Phrasal verbs

What are phrasal verbs?

Phrasal verbs are phrases that indicate actions. They are generally used in spoken English and
informal texts. Examples of such verbs include: turn down, come across and run into.

phrasal verb
/ˌfreɪzəl ˈvəːb/

noun
GRAMMAR
plural noun: phrasal verbs

1. an idiomatic phrase consisting of a verb and another element, typically either an adverb, as in break
down, or a preposition, for example see to, or a combination of both, such as look down on.

Definitions from Oxford Languages

Phrasal verbs consist of a verb and a Sometimes phrasal verbs consist of three elements:
preposition or an adverb:

Ver Preposition/ Ver Preposition / Preposition /

b adverb b adverb 1 adverb 2
get up look forward to
go through put up with
writ down sit in for
e
take after

When added to the verb the preposition or adverb may change completely the meaning of the verb.
Here are some examples:

Phrasal
Meaning Example
verb
look for search/seek He is looking for his keys
look up to have a great deal of respect for a person His father is his model. He is the person
he looks up to.
look await eagerly/anticipate with pleasure She is looking forward to visiting Paris.
forward to
look up to try to find a piece of information by She didn't understand the word. So she
looking in a book or on a computer: looked it up in her dictionary

The meaning of phrasal verbs

Sometimes, it is difficult to understand the meaning of phrasal verbs. Before looking them up in a
dictionary, it would be helpful to use the context to understand them.

Literal meaning
Some phrasal verbs have a literal meaning. They can be easily understood.
She opened the door and looked outside.
She was walking across the street when she heard the sound of an explosion.

Idiomatic meaning
Phrasal verbs can also have a figurative or idiomatic meaning which makes them difficult to
understand.
Can you put me up for tonight?
The phrasal verb 'put up' here does not mean to build (as in putting a fence up). It has, however, an
idiomatic/figurative meaning. It means to let someone stay in your house.
Separable or inseparable?

1. Sometimes, the preposition/adverb is placed either after the verb or after the object.

Examples: Mary made up a really entertaining story.

Mary made the story up.

2. If the object is a pronoun, however, the preposition/adverb has to be placed after the
pronoun (object).

Examples: She made it up.
Put it down.
Take it off.

3. Some phrasal verbs are always inseparable.

Example: I came across some old photos in a drawer.

NOT
I came some old photos across in a drawer.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Set 1

Choose the correct phrasal verb: look out / bring in / open up / check out / move on / put out / look
around / be caught up / go in / break down / get off / keep up / put down / reach out / go off
1) She walked over to the door and ________________________ .
(looked at something outside or far away).

2) Reading _________________________ (made something be available) a new world

for him.

3) Unfortunately, she got ______________________________ (involved in something, often

something you don't want to be) at the office so she can't come for dinner.

4) Could you _________________________________________ (bring something to a place) the

money tomorrow?

5) She __________________________________ (brought something to a place) her baby

daughter to meet us.

6) Quick! Let's __________________________________ (enter) to the shop. It's starting to rain.

7) Please try to __________________________________ (move at the same speed as) with us

– we don't want to lose you in the crowd.

8) This is our stop. We need to ________________________________ (leave a train / bus / plane)

the bus here.

9) Okay, so you need to 9) Okay, so you need to_____________________________ (leave a train

/ bus / plane) at Green Park and change to the Victoria Line.

10) He got ________________________________ (involved in something, often something you

don't want to be) in the demonstration in the centre of town, so he was late for work.

11) He __________________________ (went somewhere to do something) to meet Amy.

12) Do we have time to __________________________ (look at where you are or walk around it to
see what is there)? I'd really like to see your new house.

13) He ______________________________ (stretched his arm to get something) and grabbed a

book from the top shelf.

14) The doctor _____________________________ (published or told the public about) a leaflet

about how to prevent colds.

15) ___________________ that _______________________ (place something on a table or the

floor or similar)! It's dangerous! 

16) What opportunities will _________________________ (make something be available) once you

have passed this exam?

17) She spent the morning ___________________________ (looking at where you are or walking
around it to see what is there) the old theatre.
18) Even though I was studying every night, I couldn't _____________________ (move at the same
speed as) with the rest of the class.

19) She _____________________ (entered) to the restaurant and sat down near the window.

20) Please ____________________ (look at, especially to find new information) my website!

21) She _____________________ (place something on a table or the floor or similar) her bag on
the table.

22) The pop group ____________________ (published or told the public about) two new albums
last year.

23) She ________________________ (stretched her arm to get something) for the ball.

24) The printer ___________________________ (stopped working) so I couldn't print our tickets.

25) Sorry we're so late. Our car _______________________ (stopped working) and we missed
the train.

26) She _____________________ (went somewhere to do something) to the library.

27) Enough talking about this! Let's __________________________ (start talking about or doing
something new).

28) They ______________________ (looked at something outside or far away) of the window

at the mountains.

29) You should __________________________ (look at, especially to find new information) the
new exhibition at the National Gallery. It's amazing.

30) Once you've mixed the ingredients,  ______________________ (start talking about or doing
something new) to the next stage.

Set 1
Answers
Choose the correct phrasal verb: look out / bring in / open up / check out / move on / put out / look around / be caught
up / go in / break down / get off / keep up / put down / reach out / go off

1) She walked over to the door and  looked out (looked at something outside or far away).
 2) Reading opened up  (made something be available) a new world for him.
3) Unfortunately, she got caught up  (involved in something, often something you don't want to be) at the office so she
can't come for dinner.
4) Could you bring in  (bring something to a place) the money tomorrow?
5) She brought in  (brought something to a place) her baby daughter to meet us.
6) Quick! Let's go in  (enter) to the shop. It's starting to rain.
7) Please try to keep up  (move at the same speed as) with us – we don't want to lose you in the crowd.
8) This is our stop. We need to get off  (leave a train / bus / plane) the bus here.
9) Okay, so you need to get off  (leave a train / bus / plane) at Green Park and change to the Victoria Line.
10) He got caught up  (involved in something, often something you don't want to be) in the demonstration in the centre
of town, so he was late for work.
11) He went off  (went somewhere to do something) to meet Amy.
12) Do we have time to look around  (look at where you are or walk around it to see what is there)? I'd really like to see
your new house.
13) He reached out  (stretched his arm to get something) and grabbed a book from the top shelf.
14) The doctor put out  (published or told the public about) a leaflet about how to prevent colds.
15) Put that down  (place something on a table or the floor or similar)! It's dangerous!
16) What opportunities will open up  (make something be available) once you have passed this exam?
17) She spent the morning looking around  (looking at where you are or walking around it to see what is there) the old
theatre.
18) Even though I was studying every night, I couldn't  keep up  (move at the same speed as) with the rest of the class.
19) She went in  (entered) to the restaurant and sat down near the window.
20) Please check out  (look at, especially to find new information) my website!
21) She put down  place something on a table or the floor or similar) her bag on the table.
22) The pop group put out  (published or told the public about) two new albums last year.
23) She reached out  (stretched her arm to get something) for the ball.
24) The printer broke down  (stopped working) so I couldn't print our tickets.
25) Sorry we're so late. Our car broke down  (stopped working) and we missed the train.
26) She went off (went somewhere to do something) to the library.
27) Enough talking about this! Let's move on   (start talking about or doing something new).
28) They looked out  (looked at something outside or far away) of the window at the mountains.
29) You should check out  (look at, especially to find new information) the new exhibition at the National Gallery. It's
amazing.
30) Once you've mixed the ingredients, move on  (start talking about or doing something new) to the next stage.

Set 2

Choose the correct phrasal verb: come down (from) / go ahead / go up / look back (on) / wake up /
carry out / take over / hold up / pull out (of) / turn around / take up / look down / put up / bring back /
bring up

1) Now that Amanda has quit, we really need someone to ______________________ take control
of) that part of the business.
2) If you want to get started on the report, please ___________________ (begin to do something).
3) We were talking about the weather and then she  _____________________ (started to talk about)
the election.
4) This project ____________________ (is using a certain amount of space or time) far too much
time.
5) The repairs were _______________________ (done and finished a task or activity) by a
carpenter.
6) John is going to ________________________ (take control of) the project.
7) Why don't you _________________________ (begin to do something) and have dinner? I'll join
you later.
8) She ______________________ (moved from a high place to a lower place) the attic with dust in
her hair.
9) I ________________________ (changed from sleeping to being awake) in the middle of the night
and I couldn't go back to sleep.
10) The scientists ________________________ (did and finished a task or activity) an experiment.
11) He felt something touch his leg so he ______________________ (moved his eyes down) and
saw a cat.
12)__________________________ (change from sleeping to being awake)! We need to go out!
13) She often ______________________ (thought about something in the past) her time at
university.
14) We used to call each other every week. Let's ______________________ (make something return
+ that) - it was really good.

15) She ____________________ (took something out of a container + her purse) her pocket.
16) Her phone call  ____________________ (used a certain amount of space or time) the whole
evening.
17) Let's ___________________ (fix something where it will be seen) a notice to tell people the
class has been cancelled.
18) Please __________________ (move from a high place to a lower place) that tree! It's not safe!
19) Her house will probably  _______________________ (increase) in value.
20) The stock market _______________________________ (has increased) recently.

21) She ______________ (moved her eyes down) at her feet and mumbled an answer.
22) She______________ (fixed something where it will be seen) some photos of her family next to
her bed.
23) Please _____________________ (hold something high up so people can see it) the sign so I can
read it.
24) He likes to _______________________ (think about something in the past) his trip round
Australia.
25) She _______________________ (held something high up so people can see it) the camera.
26) He _______________________ (make something return + the conversation) to the problem.
27) We walked to the lake, then _____________________ (moved to face the other direction) and
came back.
28) Could you_________________________ (start to talk about) this problem at the meeting, please?
29) He_______________________ (moved to face the other direction) and left the room.
30) He reached into the drawer and ________________________ (took something out of a container)
a notebook and pen.
 Set 2 Answers

1) Now that Amanda has quit, we really need someone to  take over (take control of) that part of the business.
2) If you want to get started on the report, please  go ahead  (begin to do something).
3) We were talking about the weather and then she brought up  (started to talk about) the election.
4) This project is taking up  (is using a certain amount of space or time) far too much time.
5) The repairs were carried out (done and finished a task or activity) by a carpenter.
6) John is going to take over (take control of) the project.
7) Why don't you go ahead  (begin to do something) and have dinner? I'll join you later.
8) She came down  (moved from a high place to a lower place) the attic with dust in her hair.
9) I woke up (changed from sleeping to being awake) in the middle of the night and I couldn't go
back to sleep.
10) The scientists carried out  (did and finished a task or activity) an experiment.
11) He felt something touch his leg so he looked down  (moved his eyes down) and saw a cat.
12) Wake up  (change from sleeping to being awake)! We need to go out!
13) She often looked back on  (thought about something in the past) her time at university.
14) We used to call each other every week. Let's bring that back  (make something return + that) - it
was really good.
15) She pulled her purse out of  (took something out of a container + her purse) her pocket.
16) Her phone call took up  (used a certain amount of space or time) the whole evening.
17) Let's put up  (fix something where it will be seen) a notice to tell people the class has been cancelled.
18) Please come down from  (move from a high place to a lower place) that tree! It's not safe!
19) Her house will probably go up  (increase) in value.
20) The stock market has gone up  (has increased) recently.
21) She looked down  (moved her eyes down) at her feet and mumbled an answer.
22) She put up (fixed something where it will be seen) some photos of her family next to her bed.
23) Please hold up  (hold something high up so people can see it) the sign so I can read it.
24) He likes to look back on  (think about something in the past) his trip round Australia.
25) She held up (held something high up so people can see it) the camera.
26) He brought the conversation back  (make something return + the conversation) to the problem.
27) We walked to the lake, then turned around  (moved to face the other direction) and came back.
28) Could you bring up  (start to talk about) this problem at the meeting, please?
29) He turned around  (moved to face the other direction) and left the room.
30) He reached into the drawer and pulled out  (took something out of a container) a notebook and pen.