call in — visit briefly
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutraloccasional
to visit a place or person for a short time, usually without much planning.
Say it like a native
Textbook I shall pay you a brief visit on my way home from work.
Native I'll call in on my way home.
'Call in' is the natural BrE verb for a quick visit; the formal version is stiff.
Pattern: call in (on someone/somewhere)
In use
- I might call in on my grandmother after work to see how she's doing.daily life
- If I have time after my classes, I usually call in on my friend who lives nearby for a quick chat.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ I'll call in you tomorrow.
✓ I'll call in on you tomorrow. / I'll call round tomorrow.
'Call IN ON someone' — don't drop 'on'.
Common collocations
call in (on)— on you, at the shop, on the way, for a chat
Don't confuse it
'Call in' is similar to 'drop by' or 'pop in', but not the same as 'call' (phone).
Related
- call in (request help) — Another meaning of 'call in' is 'request help'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.