Phrasal Verbs: Types, Examples, and Exercise

What Are Phrasal Verbs? 

Phrasal verbs are common expressions in English that consist of verbs combined with a particle, which can be an adverb and a preposition, or sometimes both. This combination creates a new meaning that is often different from the actual meaning of the individual words when used alone, making it an idiomatic expression.

To clarify, here is a definition of a phrasal verbs and meanings according to the Oxford Dictionary: "A phrasal verb is a verb combined with an adverb or preposition, or sometimes both, to convey a new meaning."

For example, "look after" means "to take care of," which is a completely different meaning than the verb "look" on its own.

Having understood the phrasal verbs and meanings along with examples, definitions. Now in the next section let’s explore the different types with further examples.

Types of Phrasal Verbs with Examples

Phrasal verbs can be classified into four main types based on whether they require a direct object and whether the verb and its particle can be separated. Below, you will find details on each types of phrasal verb along with examples:

1. Intransitive Phrasal Verbs - Intransitive phrasal verbs do not require a direct object to complete their meaning. They function like intransitive verbs, expressing a complete thought without acting upon a noun or pronoun. Here are some examples:

• “The plane took off.”
• “We should catch up later.”
• “The meeting broke down.”
• “I woke up at 7 AM.”
• “The kids are growing up.”

2. Transitive Phrasal Verbs - Transitive phrasal verbs in English grammar require a direct object to complete their meaning, meaning the action of the verb is performed on something or someone. A transitive phrasal verb consists of a verb phrase that includes a direct object. Here are some examples:

• “She put on her coat.” (The object is “coat,” and the transitive phrasal verb is “put on.”)
• “He took off his glasses.” (The object is “glasses,” and the transitive phrasal verb is “took off.”)
• “He brought up an interesting point during the meeting.” (The object is “point,” and the transitive phrasal verb is “brought up.”)
• “Please turn on the light.” (The object is “light,” and the transitive phrasal verb is “turn on.”)
• “Please turn off the light when you leave the room.” (The object is “light,” and the transitive phrasal verb is “turn off.”)

3. Separable Phrasal Verbs - Separable phrasal verbs in English allow for the verb and its particle (preposition or adverb) to be separated by the object of the verb. This means you can place the object directly after the verb or between the verb and the particle. Here are some examples:

• Turn off: "Please turn off the light" is the same as "Please turn the light off."
• Take back: "I need to take back the book" is the same as "I need to take the book back."
• Put on: "She put on her coat" is the same as "She put her coat on."
• Pick up: "Can you pick up the toys?" is the same as "Can you pick the toys up?"
• Fill out: "Please fill out the form" is the same as "Please fill the form out."

4. Inseparable Phrasal Verbs - Inseparable phrasal verbs are multi-word verbs where the verb and its particles (preposition or adverb) cannot be separated by other words. The particles must always follow the verb directly. Here are some examples:

• Get on with: To have a good relationship with someone. "I get on with my coworkers."
• Look after: To take care of someone or something. "She looks after her elderly mother."
• Look forward to: To anticipate something with pleasure. "I'm looking forward to the weekend."
• Come across: To find something or meet someone unexpectedly. "I came across an old photo album."
• Run into: To meet someone unexpectedly. "I ran into an old friend at the store."

These are the different types of phrasal verbs along with their examples. Read the next section to learn the importance of these verbs in sentences.

Why Are Phrasal Verbs Important?

Phrasal verbs are essential for effective communication in English and for achieving fluency, particularly in informal settings. Here are some reasons why they are important:

• Common in Everyday Conversations: Native speakers frequently use phrasal verbs, so understanding them is crucial to grasping spoken English fully. Without this knowledge, you may miss significant meaning in casual interactions.
• Enhance Fluency and Natural Speech: Using phrasal verbs correctly helps your English sound more natural and fluent, resembling the way native speakers communicate. For example, “call off” sounds more natural than “cancel” in informal contexts.
• Richness and Precision in Vocabulary: Phrasal verbs often convey specific meanings that may not be easily expressed with a single word. For instance, “give up” means “to quit” and carries a different connotation than simply saying “give.”
• Aid in Reading and Listening Comprehension: Phrasal verbs are prevalent in both written and spoken English, making their understanding key to effective comprehension.
• Important for Exams and Formal Contexts: Many English proficiency tests, such as IELTS, PTE, and TOEFL, assess your knowledge of phrasal verbs. While they are more common in informal settings, some phrasal verbs are also used in formal contexts.

Now you understand the importance of this verb, but to better grasp it, in the next section, you will learn the most common and important phrasal verbs along with their examples.

Examples of 50 Common Phrasal Verbs

Here are 50 common phrasal verbs list along with their example sentences:

1. Ask for (to request something)

• He asked for a glass of water after the long walk.
• She asked for help with his homework.

2. Back down (to withdraw a claim)

• The employee backed down after realizing he was wrong.
• He never backs down in an argument unless he’s proven wrong.

3. Blow up (to explode or become angry)

• The bomb blew up in the end of the street.
• She blew up when she saw the mess in his room.

4. Break down (to stop working or lose emotional control)

• My bike broke down on the way to work.
• He broke down in tears during the speech.

5. Break up (to end a relationship)

• They broke up after six years of dating.
• The lecturer had to break up the fight.

6. Bring up (to mention or raise a child)

• Don’t bring up politics at home.
• She was brought up in a big town in India.

7. Call off (to cancel)

• The match was called off due to heavy snowfall.
• They called off the dinner at the last minute.

8. Carry on (to continue)

• Please carry on with your lecture.
• Despite the noise, she carried on learning.

9. Catch up (to reach the same point)

• I need to catch up on my listening.
• After the break, she ran to catch up with her

10. Check out (to examine or leave a hotel)

• You should check out that new resort in town.
• We checked out of the hotel early in the morning.

11. Come across (to find by chance or make an impression)

• I came across an old letter in the loft.
• She comes across as very confident.

12. Come up with (to think of an idea)

• She came up with a brilliant marketing strategy.
• I need to come up with an anniversary gift idea.

13. Cut down on (to reduce)

• I’m trying to cut down on sugar.
• He cut down on smoking last month.

14. Do without (to manage without)

• I can’t do without my evening tea.
• During the drive, we had to do without internet.

15. Deal with (to handle)

• He deals with customer complaints very professionally.
• I can't deal with all this stress anymore.

16. Drop off (to take someone or something somewhere)

• I’ll drop you off at the railway
• She dropped off the bag on her way to work.

17. End up (to eventually reach a state)

• We ended up watching a series
• He ended up working in finance after his graduation.

18. Fall apart (to break or collapse emotionally)

• His old shoes are falling apart.
• He fell apart after hearing the bad news.

19. Fill in (to write information or substitute)

• Please fill in this form before your meeting.
• Can you fill in for me at work today?

20. Figure out (to understand or solve)

• I finally figured out how to fix this machine.
• Can you figure out the answer to this query?

21. Find out (to discover)

• I found out she’s moving to USA.
• He found out the truth after many months.

22. Get along (to have a good relationship)

• I really get along with my classmates.
• Do you and your brother get along well?

23. Get away (to escape)

• The thief got away before the public
• I need to get away for the weekend to trip.

24. Get back (to return)

• What time did you get back yesterday?
• I just got back from trip.

25. Give away (to give freely or reveal a secret)

• He gave away all his old cloths.
• She accidentally gave away the shock.

26. Get by (to manage with difficulty)

• We don’t make much money, but we get by.
• She gets by on just a few minutes of sleep.

27. Get over (to recover)

• It took her months to get over the fiver.
• I finally got over my fear of birds.

28. Get up (to rise from bed)

• I usually get up at 7 am.
• Get up! We’re going to be late for school.

29. Give up (to stop trying)

• Don’t give up on your dreams.
• He gave up drinking last year.

30. Go out (to leave home for an event)

• She went out for dinner last night.
• Are you going out tomorrow?

31. Go ahead (to proceed)

• Go ahead, I’m listening.
• She went ahead with the plan despite argument.

32. Go over (to review)

• Let’s go over your answers together.
• She need to go over her notes before the test.

33. Grow up (to spend childhood or become an adult)

• I grew up in a big city.
• He wants to be a doctor when he grows up.

34. Hand in (to submit)

• Don’t forget to hand in your presentation.
• He handed in her resignation today.

35. Hang on (to wait or hold tightly)

• Hang on a hour, I’ll be right there.
• Hang on to the floor—it’s slippery!

36. Hang out (to spend time casually)

• Let’s hang out this Saturday.
• They hang out at the mall after school.

37. Hold on (to wait or grip)

• Hold on! I’m not ready yet.
• Hold on to your purse in the crowd.

38. Look after (to care for)

• I need someone to look after my dog.
• She looks after her parents.

39. Look for (to search)

• I’m looking for my
• She’s been looking for a new job.

40. Look up (to search for information or improve)

• You can look up the word in the dictionary.
• Things are starting to look up for us.

41. Make up (to invent or reconcile)

• She made up an excuse for being late.
• They had a fight but made up

42. Pass out (to faint or distribute)

• She passed out from the heat.
• The teacher passed out the test

43. Put off (to postpone)

• We had to put off our presentation.
• Don’t put off your assignment until the last minute.

44. Payback (to return money or take revenge)

• I’ll pay you back next month.
• He paid her back for the food.

45. Pick up (to collect)

• I’ll pick you up at 7 AM.
• She picked up some product on her way home.

46. Put on (to wear)

• She put on her coat and left.
• He put on a scared

47. Put up with (to tolerate)

• I can’t put up with this noise anymore!
• She puts up with a lot at work.

48. Turn on/off (to start/stop a device)

• Turn on the lights, please.
• Don’t forget to turn off the stove.

49. Run out of (to use all of something)

• We ran out of water.
• They ran out of time during the test.

50. Take off (plane leaving ground or remove clothing)

• The plane took off on time.
• He took off his shoes at the door.

This was the list of most common phrasal verbs list along with their examples and meanings for your reference.

Practice Exercise - Complete the Sentences 

Complete each phrasal verbs sentences with the most appropriate word from the options provided, paying attention to the meaning and context.

1. He finally ________ (gave up/ turned down) after trying for hours.
2. We need to _______ (call off/ bring up) this topic at our next meeting.
3. Can you help me ______ (look after/ take off) my baby while I’m gone?
4. My car ______ on the freeway. (Hint: What does it mean when a machine stops working?)
5. Friends can help you to ______ a difficult time in your life (Hint: What does it mean to overcome or endure something difficult?)

Answers

1. Gave up
2. bring up
3. look after
4. broke down
5. get through

Conclusion 

In summary, this blog covered the concept of phrasal verbs. After reading it, you should have a better understanding of their meanings, types, common phrasal verbs examples, and importance. You have also completed an exercise. If you still have questions related to any topic in English, such as parts of speech, irregular verbs, tenses, or anything else, feel free to contact our experts. They are here to assist you every step of the way, ensuring you don’t have to struggle alone.