English is full of tricky little expressions that can leave even the most enthusiastic learners scratching their heads. One of the biggest culprits? Phrasal verbs! These sneaky combinations of a verb and a preposition (or adverb) often mean something completely different from the individual words. And guess what? Native speakers use them all the time!
Want to sound more natural in conversations? Improve your fluency? Ace an exam? Then mastering phrasal verbs is a must. But don’t worry—I’ve got your back! This guide will break them down in a way that actually makes sense. Plus, I’ll throw in practice exercises with answers so you can test your knowledge.
Let’s dive in and start with the basics.
Introduction to English Phrasal Verbs
What Are Phrasal Verbs?
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and either a preposition or adverb (sometimes both!). Together, they create a meaning that is often completely different from the original verb.
Example:
- Turn up – This doesn’t mean you’re twisting something upwards. Instead, it means to arrive unexpectedly or increase volume depending on the context!
- “He didn’t tell anyone he was coming, but he just turned up at the party!”
- “Can you turn up the music? I can’t hear the lyrics!”
As you can see, the meaning of turn up has nothing to do with turning anything physically. That’s why learning phrasal verbs is so important!
Why Are Phrasal Verbs Important?
Phrasal verbs are everywhere in spoken and written English—movies, books, conversations, emails, work meetings—you name it! If you avoid them, your English can sound stiff or unnatural.
Here’s why learning them is essential:
They make you sound more like a native speaker.
improve your understanding of casual and professional English.
They help you communicate complex ideas in a simple way.
Take these two sentences:
I continued waking up early even though I was on holiday.
I kept up waking up early even though I was on holiday.
The second sentence is way more natural! That’s the power of phrasal verbs in action.
The Challenge of Learning Phrasal Verbs
Let’s be real—phrasal verbs can be frustrating! There’s no magic formula to guess their meanings just by looking at the words. You have to learn them individually and in context.
But here’s the good news:
Many phrasal verbs follow patterns, which makes them easier to remember.
Once you learn the most common ones, you’ll recognize them everywhere.
Practicing with exercises (like the ones in this article) will help you remember and use them naturally.
And hey, don’t worry—I’ve got some practical strategies to help you out in the next sections. So stick around!
Types of Phrasal Verbs
Not all phrasal verbs work the same way, and that’s where things can get tricky. But don’t worry! If you understand the different types, you’ll find it much easier to learn and use them correctly.
Let’s break them down into four main categories:
1. Transitive vs. Intransitive Phrasal Verbs
The first way to classify phrasal verbs is by whether or not they need a direct object.
🔹 Transitive Phrasal Verbs (Need an Object)
These phrasal verbs must have a direct object to make sense.
Example:
- Bring up – (mention a topic)
- ❌ She brought up. (Incorrect ❌ – What did she bring up?)
- ✅ She brought up an interesting point during the meeting.
- Give up – (quit something)
- ❌ I gave up. (Incorrect ❌ – What did you give up?)
- ✅ I gave up smoking last year.
Without an object, these sentences sound incomplete!
🔹 Intransitive Phrasal Verbs (No Object Needed)
These stand alone—no direct object is needed!
Example:
- Wake up – (stop sleeping)
- I woke up at 7 AM.
- Go on – (continue)
- The show must go on!
See the difference? These intransitive phrasal verbs don’t need anything else to complete their meaning.
2. Separable vs. Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
Now, let’s talk about word order. Some phrasal verbs can be split up, while others must stay together.
🔹 Separable Phrasal Verbs (Can Be Split Up)
With these, you can place the object between the verb and the particle.
Example:
- Turn off – (stop a machine or device)
- She turned off the lights.
- She turned the lights off.
Both versions work! But if you use a pronoun (like it, him, her), you must separate them:
- ✅ She turned it off.
- ❌ She turned off it. (Incorrect!)
🔹 Inseparable Phrasal Verbs (Must Stay Together)
Some phrasal verbs can’t be split—no matter what!
Example:
- Look after – (take care of someone)
- ✅ She looks after her younger brother.
- ❌ She looks her younger brother after. (Nope! ❌)
- Run into – (meet someone unexpectedly)
- ✅ I ran into an old friend yesterday.
- ❌ I ran an old friend into yesterday. (Sounds weird, right?)
So, when learning new phrasal verbs, always check if they’re separable or inseparable. It’ll save you from making awkward mistakes!
3. Three-Word Phrasal Verbs
Most phrasal verbs have two words, but some have three. These are always inseparable—they must stay together.
Example:
- Put up with – (tolerate)
- ✅ I can’t put up with this noise anymore!
- ❌ I can’t put this noise up with anymore. (Nope! ❌)
- Look forward to – (be excited about something)
- ✅ I look forward to my vacation.
- ❌ I look my vacation forward to. (That’s just wrong!)
4. Phrasal Verbs with Multiple Meanings
Some phrasal verbs play tricks on you by having more than one meaning depending on the context.
Example:
- Take off
- To remove clothing: She took off her jacket.
- To become successful: His business took off after a year.
- To leave the ground (airplane): The plane took off on time.
One phrasal verb—three totally different meanings! This is why learning them in context is so important.
Final Thoughts on Phrasal Verb Types
Understanding these categories will help you use phrasal verbs more confidently. Now, when you learn a new one, ask yourself:
Is it transitive or intransitive?
Can it be separated?
Does it have multiple meanings?
This way, you’ll remember them faster and better!
Common Phrasal Verbs and Their Meanings
Now that you know the different types of phrasal verbs, it’s time to dive into the most commonly used ones. These pop up everywhere—in conversations, books, movies, and even business emails.
Below, you’ll find a handy list of everyday phrasal verbs with their meanings and example sentences. Ready? Let’s go!
1. Everyday Phrasal Verbs You Need to Kno
🔹 Bring up (mention a topic)
✔️ She brought up the budget issue during the meeting.
🔹 Call off (cancel something)
✔️ They called off the wedding because of the storm.
🔹 Come across (find something by chance)
✔️ I came across an old letter from my grandmother.
🔹 Get along with (have a good relationship with someone)
✔️ I get along with my coworkers really well.
🔹 Give up (stop doing something)
✔️ He gave up smoking last year.
🔹 Look after (take care of someone or something)
✔️ She looks after her younger brother while their parents work.
🔹 Put off (postpone something)
✔️ They put off the meeting until next week.
🔹 Run into (meet someone unexpectedly)
✔️ I ran into my old teacher at the supermarket.
🔹 Turn down (reject an offer)
✔️ She turned down the job because the salary was too low.
🔹 Work out (exercise / find a solution)
✔️ He works out every morning at the gym.
✔️ We need to work out this problem before the deadline.
2. Phrasal Verbs Used in Business and Work
Phrasal verbs are not just for casual chats—they’re essential in business English too!
🔹 Carry out (complete a task or project)
✔️ The company carried out a detailed survey before launching the product.
🔹 Deal with (handle a situation or problem)
✔️ She deals with customer complaints professionally.
🔹 Follow up on (check on something later)
✔️ Can you follow up on the email I sent last week?
🔹 Lay off (fire employees due to company issues)
✔️ The company had to lay off 100 workers due to budget cuts.
🔹 Take over (gain control of something)
✔️ The CEO announced that another company would take over the project.
3. Phrasal Verbs Used in Social and Informal Conversations
Some phrasal verbs sound extra natural in everyday conversations.
🔹 Catch up with (get up to date with someone’s news)
✔️ Let’s grab a coffee and catch up soon!
🔹 Hang out (spend time relaxing with people)
✔️ We hung out at the mall all day.
🔹 Show up (arrive somewhere, often unexpectedly)
✔️ She just showed up at my house without calling first!
🔹 Come up with (think of an idea)
✔️ He came up with a great solution to our problem.
🔹 Run out of (have no more of something left)
✔️ We ran out of milk, so I need to go to the store.
4. Phrasal Verbs with Multiple Meanings
Some phrasal verbs can change meaning depending on the context.
🔹 Take off
The plane took off at 9 AM. (leave the ground)
His career took off after his first viral video. (become successful)
🔹 Set up
They set up a new business last year. (start a company)
I need to set up my new phone. (prepare something for use)
How to Learn and Use These Phrasal Verbs
Practice in context – Instead of memorizing definitions, use them in sentences.
Read and listen – Books, TV shows, and conversations are full of phrasal verbs.
Write them down – Keep a vocabulary notebook with examples.
Take quizzes – Test yourself to reinforce learning.
Exercises with Answers
Now that you’ve seen a ton of useful phrasal verbs, it’s time to put your knowledge to the test! The best way to memorize and use these expressions naturally is through practice.
Below, you’ll find different types of exercises to help you strengthen your understanding. Try them without looking at the answers first!
1. Fill in the Blanks: Choose the Correct Phrasal Verb
Fill in the blanks using the correct phrasal verb from the box.
(look after, turn down, run into, give up, come across, carry out, hang out, set up, work out, put off)
- I was surprised when I __________ my old school friend at the airport.
- You should never __________ on your dreams, no matter how hard things get.
- Could you __________ my dog while I’m away?
- They __________ a new café downtown last month.
- He __________ a fascinating old book in his attic.
- We decided to __________ the meeting to next Friday.
- She __________ the job offer because the salary wasn’t good enough.
- Scientists are __________ research on a new type of vaccine.
- I need to __________ more often if I want to stay fit.
- Let’s __________ at the mall this weekend!
Answers:
- ran into
- give up
- look after
- set up
- came across
- put off
- turned down
- carrying out
- work out
- hang out
2. Match the Phrasal Verb to Its Meaning
Match each phrasal verb to its correct meaning.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A. Take off | 1. Reject an offer |
| B. Call off | 2. Meet someone unexpectedly |
| C. Turn down | 3. Cancel something |
| D. Look forward to | 4. Be excited about something |
| E. Run into | 5. Leave the ground (airplane) |
Answers:
A – 5 | B – 3 |C – 1 | D – 4 | E 2
3. Rewrite the Sentences Using a Phrasal Ver
Rewrite these sentences using the correct phrasal Verb.
- I met my teacher at the grocery store yesterday.
- The company canceled the event due to bad weather.
- I always get excited about Christmas.
- She stopped trying to learn French after a few weeks.
- The plane left the ground at exactly 8 AM.
Answers:
- I ran into my teacher at the grocery store yesterday.
- The company called off the event due to bad weather.
- I always look forward to Christmas.
- She gave up learning French after a few weeks.
- The plane took off at exactly 8 AM.
4. Phrasal Verb Challenge: Find the Mistake
Each sentence below has a mistake. Can you correct it?
- I wake up my brother every morning because he sleeps in too much.
- Can you turn down the music on? It’s too loud.
- We called the wedding off it because of the rain.
- He takes care his pet turtle very well.
- I ran out sugar, so I need to go to the store.
Corrected Sentences:
- I wake up my brother every morning because he sleeps in too much.
- Can you turn the music down? It’s too loud.
- We called off the wedding because of the rain.
- He takes care of his pet turtle very well.
- I ran out of sugar, so I need to go to the store.
Final Thoughts on Practicing Phrasal Verbs
Practice makes perfect! Don’t just read these exercises—say the sentences out loud or use them in your daily conversations.
Keep a notebook of new phrasal verbs.
Try to use at least 5 phrasal verbs every day.
Watch TV shows or read books to see them in context.
FAQs
When learning phrasal verbs, many English learners struggle with the same questions. Below, I’ll answer some of the most common ones to help you master these tricky expressions faster!
1. What Are Phrasal Verbs?
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and a preposition or adverb (sometimes both), creating a new meaning different from the original verb.
Example:
- Look up – (to search for information)
- I need to look up this word in the dictionary.
2. How Many Phrasal Verbs Are There in English
English has over 10,000 phrasal verbs, but don’t panic! You don’t need to learn them all—just focus on the most common ones used in daily life and work.
Start with:
bring up, call off, give up, look after, put off, turn down, take off
The more you expose yourself to English, the more natural they’ll become.
3. Why Are Phrasal Verbs So Difficult to Learn
Phrasal verbs are tricky because:
You can’t guess their meanings from individual words.
Many have multiple meanings (e.g., “take off” = leave the ground OR become successful).
Some are separable, others aren’t (e.g., “turn down the music” vs. “look after the baby”).
But don’t stress! If you practice with real-life examples, they’ll soon feel natural.
4. How Can I Memorize Phrasal Verbs Faster?
Here are some powerful tips to remember them easily:
Learn them in context – Instead of memorizing a list, use them in sentences.
Group them by themes – Learn travel-related phrasal verbs together (check in, take off, get on).
Watch TV shows & movies – Notice how native speakers use them in conversations.
Write daily sentences – Create your own examples to reinforce memory.
Use flashcards – Apps like Anki or Quizlet help with recall.
Conclusion
Mastering phrasal verbs is a game-changer for fluency in English. These everyday expressions help you sound more natural, confident, and engaged in conversations. While they may seem tricky at first, consistent practice, context-based learning, and real-life usage will make them second nature.
The key? Don’t memorize—immerse yourself! Read, listen, and speak English daily, and soon, phrasal verbs will feel like second nature. Keep practicing, and you’ll be using them effortlessly in no time! 🚀