What’s the difference between cleaning something and cleaning something up in English? Like with most verbs in English, adding just one preposition to the verb “clean” changes its meaning entirely, and there are situations where we use typically use “clean” instead of “clean up” and vice versa. I talk about some of these situations in today’s video, and I hope you find it helpful! Take note of the difference in meaning between these two verbs: 🔹clean = to remove dirt, mud, or anything that is dirty from a certain place; the action of cleaning usually implies washing with water, sweeping, dusting, and vacuuming to get rid of dirty substances: He always cleans his glasses with his shirt, even though his eye doctor told him to use wipes to clean them. If you wear makeup every day, it’s important to clean your makeup brushes regularly. We need to clean the attic before storing anything up there. 🔸clean up = to get rid of a mess by cleaning; using this verb implies that there is a mess somewhere, and cleaning up refers to the act of making things neat and getting rid of dirt or anything that is dirty after a mess has been made: After the art activity, the students worked together to clean up the classroom before the bell rang. (Note: if you used the verb “clean” here, that would mean using wipes, a mop, and spray to clean the room) When he dropped his food and drink on the floor, no one helped him clean up the mess. The team stayed late to clean up the lab after the experiment. Finally, to clean up AFTER someone means to clean up the mess that they have made, while cleaning up after yourself means to clean up a mess that you have made: Sharing an apartment with him was annoying because I always had to clean up after him. In life, it’s important to clean up after yourself because no one likes having to clean up after others. Now, practice using these verbs in the comments below! . . . . . #esl #learnenglish #speakenglish #practiceenglish #ingles #aprenderingles #anglais #apprendreanglais #englishlanguage #phrasalverbs #advancedenglish - @your.english.cheerleader