1. Introduction to Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb and one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs) that, together, create a meaning different from the original verb alone. For example, “give up” means to quit or stop trying. These expressions are very common in everyday English and mastering them will greatly improve your comprehension and fluency.
This lesson, brought to you by English Hawk, introduces 55 of the most common phrasal verbs with detailed explanations, keywords to help you decide when to use them, and two example sentences for each.
- • Phrasal verbs add color and natural expression to your language. 🎓
- • They are made up of a verb (the action) and a particle (that changes the meaning). 🔀
- • Some phrasal verbs can be split (e.g., “turn the light on”). 💡
- • They are used in daily conversations and writing. 🗣️
- • Practice using them in sentences to improve your fluency. 📝
2. Structure of Phrasal Verbs
Every phrasal verb consists of two main components:
- Verb: The main action word (for example, “turn”).
- Particle: A preposition or adverb that changes or adds to the meaning of the verb (for example, “on”).
Examples: “Turn on” means to start a device, and “look after” means to take care of someone or something.
3. Types of Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs can be categorized in various ways:
- Transitive vs. Intransitive:
- Transitive: Requires a direct object (e.g., “She turned off the light.”).
- Intransitive: Does not require a direct object (e.g., “He woke up late.”).
- Separable vs. Inseparable:
- Separable: The particle can appear after the object (e.g., “She turned the light off.”).
- Inseparable: The verb and particle must stay together (e.g., “We ran into an old friend.”).
4. 55 Common Phrasal Verbs
Below is a numbered list of 55 common phrasal verbs with explanations, keywords to help you determine when to use them, and two example sentences for each.
- apply for
Meaning: To formally request or ask for something (such as a job, grant, license, or visa) by completing an application.
Keywords: request, job, grant, license, visa, formal application.
Examples:- “I applied for a scholarship last month.” 🎓
- “She applied for a new visa to travel abroad.” 🛂
- back up
Meaning: To make a copy of computer data or files for safety.
Keywords: copy, save, protect, duplicate.
Examples:- “Always back up your files every week.” 💾
- “He backed up his photos to an external drive.” ☁️
- break down
Meaning: To stop functioning; often used for machines or vehicles.
Keywords: malfunction, stop working, collapse.
Examples:- “My car broke down on the highway.” 🚗
- “The printer broke down in the middle of printing.” 🖨️
- break into
Meaning: To enter a building or vehicle by force, usually illegally.
Keywords: forced entry, burglary, illegal entry.
Examples:- “Someone broke into the store last night.” 🏚️
- “Thieves broke into the office while everyone was away.” 👤
- break up
Meaning: To end a relationship or to separate something into pieces.
Keywords: end, separate, dissolve, relationship.
Examples:- “They broke up after two years together.” 💔
- “The meeting broke up at 5 PM.” ⏰
- bring about
Meaning: To cause something to happen or to effect a change.
Keywords: cause, effect, change, result.
Examples:- “The new law brought about significant change.” 🌟
- “Her efforts brought about a major improvement in the project.” 🔄
- bring up
Meaning: To mention or introduce a topic; or to raise children.
Keywords: mention, introduce, discuss, raise children.
Examples:- “He brought up an interesting point during class.” 🗣️
- “They brought up their children with great care.” 👨👩👧
- calm down
Meaning: To become less agitated, angry, or excited; to relax.
Keywords: relax, settle, de-stress, quiet.
Examples:- “Take a deep breath and calm down.” 🧘
- “The children finally calmed down after playing.” 😌
- carry on / go on / keep on
Meaning: To continue or persist with an activity.
Keywords: continue, persist, proceed, maintain.
Examples:- “Please carry on with your work.” ⏩
- “They decided to keep on despite the challenges.” 🚀
- come in
Meaning: To enter a place or join a group.
Keywords: enter, arrive, join, access.
Examples:- “Come in and have a seat, please.” 🚪
- “He came in quietly so as not to disturb anyone.” 🤫
- check in
Meaning: To register one’s arrival, usually at a hotel or airport.
Keywords: register, arrive, sign in, hotel, airport.
Examples:- “We checked in at the hotel right after noon.” 🏨
- “Passengers must check in before boarding their flight.” ✈️
- come back
Meaning: To return to a place.
Keywords: return, revisit, go back.
Examples:- “He will come back home after the vacation.” 🔙
- “Please come back soon; we miss you.” 🏠
- come across / run into
Meaning: To meet or find something or someone unexpectedly.
Keywords: encounter, find, meet by chance, stumble upon.
Examples:- “I came across an old friend at the mall.” 👋
- “She ran into her teacher while shopping.” 🛒
- cope with
Meaning: To deal effectively with a difficult situation.
Keywords: manage, handle, deal with, endure.
Examples:- “He learned to cope with stress through exercise.” 🏋️
- “She copes with her heavy workload by planning ahead.” 📚
- cut down
Meaning: To reduce the amount or quantity of something.
Keywords: reduce, lessen, decrease, trim.
Examples:- “We should cut down on sugar for a healthier life.” 🍭🚫
- “The company is trying to cut down on expenses.” 💰
- drop in
Meaning: To visit someone informally without prior notice.
Keywords: visit, stop by, casual, unplanned.
Examples:- “Feel free to drop in when you have time.” 👋
- “She dropped in on her friend after work.” 🏠
- eat out
Meaning: To have a meal at a restaurant instead of at home.
Keywords: dine out, restaurant, meal, eating outside.
Examples:- “We like to eat out every Friday night.” 🍴
- “They ate out at a new restaurant last weekend.” 🍽️
- fall for
Meaning: To develop strong romantic feelings for someone or to be deceived by a trick.
Keywords: fall in love, be tricked, get deceived, scam.
Examples:- “He fell for her the moment they met.” ❤️
- “Don’t fall for that scam; it’s a hoax.” 🚫
- fill in
Meaning: To complete a form or document by writing the required information.
Keywords: complete, answer, form, document.
Examples:- “Please fill in the application form.” 📝
- “She filled in the questionnaire accurately.” ✏️
- find out
Meaning: To discover or learn information.
Keywords: discover, learn, investigate, uncover.
Examples:- “I need to find out the train schedule.” 🔍
- “He found out the reason for the delay.” 📖
- give up
Meaning: To stop trying or to quit an activity or habit.
Keywords: quit, abandon, cease, surrender.
Examples:- “Don’t give up on your dreams.” ✨
- “She gave up smoking last year.” 🚭
- go through
Meaning: To experience or endure something, especially a difficult situation.
Keywords: experience, endure, undergo, face.
Examples:- “He went through a tough time after his loss.” 😢
- “They went through many challenges during the project.” 🔄
- grow up
Meaning: To mature or become an adult.
Keywords: mature, develop, age, become adult.
Examples:- “Children grow up so quickly.” 👶➡️🧑
- “I want to be a scientist when I grow up.” 🎓
- hand in
Meaning: To submit something, such as an assignment or report.
Keywords: submit, deliver, turn in, provide.
Examples:- “Please hand in your homework by tomorrow.” 📄
- “The students handed in their essays on time.” 📝
- hand out
Meaning: To distribute something to a group of people.
Keywords: distribute, give away, share, pass out.
Examples:- “The teacher handed out the exam sheets.” 📑
- “They handed out flyers for the event.” 🗞️
- hang out
Meaning: To spend time relaxing or socializing with friends.
Keywords: socialize, relax, spend time, chill.
Examples:- “I love to hang out with my friends on weekends.” 😎
- “They hung out at the mall after school.” 🌳
- jot down
Meaning: To quickly write something down for future reference.
Keywords: note, record, quickly write, document briefly.
Examples:- “I always jot down important ideas during meetings.” 🖊️
- “Please jot down your phone number on this card.” 📋
- keep up (with)
Meaning: To maintain the same pace or level as someone or something.
Keywords: maintain, follow, stay current, keep pace.
Examples:- “She finds it hard to keep up with fast walkers.” 👟
- “He keeps up with the latest technology trends.” 🔄
- let down
Meaning: To disappoint someone by not fulfilling what was expected.
Keywords: disappoint, fail, betray, underwhelm.
Examples:- “I felt let down when my friend canceled our plans.” 😞
- “He let his team down by arriving late.” 💔
- lie down
Meaning: To recline or rest in a horizontal position.
Keywords: recline, rest, relax, sleep (briefly).
Examples:- “After lunch, I like to lie down for a short nap.” 🛏️
- “She lay down on the sofa to relax.” 📖
- log on
Meaning: To connect to a computer system or the internet.
Keywords: connect, access, sign in, computer, online.
Examples:- “I log on to my computer every morning.” 💻
- “He logged on to check his emails.” 🌐
- log out
Meaning: To disconnect from a computer system or online service.
Keywords: disconnect, sign off, finish, exit online.
Examples:- “Don’t forget to log out when you’re finished.” 🔒
- “She logged out of her account before leaving.” 👋
- look after / take care of / care for
Meaning: To be responsible for someone or something; to keep safe.
Keywords: care, supervise, protect, attend to.
Examples:- “The nanny looks after my children while I work.” 👶
- “He takes care of his elderly parents.” 🏥
- look down on
Meaning: To consider someone or something as inferior.
Keywords: disdain, disrespect, belittle, consider inferior.
Examples:- “He tends to look down on those who are less educated.” 👎
- “Don’t look down on others because everyone has unique strengths.” 🚫
- look for
Meaning: To search for someone or something.
Keywords: search, seek, find, hunt for.
Examples:- “I am looking for my wallet.” 🔑
- “She looked for her phone all afternoon.” 👓
- look forward to
Meaning: To eagerly anticipate something with pleasure.
Keywords: anticipate, await, expect, excited for.
Examples:- “I look forward to the weekend.” 📆
- “They are looking forward to their vacation.” 🌴
- look out
Meaning: To be careful or to watch for potential danger.
Keywords: beware, watch, cautious, be alert.
Examples:- “Look out! There is a car coming.” ⚠️
- “Always look out for slippery floors.” 🚧
- look up
Meaning: To search for and find information (in a dictionary, online, etc.).
Keywords: search, find, reference, check.
Examples:- “I looked up the word in the dictionary.” 📖
- “She looked up his phone number online.” 📱
- make up
Meaning: To invent a story or excuse; or to reconcile after an argument.
Keywords: invent, fabricate, reconcile, settle.
Examples:- “He made up an excuse for being late.” 🕒
- “After their fight, they quickly made up.” ❤️
- pass away
Meaning: A polite way to say that someone has died.
Keywords: die, expire, depart, no longer living.
Examples:- “Her grandmother passed away peacefully.” 🙏
- “The old man passed away last night.” 😔
- pick up
Meaning: To collect or lift something; or to learn something informally.
Keywords: collect, retrieve, lift, acquire informally.
Examples:- “Can you pick up the kids from school?” 🚸
- “He picked up some French while living in Paris.” 🇫🇷
- put on
Meaning: To dress in or wear an item of clothing; or to organize an event.
Keywords: wear, dress, organize, host.
Examples:- “She put on her coat before leaving.” 🧥
- “They put on a fantastic show last night.” 🎭
- put off
Meaning: To delay or postpone something.
Keywords: postpone, delay, defer, reschedule.
Examples:- “They put off the meeting until next week.” ⏳
- “I had to put off my trip due to bad weather.” 🌧️
- put up with
Meaning: To tolerate or endure something unpleasant.
Keywords: tolerate, endure, bear, withstand.
Examples:- “I can’t put up with this noise any longer.” 🚫🔊
- “She puts up with her boss’s harsh comments.” 😒
- set off
Meaning: To begin a journey or to trigger a reaction.
Keywords: depart, start, initiate, trigger.
Examples:- “We set off for the mountains at dawn.” 🏞️
- “The alarm set off the security system.” 🚨
- set up
Meaning: To arrange, establish, or organize something (such as an event or a business).
Keywords: arrange, organize, establish, plan.
Examples:- “They set up the conference room for the meeting.” 🛠️
- “He set up his new computer in the office.” 💻
- show up
Meaning: To arrive at a place or to appear unexpectedly.
Keywords: arrive, appear, attend, come.
Examples:- “She showed up on time for the interview.” ⏰
- “They finally showed up after a long wait.” 👥
- stand for
Meaning: To represent or be an abbreviation for something.
Keywords: represent, symbolize, abbreviate, stand as.
Examples:- “UN stands for United Nations.” 🌍
- “USA stands for the United States of America.” 🇺🇸
- take after
Meaning: To resemble or have similar traits to a family member.
Keywords: resemble, inherit, be like, mirror.
Examples:- “She takes after her mother in both looks and personality.” 👩👧
- “He takes after his father in his love for sports.” ⚽
- take off
Meaning: To remove clothing or for an aircraft to begin its flight.
Keywords: remove, disrobe, fly, depart.
Examples:- “Please take off your shoes before entering the house.” 👟
- “The plane took off on schedule.” ✈️
- take up
Meaning: To start or begin a new activity, hobby, or subject.
Keywords: start, begin, adopt, engage.
Examples:- “I decided to take up painting during the summer.” 🎨
- “She took up jogging to improve her health.” 🧘
- tell off
Meaning: To scold or reprimand someone firmly.
Keywords: scold, reprimand, chastise, criticize.
Examples:- “The teacher told off the student for being noisy.” 👎
- “He was told off by his boss for missing the deadline.” 🕰️
- turn down
Meaning: To lower the volume or to reject an offer.
Keywords: lower, decrease, reject, refuse.
Examples:- “Please turn down the music; it’s too loud.” 🔉
- “She turned down the job offer due to low salary.” 🚫
- turn off
Meaning: To deactivate or stop the operation of a device.
Keywords: deactivate, stop, shut off, switch off.
Examples:- “Don’t forget to turn off the lights when you leave.” 💡
- “He turned off the radio during the announcement.” 📻
- write down
Meaning: To record information on paper or in writing.
Keywords: record, note, document, jot.
Examples:- “I always write down my ideas in a journal.” 📔
- “Please write down your contact information.” ✍️
5. Usage Tips
- Context is Key: The meaning of a phrasal verb can change based on context. For example, “take off” may refer to removing clothes or to an airplane starting its flight.
- Practice with Sentences: Write your own sentences using these phrasal verbs to make them a natural part of your vocabulary.
- Learn by Grouping: Recognize similarities between phrasal verbs (for daily routines, technology, etc.) to help remember their meanings.
