Meaning trap
look up
admire someone
To respect or admire someone, often because you think they are important, talented, or have good qualities.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To respect or admire someone, often because you think they are important, talented, or have good qualities.
'look up' also has the more basic meaning 'search for information'; this is the advanced sense.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- Many young athletes look up to Serena Williams as a source of inspiration.relationships
- In my opinion, children benefit greatly when they have someone to look up to, as it encourages them to develop positive values and ambitions.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: look up to someone
WrongI really look up my grandfather.
RightI really look up to my grandfather.
To admire a person you must say 'look up TO'. Bare 'look up' means search for info or raise your eyes.
Patternlook up to someone
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Look up to' is the natural verb for admiring someone. 'Hold in high regard' is formal. (This sense needs 'to' + a person.)
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
look up toto himto her parentsto a mentorto older kids
Don't confuse it
This sense is a figurative use and always requires 'to' (look up to someone), unlike the B1 sense 'look up' (search for information), which does not take 'to'. It is also different from the B2 sense (improve), which never refers to people.
Related
- look up (search for information) — 'look up' also has the more basic meaning 'search for information'; this is the advanced sense.