8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
1/28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
2/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
break down "et upset 'he woman broke down when
the police told her that her son
had died.
break sthgdown divide into
smaller parts
,ur teacher broke the inal
pro%ectdown into three
separate parts.
break in orce entry to
a buildin"
-omebody broke in last ni"ht
and stole our stereo.
break intosthg enter orcibly 'he iremen had to break
into the room to rescue the
children.
break sthgin wear sth" a
ew times so
that it doesn!t
lookeel new
I need to break these
shoes inbeore we run ne&t
week.
break in interrupt 'he '/ station broke in toreport the news o the
president!s death.
break up end a
relationship
#y boyriend and I broke
up beore I moved to merica.
break up start lau"hin" 'he kids %ust broke up as soon
Page 2 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
3/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
)inormal+ as the clown started talkin".
break out escape 'he prisoners broke out o %ail
when the "uards weren!t
lookin".
break out in sthg develop a skincondition
I broke out in a rash ater ourcampin" trip.
bring sby down make unhappy 'his sad music
is bringing medown.
bring sby up raise a child #y"randparents brought me upa
ter my parents died.
bring sthgup start talkin"
about a
sub%ect
#y mother walks out o the
room when my ather brings
up sports.
bring sthgup vomit 1e drank so much that
he broughthis dinner up in the
toilet.
call around phone many
dierent
placespeople
(e called around but we
weren!t able to ind the car part
we needed.
Page 3 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
4/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
call sby back return a
phone call
I called the company back but
the oices were closed or the
weekend.
call sthg off cancel Jason called the
weddin" off because he wasn!t
in love with his ianc.
call on sby ask or an
answer or
opinion
'he proessor called on me or
question 3.
call on sby visit sby (e called on you last ni"ht
but you weren!t home.
call sby up phone 4ive me your phone number
and I will call you up when we
are in town.
calm down rela& ater
bein" an"ry
You are still mad. You need
to calm down beore you drivethe car.
not care forsby/
sthg
not like
)ormal+
I don!t care for his behaviour.
catch up "et to the
same point as
You!ll have to run aster than
that i you want to catch
Page 4 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
5/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
sby else up with #arty.
check in arrive and
re"ister at a
hotel or
airport
(e will "et the hotel keys when
wecheck in.
check out leave a hotel You have to check out o the
hotel beore 3300 #.
check sby/
sthg out
look at
careully*
investi"ate
'he company checks out all
new employees.
check outsby/
sthg
look at
)inormal+
Check out the cra6y hair on
that "uy7
cheer up become
happier
-he cheered up when she
heard the "ood news.
cheer sby up make happier I brou"ht you some lowers
tocheer you up.
chip in help I everyone chips in we can
"et the kitchen painted by
noon.
Page 5 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
6/28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
7/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
cut back on sthg consume less #y doctor wants me to cut
back on sweets and atty
oods.
cut sthgdown make sth" all
to the "round
(e had to cut the old tree in
our yard down ater the storm.
cut in interrupt Your ather cut in while I was
dancin" with your uncle.
cut in pull in too
closely in ront
o another
vehicle
'he bus driver "ot an"ry when
that car cut in.
cut in start
operatin" )o
an en"ine or
electrical
device+
'he air conditioner cuts
in when the temperature "ets
to 229:.
cut sthg off remove with
sth" sharp
'he doctors cut off his le"
because it was severely
in%ured.
cut sthg off stop providin" 'he phone company cut
off our phone because we
didn!t pay the bill.
Page 7 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
8/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
cut sby off take out o a
will
#y "randparents cut my
ather off when he remarried.
cut sthgout remove part
o sth"
)usually with
scissors and
paper+
I cut this ad out o the
newspaper.
do sby/ sthgover beat up*
ransack )Br;*
inormal+
1e!s lucky to be alive. 1is shop
wasdone over by a street
"an".
do sthgover do a"ain
)m;+
#y teacher wants me to do my
essay over because shedoesn!t like my topic.
do away
with sthg
discard It!s time to do away with all
o these old ta& records.
do sthg up asten* close Do your coat up beore you "ooutside. It!s snowin"7
dress up wear nice
clothin"
It!s a ancy restaurant so we
have to dress up.
drop back move back in
a
ndrea dropped back to third
Page 8 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
9/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
position"roup place when she ell o her bike.
drop in/ by/
over
come without
an
appointment
I mi"ht drop in/by/over or
tea sometime this week.
drop sby/ sthg off take sby sth"somewhere
and leave
themit there
I have to drop my sister off atwork beore I come over.
drop out quit a class*
school etc
I dropped out o -cience
because it was too diicult.
eat out eat at a
restaurant
I don!t eel like cookin" toni"ht.
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
10/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
fall out separate rom
an interior
'he money must have fallen
out o my pocket.
fall out )o hair* teeth+
become loose
and
unattached
1is hair started to fall
out when he was only 5.
figure sthgout understand*
ind the
answer
I need to figure out how to it
the piano and the bookshel in
this room.
fill sthg in to write
inormation in
blanks* as ona orm )Br;+
8lease fill in the orm with
your name* address* and phone
number.
fill sthg out to write
inormation in
blanks* as on
a orm )m;+
'he orm must be filled out in
capital letters.
fill sthg up ill to the top I always fill the water
%u" up when it is empty.
find out discover (e don!t know where he lives.
1ow can we find out=
Page 10 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
11/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
find sthgout discover (e tried to keep the time o
the party a secret* but
-amantha foundit out.
get sthgacross/
over
communicate*
make
understandabl
e
I tried to "et my
pointacrossover to the %ud"e
but she wouldn!t listen.
get along/on like each other I was surprised how well my
new "irlriend and my
sister "ot alon"on.
get around have mobility #y "randather can "et
around ine in his newwheelchair.
get away "o on a
vacation
(e worked so hard this year
that we had to "et away or a
week.
get away
with sthg
do without
bein" noticed
or punished
Jason always "ets away
withcheatin" in his maths tests.
get back return (e "ot back rom our vacation
last week.
Page 11 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
12/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
get sthgback receive sth"
you had
beore
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
13/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
get together meet )usually
or social
reasons+
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
14/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
give in reluctantly
stop i"htin"
or ar"uin"
#y boyriend didn!t want to "o
to the ballet* but he
inally "ave in.
give sthgout "ive to many
people
)usually at no
cost+
'hey were "ivin" out ree
perume samples at the
department store.
give sthgup quit a habit I am "ivin" up smokin" as o
January 3st.
give up stop tryin" #y maths homework was too
diicult so I "ave up.
go after sby ollow sby #y brother tried to "o ater the
thie in his car.
go aftersthg try to achieve
sth"
I went ater my dream and now
I am a published writer.
go againstsby compete*
oppose
(e are "oin" a"ainst the best
soccer team in the city toni"ht.
go ahead start* proceed 8lease "o ahead and eat beore
the ood "ets cold.
Page 14 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
15/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
go back return to a
place
I have to "o back home and
"et my lunch.
go out leave home to
"o on a social
event
(e!re "oin" out or dinner
toni"ht.
go out withsby date Jesse has been "oin" out
with
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
16/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
grow up become an
adult
(hen Jack "rows up he wants
to be a ireman.
grow out ofsthg "et too bi" or ;li6abeth needs a new pair o
shoes because she has "rown
out o her old ones.
grow intosthg "row bi"
enou"h to it
'his bike is too bi" or him
now* but he should "row into it
by ne&t year.
hand sthgdown "ive sth" used
to sby else
I handed my old comic
booksdown to my little cousin.
hand sthgin submit I have to hand in my essay by
@riday.
hand sthgout to distribute
to a "roup o
people
(e will hand out the invitations
at the door.
hand sthgover "ive )usually
unwillin"ly+
'he police asked the man
to hand over his wallet and his
weapons.
hang in stay positive
)inormal+
1an" in there. I!m sure you!ll
ind a %ob very soon.
Page 16 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
17/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
hang on wait a short
time
)inormal+
1an" on while I "rab my coat
and shoes7
hang out spend time
rela&in"
)inormal+
Instead o "oin" to the party
we are %ust "oin" to han"
out at my place.
hang up end a phone
call
1e didn!t say "oodbye beore
hehun" up.
hold sby/
sthg back
prevent rom
doin""oin"
I had to hold my
do" back because there was a
cat in the park.
hold sthgback hide an
emotion
Jamie held back his tears at his
"randather!s uneral.
hold on wait a short
time
8lease hold on while I transer
you to the -ales Aepartment.
hold ontosby/
sthg
hold irmly
usin" your
hands or arms
1old onto your hat because it!s
very windy outside.
hold sby/
sthgup
rob man in a black mask held the
bank up this mornin".
Page 17 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
18/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
keep on
doing sthg
continue doin" eep on stirrin" until the liquid
comes to a boil.
keep sthgfrom s
by
not tell (e kept our
relationship rom our parents
or two years.
keep sby/
sthg out
stop rom
enterin"
'ry to keep the wet do" out o
the livin" room.
keep sthgup continue at
the same rate
I you keep those
results up you will "et into a
"reat colle"e.
let sbydown ail to support
or help*
disappoint
I need you to be on time.
Aon!t letme down this time.
let sby in allow to enter :an you let the cat in beore
you "o to school=
log in (oron) si"n in )to a
website*
database etc+
I can!t lo" in to @acebook
because I!ve or"otten my
password.
Page 18 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
19/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
log out (oroff) si"n out )o a
website*
database etc+
I you don!t lo" o somebody
could "et into your account.
look aftersby/
sthg
take care o I have to look ater my sick
"randmother.
look down
on sby
think less o*
consider
inerior
;ver since we stole that
chocolate bar your dad
has looked down onme.
look forsby/
sthg
try to ind I!m lookin" or a red dress or
the weddin".
look forward
tosthg
be e&cited
about the
uture
I!m lookin" orward to the
:hristmas break.
look intosthg investi"ate (e are "oin" to look into the
price o snowboards today.
look out be careul*
vi"ilant* and
take notice
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
20/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
look sthgover check*
e&amine
:an you look over my essay or
spellin" mistakes=
look sthgup search and
ind
inormation in
a reerence
book or
database
(e can look her phone
number upon the Internet.
look up tosby have a lot o
respect or
#y little sister has
always looked up to me.
make sthgup invent* lie
about sth"
Josie made up a story about
why we were late.
make up or"ive each
other
(e were an"ry last ni"ht* but
wemade up at breakast.
make sbyup apply
cosmetics to
#y sisters made me up or my
"raduation party.
mix sthg up conuse two or
more thin"s
I mi&ed up the twins! names
a"ain7
pass away die 1is uncle passed away last
ni"ht ater a lon" illness.
Page 20 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
21/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
pass out aint It was so hot in the church that
an elderly lady passed out.
pass sthgout "ive the same
thin" to many
people
'he proessor passed the
te&tbooksout beore class.
pass sthgup decline
)usually sth"
"ood+
I passed up the %ob because I
am araid o chan"e.
pay sbyback return owed
money
'hanks or buyin" my ticket.
I!ll payyou back on @riday.
pay for sthg be punished
or doin" sth"
bad
'hat bully will pay or bein"
mean to my little brother.
pick sthgout choose I picked out three sweaters or
you to try on.
point sby/
sthg out
indicate with
your in"er
I!ll point my
boyriend out when he runs by.
Page 21 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
22/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
put sthgdown put what you
are holdin" on
a surace or
loor
You can put the
"roceries down on the kitchen
counter.
put sbydown insult* make
sby eel stupid
'he students put the substitute
teacher down because his
pants were too short.
put sthg off postpone (e are puttin" o our trip until
January because o the
hurricane.
put sthgout e&tin"uish 'he nei"hbours put the
ire outbeore the iremenarrived.
put sthgtogether assemble I have to put the
crib to"etherbeore the baby
arrives.
put up with sby/
sthg
tolerate I don!t think I can put up
withthree small children in the
car.
put sthg on put clothin"
accessories on
your body
Aon!t or"et to put on your new
earrin"s or the party.
Page 22 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
23/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
run intosby/
sthg
meet
une&pectedly
I ran into an old school>riend
at the mall.
run oversby/
sthg
drive a vehicle
over a person
or thin"
I accidentally ran over your
bicycle in the driveway.
run over/
throughsthg
rehearse*
review
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
24/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
shop around compare
prices
I want to shop around a little
beore I decide on these boots.
show off act e&tra
special or
people
watchin"
)usually
boastully+
1e always shows o on his
skateboard
sleep over stay
somewhere
or the ni"ht
)inormal+
You should sleep over toni"ht i
the weather is too bad to drive
home.
sort sthgout or"ani6e*
resolve a
problem
(e need to sort the
bills out beore the irst o the
month.
stick tosthg continue doin"
sth"* limit
yoursel to
one particularthin"
You will lose wei"ht i you stick
tothe diet.
switch sthgoff stop the
ener"y low*
turn o
'he li"ht!s too bri"ht. :ould
youswitch it o.
Page 24 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
25/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
switch sthgon start the
ener"y low*
turn on
(e heard the news as soon as
weswitched on the car radio.
take aftersby resemble a
amily
member
I take ater my mother. (e are
both impatient.
take sthgapart purposely
break into
pieces
1e took the car
brakes apart and ound the
problem.
take sthgback return an item I have to take our new
'/ backbecause it doesn!t
work.
take off start to ly #y plane takes o in ive
minutes.
take sthgoff remove sth"
)usuallyclothin"+
'ake o your socks and shoes
and come in the lake7
take sthgout remove rom a
place or thin"
:an you take the
"arba"e out to the street or
me=
take sbyout pay or sby to #y
Page 25 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
26/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
"o somewhere
with you
"randparents took us out or
dinner and a movie.
tear sthgup rip into pieces I tore up my e&>boyriend!s
letters and "ave them back to
him.
think back remember
)oten C to*
sometimes C
on+
(hen I think back on my
youth* I wish I had studied
harder.
think sthgover consider I!ll have to think this %ob
oer overbeore I make my
inal decision.
throw sthgaway dispose o (e threw our old
urniture awaywhen we won
the lottery.
turn sthgdown decrease thevolume or
stren"th
)heat* li"ht
etc+
8lease turn the '/ down whilethe "uests are here.
turn sthgdown reuse I turned the %ob down because
I don!t want to move.
Page 26 of 28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
27/28
8/19/2019 Phrasal Verbs Common English
28/28
phrasal verb meaning example sentence
wake up stop sleepin" (e have to wake up early or
work on #onday.
warm sby/
sthg up
increase the
temperature
You can warm your eet up in
ront o the ireplace.
warm up prepare bodyor e&ercise
I always warm up by doin" sit>ups beore I "o or a run.
wear off ade away #ost o my make>up wore
obeore I "ot to the party.
work out e&ercise I work out at the "ym threetimes a week.
work out be successul ,ur plan worked out ine.
work sthgout make a
calculation
(e have to work out the total
cost beore we buy the house.