A LIST OF COMMON PHRASAL VERBS
Verb
Meaning
Example
ask someone out
invite on a date
Basuru asked Jina out to dinner and a movie
back someone 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.
break in
force entry to a
building
Somebody broke in last night and stole our
jewelries
break down
stop functioning
(vehicle,
machine)
Our car broke down at the side of the highway in
the rain.
break up
end a
relationship
My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved to
America
bring someone up
raise a child
My grandparents brought me up after my parents
died
catch up
get to the same
point as
someone else
You'll have to run faster than that if you want to
catch up with Malaka.
call someone back
return a phone
call
I called the company back but the offices were
closed for the weekend
call on someone
ask for an
answer or
opinion
The teacher called on me for the question in the
book.
calm down
relax after being
angry
You are still mad. You need to calm down before
you drive the car.
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.
cheer up
become happier
She cheered up when she heard the good news.
count on
someone/something
rely on
I am counting on you to make dinner while I am
out.
come across
something find
unexpectedly
Drop
someone/something
off
take
I have to drop my sister off at work before I come
someone/someth over.
ing somewhere
and leave
them/it there
eat out
eat at a
restaurant
I don't feel like cooking tonight. Let's eat out.
figure something out
understand, find
the answer
I need to figure out how to fit the piano and the
bookshelf in this room.
find out
discover
We don't know where he lives. How can we find
out?
get away
go on a vacation
We worked so hard this year that we had to get
away for a week.
get back
return
We got back from our vacation last week
get up
get out of bed
I got up early today to study for my exam.
give something up
quit a habit
I am giving up smoking as of January 1st.
go ahead
start, proceed
Please go ahead and eat before the food gets cold.
go out
leave home to
go on a social
event
We're going out for dinner tonight.
grow up
become an adult
When Jack grows up, he wants to be a fireman.
hang up
end a phone call
He didn't say goodbye before he hung up.
hold on
wait a short time Please hold on while I transfer you to the Sales
Department.
keep on doing
something
continue doing
Keep on stirring until the liquid comes to a boil.
let someone in
allow to enter
Can you let the cat in before you go to school?
look after
someone/something
take care of
I have to look after my sick grandmother
look for
someone/something
try to find
I'm looking for a red dress for the wedding.
look forward to
something be
excited about
I'm looking forward to the Christmas break.
I came across these old photos when I was tidying
the closet.
the future
pass away
die
His uncle passed away last night after a long illness.
pick something out
choose
I picked out three sweaters for you to try on.
put something off
postpone
We are putting off our trip until May because of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
put something out
extinguish
The neighbors put the fire out before the firemen
arrived.
run out
have none left
We ran out of shampoo so I had to wash my hair
with soap
show off
act extra special
for people
watching
(usually
boastfully)
He always shows off on his bike
sort something out
organize,
resolve a
problem
We need to sort the bills out before the first of the
month.
take off
start to fly
My plane takes off in five minutes.
work out
Exercise
I work out at the gym three times a week
EXERCISES
Use the words in the box to complete the sentences with phrasal verbs!
ACROSS – AFTER - AWAY - BACK - DOWN – INTO – OFF – ON - OUT – OVER - UP
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)
15)
16)
17)
18)
19)
20)
21)
22)
23)
24)
25)
26)
27)
28)
29)
30)
We were lucky that the bomb didn’t blow _______________.
He missed so much at school that he found it difficult to catch _______________.
As a single mother, she brought _______________ her two sons on her own.
When I read the book I came _______________ a word I had never seen before.
Would you like to stay at home or eat _______________ tonight?
Could you turn the volume _______________ . - I’m trying to work.
The woman finally calmed _______________ and told everything to the police.
I’ll call you _______________ later when I’m not so busy.
Could you look _______________ the baby for a few hours?
Burglars broke _______________ the new house on High Street.
Jinadari hung _______________ without even saying goodbye.
I asked the author when her new book was coming _______________.
I don’t think you can do something that’s wrong and get _______________ with
it.
I was looking _______________ my briefcase, but I couldn’t find it.
We watched as the planes took _______________ from the airport.
I don’t feel well. I think I’ll lie _______________ for a while.
Cars should be kept _______________ of the city center. They don’t belong
there.
You need to get _______________ the bus opposite the supermarket.
It can take weeks to get _______________ an illness like that.
Don’t get nervous. We’ll work _______________ a solution to the problem.
I trusted him but then he let me _______________.
He pointed _______________ that there was no sense in playing if four of us
were ill.
I had to look _______________ that word in the dictionary.
Put your clothes and scarfs _______________ - it’s cold outside.
Many hospitals are running _______________ of money.
My dad is going to set _______________ a new taxi company next year.
Do you want to write _______________ my phone number?
The firefighters were able to put _______________ the fire.
Did you pay _______________ the money I gave you?
Please try _______________ these shoes to see if they’re the right size.
Complete the sentences with the correct form of one of the phrasal verbs from the box!
BREAK UP – CALL OFF - COME OUT - COME UP WITH – FIND OUT - GET ON – GO
UP - LIE DOWN – LOOK AFTER - LOOK FOR - LOOK UP – SET UP – TAKE AFTER TURN UP - WAKE UP -
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)
15)
16)
17)
18)
19)
20)
21)
22)
23)
Sithum ____________________ a story about catching an enormous fish, and
almost everyone believed him.
I’m self-employed now. I’m going to ____________________ my own office.
My friend has been thinking about it all morning, but she simply can’t
____________________ a solution to the problem.
He ____________________ when the alarm clock rang.
I’ll ____________________ his number in the phone book.
The novel 1948 first ____________________ in 1948.
We have ____________________ the meeting until we can find someone who
can write a protocol.
They ____________________ last month, after being together for over ten years.
Prices have ____________________ in the supermarket, so everything is much
more expensive than a year ago.
Yesterday, Jaliya ____________________ that he had passed his test.
I’d like you to ____________________ all the words you don’t know.
Could you ____________________ the radio. I can’t hear anything,
She ____________________ well with her father. He was such an amazing guy.
Shirley ____________________ her mother. She’s got the same blue eyes.
When she ____________________ she saw that she was going to be late for
work, so she forgot to brush her teeth.
I’m surprised that you ____________________ with your sister because you are
very different
The police are trying to ____________________ where the robbers hid the
money.
Why don’t you ____________________ on the sofa a bit until you feel better.
Keep ____________________ the keys. They have to be somewhere.
The third game of the series was ____________________ because it was raining.
The temperature ____________________ a few degrees as soon as the sun came
out.
Don’t worry about it. I’ll ____________________ a meeting between Jake and
you when I get to the office.
I must get someone to ____________________ my dog when I go on holiday.