Phrasal Verbs

separable verbs: (talk * into)

inseparable verbs: (run into +)
object can be in both positions: (look * up +)

What are phrasal verbs?

1. A phrasal verb is a verb plus a preposition or adverb which creates a meaning different from
the original verb.

Example:
I ran into my teacher at the movies last night. run + into = meet
He ran away when he was 15. run + away = leave home

2. Some phrasal verbs are intransitive. An intransitive verb cannot be followed by an object.

Example:
He suddenly showed up. "show up" cannot take an object

3. Some phrasal verbs are transitive. A transitive verb can be followed by an object.

Example:
I made up the story. "story" is the object of "make up"

4. Some transitive phrasal verbs are separable. The object is placed between the verb and the
preposition. In this Phrasal Verb Dictionary, separable phrasal verbs are marked by placing a *
between the verb and the preposition / adverb.

Example:
I talked my mother into letting me borrow the car.
She looked the phone number up.

5. Some transitive phrasal verbs are inseparable. The object is placed after the preposition. In this
Phrasal Verb Dictionary, inseparable phrasal verbs are marked by placing a + after the
preposition / adverb.

Example:
I ran into an old friend yesterday.
They are looking into the problem.

6. Some transitive phrasal verbs can take an object in both places. In this Phrasal Verb
Dictionary, such phrasal verbs are marked with both * and + .
Example:
I looked the number up in the phone book.
I looked up the number in the phone book.

7. WARNING! Although many phrasal verbs can take an object in both places, you must put the
object between the verb and the preposition if the object is a pronoun.

Example:
I looked the number up in the phone book.
I looked up the number in the phone book.
I looked it up in the phone book. correct
I looked up it in the phone book. Incorrect

phrasal verb meaning example sentence

ask sby out invite on a date Brian asked Judy out to dinner and a movie.
I asked around but nobody has seen my
ask around ask many people the same question
wallet.
add up to sthg equal Your purchases add up to $205.32.
You'll have to back up your car so that I can
back sthg up reverse
get out.
My wife backed me up over my decision to
back sby up support
quit my job.
The racing car blew up after it crashed into
blow up explode
the fence.
blow sthg up add air We have to blow 50 balloons up for the party.
Our car broke down at the side of the
break down stop functioning (vehicle, machine)
highway in the snowstorm.
The woman broke down when the police told
break down get upset
her that her son had died.
break sthg Our teacher broke the final project down into
divide into smaller parts
down three separate parts.
Somebody broke in last night and stole our
break in force entry to a building
stereo.
The firemen had to break into the room to
break into sthg enter forcibly
rescue the children.
wear sthg a few times so that it I need to break these shoes in before we run
break sthg in
doesn't look/feel new next week.
The TV station broke in to report the news of
break in interrupt
the president's death.
My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved
break up end a relationship
to America.
 The kids just broke up as soon as the clown
break up start laughing (informal)
started talking.
The prisoners broke out of jail when the
break out escape
guards weren't looking.
break out in
develop a skin condition I broke out in a rash after our camping trip.
sthg
bring sby down make unhappy This sad music is bringing me down.
My grandparents brought me up after my
bring sby up raise a child
parents died.
My mother walks out of the room when my
bring sthg up start talking about a subject
father brings up sports.
He drank so much that he brought his dinner
bring sthg up vomit
up in the toilet.
We called around but we weren't able to find
call around phone many different places/people
the car part we needed.
I called the company back but the offices
call sby back return a phone call
were closed for the weekend.
Jason called the wedding off because he
call sthg off cancel
wasn't in love with his fiancé.
call on sby ask for an answer or opinion The professor called on me for question 1.
We called on you last night but you weren't
call on sby visit sby
home.
Give me your phone number and I will call
call sby up phone
you up when we are in town.
You are still mad. You need to calm down
calm down relax after being angry
before you drive the car.
not care for
not like (formal) I don't care for his behaviour.
sby/ sthg
You'll have to run faster than that if you want
catch up get to the same point as sby else
to catch up with Marty.
arrive and register at a hotel or
check in We will get the hotel keys when we check in.
airport
You have to check out of the hotel before
check out leave a hotel
11:00 AM.
check sby/ sthg
look at carefully, investigate The company checks out all new employees.
out
check out sby/
look at (informal) Check out the crazy hair on that guy!
sthg
She cheered up when she heard the good
cheer up become happier
news.
cheer sby up make happier I brought you some flowers to cheer you up.
 If everyone chips in we can get the kitchen
chip in help
painted by noon.
Please clean up your bedroom before you go
clean sthg up tidy, clean
outside.
come across I came across these old photos when I was
find unexpectedly
sthg tidying the closet.
The top and bottom come apart if you pull
come apart separate
hard enough.
come down My nephew came down with chicken pox
become sick
with sthg this weekend.
volunteer for a task or to give The woman came forward with her
come forward
evidence husband's finger prints.
come from
originate in The art of origami comes from Asia.
some place
count on sby/ I am counting on you to make dinner while I
rely on
sthg am out.
Please cross out your old address and write
cross sthg out draw a line through
your new one.
cut back on My doctor wants me to cut back on sweets
consume less
sthg and fatty foods.
We had to cut the old tree in our yard down
cut sthg down make sthg fall to the ground
after the storm.
Your father cut in while I was dancing with
cut in interrupt
your uncle.
pull in too closely in front of another
cut in The bus driver got angry when that car cut in.
vehicle
start operating (of an engine or The air conditioner cuts in when the
cut in
electrical device) temperature gets to 22°C.
The doctors cut off his leg because it was
cut sthg off remove with sthg sharp
severely injured.
The phone company cut off our phone
cut sthg off stop providing
because we didn't pay the bill.
My grandparents cut my father off when he
cut sby off take out of a will
remarried.
remove part of sthg (usually with
cut sthg out I cut this ad out of the newspaper.
scissors and paper)
do sby/ sthg He's lucky to be alive. His shop was done
beat up, ransack (BrE, informal)
over over by a street gang.
My teacher wants me to do my essay over
do sthg over do again (AmE)
because she doesn't like my topic.
do away with It's time to do away with all of these old tax
discard
sthg records.
 Do your coat up before you go outside. It's
do sthg up fasten, close
snowing!
dress up wear nice clothing It's a fancy restaurant so we have to dress up.
Andrea dropped back to third place when she
drop back move back in a position/group
fell off her bike.
drop in/ by/ I might drop in/by/over for tea sometime this
come without an appointment
over week.
drop sby/ sthg take sby/ sthg somewhere and leave I have to drop my sister off at work before I
off them/it there come over.
I dropped out of Science because it was too
drop out quit a class, school etc
difficult.
eat out eat at a restaurant I don't feel like cooking tonight. Let's eat out.
We ended up renting a movie instead of
end up eventually reach/do/decide
going to the theatre.
My new dress fell apart in the washing
fall apart break into pieces
machine.
The picture that you hung up last night fell
fall down fall to the ground
down this morning.
The money must have fallen out of my
fall out separate from an interior
pocket.
(of hair, teeth) become loose and His hair started to fall out when he was only
fall out
unattached 35.
I need to figure out how to fit the piano and
figure sthg out understand, find the answer
the bookshelf in this room.
to write information in blanks, as on Please fill in the form with your name,
fill sthg in
a form (BrE) address, and phone number.
to write information in blanks, as on
fill sthg out The form must be filled out in capital letters.
a form (AmE)
I always fill the water jug up when it is
fill sthg up fill to the top
empty.
We don't know where he lives. How can we
find out discover
find out?
We tried to keep the time of the party a secret,
find sthg out discover
but Samantha found it out.
get sthg across/ I tried to get my point across/over to the
communicate, make understandable
over judge but she wouldn't listen.
I was surprised how well my new girlfriend
get along/on like each other
and my sister got along/on.
My grandfather can get around fine in his
get around have mobility
new wheelchair.
We worked so hard this year that we had to
get away go on a vacation
get away for a week.
get away with do without being noticed or Jason always gets away with cheating in his
sthg punished maths tests.
get back return We got back from our vacation last week.
Liz finally got her Science notes back from
get sthg back receive sthg you had before
my room-mate.
My sister got back at me for stealing her
get back at sby retaliate, take revenge
shoes. She stole my favourite hat.
get back into I finally got back into my novel and finished
become interested in sthg again
sthg it.
We're going to freeze out here if you don't let
get on sthg step onto a vehicle
us get on the bus.
recover from an illness, loss, I just got over the flu and now my sister has
get over sthg
difficulty it.
The company will have to close if it can't get
get over sthg overcome a problem
over the new regulations.
get round to finally find time to do (AmE: get I don't know when I am going to get round to
sthg around to sthg) writing the thank you cards.
get together meet (usually for social reasons) Let's get together for a BBQ this weekend.
get up get out of bed I got up early today to study for my exam.
You should get up and give the elderly man
get up stand
your seat.
give sby away reveal hidden information about sby His wife gave him away to the police.
give sby away take the bride to the altar My father gave me away at my wedding.
My little sister gave the surprise party away
give sthg away ruin a secret
by accident.
The library was giving away old books on
give sthg away give sthg to sby for free
Friday.
I have to give these skates back to Franz
give sthg back return a borrowed item
before his hockey game.
My boyfriend didn't want to go to the ballet,
give in reluctantly stop fighting or arguing
but he finally gave in.
give to many people (usually at no They were giving out free perfume samples at
give sthg out
cost) the department store.
give sthg up quit a habit I am giving up smoking as of January 1st.
My maths homework was too difficult so I
give up stop trying
gave up.
My brother tried to go after the thief in his
go after sby follow sby
car.
I went after my dream and now I am a
go after sthg try to achieve sthg
published writer.
go against sby compete, oppose We are going against the best soccer team in
 the city tonight.
Please go ahead and eat before the food gets
go ahead start, proceed
cold.
go back return to a place I have to go back home and get my lunch.
go out leave home to go on a social event We're going out for dinner tonight.
Jesse has been going out with Luke since
go out with sby date
they met last winter.
Please go over your answers before you
go over sthg review
submit your test.
I haven't seen Tina for a long time. I think I'll
go over visit sby nearby
go over for an hour or two.
When I was young, we went without winter
go without sthg suffer lack or deprivation
boots.
My best friend and I grew apart after she
grow apart stop being friends over time
changed schools.
grow back regrow My roses grew back this summer.
This bike is too big for him now, but he
grow into sthg grow big enough to fit
should grow into it by next year.
grow out of Elizabeth needs a new pair of shoes because
get too big for
sthg she has grown out of her old ones.
When Jack grows up he wants to be a
grow up become an adult
fireman.
hand sthg I handed my old comic books down to my
give sthg used to sby else
down little cousin.
hand sthg in submit I have to hand in my essay by Friday.
hand sthg out to distribute to a group of people We will hand out the invitations at the door.
The police asked the man to hand over his
hand sthg over give (usually unwillingly)
wallet and his weapons.
Hang in there. I'm sure you'll find a job very
hang in stay positive (informal)
soon.
hang on wait a short time (informal) Hang on while I grab my coat and shoes!
Instead of going to the party we are just going
hang out spend time relaxing (informal)
to hang out at my place.
hang up end a phone call He didn't say goodbye before he hung up.
hold sby/ sthg I had to hold my dog back because there was
prevent from doing/going
back a cat in the park.
Jamie held back his tears at his grandfather's
hold sthg back hide an emotion
funeral.
Please hold on while I transfer you to the
hold on wait a short time
Sales Department.
hold onto sby/ hold firmly using your hands or Hold onto your hat because it's very windy
sthg arms outside.
hold sby/ A man in a black mask held the bank up this
rob
sthgup morning.
keep on doing Keep on stirring until the liquid comes to a
continue doing
sthg boil.
keep sthg from We kept our relationship from our parents for
not tell
sby two years.
keep sby/ sthg Try to keep the wet dog out of the living
stop from entering
out room.
If you keep those results up you will get into
keep sthg up continue at the same rate
a great college.
I need you to be on time. Don't let me down
let sby down fail to support or help, disappoint
this time.
Can you let the cat in before you go to
let sby in allow to enter
school?
I can't log in to Facebook because I've
log in (or on) sign in (to a website, database etc)
forgotten my password.
If you don't log off somebody could get into
log out (or off) sign out (of a website, database etc)
your account.
look after sby/
take care of I have to look after my sick grandmother.
sthg
look down on Ever since we stole that chocolate bar your
think less of, consider inferior
sby dad has looked down on me.
look for sby/
try to find I'm looking for a red dress for the wedding.
sthg
look forward
be excited about the future I'm looking forward to the Christmas break.
to sthg
We are going to look into the price of
look into sthg investigate
snowboards today.
look out be careful, vigilant, and take notice Look out! That car's going to hit you!
look out for Don't forget to look out for snakes on the
be especially vigilant for
sby/ sthg hiking trail.
Can you look over my essay for spelling
look sthg over check, examine
mistakes?
search and find information in a We can look her phone number up on the
look sthg up
reference book or database Internet.
look up to sby have a lot of respect for My little sister has always looked up to me.
Josie made up a story about why we were
make sthg up invent, lie about sthg
late.
We were angry last night, but we made up at
make up forgive each other
breakfast.
 My sisters made me up for my graduation
make sby up apply cosmetics to
party.
mix sthg up confuse two or more things I mixed up the twins' names again!
His uncle passed away last night after a long
pass away die
illness.
It was so hot in the church that an elderly lady
pass out faint
passed out.
The professor passed the textbooks out before
pass sthg out give the same thing to many people
class.
I passed up the job because I am afraid of
pass sthg up decline (usually sthg good)
change.
Thanks for buying my ticket. I'll pay you
pay sby back return owed money
back on Friday.
That bully will pay for being mean to my
pay for sthg be punished for doing sthg bad
little brother.
pick sthg out choose I picked out three sweaters for you to try on.
point sby/ sthg
indicate with your finger I'll point my boyfriend out when he runs by.
out
put what you are holding on a You can put the groceries down on the
put sthg down
surface or floor kitchen counter.
The students put the substitute teacher down
put sby down insult, make sby feel stupid
because his pants were too short.
We are putting off our trip until January
put sthg off postpone
because of the hurricane.
The neighbours put the fire out before the
put sthg out extinguish
firemen arrived.
put sthg I have to put the crib together before the
assemble
together baby arrives.
put up with I don't think I can put up with three small
tolerate
sby/ sthg children in the car.
put clothing/ accessories on your Don't forget to put on your new earrings for
put sthg on
body the party.
run into sby/
meet unexpectedly I ran into an old school-friend at the mall.
sthg
run over sby/ drive a vehicle over a person or I accidentally ran over your bicycle in the
sthg thing driveway.
run over/ Let's run over/through these lines one more
rehearse, review
through sthg time before the show.
The child ran away from home and has been
run away leave unexpectedly, escape
missing for three days.
We ran out of shampoo so I had to wash my
run out have none left
hair with soap.
 My letter got sent back to me because I used
send sthg back return (usually by mail)
the wrong stamp.
Our boss set a meeting up with the president
set sthg up arrange, organize
of the company.
The police set up the car thief by using a
set sby up trick, trap
hidden camera.
I want to shop around a little before I decide
shop around compare prices
on these boots.
act extra special for people watching
show off He always shows off on his skateboard
(usually boastfully)
stay somewhere for the night You should sleep over tonight if the weather
sleep over
(informal) is too bad to drive home.
We need to sort the bills out before the first
sort sthg out organize, resolve a problem
of the month.
continue doing sthg, limit yourself to
stick to sthg You will lose weight if you stick to the diet.
one particular thing
switch sthg off stop the energy flow, turn off The light's too bright. Could you switch it off.
We heard the news as soon as we switched on
switch sthg on start the energy flow, turn on
the car radio.
I take after my mother. We are both
take after sby resemble a family member
impatient.
He took the car brakes apart and found the
take sthg apart purposely break into pieces
problem.
I have to take our new TV back because it
take sthg back return an item
doesn't work.
take off start to fly My plane takes off in five minutes.
Take off your socks and shoes and come in
take sthg off remove sthg (usually clothing)
the lake!
Can you take the garbage out to the street for
take sthg out remove from a place or thing
me?
pay for sby to go somewhere with My grandparents took us out for dinner and a
take sby out
you movie.
I tore up my ex-boyfriend's letters and gave
tear sthg up rip into pieces
them back to him.
remember (often + to, sometimes + When I think back on my youth, I wish I had
think back
on) studied harder.
I'll have to think this job offer over before I
think sthg over consider
make my final decision.
throw sthg We threw our old furniture away when we
dispose of
away won the lottery.
decrease the volume or strength Please turn the TV down while the guests are
turn sthg down
(heat, light etc) here.
 I turned the job down because I don't want to
turn sthg down refuse
move.
Your mother wants you to turn the TV off
turn sthg off stop the energy flow, switch off
and come for dinner.
turn sthg on start the energy, switch on It's too dark in here. Let's turn some lights on.
increase the volume or strength Can you turn the music up? This is my
turn sthg up
(heat, light etc) favourite song.
Our cat turned up after we put posters up all
turn up appear suddenly
over the neighbourhood.
I'm going to try these jeans on, but I don't
try sthg on sample clothing
think they will fit.
I am going to try this new brand of detergent
try sthg out test
out.
The kids used all of the toothpaste up so we
use sthg up finish the supply
need to buy some more.
We have to wake up early for work on
wake up stop sleeping
Monday.
warm sby/ sthg You can warm your feet up in front of the
increase the temperature
up fireplace.
I always warm up by doing sit-ups before I
warm up prepare body for exercise
go for a run.
Most of my make-up wore off before I got to
wear off fade away
the party.
work out exercise I work out at the gym three times a week.
work out be successful Our plan worked out fine.
We have to work out the total cost before we
work sthg out make a calculation
buy the house.