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Phrase Verbs Study Notes & Short Tricks & Tips


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What are phrasal verbs?

Generally, phrasal verbs are mainly used in spoken English and informal texts. ( Phrasal verbs are mostly used in an informal conversation, the less the informality, the less is the use of phrasal verbs.) Phrasal verbs generally consiste of a verb and a particle(preposition, adverb). Partilce can change the meaning od the verb completely. For example:

  • look up – consult a reference book (look a word up in a dictionary)
  • look for – seek (look for her ring)
  • look forward – anticipate with pleasure (look forward to meeting someone)

There are no general rules that can explain the meaning of phrasal verbs. You can, atmost, look them up in a dictionary and study their meanings.

A phrasal verb is a verb like pick upturn on or get on with. These verbs consists of a basic verb + another word or words. “Phrase” is basically formed by two or three words that make up a phrase – which is why these are called “phrasal verbs”. But a phrasal verb is still a verb. Look is a verb. Look up is also a verb – a different verb. Phrasal verbs do not have the same meaning and their behavior is grammatically different. One should treat each and every phrasal verb separately, and learn it like any other verb. Look at the following examples. It can be clearly seen that there are three types of phrasal verbs formed from a single-word verb:

verb definition example
single-word verb look direct your eyes in a certain direction You must lookbefore you leap.
phrasal verb verb + adverb look up search for and find information in a reference book You can look upthe word in a dictionary.
verb + preposition look after take care of Who is looking after the baby?
verb + adverb + preposition look forward to anticipate with pleasure look forward tomeeting you.

Phrasal Verb: VERB + ADVERB

The structure of this type of phrasal verb is:

verb + adverb

These phrasal verbs can be:

  • transitive (direct object)
  • intransitive (no direct object)

Look at these examples of transitive and intransitive::

meaning example sentence
direct object
transitive put off postpone We will have to put off the meeting.
turn down refuse They turned down my offer.
intransitive get up rise from bed I don’t like to get up.
break down stop working He was late because his car broke down.

Separable

When this type of phrasal verb has a direct object, we can usually separate the two parts. For example, “turn down” is separable. We can say: “turn down my offer” or “turn my offer down“. Look at these example sentences:

tick They turned down my offer.
tick They turned my offer down.

However, if the direct object is a pronoun, we have no choice. We must separate the two parts of the verb and insert the pronoun. Look at these examples with the verb “switch on”. Note that the last one is impossible:

tick John switched on the radio.
tick John switched the radio on.
tick John switched it on.
cross John switched on it.
Separable or inseparable?
Many dictionaries tell you when a phrasal verb is separable. If a dictionary writes “look (something) up”, you know that the phrasal verb “look up” is separable, and you can say “look something up” and “look up something”. It’s a good idea to write “sthg/sby” as appropriate in your vocabulary book when you learn a new phrasal verb, like this:

  • get up
  • break down
  • break sthg off
  • turn sthg/sby down

This tells you if the verb needs a direct object (and where to place it).

Phrasal Verb: VERB + PREPOSITION

This type of phrasal verb is also called a “prepositional verb“. The structure of a prepositional verb is:

verb + preposition

Because a preposition always has an object, all prepositional verbs have direct objects (ie they are transitive).

Look at these examples of prepositional verbs:

prepositional verb meaning example sentence
direct object
believe in have faith in the existence of believe in God.
look after take care of He is looking after the dog.
talk about discuss Did you talk about me?
wait for await John is waiting for Mary.

Prepositional verbs cannot be separated. That means that we cannot put the direct object between the two parts. For example, we must say “look after the baby”. We cannot say “look the baby after”:

tick Who is looking after the baby?
cross Who is looking the baby after?

It is a good idea to write “something/somebody” in your vocabulary book when you learn a new prepositional verb, like this:

  • believe in something/somebody
  • look after sthg/sby

This reminds you that the verb needs a direct object (and where to place it).

Phrasal Verb: VERB + ADVERB + PREPOSITION

This type of phrasal verb is also called a “phrasal-prepositional verb“. The structure of a phrasal-prepositional verb is:

verb + adverb + preposition

Look at these examples of phrasal-prepositional verbs:

phrasal-prepositional verb meaning example sentence
direct object
get on with have a friendly relationship with He doesn’t get on with his wife.
put up with tolerate I won’t put up with your attitude.
look forward to anticipate with pleasure look forward to seeing you.
run out of use up, exhaust We have run out of eggs.

Because phrasal-prepositional verbs end with a preposition, there is always a direct object. And, like prepositional verbs, phrasal-prepositional verbs cannot be separated. Look at these examples:

tick We ran out of gas.
tick We ran out of it.
cross We ran gas out of.
cross We ran out gas of.

It is a good idea to write “something/somebody” in your vocabulary book when you learn a new phrasal-prepositional verb, like this:

  • get on with somebody
  • put up with sthg/sby
  • run out of something

This reminds you that the verb needs a direct object (and where to place it).

Position of the Particle:

In some cases the particle is placed either after the verb or after the object.

Example:

  • Write down the word
  • Write the word down

If the object is a pronoun, however, the particle has to be placed after the pronoun (object).

Example:

  • Write it down.
  • Your photo album. Put it down
  • Your jacket. Take it off

How to Learn Phrasal Verbs

Everywhere we see are English phrasal verbs, so one of the best way to learn them is to listen them. The commonly used phrases are used most of the time in our day to day conversation. If you have ever heard a verb along with another word many times, it may be a phrasal verb.

If you are unsure of a phrasal verb or a phrase or just a verb that is being spoken along with a preposition, try looking up for them in a dictionary. Many of the dictionaries have entries for phrasal verbs. You can also look them up in the English Page phrasal dictionary, which is an excellent source. Do not forget to save the link.

Some phrasal verb meanings are obvious—like “fall down”—but some are almost like idioms since they can’t be literally translated—like “come on.” To make their learning easy, you can try grouping phrasal verbs into categories like time of day (i.e. wake up, lie down) or positive (i.e. cheer up) and negative (i.e. give up).

There are so many phrasal verbs that it might seem difficult to learn them all. But many of these phrases become natural after a while—all it takes is some repetition and practice.

How to Use Phrasal Verbs in English

Phrasal verbs are used just like verbs—anywhere they make sense!

Many times, verb and the preposition used in a phrasal verb need to be said together, like in the phrase “fall down”. In some cases, you can seperate verb and the preposition by putting some words in between them.

For example: the phrase “turn off” can be used just like that, or it can be interrupted by stating what you’re turning off. In other words, you can say “turn off the TV,” but you can also say “turn the TV off.” Both are correct!

One more thing to keep in mind about phrasal verbs is that they still are verbs. It means verb part of the phrase can be changed depending upon the tense of the sentence. So “turn off” can also be “turned off” and “turning off,” for example.

It will take you a while to get used to which phrasal verbs can be separated and which can’t, so hang in there!

What do Phrasal and Prepositional Verbs have in common and what are the differences?

Two-word verbs can be Phrasal Verbs or Prepositional Verb.

Phrasal Verbs often have a very different (idiomatic) meaning.

  • verb: look
  • adverb: in
  • Phrasal Verb: look in

1. What is the difference between a preposition and an adverb and why this distinction is important.

An object can go before or after an adverb – but it can only go after a preposition. So:

  • Phrasal Verbs can be separated
  • Prepositional Verbs must not be separated.

1.1. Phrasal Verbs

  • correct: verb + object + adverb → I switch the computer on.
  • correct: verb adverb + object → I switched on the computer.

1.2. Prepositional Verbs

  • correct: verb + preposition + object → The cat jumped on the computer.
  • incorrect: verb + object + preposition → The cat jumped the computer on.

200 common phrasal verbs, with meanings and example sentences

phrasal verb meaning example sentence
ask somebodyout invite on a date Brian asked Judy out to dinner and a movie.
ask around ask many people the same question asked around but nobody has seen my wallet.
add up tosomething equal Your purchases add up to $205.32.
backsomething up reverse You’ll have to back up your car so that I can get out.
backsomebody up support My wife backed me up over my decision to quit my job.
blow up explode The racing car blew up after it crashed into the fence.
blowsomething up add air We have to blow 50 balloons up for the party.
break down stop functioning (vehicle, machine) Our car broke down at the side of the highway in the snowstorm.
break down get upset The woman broke down when the police told her that her son had died.
breaksomethingdown divide into smaller parts Our teacher broke the final project downinto three separate parts.
break in force entry to a building Somebody broke in last night and stole our stereo.
break intosomething enter forcibly The firemen had to break into the room to rescue the children.
breaksomething in wear something a few times so that it doesn’t look/feel new I need to break these shoes in before we run next week.
break in interrupt The TV station broke in to report the news of the president’s death.
break up end a relationship My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved to America.
break up start laughing (informal) The kids just broke up as soon as the clown started talking.
break out escape The prisoners broke out of jail when the guards weren’t looking.
break out insomething develop a skin condition broke out in a rash after our camping trip.
bringsomebodydown make unhappy This sad music is bringing me down.
bringsomebody up raise a child My grandparents brought me up after my parents died.
bringsomething up start talking about a subject My mother walks out of the room when my father brings up sports.
bringsomething up vomit He drank so much that he brought his dinner up in the toilet.
call around phone many different places/people We called around but we weren’t able to find the car part we needed.
call somebodyback return a phone call called the company back but the offices were closed for the weekend.
call somethingoff cancel Jason called the wedding off because he wasn’t in love with his fiancé.
call onsomebody ask for an answer or opinion The professor called on me for question 1.
call onsomebody visit somebody We called on you last night but you weren’t home.
call somebodyup phone Give me your phone number and I will callyou up when we are in town.
calm down relax after being angry You are still mad. You need to calm downbefore you drive the car.
not care forsomebody/ something not like (formal) I don’t care for his behaviour.
catch up get to the same point as somebody else You’ll have to run faster than that if you want to catch up with Marty.
check in arrive and register at a hotel or airport We will get the hotel keys when we check in.
check out leave a hotel You have to check out of the hotel before 11:00 AM.
checksomebody/ something out look at carefully, investigate The company checks out all new employees.
check outsomebody/ something look at (informal) Check out the crazy hair on that guy!
cheer up become happier She cheered up when she heard the good news.
cheersomebody up make happier I brought you some flowers to cheer you up.
chip in help If everyone chips in we can get the kitchen painted by noon.
cleansomething up tidy, clean Please clean up your bedroom before you go outside.
come acrosssomething find unexpectedly came across these old photos when I was tidying the closet.
come apart separate The top and bottom come apart if you pull hard enough.
come down withsomething become sick My nephew came down with chicken pox this weekend.
come forward volunteer for a task or to give evidence The woman came forward with her husband’s finger prints.
come fromsome place originate in The art of origami comes from Asia.
count onsomebody/ something rely on I am counting on you to make dinner while I am out.
crosssomething out draw a line through Please cross out your old address and write your new one.
cut back onsomething consume less My doctor wants me to cut back onsweets and fatty foods.
cut somethingdown make something fall to the ground We had to cut the old tree in our yard down after the storm.
cut in interrupt Your father cut in while I was dancing with your uncle.
cut in pull in too closely in front of another vehicle The bus driver got angry when that car cut in.
cut in start operating (of an engine or electrical device) The air conditioner cuts in when the temperature gets to 22°C.
cut somethingoff remove with something sharp The doctors cut off his leg because it was severely injured.
cut somethingoff stop providing The phone company cut off our phone because we didn’t pay the bill.
cut somebodyoff take out of a will My grandparents cut my father off when he remarried.
cut somethingout remove part of something (usually with scissors and paper) cut this ad out of the newspaper.
do somebody/ somethingover beat up, ransack (BrE, informal) He’s lucky to be alive. His shop was done over by a street gang.
do somethingover do again (AmE) My teacher wants me to do my essay over because she doesn’t like my topic.
do away withsomething discard It’s time to do away with all of these old tax records.
do somethingup fasten, close Do your coat up before you go outside. It’s snowing!
dress up wear nice clothing It’s a fancy restaurant so we have to dress up.
drop back move back in a position/group Andrea dropped back to third place when she fell off her bike.
drop in/ by/ over come without an appointment I might drop in/by/over for tea sometime this week.
dropsomebody/ something off take somebody/ something somewhere and leave them/it there I have to drop my sister off at work before I come over.
drop out quit a class, school etc dropped out of Science because it was too difficult.
eat out eat at a restaurant I don’t feel like cooking tonight. Let’s eat out.
end up eventually reach/do/decide We ended up renting a movie instead of going to the theatre.
fall apart break into pieces My new dress fell apart in the washing machine.
fall down fall to the ground The picture that you hung up last night fell down this morning.
fall out separate from an interior The money must have fallen out of my pocket.
fall out (of hair, teeth) become loose and unattached His hair started to fall out when he was only 35.
figuresomething out understand, find the answer I need to figure out how to fit the piano and the bookshelf in this room.
fill somethingin to write information in blanks, as on a form (BrE) Please fill in the form with your name, address, and phone number.
fill somethingout to write information in blanks, as on a form (AmE) The form must be filled out in capital letters.
fill somethingup fill to the top I always fill the water jug up when it is empty.
find out discover We don’t know where he lives. How can we find out?
find somethingout discover We tried to keep the time of the party a secret, but Samantha found it out.
get somethingacross/ over communicate, make understandable I tried to get my point across/over to the judge but she wouldn’t listen.
get along/on like each other I was surprised how well my new girlfriend and my sister got along/on.
get around have mobility My grandfather can get around fine in his new wheelchair.
get away go on a vacation We worked so hard this year that we had to get away for a week.
get away withsomething do without being noticed or punished Jason always gets away with cheating in his maths tests.
get back return We got back from our vacation last week.
get somethingback receive something you had before Liz finally got her Science notes backfrom my room-mate.
get back atsomebody retaliate, take revenge My sister got back at me for stealing her shoes. She stole my favourite hat.
get back intosomething become interested in something again I finally got back into my novel and finished it.
get onsomething step onto a vehicle We’re going to freeze out here if you don’t let us get on the bus.
get oversomething recover from an illness, loss, difficulty I just got over the flu and now my sister has it.
get oversomething overcome a problem The company will have to close if it can’t get over the new regulations.
get round tosomething finally find time to do (AmE: get around to something) I don’t know when I am going to get round to writing the thank you cards.
get together meet (usually for social reasons) Let’s get together for a BBQ this weekend.
get up get out of bed got up early today to study for my exam.
get up stand You should get up and give the elderly man your seat.
give somebodyaway reveal hidden information about somebody His wife gave him away to the police.
give somebodyaway take the bride to the altar My father gave me away at my wedding.
givesomethingaway ruin a secret My little sister gave the surprise party away by accident.
givesomethingaway give something to somebody for free The library was giving away old books on Friday.
givesomethingback return a borrowed item I have to give these skates back to Franz before his hockey game.
give in reluctantly stop fighting or arguing My boyfriend didn’t want to go to the ballet, but he finally gave in.
givesomething out give to many people (usually at no cost) They were giving out free perfume samples at the department store.
givesomething up quit a habit I am giving up smoking as of January 1st.
give up stop trying My maths homework was too difficult so I gave up.
go aftersomebody follow somebody My brother tried to go after the thief in his car.
go aftersomething try to achieve something went after my dream and now I am a published writer.
go againstsomebody compete, oppose We are going against the best soccer team in the city tonight.
go ahead start, proceed Please go ahead and eat before the food gets cold.
go back return to a place I have to go back home and get my lunch.
go out leave home to go on a social event We’re going out for dinner tonight.
go out withsomebody date Jesse has been going out with Luke since they met last winter.
go oversomething review Please go over your answers before you submit your test.
go over visit somebody nearby I haven’t seen Tina for a long time. I think I’ll go over for an hour or two.
go withoutsomething suffer lack or deprivation When I was young, we went withoutwinter boots.
grow apart stop being friends over time My best friend and I grew apart after she changed schools.
grow back regrow My roses grew back this summer.
grow intosomething grow big enough to fit This bike is too big for him now, but he should grow into it by next year.
grow out ofsomething get too big for Elizabeth needs a new pair of shoes because she has grown out of her old ones.
grow up become an adult When Jack grows up he wants to be a fireman.
handsomethingdown give something used to somebody else handed my old comic books down to my little cousin.
handsomething in submit I have to hand in my essay by Friday.
handsomething out to distribute to a group of people We will hand out the invitations at the door.
handsomethingover give (usually unwillingly) The police asked the man to hand overhis wallet and his weapons.
hang in stay positive (informal) Hang in there. I’m sure you’ll find a job very soon.
hang on wait a short time (informal) Hang on while I grab my coat and shoes!
hang out spend time relaxing (informal) Instead of going to the party we are just going to hang out at my place.
hang up end a phone call He didn’t say goodbye before he hung up.
holdsomebody/ somethingback prevent from doing/going I had to hold my dog back because there was a cat in the park.
holdsomethingback hide an emotion Jamie held back his tears at his grandfather’s funeral.
hold on wait a short time Please hold on while I transfer you to the Sales Department.
hold ontosomebody/ something hold firmly using your hands or arms Hold onto your hat because it’s very windy outside.
holdsomebody/ something up rob A man in a black mask held the bank upthis morning.
keep on doingsomething continue doing Keep on stirring until the liquid comes to a boil.
keepsomethingfromsomebody not tell We kept our relationship from our parents for two years.
keepsomebody/ something out stop from entering Try to keep the wet dog out of the living room.
keepsomething up continue at the same rate If you keep those results up you will get into a great college.
let somebodydown fail to support or help, disappoint I need you to be on time. Don’t let me down this time.
let somebodyin allow to enter Can you let the cat in before you go to school?
log in (or on) sign in (to a website, database etc) I can’t log in to Facebook because I’ve forgotten my password.
log out (or off) sign out (of a website, database etc) If you don’t log off somebody could get into your account.
look aftersomebody/ something take care of I have to look after my sick grandmother.
look down onsomebody think less of, consider inferior Ever since we stole that chocolate bar your dad has looked down on me.
look forsomebody/ something try to find I’m looking for a red dress for the wedding.
look forward to something be excited about the future I’m looking forward to the Christmas break.
look intosomething investigate We are going to look into the price of snowboards today.
look out be careful, vigilant, and take notice Look out! That car’s going to hit you!
look out forsomebody/ something be especially vigilant for Don’t forget to look out for snakes on the hiking trail.
looksomethingover check, examine Can you look over my essay for spelling mistakes?
looksomething up search and find information in a reference book or database We can look her phone number up on the Internet.
look up tosomebody have a lot of respect for My little sister has always looked up to me.
makesomething up invent, lie about something Josie made up a story about why we were late.
make up forgive each other We were angry last night, but we made up at breakfast.
makesomebody up apply cosmetics to My sisters made me up for my graduation party.
mix somethingup confuse two or more things mixed up the twins’ names again!
pass away die His uncle passed away last night after a long illness.
pass out faint It was so hot in the church that an elderly lady passed out.
passsomething out give the same thing to many people The professor passed the textbooks outbefore class.
passsomething up decline (usually something good) passed up the job because I am afraid of change.
pay somebodyback return owed money Thanks for buying my ticket. I’ll pay you back on Friday.
pay forsomething be punished for doing something bad That bully will pay for being mean to my little brother.
picksomething out choose picked out three sweaters for you to try on.
pointsomebody/ something out indicate with your finger I’ll point my boyfriend out when he runs by.
put somethingdown put what you are holding on a surface or floor You can put the groceries down on the kitchen counter.
put somebodydown insult, make somebody feel stupid The students put the substitute teacher down because his pants were too short.
put somethingoff postpone We are putting off our trip until January because of the hurricane.
put somethingout extinguish The neighbours put the fire out before the firemen arrived.
put somethingtogether assemble I have to put the crib together before the baby arrives.
put up withsomebody/ something tolerate I don’t think I can put up with three small children in the car.
put somethingon put clothing/ accessories on your body Don’t forget to put on your new earrings for the party.
run intosomebody/ something meet unexpectedly ran into an old school-friend at the mall.
run oversomebody/ something drive a vehicle over a person or thing I accidentally ran over your bicycle in the driveway.
run over/ throughsomething rehearse, review Let’s run over/through these lines one more time before the show.
run away leave unexpectedly, escape The child ran away from home and has been missing for three days.
run out have none left We ran out of shampoo so I had to wash my hair with soap.
sendsomethingback return (usually by mail) My letter got sent back to me because I used the wrong stamp.
set somethingup arrange, organize Our boss set a meeting up with the president of the company.
set somebodyup trick, trap The police set up the car thief by using a hidden camera.
shop around compare prices I want to shop around a little before I decide on these boots.
show off act extra special for people watching (usually boastfully) He always shows off on his skateboard
sleep over stay somewhere for the night (informal) You should sleep over tonight if the weather is too bad to drive home.
sort somethingout organize, resolve a problem We need to sort the bills out before the first of the month.
stick tosomething continue doing something, limit yourself to one particular thing You will lose weight if you stick to the diet.
switchsomething off stop the energy flow, turn off The light’s too bright. Could you switch it off.
switchsomething on start the energy flow, turn on We heard the news as soon as we switched on the car radio.
take aftersomebody resemble a family member take after my mother. We are both impatient.
takesomethingapart purposely break into pieces He took the car brakes apart and found the problem.
takesomethingback return an item I have to take our new TV back because it doesn’t work.
take off start to fly My plane takes off in five minutes.
takesomething off remove something (usually clothing) Take off your socks and shoes and come in the lake!
takesomething out remove from a place or thing Can you take the garbage out to the street for me?
takesomebody out pay for somebody to go somewhere with you My grandparents took us out for dinner and a movie.
tearsomething up rip into pieces tore up my ex-boyfriend’s letters and gave them back to him.
think back remember (often + to, sometimes + on) When I think back on my youth, I wish I had studied harder.
thinksomethingover consider I’ll have to think this job offer overbefore I make my final decision.
throwsomethingaway dispose of We threw our old furniture away when we won the lottery.
turnsomethingdown decrease the volume or strength (heat, light etc) Please turn the TV down while the guests are here.
turnsomethingdown refuse turned the job down because I don’t want to move.
turnsomething off stop the energy flow, switch off Your mother wants you to turn the TV offand come for dinner.
turnsomething on start the energy, switch on It’s too dark in here. Let’s turn some lights on.
turnsomething up increase the volume or strength (heat, light etc) Can you turn the music up? This is my favourite song.
turn up appear suddenly Our cat turned up after we put posters up all over the neighbourhood.
try somethingon sample clothing I’m going to try these jeans on, but I don’t think they will fit.
try somethingout test I am going to try this new brand of detergent out.
use somethingup finish the supply The kids used all of the toothpaste up so we need to buy some more.
wake up stop sleeping We have to wake up early for work on Monday.
warmsomebody/ something up increase the temperature You can warm your feet up in front of the fireplace.
warm up prepare body for exercise I always warm up by doing sit-ups before I go for a run.
wear off fade away Most of my make-up wore off before I got to the party.
work out exercise work out at the gym three times a week.
work out be successful Our plan worked out fine.
worksomething out make a calculation We have to work out the total cost before we buy the house.

LIST OF PHRASAL VERBS

e.g.

account for fixed up get out of
back out keep in make up
deal with ran after looked after
care about watching for work out
got on with left off made up
feel out my mind join up
keep up with looked up hold on
get out ask after asked for
help up keep down hold off
died away drew back took out
set in worked up threw away

A GROUP OF PHRASAL VERBS AND THEIR MEANINGS

PHRASAL VERB MEANING
BACK
back up support
back out withdraw
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
BEAR
bear down defeat, overcome, crush
bear out carry
bear up have courage
bear with endure, tolerate
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
BLOW
blow out extinguish
blow up explode
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
BREAK
break up disperse, shatter
break down fall, stop working / collapse
break in / into enter by force
break out appear and force out escape, spread suddenly
break thro’ penetrate
break off end
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
BRING
bring forth produce
bring about happen
bring down fall
bring out publish
bring up educate, rear
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
CALL
call for demand, wanted
call in request to help, summon
call off cancel
call out shout
call on to pay a short visit to a person
call at to pay a short visit to a place
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
CARRY
carry off win, snatch
carry on continue
carry out execute
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
COME
come round recover
come over affected
come about happen, occur
come cross to meet by chance, discover
come off take place
come on hurry
come up move to a higher level or position
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
DROP
drop in visit
drop out discountinue
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
FALL
fall for admire
fall off decrease
fall out quarrel
fall through fail to be successfully completed, collapse
fall upon attack
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
GET
get away escape
get on make progress, climb
get over overcome, recover
get round persuade
get through pass
get up rise
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
GIVE
give in surrender, collapse
give out announce
give up discountinue
give way yield
give away present, distribute
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
GO
go about preform, do
go after chase, follow
go down to be recorded, believe will be remembered
go into examine, investigate
go on continue, hurry
go through endure
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
HOLD
hold on catch
hold out give, offer
hold back withhold
hold up delay
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
KEEP
keep back with hold
keep down control, repress
keep going on continue
keep on continue
keep to adhere to
keep it up continue, maintain
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
LAY
lay by save
lay down (arm) surrender
lay down (life) sacrifice
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
LOOK
look back contemplate, reflect
look after take care of
look down despise, hate
look for to try to find / search
look into examine
look over into examine, investigate
look on consider, regard
look out watchful, beware
look to depend on
look up (book) scarch for, refer
look upto respect
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
MAKE
make after follow
make for setout
make away steal
make out understand
make up compensate / invent
make fast secure
make off run away
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
PASS
pass away die
pass for considered as
pass off falsely present, ignore
pass through undergo
pass out faint
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
PUT
put across narrate
put by save
put down crush / write
put forth announce
put off postpone, delay
put on wear
put out extinguish
put through implement
put up stay / provide
put up with endure, tolerate
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
RUN
run across meet
run after chase, seek
run down decline, collide, deteriorate
run out exhaust, expire, completely used up
run over overflow
run on hurry
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
SEE
see about deal
see off witness one’s departure
see through detect / penetrate
see to attend
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
SET
set against oppose
set about / on start
set in begin
set out / off start
set up establish
set to with determination, fight, active
set aside disregard
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
STAND
stand up rise
stand by support, wait
stand up oppose, noticeable
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
TAKE
take down write
take out extract
take after resemble
take in deceive
take on fight with, assume
take up occupy, raise at
take off leave, remove
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
THROW
throw away waste
throw up resign
PHRASAL VERB MEANING
TURN
turn against dislike
turn away refuse admission
turn down reject, refuse
turn on cause ot flow by unscrewing water, gas etc., gas
turn off stop
turn out produce
turn up arrive, appear
turn in sleep
turn upon attack

56 of the Most Useful Phrasal Verbs in English

Below are some of the most common phrasal verbs in the English language. We organized them alphabetically so they’re easy to find, but you can group them however you want when you’re learning them!

Bring

Bring up — To mention something. (Note: The two parts of this phrasal verb can be separated.)

“Mark was sick and had to miss the party, so please don’t bring it up, I don’t want him to feel bad for missing it.”

Bring on — To cause something to happen, usually something negative. (The two parts of this phrasal verb can be separated by what’s happening.)

“His lung cancer was brought on by years of smoking.”

Bring it on! — To accept a challenge with confidence.

“You want to have a race? Bring it on! I can beat you!”

Call

Call on — This can mean either to visit someone, or to use someone’s or something’s knowledge.

To visit someone: “I’ll call on you this evening to see how you’re feeling.”

To use someone’s knowledge: “I may need to call on the university’s excellent professors in order to answer your question.”

Call off — To cancel something.

“The picnic was called off because of the rain.”

Cheer

Cheer on — To support someone by giving them words of encouragement. (Can be separated by the name or pronoun of the person/people being cheered on).

“Even though Samantha was in the last place, her brother cheeredher on through the entire race.”

Cheer up — This phrase can either be used as a phrase of encouragement said to someone who seems sad (just saying “cheer up!” to them), or it can mean to try to make someone happier.

“Andrew was having a bad day, so his girlfriend cheered him up by taking him out for ice cream.”

Come

Come up (with something) — To think of an idea.

“I came up with this idea for a TV show about a woman living with her best friend and daughter. I call it ‘Two and a Half Women.’”

Come up — To bring up a topic, or when something happens unexpectedly.

To bring up a topic: “I wanted to tell her that I got a new job but the chance never came up.”

Unexpected occurrence: “I was going to meet my friends for dinner, but something came up so I had to cancel.”

Come in — To enter.

“‘Come in, the door is open!’ said the grandmother to the wolf.”

Come across — To meet or find by chance.

“I was cleaning the attic and I came across my high school uniform. Can you believe it still fits?”

Come forward — To volunteer information about something, like a crime.

“The police are encouraging people to come forward with any information about the kidnapped girl.”

Cut

Cut off — This phrase can be used in several ways, but its general meaning is “to interrupt or stop something.” (Can be separated.)

While driving, to get in front of another car suddenly: “That red car just cut me off and I almost crashed into it.”

To stop supplying things to or communicating with someone: “His father is rich but he cut him off without any money of his own.”

Cut (it) out — This phrase has the same meaning as saying “Stop it.”

“Hey, cut it out! I was watching that movie, so stop changing the channel!”

Cut in — To interrupt someone when they are speaking.

“I was about to ask that girl on a date, but her friend cut in and I lost the chance.”

Drop

Drop by/in — To stop by for a visit, for a short time.

“Andrew is such a great boyfriend, when he heard that his girlfriend had a cold he dropped by to bring her some soup.”

Drop off — To leave something or someone in their destination. (Can be separated by the object being dropped off.)

“I can give you a ride and drop you off at work.”

Fall

Fall apart — This phrase means “to break into pieces,” but it can be used to talk about things that are not physical, like a marriage or a person.

“They tried to save their marriage by going to therapy but in the end if fell apart anyway.”

Fall down — To drop to the ground, usually by accident.

“My friend slipped on a banana peel and fell down. I thought that only happened in cartoons!”

Fill

Fill (someone) in — To give someone the details about something. (Is usually separated by the person getting filled in).

“Quickly, let’s go! There’s no time to explain, I’ll fill you in on the way.”

Fill up — To become completely full.

“The little girl filled up on candy before dinner, and didn’t want to eat any of the chicken.”

Get

Get away — To escape. You may have heard the phrase “getaway car.” That’s the car used by criminals to run away from a crime scene, like a bank robbery.

“Carmen’s neighbor tried to show her pictures of all her cats, but Carmen managed to get away.”

Get around — To solve a problem by avoiding the main issue. This phrase can also be used very informally to refer to someone who has many sexual partners. As you can imagine, it’s not very nice to say that someone “gets around”!

“Some people know all the different ways to get around tax laws.”

Get along (with) — To have a friendly relationship with someone.

“Some people are surprised that I get along with my mother-in-law really well!”

Get up — To stand up, or to wake up.

“I have so much trouble getting up in the morning that I have to set three alarms.”

Get back to — To return to someone or something. This phrase is often used to say that you will return with an answer to a question or a request at a later time.

“Derek’s coworker wasn’t sure what time the meeting was, so he said he’d get back to him with the time.”

Get back at — To get revenge on someone.

“Her ex-husband took her house so she got back at him by taking his dogs.”

Give

Give out — This phrase can mean to break down or stop working, or to hand out or distribute something.

To stop working: “The city had to rebuild the bridge completely, because it was about to give out and fall down.”

To distribute: “He has a lot of contacts because he gives out his business card to everyone he meets.”

Give in — To surrender, especially in a fight or argument.

“Ben’s mother gave in and let him stay out late with his friends.”

Give away — To hand things out for free. (Can be separated by the item being given away.)

“When Linda’s cat had kittens, she gave them all away to good homes.”

Give up — To stop trying, surrender.

“After two weeks of trying to build my own table, I gave up and just bought one.”

Go

Go out (with) — To go on a date with someone.

“Sarah was so happy when Peter finally asked her to go out with him!”

Go ahead — To go in front of someone, or to give permission to do or say something.

Go ahead, explain to me why there is a car on my roof.”

Grow

Grow up — To grow up, sometimes used to tell someone to stop acting childish.

“Some people tell Steve he needs to grow up, but he loves acting like a child.”

Grow apart — To get distant from someone, like a friend.

“When my friend moved to a different country I tried to stay close with her, but we slowly grew apart.”

Hang

Hang on — To keep something.

“When everyone else was getting fired, Paul managed to hang on to his job.”

Hang out — To spend time with someone, casually.

“My friends and I used to hang out in the park after school.”

Hang up — To end a call on the phone, especially if it’s before the other person is ready.

“I was in the middle of a sentence, and he hung up on me! How rude.”

Hold

Hold on — To hold something tightly. This phrase can also be a way of asking someone to wait for a moment.

“You’d better hold on to your hat, it’s windy out there!”

Hold back — To stop yourself from doing or saying something.

“Amy has a great voice but whenever she’s singing in public she feels shy and holds back.”

Log

Log in (to) — Used with computers, this phrase means to sign into your account on a website or computer.

“Don’t forget to log in to your FluentU account to learn English better and faster.”

Log out/off — Also used with computers, this phrase means to sign out of your account.

“You should always log out of your accounts when you use a public computer.”

Look

Look up — To check the meaning of something. (Can be separated by the item being looked up).

“If you don’t know the meaning of a word, you should look it up in the dictionary.”

Look out — To watch out for something.

Look out, there’s a baseball coming your way!”

Pay

Pay back — To give someone back money that you owe them. (Can be separated by the person getting paid back.) When it’s written as one word, “payback” means revenge.

“Thanks for getting me lunch when I forgot my wallet at home! I’ll payyou back tomorrow.”

Pay for — This phrase can either mean to give someone money for a particular purpose (like paying for a new car), or to suffer because of something you did.

“He’ll pay for all the problems he caused me by being late today!”

Put

Put out — This phrase can mean to extinguish a fire, or to irritate someone by asking them for a favor. (In the case of annoying someone, can be separated by the person getting annoyed.) Be aware that in very informal slang, this phrase has a more offensive meaning.

To extinguish a fire: “The firefighters managed to put out the fire before it spread to other houses.”

To irritate someone: “I’d ask you to make me dinner but I don’t want to put you out.”

Put on — To get your clothes or makeup on.

“Every morning she puts on her dress, lipstick, shoes and hat—in that order.”

Take

Take off — This phrase can mean to remove clothing, or to leave for a journey (i.e. planes take off when they begin their flights).

“She was very happy when she finally got home and took off her shoes. They had been hurting her feet all day!”

Take out — To remove something, like from a pocket or a bag. This phrase can also mean to take someone on a date. (Can be separated by the item or person being taken out.) The phrase can also mean to remove someone, as in by killing them—but this is probably not something you would need to use in everyday conversation!

To remove something: “The children sat at their desks and took outtheir pens and paper.”

To take someone on a date: “He took her out to the most expensive restaurant in the city.”

Turn

Turn on/off — To switch a machine or light on or off.

Turn off the light, I’m trying to sleep!”

Turn around — To move so that you’re facing the opposite direction.

“Sally was about to get on the plane, but she turned around when someone called her name.”

Turn up — When someone that was lost is found unexpectedly.

“Anything I lose usually turns up under the couch. It’s my cat’s favorite hiding place.”

Warm

Warm up (to) — To start liking someone or something more as you spend more time with them, especially if you didn’t really like them in the beginning.

“The new puppy was scared of my husband when we first got him, but he warmed up to him pretty quickly.”

Work

Work out — To exercise.

“I try to work out every morning, by repeatedly lifting a heavy donut to my mouth.”

Work (something) out — To come up with a solution or a compromise with someone.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure we can work something out so that everyone is happy.”

Today, in the post we have compiled 50 most frequently used “Phrasal Verbs”. Phrasal verb is a verb combined with a preposition or adverb or both. These phrasal verbs are Versatile in nature. They can play multiple roles in a sentence. And also, can be asked in the exam questions in many ways. For ex- In Reading Comprehension, sentence improvements, cloze tests, sentence corrections, fill in the blanks,  phrasal connectors etc. there might be even more applications of phrasal verbs in Competitive exam English section.

So, we advise you to read, memorize and learn all the important phrasal verbs. We will keep publishing such notes every day. Stay tuned for More. We wish good luck and success in the exams.

1. act up (no object): misbehave (for people); not work properly (for machines).

Example 1→ “The babysitter had a difficult time. The children acted up all evening.”

Example 2→ “I guess I’d better take my car to the garage. It’s been acting up lately.”

2. act like (inseparable): behave in a way that’s like __________.

Example 1→  “What’s wrong with Bob? He’s acting like an idiot.”

Note: This phrasal verb is very informal.

3. add up (1. No object): logically fit together.

Example 1→ “His theory is hard to believe, but his research adds up.”

Note: This phrasal verb is often negative.

Example 2→ “His theory seems, at first, to be plausible, but the facts in his research don’t add up.”

4. add up (2. Separable): find the total.

Example 1→ “What’s the total of those bills? Could you add them up and see?”

5. add up to (inseparable): to total.

Example 1→ “The bills add up to Rs. 734.96. That’s more than I expected!”

6. ask out (separable): ask for a date.

Example 1→ “Nina has a new boy friend. James asked her out last night.”

7. back down (no object): not follow a threat.

Example 1→ “Timmy was going to call the police when I told him I’d wrecked his car, but he backed down when I said I’d pay for the damages.”

8. back up (1. no object): move backward; move in reverse.

Example 1→ “You missed the lines in the parking space. You’ll have to back up and try again.”

Example 2→ “The people waiting in line are too close to the door. We won’t be able to open it unless they back up.”

9. back up (2. separable): drive a vehicle backwards (in reverse).

Example 1→ “You’re too close! Back your car up so I can open the garage door.”

10. back up (3. separable): confirm a story, facts, or information.

Example 1→ “If you don’t believe me, talk to Dave. He’ll back me up.”

11. back up (4. separable): make a “protection” copy to use if there are problems with the original.

Example 1→ “When my computer crashed, I lost many of my files. It’s a good thing I backed them up.”

12. beg off (no object): decline an invitation; ask to be excused from doing something.

Example 1→ “At first Lily said she would be at the party. Later she begged off.”

13. blow up (1. separable): inflate.

Example 1→ “We need lots of balloons for the party. Will you blow them up?”

blow up (2. separable): explode; destroy by exploding.

Example 1→ “That old building really came down quickly!” “That’s because the construction company used dynamite to blow it up.”

14. blow up (3. no object): suddenly become very angry.

Example 1→ “When I told Jerry that I’d had an accident with his car, he blew up.”

15. bone up on (inseparable): review/study thoroughly for a short time.

Example 1→ “If you’re going to travel to Peru, you’d better bone up on your Spanish.”

16. break down (1. separable): separate something into component parts.

Example 1→ “We spent a lot of money at the supermarket. When we broke the total cost down, we spent more on cleaning supplies than food.”


break down (2. no object): stop working/functioning. “Sharon will be late for work today. Her car broke down on the freeway.”

17. break in (1. Often no object; with an object, break into – inseparable): enter by using force (and breaking a lock, window, etc.)

Example 1→ “Jane’s apartment was burglarized last night. Someone broke in while Jane was at the movies.”

Example 2→ “Somebody broke into Jane’s apartment while she was at the movies.

18. break in (2. separable): wear something new until it’s / they’re comfortable.

Example 1→ “These are nice shoes, but they’re too stiff. I hope it doesn’t take too long to break them in.”

19. break in (3. separable): train; get someone / something accustomed to a new routine.

Example 1→ “I hope I can learn my new job quickly. The manager hasn’t scheduled much time for breaking me in.”

20. break up (1. no object): disperse; scatter.

Example 1→ “What time did the party break up last night?”

21. break up (2. Usually no object; with an object, break up with [inseparable]): end a personal relationship.

Example 1→ “Tim and Julie aren’t going steady any more. They got really angry with each other and broke up.”

Example 2→ “Have you heard the news? Julie broke up with Tim!”

Example 3→ “I’m sorry to hear that their marriage broke up. I’m sure the divorce will be difficult for the children.”

22. bring/take back (separable): return something.

Example 1→ “Yes, you can borrow my pen, don’t forget to bring it back to me when you’re finished.”

Example 2→ “This book is due tomorrow. I guess I should take it back to the library.”

23. bring off (separable): accomplish something difficult; accomplish something people had considered impossible or unlikely.

Example 1→ “No one thought Jack could get an A in that course, but he brought it off.”

24. bring up (1. separable): mention (as a topic of discussion).

Example 1→ “We planned to discuss overtime pay in the meeting. Why didn’t someone bring that topic up?”

25. bring up (2. separable): raise, rear.

“Lily’s parents died when she was a baby. Her grandparents brought her up.”

26. brush up on (inseparable): review/study thoroughly for a short time.

Example 1→ “If you’re going to travel to Peru, you’d better brush up on your Spanish.”

27. burn down (no object): destroyed/consumed by fire.

Note: For upright things – trees, buildings, etc. – only.

Example 1→ “Lighting struck Mr. Kennedy’s barn last night. It burned down before the fire fighters arrived.”

28. burn up (1. no object): destroyed / consumed by fire.

Note: For people and non-upright things only.

Example 1→ “All of Mr. Kennedy’s hay burned up when his barn burned down.”

29. burn up (2. separable): cause someone to become very angry.

Example 1→ “Did you hear how rudely Fred talked to me? That really burned me up!”

30. butt in (no object): impolitely interrupt (a conversation, an action).

Example 1→ “Hey, you! Don’t butt in! Wait for your turn!”

31. butter up (separable): praise someone excessively with the hope of getting some benefit.

Example 1→ “I guess Marty really wants to be promoted. He’s been buttering his boss up all week.”

32. Call off (separable): cancel something that has been scheduled.

Example 1→ “We don’t have school today. The mayor called classes off because of the snow.”

33. call on (inseparable): ask someone for an answer in class.

Example 1→ “I don’t know why the teacher never calls on you. You always know the answer.”

34. Calm down (with or without an object: with an object, separable): become calm/less agitated or upset; help someone become calm/ less agitated or upset.

Example 1→ “Why are you so upset? Suzie didn’t intend to spill orange juice on you. Calm down!”

Example 2→ “I know Ralph is upset, but can you calm him down? He’s making so much noise that he’s irritating everyone in the office.”

35. (not) care for (1. inseparable): like; want.

Note: This phrasal verb is usually negative, though it may be used affirmatively in questions.

Example 1→ “Would you care for something to drink? We have coffee, tea, or orange juice.”

Example 2→ “Could I have water, please? I don’t care for coffee, tea, or juice.”

36. care for (2. inseparable): take care of; supply care to; attend / watch over.

Example 1→ “Amy’s father got out of the hospital last week. The family is caring for him at home.”

37. catch on (no object): develop understanding or knowledge of something.

Example 1→ “Bill had never used a computer until he took this class, but he caught on very quickly and is now one of the best students.”

38. catch up (with) (often without an object; with an object, inseparable): stop being behind.

Example 1→ “Terry stopped to rest for a few minutes. He’ll catch up / catch up with us later.”

39. check in(to) (inseparable): register for / at a hotel, conference, etc.; let someone know officially that you have arrived.

Example 1→ “My plane will arrive around 5:00 PM. I should be able to check into the hotel by 6:00 or 6:30.”

Example 2→ “When you arrive at the convention, be sure to check in at the registration desk.”

40. check off (separable): make a mark to indicate that something on a list has been completed.

Example 1→ “Here are the things you need to do. Please check each one off when you’ve finished it.”

41. check out (of) (1. inseparable): follow procedures for leaving (a hotel, etc.)

Example 1→ “Don’t forget to take your room key to the front desk when you check out (when you check out of the hotel).”

42. check out (2. separable): follow procedures for borrowing something (usually for a limited period of time).

Example 1→ “I’m sorry, but you can’t take that encyclopedia home. The library won’t allow you to check reference books out.”

43. cheer up (separable): help someone feel less worried / depressed / sad.

Example 1→ “Suzie’s brother was depressed about not getting a promotion, so she sent him a funny card to cheer him up.”

44. chew out (separable): scold someone severely; berate.

Example 1→ “Tom’s father was really angry when Tom didn’t come home until 3:00 AM. He chewed Tom out and then said Tom had to stay at home for two weeks.”

45. chicken out (no object): lose the courage or confidence to do something–often at the last minute.

Example 1→ “Sam said he was going to ask Leela for a date, but he chickened out.”

46. chip in (inseparable): contribute / donate (often money) to something done by a group.

Example 1→ “We’re going to buy a birthday cake for our boss and I’m collecting donations. Do you want to chip in?”

47. clam up (inseparable): suddenly become quiet/refuse to talk about something.

Example 1→ “Lila wouldn’t talk about the accident. When I asked her what happened, she clammed up.”

48. come across (inseparable): find (unexpectedly).

Example 1→ “I’ve lost my extra car keys. If you come across them while your’re cleaning the room, please put them in a safe place.”

49. come down with __________ (inseparable): become ill with __________.

Example 1→ “George won’t be at the office today. He came down with the flu over the weekend.”

50. come to (1. inseparable): total.

Example 1→ “Your charges come to Rs. 124.38. Will you pay by cheque, in cash, or with a credit card?”

 

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