# I filled / fill <in, out> an application form.



## roniy

1) "I filled out an application"/ "I filled out an application form" /

Are they identical ?????

Somehow the first one sounds incomplete. 
Shouldn't it be :
"I filled out an application for a jub position " 
???

2) 
"I filled out an application for a jub position " = "I applied for a job position"

And these two are the same ?????


Thanks.


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## kayokid

Hello.
In AE we say, I filled out an application.


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## maxiogee

Anything you "fill out" is a form. 
This would mean that both options in (1) are correct.
And, with the exception of the typo in the word "jub", I would omit the word "position" from (2) - I filled out an application for a job / I applied for a job.


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## zulim

To me they are the same but if you add a period  at the end of the first one that it's ok. Both are o.k


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## Joelline

Hi roniy,

It depends on context:  You could say, I went to X department store today and I filled out an application."   Everyone would understand that you were filling out a job application, so you wouldn't need to add anything to your statement.  The only time I can think of that you would want to add more would be if you were contrasting job application with another kind of application:  I went to the XYZ Finance Company today, and I filled out both a loan application and a job application.

On the other hand, "I filled out an application for a JOB position" is redundant (job means "position" here, so you wouldn't use both together).  I don't think a native speaker would say this. 

Hope this helps,
Joelline


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## roniy

Got it.

Thanks.


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## pjay

So, would a British person use a phrase like this? Since none of the British members of this forum is protesting, I assume that "to fill something *out" *has become acceptable in BrE.


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## panjandrum

I would complete an application form.
I might fill in the application form.
I would prefer NOT to fill out the application form.

Despite the silence, BE does not really like filling out.
Most, but not all of us, fill in or complete, forms.


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## MarcB

In NAE fill in (in parts) the blanks fill in the information on the form but fill out the form (as a whole). Also complete is used.


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## paddycarol

*It's quite confusing to me, why in English we have both "fill in a form" and "fill out a form" Do they mean the same and is it just a case of the arbitrariness of language?*


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## suzi br

Hi
Personally, I would never say fill out a form -- maybe it is something Americans do?  I'd certainly understand them to mean the same and yes, it seems very typical of English to use a variety of ways to say the same thing!


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## ChrissyH

To be honest I use *both* expressions for the same task - maybe suzi br has hit the nail on the head and "fill out" is American English - it would be interesting to hear from some of our friends from across the pond...


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## Old Novice

There was recently a long thread on this topic, here.


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## ChrissyH

Thank you Old Novice - very interesting.  I'll guess I'll keep on using both fill in and fill out and just go with my feelings.


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## panjandrum

There was general agreement the last time we talked about this that *fill out* is AE, *fill in* BE, but either would be OK anywhere.

"I filled out an application"/ "I filled out an application form"


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## Porteño

And how about 'fill *up* a form'? Also used.


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## nurdug51

I've always  thought it should be:_ fill in a worksheet_.
Now I saw the phrase: _fill out a worksheet_.
Are they both correct? Or is a question of BE/AE?

nurdug51


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## Old Novice

This is the general subject of an earlier thread.

Edit: And of this one, too.


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## la reine victoria

nurdug51 said:


> I've always thought it should be:_ fill in a worksheet_.
> Now I saw the phrase: _fill out a worksheet_.
> Are they both correct? Or is a question of BE/AE?
> 
> nurdug51


 
Hi G!  

I think both are correct.

LRV


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## mimi2

Hi,
I am wondering which I should use for this context because both of the verbs are fine to me.
"Send for our free brochure by completing/filling the coupon below."
Please give me your explanation.
Thank you.


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## Robot Lips

I've never heard of a coupon being filled out ... we call it an order form or "form."

"Send for a free brochure by completing the order form below." Or "filling out" the form below.


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## LeonTheOutsider

_*fill in*_ or _*fill out*_ is a phrasal verb. 

fill in = enter
fill out = complete


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## mimi2

LeonTheOutsider said:


> _*fill in*_ or _*fill out*_ is a phrasal verb.
> 
> fill in = enter
> fill out = complete


Please give an example.
 fill in = enter.
I think fill in = fill out = complete.
Thanks.


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## GenJen54

You fill in a blank (a single blank on a test sheet, for example).  In this case, you are literally filling in the question blank with your answer.

You fill out (complete) an order form.


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## mimi2

Thank you, GenJen.
It is clear to me now.


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## petalito

What is the difference?

Example

- Please fill out/fill up this form

- I fill up my car (put gas)


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## El escoces

Hello Petalito,

Illogically, you can either fill _out_ or fill _in_ a form - both meaning "complete".

Fill _up_ (your example is perfect) means to add to (usually a container, until full).


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## WestSideGal

It is "fill *out*" a form, as in provide all of the information asked of you.  "Llenar" la forma.  I suppose you could say "fill up the form" with information, but it is not usually said.

You "fill *up*" your car, as in "llenar el carro/coche/auto".


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## petalito

Thank you!


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## El escoces

"Fill in" the form may be restricted to British English, where it certainly is used frequently.


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## ron1759

petalito said:


> What is the difference?
> 
> Example
> 
> - Please fill out/fill up this form
> 
> - I fill up my car (put gas)



The first sentence should be "Please fill out this form," meaning to write answers to the questions or write information in the blank spaces.  "Fill up" is not good in this sentence.

In the second sentence "fill up" means to fill (up) to the top or to fill completely.

I can think of one other meaning of "fill out"--to fill out one's clothes (such as by growing or gaining weight).  Example: "Babe Ruth [a famous baseball player from the past] ate so much that he filled out his uniform."


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## Floyd 33

El escoces said:


> "Fill in" the form may be restricted to British English, where it certainly is used frequently.


This is also frequently used in Canadian English.


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## Forero

We sometimes say "fill in a form", but usually "fill out a form", but "fill in the blank(s)" and "fill in the answer(s)" are always "fill in".

To "fill up" a form is to fill it (with questions or whatever) until there is no room left on it.


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## Coriolis

Hello everybody!

like a bee in a bonnet, I'm going on thinking about this question: what's the difference between "to fill in" and "to fill out"?

Many years a go an english teacher explained to me there is a subtle difference between these two phrasal verb, but I can't find what is anymore!

As I remember it may be related to how many gaps are in the text counterpose to not empty text, but I'm not sure at all.

May anyone of you help me? 

Thank you
Lucia


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## ace02nc

You "fill in" the blanks (blank spaces on a test or application) and you "fill out" a form.  "Fill out" is used when referring generally to the entire form/application.  "Fill in" is used when referring to a few spaces on a form.  It can also refer to something such as fixing a crack on a sidewalk ("Fill in these cracks with cement").  "Fill out" also refers to a person's body figure ("She really filled out that dress" or "He really filled out when he became an adult.")  I probably just confused you more and didn't actually answer your question... Let me know if I can clarify further!


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## Skin

In BE you can fill in a form, while in AE you prefer to fill it out. I don't think there is any significant difference between the two, in this respect, as far as I know.


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## Coriolis

ace02nc said:


> You "fill in" the blanks (blank spaces on a test or application) and you "fill out" a form.  "Fill out" is used when referring generally to the entire form/application.  "Fill in" is used when referring to a few spaces on a form.  It can also refer to something such as fixing a crack on a sidewalk ("Fill in these cracks with cement").  "Fill out" also refers to a person's body figure ("She really filled out that dress" or "He really filled out when he became an adult.")  I probably just confused you more and didn't actually answer your question... Let me know if I can clarify further!



That's exactly what I thought it should be! Referring to form/application I mean...

As regards "fill out" referred to a person's body, can you please clarify it to me? I can't understand if you mean "being the size of... the dress you wear/the age you have" or something different.

Thank you anyway!
Lucia


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## Coriolis

Skin said:


> In BE you can fill in a form, while in AE you prefer to fill it out. I don't think there is any significant difference between the two, in this respect, as far as I know.



That's interesting, too! Thanks


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## cirrus

Coriolis said:


> As regards "fill out" referred to a person's body, can you please clarify it to me? I can't understand if you mean "being the size of... the dress you wear/the age you have" or something different.



When boys go through adolescence they get more muscles.  This means that their chests get bigger.  This process is called filling out.  It's used in a positive way, it's not generally a euphemism for getting fat.

Just to confirm that I am another BE speaker who would use fill out or fill in a form pretty much equally.


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## Coriolis

Thank you, Cirrus!


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## panjandrum

Today's thread has been added to the end of a previous set of discussions - to avoid having to repeat what was said in the others.

Please remember to look for the answer before posting a new question.


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## river_44

Hi guys,

I remember, someone told me the proper term in completing a form was fill-out instead of fill-in. Can you guys confim?

Please fill-out your name.

Thanks


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## Dimcl

Here's what I think about it...  You "fill out" a form.  You "fill in" your name (in the blank space, for example).  You "fill in" your address, etc.  Then you would be able to say "I filled out the form".

By the way, neither phrase ("fill out"/"fill in") would be hyphenated in this structure.


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## MarcB

I agree with Dimcl you fill out the form as a whole and fill in individual parts of a form.


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## Thomas Veil

You fill in your name, but you fill out a form.  Using "fill in" with a form is less of an error than "fill out" with name.  You are putting your name _in_ the form, so you fill in your name.  If there's a blank on the form, you fill the blank in.  If you've filled all the blanks in, then you've filled the form in.  And at this point, the form is filled out.  "Filled in" indicates that the blanks have had things put in them.  "Filled out" indicates that you've done everything that you need to do with regard to the form.  The preposition "out" is used to indicate completion.


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## englishelp

I hope this is not too much of a digression. But reading this thread immediately reminds me of a hilarious article on the craziness of the English language: 

English is a crazy language

There is one paragraph in that article that pokes fun at 'fill in' and 'fill out' and other apparent contradictions in English phrases: 

"You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you* fill in a form by filling it out* and in which an alarm clock goes off by going on. "


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## Johandry

Just curiosity, does exist "fill down"?


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## Forero

I disagree with "you fill in a form by filling it out."  I see it the other way around: you fill out a form by filling it in, complete it by writing things in as requested.

(To me, the part about how the house burns is backwards too.)

Hi, Johandry, and welcome to the forum.

I can't put any meaning on "fill down".  What do you imagine it to mean?


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## Porteño

Forero said:


> I disagree with "you fill in a form by filling it out." I see it the other way around: you fill out a form by filling it in, complete it by writing things in as requested.
> 
> (To me, the part about how the house burns is backwards too.)
> 
> Hi, Johandry, and welcome to the forum.
> 
> I can't put any meaning on "fill down". What do you imagine it to mean?


 
I thoroughly agree as regards the form. However the house comment confuses me. I have never heard of a house burning up. It may go up in flames but as far as I am concerned it burns down.


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