Common Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are groups of words (2 or 3) that when put together form an action.

In many cases they can mean multiple things.

In addition, they are generally used when talking more than in formal writing.^[1]https://7esl.com/phrasal-verbs/

Take in

We decided take in the stray cats. (adopted the cat)

Turn around

The CEO helped turn around the failing company. (helped improve the failing company)

Turn up

Can you please turn up the volume? (increase the volume)

Turn out

It turned out that she was right all along. (ended up)

Go down

The boat went down to the bottom of the ocean. (sunk)

Bring back

Please bring back the kids before 7pm. (return)

Get in

Get in the car right now! (enter)

Break off

Break off a piece of chocolate for yourself. (take a piece)

Take on

She had to take on a lot of obstacles in her life. (to face, encounter)

Get out

Get out of the car right now! (exit)

Pick up

Do you mind picking up some vegetables at the store for me on your way back? (to take, to get)

Go on

Go on, explain yourself and why you were late. (continue)

Work out

They were able to work out the problem. (fix)

Bring out

The teacher manages to bring out the best from her students. (to reveal)

Point out

The teacher pointed out that if we don’t study, we won’t do well on the test. (to show)

Move on

After breaking up with her boyfriend, it took her a long time to move on. (to keep going, get over)

Give back

The billionaire gave back a lot to his community. (after receiving something to return it)

Move in

The couple decided it was time to move in with each other. (to enter something)

Look back

Look back before getting out the parking space. (to look behind you)

Go over

Make sure to go over the exam a second time before turning it in. (to look at something an additional time)

Come round

The ice cream truck comes round our neighborhood every week. (to return)

Go up

Go up the stairs. (to ascend)

Set up

Don’t forget to set up the camera for the photo shoot. (to prepare)

Bring about

Technology has brought about a lot of change in our society. (to cause)

Look round

We looked around the store. (to browse)

Put out

It took a long time to put out the forest fire. (to extinguish)

Turn off

Can you please turn off the lights for me? (to stop)

Turn back

The police officer said that we had to turn back as the road was not safe. (to turn around, return from the direction you were coming form)

Come off

The stain on my dress won’t come off! (remove)

Turn round

We had to turn round as the road was a dead end. (go back in the direction you were coming from)

Go out

Would you like to go out tonight? (to leave)

Make up

They had a big argument, but later made up. (to fix)

Bring down

Can you bring down some for me too? (to take down)

Take over

The new company took over all the planning. (to take charge)

Break down

There was a break down in communication. (not working correctly)

Give in

The parents finally gave in to their kids demands for ice cream. (to give up and allow)

Sit back

Just sit back and enjoy the ride. (to sit in a relaxed position)

Carry on

They carried on like nothing had happened. (to continue on)

Sit up

Please sit up in your chair! (to sit straight)

Go along

They decided to go along with the plan. (to follow)

Carry out

We carried out the plan without any problems. (proceeded with, executed)

Put off

Your bad attitude is a real put off. (to make someone not like something/someone)

Get off

You need to get off the metro at this station. (to depart)

Take down

Please take down the poster. (to bring down, remove)

Take out

I would like some take out food for dinner. (to bring out something/someone)

Put back

Don’t forget to put it back where you found it. (after taking something, returning it to its original place)

Put down

Please put that down. (to place something on a surface)

Break up

I don’t mean to break up your conversation, but can I talk to you for a moment? (to separate)

Put on

You are really good at putting on a brave face. (to show)

Give up

I will never give up. (to surrender)

Look out

Can you keep a look out for the delivery man? (to regard and search)

Come down

Your Uber driver has just arrived, please come down to meet them. (to descend)

Break out

That was a break out performance! (to suddenly be shown)

Set off

The smoke set off the fire alarms. (to start)

Pick out

You can pick out anything you want from the store to buy. (to choose)

Hold out

The union held out for a better deal. (to continue to not move)

Sit down

Please sit down. (to sit)

Bring in

They brought in a lot of new customers. (to invite)

Hold on

Hold on for a second please. (to wait)

Look down

If you look down the drain, you can see it is clogged. (to look in a downward direction)

Go round

Go round to the other side, the entrance is over there. (to circle around something)

Come back

You can come back in 1 hour for your package. (to return)

Put in

You can put it in the cabinet. (to place something inside something else)

Come over

Would you like to come over and hang out. (to come)

Give out

The store was giving out free samples. (to give)

Find out

I found out that I would be getting a promotion. (to discover)

Move up

Please move up in line. (to move forward)

Get back

I will get back to you in a minute. (to return)

Move out

We moved out of our old apartment. (to leave)

Come in

Come in out of the cold. (to enter)

Get up

I get up at 7 AM every day. (to rise)

Come about

The increase in productivity has come about due to the new technology. (happen)

Look up

You can look it up on the internet. (search)

Go in

Go in the store and buy me some groceries please. (to enter)

Take back

This is broken, I need to take it back to the store. (to return something)

Get through

They need to get through this difficult time in life. (to survive)

Set out

They set out on their hike. (to start)

Take off

I am going to take off my clothes. (to remove)

Make out

The letters were too small to make out. (to perceive)

Come out

Can you please come out to talk to me. (to exit)

Come through

My baggage finally came through the gate. (to exit)

Move back

Move back  one step otherwise the object will hit your head! (to reverse backwards)

Come up

This question will probably come up on the exam. (to appear)

Hold up

Hold up for a second. I have something to tell you. (to stop)

Hold back

The athlete held back during the match. (to not try your hardest)

Get on

Get on the train. (to board/enter)

Take up

I am going to take up a new hobby. (to start)

Go off

The gun went off. (to explode)

Set down

I set down the chair right there. (to place)

Set about

We set about cleaning the house. (to start)

Put up

We put up the Christmas lights. (to build)

Come along

Do you want to come along to the mall? (to join)

Get down

We yelled at the cat to get down from the cabinets. (to get off)

Look around

I was looking around the store. (to regard)

Go through

We went through the tunnel. (to pass through)

Turn down

We had to tell the neighbors to turn down the volume. (to decrease)

Turn over

They turned over a new page. (to change)

Get in

Get in the car. (to enter)

Go back

Can you please go back to the store? (to return)

Bring up

She brought up a sore subject. (to mention)