Introduction
Phrasal verbs are one of the most distinctive features of English and a significant challenge for learners. These combinations of verbs with particles (such as up, down, out, in, off, away) create new meanings that often cannot be deduced from the individual words. Mastering phrasal verbs is essential for achieving natural, fluent English communication.
This comprehensive guide covers hundreds of common phrasal verbs organized by the particle used and their meanings. Each entry includes definitions, example sentences, and usage notes to help you understand and use these expressions confidently. Whether you are preparing for English proficiency tests or aiming for everyday fluency, this guide provides the essential information you need.
Unlike simple verbs, phrasal verbs often have multiple meanings and can be either separable or inseparable. Understanding these grammatical rules and semantic patterns will help you navigate this challenging but rewarding aspect of English grammar.
Understanding Phrasal Verbs
What Are Phrasal Verbs
A phrasal verb consists of a main verb combined with one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs). Together, these create an expression with a meaning often different from the original verb. For example, “look” means to use your eyes, but “look up” means to search for information, and “look after” means to take care of.
The particles used in phrasal verbs include common words like up, down, in, out, off, on, away, over, through, and about. Each particle can change the meaning of the verb in different ways, and the same combination can sometimes have multiple meanings depending on context.
Phrasal verbs are extremely common in informal English and are used extensively in spoken language, newspapers, and everyday communication. Native speakers use them naturally without conscious thought, making them essential knowledge for anyone seeking true English fluency.
Separable vs Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
One of the most important concepts in phrasal verb usage is understanding separable and inseparable combinations. Separable phrasal verbs allow the particle to be placed either between the verb and the particle or after the object. Inseparable phrasal verbs require the particle to always follow the verb directly.
Separable phrasal verbs follow these rules: When the object is a noun, you can place the particle either before or after the object (“turn off the light” or “turn the light off”). When the object is a pronoun, you must place the particle after the pronoun (“turn it off,” not “turn off it”).
Inseparable phrasal verbs never allow separation: “look after the children” is correct, but “look the children after” is not. Many multi-word phrasal verbs (verb + particle + preposition) are also inseparable.
Phrasal Verbs with UP
Meanings and Uses
The particle “up” appears in numerous phrasal verbs with various meanings. Understanding these patterns helps predict meanings when encountering new combinations.
“Set up” means to establish or arrange something. Example: “They set up a new office in Seattle.” “Come up with” means to think of or produce an idea. Example: “She came up with a brilliant solution.”
“Use up” means to consume completely. Example: “We’ve used up all the supplies.” “Make up” can mean to invent or to constitute. Example: “He made up a story” or “Women make up 50% of the workforce.”
“Turn up” means to appear or to increase volume. Example: “Something interesting turned up at the meeting” or “Turn up the music!”
“Show up” means to arrive or become visible. Example: “She never shows up on time.” “Grow up” means to mature or to have a particular upbringing. Example: “I grew up in Chicago.”
Common Up Phrasal Verbs List
Wake up: to stop sleeping or to awaken someone. “I wake up at 6 AM every day.”
Clean up: to make a place clean. “Please clean up your room before guests arrive.”
Fix up: to repair or arrange. “They fixed up the old house before selling it.”
Dress up: to wear formal clothes. “You should dress up for the wedding.”
Cheer up: to feel happier or to make someone feel happier. “The good news cheered her up.”
Hang up: to end a phone call or to hang clothing. “I hung up before she could explain.”
Phrasal Verbs with DOWN
Meanings and Uses
Phrasal verbs with “down” often relate to reduction, slowing, or putting something in a lower position.
“Calm down” means to become calmer or to help someone become calmer. Example: “Take a deep breath and calm down.” “Slow down” means to reduce speed. Example: “You’re walking too fast—slow down!”
“Write down” means to record something in writing. Example: “Please write down your phone number.” “Tear down” means to demolish. Example: “They tore down the old building.”
“Break down” can mean to stop working or to analyze in detail. Example: “The car broke down on the highway” or “Let’s break down the problem into smaller parts.”
“Turn down” means to refuse or to reduce volume. Example: “She turned down the job offer” or “Turn down the heater.”
“Put down” means to place something somewhere or to stop holding it. Example: “Put down your bags and sit down.”
Common Down Phrasal Verbs List
Sit down: to move from standing to sitting. “Please sit down and make yourself comfortable.”
Close down: to cease operating. “The factory closed down last year.”
Cut down: to reduce consumption. “I’m trying to cut down on coffee.”
Let down: to disappoint. “Don’t worry—I won’t let you down.”
Hand down: to pass to another generation. “This necklace was handed down from my grandmother.”
Phrasal Verbs with OUT
Meanings and Uses
“Out” in phrasal verbs often relates to completion, emergence, or exclusion.
“Find out” means to discover information. Example: “I need to find out when the train leaves.” “Figure out” means to understand or solve. Example: “Can you figure out this math problem?”
“Work out” can mean to exercise or to resolve. Example: “I work out at the gym every morning” or “Everything worked out in the end.”
“Point out” means to indicate or draw attention to. Example: “Let me point out the main attractions.” “Look out” means to be careful. Example: “Look out! There’s a car coming!”
“Give out” means to distribute or to stop functioning. Example: “The teacher gave out the worksheets” or “My voice gave out after shouting.”
“Carry out” means to perform or conduct. Example: “The police are carrying out an investigation.”
Common Out Phrasal Verbs List
Go out: to leave your home for recreation. “Let’s go out for dinner tonight.”
Sell out: to sell all available tickets or stock. “The concert sold out in an hour.”
Find out: to discover. “How did you find out about the party?”
Check out: to examine or to leave a hotel. “Check out this new restaurant” or “We need to check out by 11 AM.”
Drop out: to leave school or an event. “She dropped out of college after one semester.”
Phrasal Verbs with OFF
Meanings and Uses
Phrasal verbs with “off” often relate to departure, removal, or cancellation.
“Take off” means to remove or to depart (aircraft). Example: “Take off your coat” or “The plane takes off at 6 PM.” “Get off” means to leave a vehicle. Example: “I get off the bus at Main Street.”
“Turn off” means to stop a device. Example: “Please turn off your phone during the meeting.” “Set off” means to start a journey or to cause an explosion. Example: “We set off early in the morning.”
“Pay off” means to pay completely or to succeed. Example: “It took years to pay off my student loans” or “All that hard work paid off.”
“Keep off” means to avoid. Example: “Keep off the grass!” “Show off” means to display proudly. Example: “He’s always showing off his new car.”
Common Off Phrasal Verbs List
Run off: to leave quickly. “The thief ran off when he saw the police.”
Finish off: to complete. “Let’s finish off this project by Friday.”
Run off with: to steal or to elope. “The accountant ran off with the company’s money.”
Clear off: to leave. “Clear off! This is private property.”
Break off: to end suddenly. “They broke off their engagement.”
Phrasal Verbs with IN
Meanings and Uses
“In” in phrasal verbs often relates to entrance, inclusion, or investigation.
“Check in” means to register at a hotel or airport. Example: “We need to check in at least two hours before the flight.” “Move in” means to start living in a new place. Example: “They’re moving in next week.”
“Give in” means to surrender or to submit. Example: “Don’t give in to pressure.” “Look in” means to briefly visit or check. Example: “I’ll look in on my way home.”
“Join in” means to participate. Example: “Everyone joined in the celebration.” “Break in” means to enter by force or to interrupt. Example: “Thieves broke in last night” or “Sorry to break in, but there’s an emergency.”
“Set in” means to begin and seem permanent. Example: “Winter has set in early this year.”
Common In Phrasal Verbs List
Come in: to enter. “Come in! The door is open.”
Move in: to begin living somewhere. “We move in on Monday.”
Get in: to arrive or to enter. “What time does your flight get in?”
Result in: to cause a particular outcome. “The experiment resulted in a breakthrough.”
Succeed in: to achieve a goal. “She succeeded in passing the exam on her first try.”
Phrasal Verbs with ON
Meanings and Uses
“On” in phrasal verbs often relates to continuation, activation, or responsibility.
“Carry on” means to continue. Example: “Please carry on with your work while I’m away.” “Hold on” means to wait or to grasp. Example: “Hold on—I’ll be right back.”
“Go on” means to continue or to happen. Example: “The meeting went on for three hours.” “Keep on” means to continue doing something. Example: “Keep on trying—you’ll succeed eventually.”
“Turn on” means to start a device. Example: “Turn on the lights—it’s getting dark.” “Put on” means to dress in or to present a show. Example: “It’s cold outside—put on your jacket.”
“Count on” means to rely on. Example: “You can count on me for support.”
Common On Phrasal Verbs List
Depend on: to rely on. “You can depend on her for accurate information.”
Insist on: to demand firmly. “He insists on paying for dinner.”
Carry on: to continue. “Please carry on with your presentation.”
Try on: to test clothing. “I tried on three dresses before finding one I liked.”
Phrasal Verbs with AWAY
Meanings and Uses
“Away” in phrasal verbs often relates to departure or distance.
“Throw away” means to discard. Example: “Don’t throw away those old magazines!” “Run away” means to flee. Example: “The child ran away from home.”
“Give away” means to donate or to reveal. Example: “They gave away free samples at the store.” “Don’t give away the ending of the movie!”
“Clear away” means to remove. Example: “Please clear away your dishes after dinner.” “Pass away” is a polite way to say someone died. Example: “His grandfather passed away last year.”
“Stay away” means to avoid. Example: “Stay away from that dangerous area.”
Common Away Phrasal Verbs List
Get away: to escape from work or a place. “We need to get away for a weekend.”
Put away: to store. “Put away your toys before bedtime.”
Drive away: to leave in a vehicle. “She drove away without saying goodbye.”
Multi-Word Phrasal Verbs
Verb + Particle + Preposition Combinations
These complex phrasal verbs always have the particle and preposition together and cannot be separated.
“Look forward to” means to anticipate something positively. Example: “I look forward to meeting you.”
“Get along with” means to have a good relationship. Example: “She gets along with everyone at work.”
“Run out of” means to have no more of something. Example: “We’ve run out of milk—I’ll buy more.”
“Put up with” means to tolerate. Example: “I won’t put up with this behavior.”
“Look down on” means to consider inferior. Example: “Never look down on anyone.”
“Come up with” means to think of. Example: “She always comes up with creative ideas.”
“Get rid of” means to eliminate. Example: “We need to get rid of these old files.”
“Catch up with” means to reach the same level. Example: “I need to catch up with my homework.”
Practice and Usage Tips
Multi-word phrasal verbs follow strict word order. Remember that these combinations cannot be separated: “I look forward to the meeting” is correct, but “I look the meeting forward to” is wrong.
When learning these combinations, it helps to learn them as complete units rather than analyzing each word separately. Native speakers think of these as single units of meaning, and this approach will help you use them more naturally.
Common Phrasal Verbs by Situation
At Home
Turn on: “Turn on the television.” Turn off: “Turn off the stove.”
Pick up: “Pick up your clothes.” Put away: “Put away your books.”
Clean up: “Clean up your room.” Throw away: “Throw away the trash.”
At Work
Carry out: “Carry out the instructions.” Look into: “I’ll look into the issue.”
Come up with: “She came up with a new strategy.” Point out: “Let me point out the problem.”
Follow up: “Please follow up with the client.” Deal with: “I deal with customer complaints.”
Social Situations
Get along: “We get along well.” Hang out: “Let’s hang out this weekend.”
Run into: “I ran into an old friend.” Catch up: “Let’s catch up over coffee.”
Conclusion
Phrasal verbs are essential for natural English communication. While they may seem overwhelming at first, understanding the patterns of separable and inseparable combinations will help you navigate them more confidently. Start with the most common phrasal verbs and gradually expand your vocabulary.
Remember that context is crucial for understanding meaning. The same phrasal verb can have multiple meanings, so pay attention to the situation and surrounding words. Practice using phrasal verbs in your own sentences to internalize them.
Reading, listening, and speaking are the best ways to absorb phrasal verbs naturally. Keep a journal of new phrasal verbs you encounter, and review it regularly. With consistent practice, you will find yourself using these expressions naturally and understanding native speakers with greater ease.
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