ADVANCED VOCABULARY: PHRASAL VERBS

Rules & Syntax

How to Identify Phrasal Verbs

A 3-Step Guide to Identification

1. 1. Look for a `Verb + Particle` combination: Spot a main verb followed immediately by a small word like `up`, `down`, `in`, `on`, `off`, `away`, `out`, `about`.
2. 2. Check the Meaning: Ask yourself if the combination has a figurative or idiomatic meaning that is different from the individual words. For example, in "He looked up the word," 'look up' doesn't mean to physically look in an upward direction; it means 'to research'.
3. 3. Differentiate from Prepositional Verbs: In a simple prepositional verb, the verb and preposition keep their literal meanings (e.g., "He walked up the hill."). In a phrasal verb, the meaning is new and idiomatic (e.g., "He made up a story.").

100 Essential Phrasal Verbs

1. Account for: to explain or give a reason for.
   Example: The bad weather accounts for the delay.
2. Act on: to take action because of information received.
   Example: The police decided to act on the anonymous tip.
3. Add up: to make sense or seem reasonable.
   Example: His story just doesn't add up.
4. Ask for: to request something.
   Example: She asked for a promotion at work.
5. Back down: to withdraw your claim or demand.
   Example: He refused to back down during the argument.
6. Back up: to support or to make a copy of data.
   Example: Please back up all your important files.
7. Blow up: to explode; to inflate.
   Example: The rebels tried to blow up the bridge.
8. Break down: to stop working (machine); to lose emotional control.
   Example: The car broke down on the way.
9. Break in/into: to enter a building by force.
   Example: Someone broke into our house last night.
10. Break up: to end a relationship.
    Example: After many arguments, they decided to break up.
11. Bring about: to cause something to happen.
    Example: The new CEO brought about many positive changes.
12. Bring up: to raise a child; to mention a topic.
    Example: Don't bring up that sensitive topic again.
13. Brush up on: to improve your knowledge or skill in something.
    Example: I need to brush up on my Spanish before my trip to Madrid.
14. Burn out: to become extremely tired from overworking.
    Example: If you work 12 hours a day, you will eventually burn out.
15. Call for: to require or demand.
    Example: This situation calls for immediate action.
16. Call off: to cancel.
    Example: They had to call off the wedding.
17. Calm down: to become less angry or upset.
    Example: Please calm down and tell me what happened.
18. Carry on: to continue.
    Example: Please carry on with your work while I am away.
19. Carry out: to perform a task or an order.
    Example: The soldiers carried out the captain's orders.
20. Catch up: to reach the same level as someone else.
    Example: She was ill, so she has to work hard to catch up.
21. Check in: to register at a hotel or airport.
    Example: We need to check in at least two hours before the flight.
22. Check out: to leave a hotel; to investigate.
    Example: We must check out of the hotel by noon. Let's check out that new restaurant.
23. Cheer up: to become happier.
    Example: I bought her flowers to cheer her up.
24. Come across: to find by chance.
    Example: I came across some old letters in the attic.
25. Come up with: to think of an idea or plan.
    Example: He came up with a great solution to the problem.
26. Count on: to rely or depend on someone.
    Example: You can always count on me for help.
27. Cut down on: to reduce the consumption of something.
    Example: I'm trying to cut down on caffeine.
28. Do away with: to abolish; to get rid of.
    Example: The company decided to do away with the old policy.
29. Do over: to do something again.
    Example: The teacher made him do the assignment over.
30. Drop by/in: to visit informally for a short time.
    Example: Please drop by for a cup of coffee sometime.
31. Drop out: to quit a course, school, or competition.
    Example: He dropped out of college after the first year.
32. Fall apart: to break into pieces; to fail.
    Example: The old chair is falling apart.
33. Fall behind: to fail to keep up with others.
    Example: If you miss too many classes, you will fall behind.
34. Figure out: to understand or solve something.
    Example: I can't figure out why the computer isn't working.
35. Fill out: to complete a form.
    Example: Please fill out this application form.
36. Find out: to discover information.
    Example: We need to find out when the event starts.
37. Get along with: to have a good relationship with someone.
    Example: Do you get along with your new boss?
38. Get away with: to escape punishment for a wrongdoing.
    Example: He cheated on the test and got away with it.
39. Get back at: to take revenge on someone.
    Example: She wanted to get back at him for his mean comments.
40. Get over: to recover from an illness or disappointment.
    Example: It took him months to get over the loss of his pet.
41. Get rid of: to eliminate something.
    Example: We need to get rid of this old furniture.
42. Give in: to surrender.
    Example: The army refused to give in despite being outnumbered.
43. Give up: to stop trying; to quit a habit.
    Example: He decided to give up smoking.
44. Go after: to pursue someone or something.
    Example: The police officer went after the thief.
45. Go on: to continue; to happen.
    Example: Please go on with your story.
46. Go through: to experience something difficult.
    Example: She has gone through a lot of hardship.
47. Grow up: to become an adult.
    Example: What do you want to be when you grow up?
48. Hand in: to submit.
    Example: All students must hand in their reports by Monday.
49. Hand out: to distribute.
    Example: The teacher will hand out the exam papers.
50. Hang out: to spend time relaxing informally.
    Example: We used to hang out at the mall after school.
51. Hang up: to end a phone call.
    Example: Don't hang up, I haven't finished talking!
52. Hold on: to wait.
    Example: Please hold on for a moment.
53. Keep on: to continue doing something.
    Example: If you keep on practicing, you will improve.
54. Let down: to disappoint.
    Example: He felt that his team had let him down.
55. Look after: to take care of.
    Example: Can you look after my dog this weekend?
56. Look forward to: to anticipate with pleasure.
    Example: I look forward to meeting you in person.
57. Look into: to investigate.
    Example: The committee will look into the allegations.
58. Look up: to find information in a reference book.
    Example: I had to look up the word in the dictionary.
59. Look up to: to admire and respect someone.
    Example: He has always looked up to his older brother.
60. Make up: to invent a story; to reconcile.
    Example: Is that true, or did you make it up?
61. Make up for: to compensate for something.
    Example: He tried to make up for his mistake by buying her a gift.
62. Pass away: to die (polite term).
    Example: The former president passed away this morning.
63. Pass out: to faint.
    Example: She passed out from the heat.
64. Pay back: to return money owed.
    Example: I will pay you back next week.
65. Pick up: to collect someone or something.
    Example: Can you pick up some milk on your way home?
66. Point out: to draw attention to something.
    Example: She pointed out several errors in the report.
67. Put off: to postpone.
    Example: The meeting was put off until next Friday.
68. Put on: to wear clothes; to gain weight.
    Example: Put on your jacket, it's cold outside.
69. Put up with: to tolerate.
    Example: I cannot put up with his constant complaining.
70. Run into: to meet unexpectedly.
    Example: I ran into my old teacher at the mall.
71. Run out of: to have none left.
    Example: We have run out of sugar.
72. Set up: to establish; to arrange.
    Example: He wants to set up his own business.
73. Show off: to boast or try to impress people.
    Example: He's always showing off his new sports car.
74. Show up: to arrive.
    Example: We waited for an hour, but he never showed up.
75. Shut up: to stop talking (impolite).
    Example: The teacher told the noisy students to shut up.
76. Stand for: to represent or to tolerate.
    Example: 'USA' stands for the United States of America. I will not stand for such behavior.
77. Take after: to resemble a family member.
    Example: She really takes after her mother.
78. Take off: to leave the ground (plane); to remove clothes.
    Example: Please take off your shoes before entering.
79. Take over: to take control.
    Example: The new CEO will take over in January.
80. Talk into: to persuade someone to do something.
    Example: He talked me into going to the party.
81. Think over: to consider something carefully.
    Example: I need some time to think it over.
82. Throw away: to discard something.
    Example: Don't throw away those old newspapers.
83. Try on: to put on clothes to see if they fit.
    Example: You should try on the shirt before you buy it.
84. Turn down: to reject an offer; to reduce volume.
    Example: He turned down the job offer. Can you turn down the music?
85. Turn into: to transform into something else.
    Example: The caterpillar will turn into a butterfly.
86. Turn off: to deactivate a machine or light.
    Example: Please turn off the lights when you leave.
87. Turn on: to activate a machine or light.
    Example: Can you turn on the television?
88. Turn up: to arrive unexpectedly; to increase volume.
    Example: He finally turned up an hour late.
89. Use up: to use all of a supply of something.
    Example: We used up all the milk.
90. Wake up: to stop sleeping.
    Example: I wake up at 6 AM every day.
91. Watch out: to be careful.
    Example: Watch out! There's a car coming.
92. Wear off: to fade away or disappear gradually.
    Example: The effect of the painkiller will soon wear off.
93. Work out: to exercise; to find a solution.
    Example: We need to work out a compromise.