draw up

prepare a document, plan, or list in detail

B2

What does "draw sth up" mean?

To draw up a document, plan, or list means to prepare it carefully and in a formal, structured way. It is most often used in professional, legal, or official contexts — for example, when lawyers prepare a contract, or when a team creates a detailed proposal. The phrase implies more than simply writing something down; it suggests a deliberate process with a specific purpose and often some degree of official weight. It is slightly more formal than expressions like 'put together' or 'write up', and the thing being prepared is almost always something structured, such as a budget, an agreement, or a set of guidelines. You will encounter this phrase frequently in business writing, news articles, and formal conversation in both British and American English.

Examples

How to use it

draw up + document/plan/list

The most common pattern — use with a noun object representing the document or plan being formally prepared.

The committee needs to draw up a new set of guidelines before the end of the month.

draw + pronoun + up

When replacing the object with a pronoun, it must go between 'draw' and 'up' — never after 'up'.

We've agreed on the terms of the contract, so now we just need to draw it up.

be drawn up (by + agent)

The passive form is very natural and common, especially when the document itself is more important than who created it.

The new safety regulations were drawn up by a team of independent advisers.

modal/to + draw up + document

Used after modal verbs or 'to' when talking about the need, intention, or ability to prepare something formally.

They agreed to draw up a formal proposal and submit it to the board by Thursday.

draw + short noun phrase + up

Short noun phrases can be placed between the verb and particle, though longer ones should follow 'up' unseparated.

She drew a quick schedule up so everyone knew their responsibilities.

Common Collocations

draw up a contractdraw up a plandraw up a listdraw up a proposaldraw up an agreementdraw up a budget

Common Mistakes

Pronoun placement

When using a pronoun as the object, it must go between 'draw' and 'up'. Placing it after 'up' is incorrect.

✗ Can you draw up it before the meeting?
✓ Can you draw it up before the meeting?
Using it for casual or informal writing

'Draw up' implies a formal, structured process — it should be used for official documents, plans, or lists with some professional or legal weight, not for casual note-taking.

✗ I drew up a quick shopping list for the supermarket.
✓ I drew up a detailed inventory of all the equipment in the office.
Confusing 'draw up' with 'write up'

'Write up' focuses on the act of putting something into written form and can be used in informal contexts, while 'draw up' stresses formal preparation and carries a sense of official structure.

✗ The intern wrote up the legal agreement between the two companies.
✓ The intern drew up the legal agreement between the two companies.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral to formal and is very common in business, legal, and official contexts. It is equally natural in both British and American English.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'draw up' be used in the passive?

Yes — the passive form is actually very common with 'draw up', especially in legal and business writing. Sentences like 'The contract was drawn up by a solicitor' or 'The guidelines have been drawn up' are completely natural and frequently appear in professional texts.

What kinds of things can you 'draw up'?

The object is almost always something with official or semi-official weight: contracts, agreements, plans, proposals, budgets, schedules, guidelines, legislation, wills, or constitutions. It would sound unnatural to use 'draw up' for something very informal, like a casual to-do list or a personal note.

Does 'draw up' always mean preparing a document?

No — 'draw up' has another meaning where a vehicle or person moves to a stop, as in 'A taxi drew up outside the hotel.' However, these two senses are easy to tell apart: the document-preparation sense always takes an object like a contract or plan, while the vehicle sense is used without an object and is typically followed by a location.

Is 'draw up' used more in British or American English?

It is common in both British and American English and does not have a strong regional preference. You will hear and read it in professional and legal contexts on both sides of the Atlantic.

Can I say 'will be drawing up' if I'm talking about the future?

It's more natural to use 'will draw up' or 'is going to draw up' when talking about future plans. The future continuous form ('will be drawing up') is not wrong, but it can sound slightly forced in most contexts and is rarely the best choice.

Related Phrasal Verbs

write sb/sth up

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