🇬🇧 ENGLISH

60 Common Phrasal Verbs

B1/B2 — Meaning · Context · Particles · Word Order

Progress: 0 / 5 exercises completed

Notice the contrast: go on means continue happening, while carry on means continue an activity.

Exercise 1: Plans and Progress

Match each phrasal verb to its precise meaning.

Phrasal verb

1. go on

2. carry on

3. set up

4. take on

5. take over

6. give up

7. end up

8. work out

9. move on

10. carry out

Meaning

Gain control of a business or responsibility

Continue doing an activity

Finally reach an often unplanned result

Perform or complete a plan or instruction

Organise or establish something new

Leave one subject or stage and progress

Stop trying to do something

Continue or keep happening

Accept work, responsibility, or a challenge

Develop or finish successfully

Exercise 2: Information and Communication

Choose the verb that best completes each realistic context.

1.Nobody knew why the train had stopped, so Marta checked the operator’s website to _____.

Asum up

Bpoint out

Cfind out

Dspeak up

2.During the review, Leo politely _____ that two figures in the report were outdated.

Apointed out

Bbrought up

Clooked up

Dsummed up

3.I didn’t want to _____ the budget problem at dinner, but we need to discuss it tonight.

Afill in

Bwrite down

Cget back to

Dbring up

4.If you don’t recognise the technical term, _____ it _____ in the online glossary.

Afind / out

Blook / up

Cpoint / out

Dcall / back

5.Let me _____ your reference number before the call ends.

Asum up

Bspeak up

Cfill in

Dwrite down

6.Please _____ this form and return it to reception before your appointment.

Alook up

Bfill in

Cbring up

Dfind out

7.Nina saw your missed call. She is with a customer now, but she can _____ in ten minutes.

Acall you back

Bget back to the issue

Cwrite the number down

Dpoint the delay out

8.I need to confirm the delivery date; I’ll _____ you by email tomorrow morning.

Afollow up with

Bcheck in with

Cget back to

Dreach out to

9.Could you _____? The people at the back can’t hear the announcement.

Aspeak up

Bsum up

Cbring up

Dcall back

10.To _____, we’ve agreed on the price, the deadline, and who will lead the project.

Afind out

Bwrite down

Cpoint out

Dsum up

Exercise 3: A Weekend Reunion

Complete the story by dragging a phrase, or tap a phrase and then its gap.

📚 Vocabulary Bank — Drag the words below:

pick up

drop off

hang out

get on with

fall out with

look up to

look down on

take after

settle down

put up with

1.On Saturday, I’ll [ Drop here ] my cousin at the station.

2.We’ll first [ Drop here ] her bags at my flat.

3.Then we can [ Drop here ] at the riverside café like we used to.

4.She usually manages to [ Drop here ] everyone in our family.

5.Last year, however, she did [ Drop here ] my brother over a careless joke.

6.He has always [ Drop here ] her because she built her own business.

7.She never [ Drop here ] him for choosing a less traditional career.

8.In fact, they both [ Drop here ] our energetic grandmother.

9.They joke that neither of them is ready to [ Drop here ] yet.

10.Luckily, the family can [ Drop here ] their lively debates at Sunday lunch.

With a separable verb, a pronoun goes in the middle: sort it out. Three-part verbs stay together: run out of milk.

Exercise 4: Problems and Solutions

Choose the correct meaning, particle, form, or word order.

1.Our van _____ on the motorway yesterday, so we called roadside assistance.

Awas breaking down

Bbroke down

Chas broken it down

Dbreaks it down

2.There’s a problem with the invoice, but the accounts team will _____.

Asort out it

Bsort it

Csort with it

Dsort it out

3.It took Amir several weeks to _____ the flu completely.

Aget over

Bget rid of

Ccatch up with

Dkeep up with

4.We replaced the old filing system to _____ unnecessary paperwork.

Aget over

Brun out of

Cget rid of

Dcut down on

5.My doctor advised me to _____ caffeine rather than stop drinking it completely.

Acut down on

Bget rid of

Crun out of

Dget over

6.We can’t make pancakes because we’ve _____ flour.

Arun flour out

Bran out from

Cbeen running flour out

Drun out of

7.After missing two classes, Jo stayed late to _____ the rest of the group.

Akeep up with

Bcatch up with

Clook into

Dhold on

8.The course moves quickly, and I sometimes struggle to _____ all the new material.

Acatch up on

Bget over

Ckeep up with

Dsort out

9.The council has promised to _____ residents’ complaints about late-night noise.

Alook into

Blook them into

Clook up to

Dlook after into

10.Please _____ for a moment while I transfer your call.

Akeep up

Bgo on

Chold on

Dcarry out

Choose by meaning and tone. For example, look forward to expresses pleasant anticipation; it does not mean admiration like look up to.

Exercise 5: What Would You Say?

Match each situation to the most natural response.

Situation

1. The job pays well, but the hours make it impossible for you.

2. You keep moving a routine dental appointment to a later date.

3. A severe storm means the outdoor concert cannot happen.

4. A friend recommends a new café nearby.

5. You need to examine six months of expense records carefully.

6. The team needs to invent a fresh campaign idea.

7. You want to start pottery as a regular hobby.

8. The video call ends suddenly because the internet fails.

9. A guest arrives forty minutes late without messaging anyone.

10. Your holiday begins next Friday and you feel excited about it.

Natural response

I’ll go through them carefully this afternoon.

They finally showed up without any warning.

I’ll have to turn it down, despite the salary.

Let’s come up with something original.

I’m really looking forward to it.

They’ll have to call it off for safety reasons.

I’m thinking of taking it up this autumn.

We should check it out this weekend.

We were cut off halfway through the call.

I shouldn’t keep putting it off.

N E R D

Word Origin

Naturally Eccentric, Remarkably Different

Word / Phrase	Category	Origin & Explanation
find out	metaphor	The particle out often suggests movement from hidden to visible. When you find out a fact, the information comes into the open.
bring up	metaphor	In bring up a topic, up suggests lifting an idea into everyone’s attention so that it can be discussed.
give up	metaphor	The image behind give up is surrender: you stop holding on to an attempt, habit, or claim.
turn down	metaphor	The downward direction suggests reduction or rejection. We can turn down the volume or turn down an offer.
break down	metaphor	Something that breaks down stops functioning as a whole. The phrase can describe machines, systems, negotiations, or communication.
put off	metaphor	The particle off creates distance. To put off a task is to move it away from the present moment.
look up to / look down on	metaphor	Vertical space becomes social judgement: we metaphorically look up to someone we admire and down on someone we consider inferior.
carry out	metaphor	A plan begins as an idea; to carry it out is to take it beyond planning and into completed action.

Exercise 1 — Plans and progress

1. go on means continue or happen: The meeting went on for hours. Carry on focuses more directly on continuing an activity.
2. carry on means continue doing something: Carry on working. It normally takes an activity or an -ing form.
3. set up means organise or establish; 4. take on means accept responsibility, while 5. take over means gain control from someone else.
6. give up means stop trying. 7. end up introduces a final, often unplanned, situation.
8. work out means develop successfully here; 9. move on leaves a stage behind; 10. carry out turns a plan or instruction into action.

Exercise 2 — Information and communication

1. C — find out means discover information. Sum up condenses known information, point out draws attention to it, and speak up means speak louder.
2. A — pointed out politely draws attention to specific errors. Brought up would introduce the topic more generally.
3. D — bring up means introduce a subject. The other choices mean complete a form, record information, or reply later.
4. B — look it up means search for recorded information. The separable pattern places it between verb and particle.
5. D — write down means record in writing; 6. B — fill in means complete the empty parts of a form.
7. A — call you back specifically promises another phone call. 8. C — get back to you means reply later, by any suitable method.
9. A — speak up asks for greater volume. 10. D — sum up introduces a concise final summary.

Exercise 3 — A weekend reunion

Pick up collects a person; drop off takes a person or thing to a place; hang out means spend relaxed social time.
Get on with describes a good relationship, while fall out with describes an argument that damages one.
Look up to means admire; look down on means consider inferior. The opposite particles carry opposite social judgements.
Take after means resemble an older relative; settle down means begin a stable way of life; put up with means tolerate something annoying.

Exercise 4 — Problems and solutions

1. B — broke down is the completed past of an intransitive verb: the van stopped working. No object pronoun is needed.
2. D — sort it out has correct pronoun placement. A pronoun must sit inside this separable verb.
3. A — get over means recover from illness. Get rid of means remove, and catch up with / keep up with concern progress.
4. C — get rid of means remove completely. 5. A — cut down on means reduce, so it matches the advice not to stop completely.
6. D — run out of is a three-part verb that stays together before its object.
7. B — catch up with means reach the group after falling behind. 8. C — keep up with means remain at the same pace.
9. A — look into means investigate and is inseparable. 10. C — hold on is the natural request to wait briefly on a call.

Exercise 5 — Natural responses

1. turn it down rejects the offer; 2. put it off postpones the appointment; 3. call it off cancels the event. The pronoun sits in the middle of each separable verb.
4. check it out means investigate or try the café. 5. go through means examine the records carefully.
6. come up with means produce an idea; 7. take it up means begin a hobby or activity.
8. were cut off means the connection was interrupted. 9. showed up means arrived, especially when the arrival was noticed or unexpected.
10. look forward to expresses pleasant anticipation and is followed by a noun or -ing form. Unlike look up to, it does not express admiration.

Pattern legend

Intransitive: no direct object: The car broke down.
Separable: a noun can often go before or after the particle, but a pronoun goes in the middle: turn the offer down / turn down the offer / turn it down.
Inseparable: the object follows the whole verb: look into the complaint, not look the complaint into.
Three-part: verb + two particles stay together before the object: put up with the noise.
The dagger symbol † marks ten familiar reference-only items. The other fifty verbs are practised above. Each row gives one main meaning; many phrasal verbs have additional meanings.

Everyday life

Phrasal verb	Pattern	Main meaning	Example
get up †	intransitive	leave bed	I get up at seven on weekdays.
go out †	intransitive	leave home for a social activity	We went out for dinner after work.
come back †	intransitive	return	She came back from Lisbon on Monday.
get back †	intransitive	return to a place	What time did you get back last night?
put on †	separable	dress yourself in something	Put your coat on before you leave.
take off †	intransitive	leave the ground	Our flight took off twenty minutes late.
pick up	separable	collect someone or something	I’ll pick you up outside the station.
drop off	separable	take someone or something to a place	Could you drop this parcel off at reception?
hang out	intransitive	spend relaxed social time	We usually hang out at a café after class.
come over †	intransitive	visit someone at home	Why don’t you come over on Sunday?

Plans and progress

Phrasal verb	Pattern	Main meaning	Example
go on	intransitive	continue or keep happening	The discussion went on until midnight.
carry on	inseparable	continue an activity	Please carry on working while I answer the door.
set up	separable	organise or establish	They set up a neighbourhood book club.
take on	separable	accept work or responsibility	I can’t take on another project this month.
take over	separable	gain control or responsibility	Mina will take over the team in October.
give up	intransitive	stop trying	The puzzle was hard, but he didn’t give up.
end up	intransitive	reach a final, often unplanned situation	We missed the exit and ended up in a village.
work out	intransitive	develop or finish successfully	The arrangement worked out better than expected.
move on	intransitive	leave a stage or subject behind	Let’s move on to the next item.
carry out	separable	perform a plan or instruction	The lab carried out three safety tests.

Information and communication

Phrasal verb	Pattern	Main meaning	Example
find out	separable	discover information	We found out why the order was delayed.
point out	separable	draw attention to a fact	Ravi pointed out a mistake in the total.
bring up	separable	introduce a topic	She brought up the parking issue at lunch.
look up	separable	search for recorded information	I looked the address up on my phone.
write down	separable	record in writing	Write down the confirmation number.
fill in	separable	complete a form	Please fill this form in clearly.
call back	separable	return a phone call	I’m busy now, but I’ll call you back.
get back to	three-part	reply or contact later	I’ll get back to you after I check.
speak up	intransitive	speak more loudly	Please speak up; the room is noisy.
sum up	separable	state the main points briefly	The chair summed up the decision in two sentences.

Relationships

Phrasal verb	Pattern	Main meaning	Example
grow up †	intransitive	develop from child to adult	I grew up near the coast.
get on with	three-part	have a good relationship with	Do you get on with your new flatmate?
fall out with	three-part	argue and stop being friendly with	He fell out with a friend over money.
look up to	three-part	admire and respect	Many young players look up to their coach.
look down on	three-part	consider someone inferior	Good managers never look down on junior staff.
take after	inseparable	resemble an older relative	Leah takes after her aunt in both looks and humour.
settle down	intransitive	begin a stable way of life	After years abroad, they settled down in Bristol.
put up with	three-part	tolerate something annoying	I won’t put up with rude behaviour.
look forward to	three-part	feel pleased about a future event	We’re looking forward to meeting the new team.
meet up †	intransitive	meet socially by arrangement	Let’s meet up after work on Thursday.

Problems and solutions

Phrasal verb	Pattern	Main meaning	Example
break down	intransitive	stop functioning	The lift broke down again this morning.
sort out	separable	resolve a problem	We need to sort this billing error out.
get over	inseparable	recover from an illness or difficulty	It took her a week to get over the virus.
get rid of	three-part	remove something unwanted	We got rid of several broken chairs.
cut down on	three-part	reduce how much you use or do	I’m trying to cut down on screen time.
run out of	three-part	use all of a supply	We ran out of printer paper.
catch up with	three-part	reach the same level after falling behind	Sam worked all weekend to catch up with the class.
keep up with	three-part	remain at the same pace or level	It’s hard to keep up with all the changes.
look into	inseparable	investigate	The landlord promised to look into the leak.
hold on	intransitive	wait briefly	Hold on while I find your booking.

Decisions and actions

Phrasal verb	Pattern	Main meaning	Example
turn down	separable	reject an offer or request	She turned the invitation down politely.
put off	separable	postpone	We put the meeting off until Friday.
call off	separable	cancel	They called off the match because of fog.
check out	separable	investigate or try	You should check out the new market.
go through	inseparable	examine carefully	Let’s go through the contract once more.
come up with	three-part	produce an idea or solution	The team came up with a cheaper design.
take up	separable	begin a hobby or activity	Nora took up cycling last spring.
cut off	separable	interrupt a connection or supply	The storm cut off electricity to the village.
turn off †	separable	stop a device or supply	Turn the lights off when you leave.
show up	intransitive	arrive, often noticeably	Only twelve people showed up for the workshop.