Say it like this
- I'll look into it and get back to you.
- We're looking into the root cause now.
- Can someone look into why the tests are failing?
- I looked into it yesterday but didn't find anything.
- Let me look into that before the next meeting.
Use it at work
Promising
- I'll look into it and get back to you.
- Let me look into that and update you by tomorrow.
Asking
- Can you look into why the build is slow?
- Could someone look into this alert?
Updating
- I looked into it. It's a config issue.
- We're still looking into the cause.
Don't say this
No preposition needed after 'look into' — it already contains 'into'.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| look into | Investigate a problem | Anyone | Problems, questions |
| look through | Read or scan something | Anyone | Documents, lists |
| look at | Check something quickly | Anyone | Any task |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. Your teammate asks: 'The login page is slow. Can someone check it?' What do you say?
2. I looked into about the deployment issue yesterday.
3. We need to look ____ why the tests are failing.
4. I will make an investigation of the bug.
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 5
"I'll look into it and get back to you."
We don't save your recording. The word check uses your browser's speech recognition.
More about look into
Real examples(7)
- Standup
"I'll look into the reported bug and fix it."
- Slack message
"Hey, can you look into why the API is returning 500 errors?"
- GitHub PR
"I looked into this issue and the fix is in the latest commit."
- Jira ticket
"Need someone to look into the performance degradation on the dashboard."
- Retrospective
"We should look into why deployments took so long this sprint."
- Sprint planning
"I'll look into the scope before we estimate this story."
- Pair programming
"Let's look into why this function is returning null."
More mistakes(2)
- ✕I looked into it and I fixed.✓I looked into it and I fixed it.
'Fixed' needs an object — you must say what you fixed.
- ✕I will look into to find the problem.✓I will look into the problem.
Don't use 'to find' after 'look into' — the meaning is already included.
Other forms(4)
- look into base form
"I'll look into it today."
- looking into present continuous
"I'm looking into the issue now."
- looked into past simple
"I looked into it yesterday."
- have looked into present perfect
"We have looked into all the options."
Often used with(5)
- look into an issue · Most common combination — used for bugs or problems.
- look into the cause · Focus on finding why something happened.
- look into it · Very common short reply. Shows you will investigate.
- look into options · Used when exploring possible solutions.
- look into further · Signals more investigation is needed.
Similar words(5)
- investigate · More formal. Often used in documentation or reports.
- examine · Slightly more formal. Focus on careful checking.
- check out · More casual. Common in spoken English.
- dig into · Informal. Suggests deeper, more detailed investigation.
- explore · Broader. Used when considering multiple possibilities.
Opposites(4)
- ignore
- overlook
- dismiss
- skip
Questions(6)
- What does 'look into' mean in a standup?
- 'Look into' means to investigate or examine something. In a standup, saying 'I'll look into it' means you will spend time checking the issue to understand or fix it.
- Is 'look into' formal or informal?
- 'Look into' is neutral — it works in casual Slack messages, standups, and more formal emails or documentation. It is safe to use in any work context.
- What is the difference between 'look into' and 'investigate'?
- 'Look into' is slightly more casual and common in everyday speech. 'Investigate' sounds more formal and is often used in written reports or official documentation.
- Can I say 'look into about'?
- No. 'Look into' already includes 'into', so you don't need another preposition. Say 'look into the issue' — not 'look into about the issue'.
- How do I use 'look into' in past tense?
- Use 'looked into'. For example: 'I looked into the bug yesterday but couldn't find the cause.'
- What does 'I'll look into it' mean in a Slack message?
- It means the person will investigate or check the issue. It is a common way to say you will work on understanding a problem but may not have an answer immediately.
