, consider common pitfalls to avoid and always be ready to describe experiences where you received important feedback. These strategies, combined with your expanded phrasal verb vocabulary, will help you approach the test with confidence and achieve the score you’re aiming for.