Business English Phrasal Verb: Draw Up

Phrasal verbs are usually two-word phrases consisting of a verb + adverb or a verb + preposition. Since there are so many, it's best to study them as you encounter them rather than trying to memorize many at once.

In business, there are always formal documents to review, contracts to sign, and plans to prepare, and the phrasal verb most commonly used for these activities is draw up. To draw up something (or draw something up) is to prepare a plan, proposal, agreement, or other document in detail.

The architect has drawn up plans for a new Las Vegas hotel.
I've drawn up an employment contract for you to sign.
I asked my team to draw up a chart comparing the benefits of our product to those of our competitor.

Have you drawn up any official documents for your job?

Pencil Me In

Have you ever made plans with someone without 100% certainty? At that moment everything seems possible but perhaps your schedule will change or you might even have to cancel. This happens a lot in life, so much so that we have an expression for it: pencil in.

To pencil in something or someone (or to pencil something or someone in) means to schedule an activity with the possibility of changing it later. It’s an appointment that is tentative, not certain, provisional (possibly to be changed later). It is a common expression in business English but it also can be used in everyday life. Try it!

I’ll pencil you in for lunch tomorrow.
Howard’s boss penciled in a staff meeting for 2 pm.
I’ll pencil our conference call in for 10 a.m. Let me know if you need to change it.