+ 3000 English Phrasal Verbs | English Speeches

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Author Bio
Ricardo Santos is an entrepreneur and founder of English Speeches living in Canada who
loves sharing knowledge and helping others on the topic of learning English.

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Ricardo is a passionate person who will go the extra mile and over-deliver.

IE
Ricardo’s words of wisdom:
"I believe that there are no secrets to becoming successful in life. And I truly believe the result to

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true success in life is the result from hard work, the preparation and the most important of them

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all, the learning from the failings."

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 + 3000 English Phrasal Verbs | English Speeches

Phrasal verb Meaning Example

Accept or follow a
Abide by We have to ABIDE BY what the court says.
decision or rule.

They had to ACCOUNT FOR all the money

Account for To explain.
that had gone missing.

Want something or My partner's been away for a fortnight - I

Ache for
someone a lot. am ACHING FOR her.

To take action because of

The police were ACTING ON a tip from an
Act on something like information
informer and caught the gang red-handed.
received.

The medicine only ACTS ON infected

Act on Affect.
tissue.

Perform something with

Act out They ACTED OUT the story on stage.
actions and gestures.

Express an emotion in Their anger is ACTED OUT in their

Act out
your behaviour. antisocial behaviour.

Behave badly or My computer's ACTING UP; I think I might

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Act up
strangely. have a virus.

IE
To take action because of
Act upon something like information The police were ACTING UPON a tip-off.

V
received.

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Act upon Affect. The enzyme ACTS UPON certain proteins.

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Add on

Add up R
Include in a calculation.

To make a mathematical
total.

Be a satisfactory
You have to ADD the VAT ON to the price
they give.

We ADDED UP the bill to check it was

correct.

She explained why the work wasn't ready,

Add up explanantion for
but her story doesn't ADD UP.
something.

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 + 3000 English Phrasal Verbs | English Speeches

Trains delays are getting worse and with the

Add up to Have a certain result. high fares, it all ADDS UP TO misery for the
commuters.
Affect- usually used in the
negative to show that
I feel terrible- that food didn't AGREE WITH
Agree with something has had a
my stomach.
negative effect, especially
is it makes you feel bad.
Affect- usually used in the
negative to show that
I feel terrible- that food didn't AGREE WITH
Agree with something has had a
my stomach.
negative effect, especially
is it makes you feel bad.

Aim at To target. The magazine is AIMED AT teenagers.

They're AIMING AT reducing costs by ten

Aim at Intend to achieve.
percent.

Include something in a You should ALLOW FOR delays when

Allow for
plan or calculation. planning a journey.

Allow of Make possible, permit. The rules don't ALLOW OF any exceptions.

Try to get something

He's been ANGLING FOR an invitation, but

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Angle for indirectly, by hinting or
I don't want him to come.
suggesting.

To reply rudely to
Answer back
someone in authority.
IE
Her mother was shocked when she started
ANSWERING her BACK and refusing to

V
help.

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The government should be made to
Be held responsible for a
Answer for ANSWER FOR their failure to sort out the
problem.

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problem.

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Speak on behalf of
I can ANSWER FOR my partner because I
Answer for someone or from knowing
know her position on this issue.
them.
Beat someone in a
The teacher tried to ARGUE the girl DOWN,
Argue down debate, discussion or
but she couldn't.
argument.
Persuade someone to
Argue down drop the price of She ARGUED him DOWN ten percent.
something they're selling.

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 + 3000 English Phrasal Verbs | English Speeches

Try to persuade people

Argue down not to accept a They tried to ARGUE DOWN the proposal.
proposition, motion, etc.

Argue about a problem to If we can't ARGUE our differences OUT,

Argue out
find a solution. we'll have to take them to court.
Ask how someone is
doing, especially
Ask about He ASKED ABOUT my father.
professionally and in
terms of health.
Enquire about someone's Jenny rang earlier and ASKED AFTER you,
Ask after
health, how life is going. so I told her you were fine.

Ask a number of people I have no idea, but I'll ASK AROUND at

Ask around
for information of help. work and see if anyone can help.

Ask around Invite someone. We ASKED them AROUND for dinner.

To provoke a negative
Ask for You're ASKING FOR trouble.
reaction.

Request to have or be
Ask for I ASKED FOR the menu.
given.

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To invite somebody into
Ask in 'Jon's at the door.' 'ASK him IN.'

IE
your house.

To invite someone for a He wanted to ASK her OUT but was too

V
Ask out
date. shy.

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They have ASKED us OVER for drinks on

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Ask over Invite.
Friday.

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Ask round Invite someone. We ASKED John ROUND for diner.

Sell something in an They AUCTIONED OFF their property as

Auction off
auction. they were heavily in debt.

The crowd BACKED AWAY when the man

Back away Retreat or go backwards.
pulled a knife.

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 + 3000 English Phrasal Verbs | English Speeches

Retract or withdraw your

Back down position or proposal in an She refused to BACK DOWN and was fired.
argument.

Enter a parking area in He prefers to BACK his car INTO the

Back into
reverse gear. garage.

Back off Retreat. The police told the protesters to BACK OFF.

Fail to keep an He BACKED OUT two days before the

Back out
arrangement or promise. holiday so we gave the ticket to his sister

Fail to keep an She BACKED OUT OF the agreement at

Back out of
agreement, arrangement. the last minute.

Exit a parking area in She BACKED the Rolls OUT OF its parking
Back out of
reverse gear. space.
You should always BACK UP important files
Make a copy of computer and documents so that you won't lose all
Back up
data. your work if something goes wrong with the
hardware.
The rest of the staff BACKED her UP when
Back up Support.
she complained about working conditions.

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Drive a vehicle Tom BACKED UP without looking and ran
Back up

IE
backwards. over his laptop.

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Bag out Criticise. Don't bag out BAG OUT Australian English.

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The government had to BAIL OUT the

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Bail out Save, rescue. airline because it was losing so much
money.

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Remove water from The boat was leaking so they had to BAIL it
Bail out
something that is flooded. OUT.

Jump out of a plane

The pilot BAILED OUT when he saw that
Bail out because it is going to
the engines had failed.
crash.

Pay a bond to release I must BAIL my drunken brother OUT OF

Bail out of
someone from jail. jail.

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 + 3000 English Phrasal Verbs | English Speeches

Stop supporting someone Everybody BAILED OUT ON him when the

Bail out on
when they are in trouble. scandal broke.

Talk to someone and I was late because he BAILED me UP on

Bail up
delay them. the phone and wouldn't shut up.

Rob someone at He was BAILED UP by a couple of muggers

Bail up
gunpoint. as he came out of the bank.

Confuse or make things The new project has BALLED me UP- I

Ball up
complicated. have no idea what to do.

Roll or form into a round He BALLED UP his napkin when he had

Ball up
shape. finished eating.

Balls up Spoil, ruin. He BALLSED the presentation UP.

Move in a place making a

Bang about He's BANGING ABOUT in the kitchen.
lot of noise.

Move in a place making a

Bang around I can hear him BANGING ABOUT upstairs.
lot of noise.

He BANGED ON for half an hour but no one

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Bang on Talk at great length.
was listening.

IE
Keep talking about
Bang on about He's always BANGING ON ABOUT football.

V
something.

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Play a musical instrument
Bang out She BANGED the tune OUT on the piano.

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loudly.

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Bang up Put someone in prison. The judge BANGED him UP for eight years.

Bang up Damage badly. He BANGED his car UP last night.

I'm BANKING ON your help; I can't do it

Bank on Count or rely on.
alone.