cover for — do someone’s work while they are away
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
to temporarily do someone else’s job or duties when they can’t be there, for example because they are sick or on holiday.
Say it like a native
Textbook Could you perform my duties while I am absent?
Native Could you cover for me while I'm off?
'Cover for me' is standard workplace talk; the formal version sounds like a contract clause.
Pattern: cover for + person
In use
- Can you cover for me while I’m at the dentist this afternoon?work
- At my last job, I often had to cover for colleagues when they were on holiday or off sick, which helped me learn new skills.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ Can you cover me at work on Friday?
✓ Can you cover for me on Friday?
For doing someone's job, use 'cover FOR someone'. (Bare 'cover me' suggests protection.)
Common collocations
cover for + person— me, a colleague, her shift, each other
Don't confuse it
Not the same as 'cover' meaning to hide something.