Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are an integral part of the English language, often used in both spoken and written communication. They consist of a verb combined with one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs), creating a meaning different from the original verb. This guide will explain what phrasal verbs are, how and when they are used, provide a comprehensive list of common phrasal verbs, and include examples and exercises to test your understanding.

What are Phrasal Verbs?

Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb with one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs) that result in a new meaning. The meaning of a phrasal verb is often idiomatic and cannot always be inferred from the individual parts.

Structure of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs consist of a verb and one or more particles. The particles can be prepositions, adverbs, or a combination of both.

• Verb + Adverb: “give up”
• Verb + Preposition: “look after”
• Verb + Adverb + Preposition: “put up with”

How are Phrasal Verbs Used?

Phrasal verbs are used to convey a wide range of actions, ideas, and states. They can be separable or inseparable, and their meanings can vary widely based on context.

Separable Phrasal Verbs

Separable phrasal verbs allow the particle to be placed before or after the object.

• Example: “Turn off the light” or “Turn the light off.”

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Inseparable phrasal verbs do not allow the particle to be separated from the verb.

• Example: “I will look after the kids.” (Not “I will look the kids after.”)

When to Use Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are commonly used in informal and conversational English. They can also be found in formal writing but are more frequent in everyday speech.

Examples of Common Phrasal Verbs

Break down: To stop functioning.

• Example: “My car broke down on the way to work.”

Bring up: To mention or raise a topic.

• Example: “She brought up the idea during the meeting.”

Call off: To cancel.

• Example: “They called off the event due to bad weather.”

Find out: To discover or learn.

• Example: “I found out about the surprise party.”

Give up: To stop trying.

• Example: “He gave up smoking last year.”

50 The Most Common Phrasal Verbs

• Add up: To calculate the total of several numbers.
  • Example: “Add up the prices to see how much we need to pay.”
• Back up: To make a copy of data or to move backward.
  • Example: “Make sure to back up your files regularly.”
• Blow up: To explode or to inflate.
  • Example: “The balloon blew up suddenly.”
• Break down: To stop functioning or to become very emotional.
  • Example: “My car broke down on the way home.”
• Bring up: To mention or raise a topic or to raise a child.
  • Example: “She brought up an interesting point during the meeting.”
• Call off: To cancel.
  • Example: “The game was called off due to rain.”
• Carry on: To continue.
  • Example: “Please carry on with your work.”
• Check out: To investigate or to leave a hotel.
  • Example: “Check out this new book.”
• Come across: To find or meet by chance.
  • Example: “I came across an old friend in the park.”
• Cut down on: To reduce.
  • Example: “I need to cut down on sugar.”
• Find out: To discover or learn.
  • Example: “I found out that he was lying.”
• Get along: To have a good relationship.
  • Example: “They get along very well.”
• Give up: To stop trying.
  • Example: “He gave up smoking last year.”
• Go on: To continue.
  • Example: “Please go on with your story.”
• Hang out: To spend time relaxing or socializing.
  • Example: “We like to hang out at the mall.”
• Look after: To take care of.
  • Example: “She looks after her younger brother.”
• Look forward to: To anticipate with pleasure.
  • Example: “I look forward to the weekend.”
• Make up: To invent a story or to reconcile.
  • Example: “She made up a story about why she was late.”
• Pass away: To die.
  • Example: “His grandfather passed away last year.”
• Put off: To postpone.
  • Example: “They decided to put off the meeting.”
• Put up with: To tolerate.
  • Example: “I can’t put up with his behavior anymore.”
• Run into: To meet by chance.
  • Example: “I ran into my old teacher at the store.”
• Run out of: To exhaust the supply of something.
  • Example: “We ran out of milk.”
• Set up: To arrange or establish.
  • Example: “They set up a new company.”
• Take off: To leave the ground (for planes) or to become successful.
  • Example: “The plane took off at 6 PM.”
• Turn down: To reject or lower the volume.
  • Example: “She turned down the job offer.”
• Turn off: To stop the operation of something.
  • Example: “Turn off the lights when you leave.”
• Wake up: To stop sleeping.
  • Example: “I wake up at 6 AM every day.”
• Break up: To end a relationship.
  • Example: “They broke up last month.”
• Look up: To search for information.
  • Example: “I need to look up that word in the dictionary.”
• Take care of: To look after.
  • Example: “She takes care of her grandmother.”
• Turn on: To start the operation of something.
  • Example: “Turn on the TV, please.”
• Get over: To recover from.
  • Example: “It took her a long time to get over the flu.”
• Come up with: To think of or produce something.
  • Example: “He came up with a great idea.”
• Take up: To start a new hobby or activity.
  • Example: “She took up painting last year.”
• Give in: To surrender or yield.
  • Example: “He finally gave in to their demands.”
• Fall apart: To break into pieces or fail.
  • Example: “The chair fell apart when I sat on it.”
• Show up: To arrive or appear.
  • Example: “He showed up late to the meeting.”
• Get by: To manage or survive.
  • Example: “She gets by on a small salary.”
• Look into: To investigate or examine.
  • Example: “The police are looking into the matter.”
• Catch up: To reach the same level or standard.
  • Example: “She needs to catch up on her homework.”
• Fall out: To quarrel or have a disagreement.
  • Example: “They fell out over a trivial matter.”
• Hold on: To wait or grasp tightly.
  • Example: “Hold on a minute, I’ll be right back.”
• Pick up: To collect or improve.
  • Example: “I’ll pick you up at 7 PM.”
• Look out: To be careful or watchful.
  • Example: “Look out for the car!”
• Put out: To extinguish or inconvenience.
  • Example: “The firefighters put out the fire.”
• Break in: To enter by force or interrupt.
  • Example: “Someone broke in last night.”
• Turn up: To arrive or increase the volume.
  • Example: “She turned up late again.”
• Give away: To distribute for free or reveal.
  • Example: “He gave away his old books.”
• Put on: To dress or gain weight.
  • Example: “She put on her coat and left.”

Phrasal Verbs with “Get”

• Get across – To successfully communicate an idea.
  • Example: “She managed to get her point across during the meeting.”
• Get ahead – To make progress or be successful.
  • Example: “He worked hard to get ahead in his career.”
• Get along – To have a good relationship with someone.
  • Example: “They get along well with each other.”
• Get around – To move from place to place; also, to avoid something.
  • Example: “He gets around town by bike.”
• Get away – To escape or go on vacation.
  • Example: “We’re planning to get away for the weekend.”
• Get back – To return to a place.
  • Example: “When did you get back from your trip?”
• Get back at – To take revenge.
  • Example: “She plans to get back at him for what he did.”
• Get by – To manage or survive.
  • Example: “They don’t have much money, but they get by.”
• Get down – To depress someone; also, to write something down.
  • Example: “The bad news got him down.”
• Get in – To enter a place, or to be accepted (e.g., to a school).
  • Example: “What time did you get in last night?”
• Get off – To leave a vehicle; also, to avoid punishment.
  • Example: “We need to get off the bus at the next stop.”
• Get on – To board a vehicle; also, to make progress.
  • Example: “Get on the train at platform 5.”
• Get out – To leave a place.
  • Example: “He told them to get out of his office.”
• Get over – To recover from something (e.g., an illness, a relationship).
  • Example: “It took her months to get over the breakup.”
• Get through – To finish something; also, to make contact.
  • Example: “It took him hours to get through all the paperwork.”
• Get together – To meet with someone.
  • Example: “Let’s get together for lunch next week.”
• Get up – To rise from bed or to stand up.
  • Example: “I usually get up at 7 AM.”
• Get into – To become interested or involved in something.
  • Example: “She’s really getting into yoga these days.”
• Get out of – To avoid doing something; to exit a vehicle.
  • Example: “He tried to get out of doing his chores.”
• Get away with – To do something wrong without being punished.
  • Example: “He got away with cheating on the test.”
• Get around to – To finally do something after delaying it.
  • Example: “I’ll get around to replying to your email soon.”
• Get on with – To continue doing something.
  • Example: “After the interruption, she got on with her work.”

Phrasal Verbs with “Up”

Break up – To end a relationship or to break into pieces.

• Example: “They decided to break up after five years together.”

Bring up – To mention something or to raise a child.

• Example: “She brought up an interesting point during the discussion.”

Call up – To phone someone.

• Example: “I’ll call up my friend to see if she’s free tonight.”

Catch up – To reach the same standard or level as others; to do something you have not had time to do.

• Example: “I need to catch up on my reading.”

Cheer up – To become happier or make someone happier.

• Example: “Cheer up! Things will get better soon.”

Clean up – To tidy or clean a space.

• Example: “We need to clean up the kitchen after dinner.”

Come up – To be mentioned or to appear unexpectedly.

• Example: “His name came up in the conversation.”

Dress up – To wear formal or special clothes.

• Example: “We need to dress up for the wedding.”

Fill up – To make something full.

• Example: “I need to fill up the gas tank before we leave.”

Give up – To stop trying or to surrender.

• Example: “Don’t give up on your dreams.”

Grow up – To mature or become an adult.

• Example: “He grew up in a small town.”

Hang up – To end a phone call.

• Example: “She hung up before I could say goodbye.”

Hold up – To delay or to rob.

• Example: “Traffic held us up for over an hour.”

Look up – To search for information; also, to improve.

• Example: “Look up the word in the dictionary.”

Make up – To invent (a story, excuse, etc.); also, to reconcile.

• Example: “She made up an excuse for being late.”

Pick up – To lift something; to collect someone or something; to learn something new.

• Example: “I’ll pick up the kids from school.”

Set up – To arrange or establish something.

• Example: “They set up a new company.”

Show up – To appear or arrive.

• Example: “She didn’t show up for the meeting.”

Speak up – To speak louder or express one’s opinion.

• Example: “Please speak up, I can’t hear you.”

Take up – To begin a new hobby or activity; to occupy space or time.

• Example: “He took up painting last year.”

Turn up – To arrive or be found; to increase the volume.

• Example: “He turned up at the party unexpectedly.”

Wake up – To stop sleeping.

• Example: “I usually wake up at 6 AM.”

Warm up – To prepare for exercise; to increase temperature.

• Example: “It’s important to warm up before running.”

Wrap up – To finish something; to cover or enclose in paper.

• Example: “Let’s wrap up the meeting by summarizing the main points.”

Use up – To consume or finish something completely.

• Example: “We used up all the milk.”

Examples of Phrasal Verbs in Sentences

1. Add up: The numbers don’t add up.
2. Back up: Could you back up a bit?
3. Blow up: The balloon blew up suddenly.
4. Break down: She broke down in tears.
5. Carry on: Please carry on with your work.
6. Check out: Check out this new restaurant.
7. Come across: I came across an old friend.
8. Cut down on: I need to cut down on sugar.
9. Find out: How did you find out about this?
10. Get along: They get along very well.

Phrasal Verb Exercises

Complete the sentences using the correct phrasal verb:

1. I need to ________ (find out/find up) the truth.
2. Can you ________ (turn off/turn out) the lights?
3. She had to ________ (call off/call up) the meeting.
4. They ________ (ran into/ran across) an old friend at the mall.
5. He decided to ________ (give up/give in) smoking.
6. We should ________ (look after/look for) the kids while they play.
7. I ________ (came across/came up) a great book at the store.
8. Let’s ________ (put off/put on) the party until next week.
9. I need to ________ (wake up/wake down) early tomorrow.
10. She loves to ________ (hang out/hang in) with friends.

Answers:

1. find out
2. turn off
3. call off
4. ran into
5. give up
6. look after
7. came across
8. put off
9. wake up
10. hang out

Understanding and using phrasal verbs correctly can greatly enhance your English communication skills. Use this guide to master phrasal verbs and make your language more dynamic and expressive!