19 USEFUL

PHRASAL VERBS
19 USEFUL PHRASAL VERBS WORK & BUSINESS!

WORK &
BUSINESS!
Native English speakers use phrasal verbs all the time.
So, you need to understand their meaning if you want
to follow conversations. In this lesson, you’ll learn
19 really useful phrasal verbs to use in business and at
work. This is the second part of a new series. Learn these
phrasal verbs, then use them whenever you can.

1 Talk over 2 Aim for 3 Back up 4 Team up 5 Turn down

If you “talk over” a If you “aim for” If you “back up” If you “team up” If you “turn down”
problem or issue, something, you data or computer with another person an offer or request,
you discuss it and try to have or get files, you make a or group, you work you say that you
try to find a solution that thing: “We’re copy of them: “You together to complete don’t want it, or
to it: “They talked aiming for a 10% must back up all a project or task: won’t do it: “She
over the problem in increase in sales your work at the “The pharmaceutical turned down the
the meeting.” this month.” end of the day.” companies teamed job offer because
up so they could she had a better
develop the new one from another
drug.” company.”

6 Bail out of (a deal) 7 Bank on 8 Snowed under 9 Take over 10 Switch over to
If you “bail out of” If you “bank If you’re “snowed If you “take over” If you “switch over
a deal, you stop on” something under”, you have a something, you take to” a different
forming part of it or happening, you need lot of work to do and control of it, or you system, etc., you
negotiating with the it to happen, and you not much time to take responsibility stop using the old
other party: “They hope it will happen, do it: “I’m snowed for something that one, and start using
bailed out of the but it isn’t certain: under all this week. another person the new one: “We
deal because they “We’re banking on Can we meet up had before: “She’s decided to switch
didn’t think it was a their support in the sometime next taken over a few over to the new
good idea.” elections because we week?” [We mostly of the marketing system because it
need their votes.” use this verb in the manager’s duties was easier to use.”
passive sense: to be as he’s on paternity
snowed under.] leave.”

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11 Weigh up 12 Carve up 13 Work out
If you “weigh up” the If you “carve up” 1 If you try to “work out”
benefits of something, you something, you divide it what’s happening, you try
to discover what people are
think about the advantages into smaller pieces: “After doing: “We need to work out
or disadvantages of it so buying the company, they what they’re planning to do,
you can decide what to do: carved it up and sold off so we can make our own

19 USEFUL PHRASAL VERBS WORK & BUSINESS!

“I think we need to weigh the parts they didn’t want.” plans.”
2 If you “work out” the
up the cost of switching Literally, if you “carve”
cost of something, you do a
over to the accounting meat, you cut it into calculation so you can know
software.” small, thin pieces. the cost: “I need you to work
out the total cost of each air- UNDERSTANDING
conditioning unit, please.” PHRASAL VERBS
3 If something “works out”,
A phrasal verb consists of
it’s good and successful in
the end: “The business deal a verb and a particle (usually
worked out well in the end.” a preposition). In some
cases, the verb can help you
understand the meaning
of the phrasal verb (the
preposition doesn’t really
change much):
• They’re working away =
They’re working.
• They sold off many of their
14 Trade in 15 Trade off 16 To pay out assets = They sold many
If you “trade in” your If you “trade off” A for 1 If you “pay out” money, of their assets.
car (for example), you B, you give someone A you use the money to
buy something, or to Very often, the preposition
give your old car to a car (which is something you make a payment: “We’ve only changes the meaning
dealership in return for a like or appreciate) so paid out over $40,000 to a little. For example:
payment. This payment you can have B (which is shareholders this year.” • I finished the work.
is often used to reduce something you want even 2 If an investment starts • I finished up the work.
the price of a new car you more): “She agreed to “paying out”, you start [I finished all of it.]
receiving money from this
want: “You get $1,000 off trade off her work from investment: “It will be at Here are some other verbs
the new car if you trade home flexibility (A) for least 8 years before this and phrasal verbs with very
in your old one, provided less work and a lighter investment starts paying little difference in meaning:
that it’s in good working workload (B).” out and we begin receiving
print-print out, call-call up,
condition.” regular payments.”
close-close down, meet-meet up…

However, in other cases,

the particle can help you
understand the phrasal verb.
For example, up has the idea
of “going to a higher level”:
• Prices have been going up.
(increasing)
• We went up the stairs.
(to a higher floor)
17 To pay off 18 Stand out 19 Take off
1 If you “pay off” a debt, 1 If something “stands 1 If a product “takes off”, GUESS!
you return all the money out”, you can notice it it becomes very popular
Of course, there are some
you owed: “The company easily: “The yellow letters quickly: “The clothes phrasal verbs that are quite
wants to pay off the debt really stand out against website really took off hard to understand. So, if the
as soon as possible.” the black background.” among teenagers.” verb or preposition can’t help,
2 If your work starts to 2 If someone “stands 2 If you “take off” time
you should try to guess the
meaning of the phrasal verb
“pay off”, it starts to be out”, they’re much better from work, you ask for from the context. For example:
profitable, or produce than others in the group: permission to have some “They’ve put off the meeting
until next week because the
good results: “All our “We had lots of good holiday so you can deal president is sick.” In this case,
hard work has finally paid applicants for the post, with personal matters: you could probably imagine
off as the new product is but Paula really stands “She took some time off that “put off” means to delay.
selling really well.” out from the rest.” work because she was
moving house.” GLOSSARY
paternity leave = if you are on “paternity
leave”, you have permission to be at home
for a few weeks-months because you have
a newborn baby

advantages = the “advantages” of

something are the good things about it

a car dealership = a shop that sells cars

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 EXERCISES TO HELP
19 USEFUL PHRASAL VERBS WORK & BUSINESS!

YOU REMEMBER
THE WORDS &
EXPRESSIONS!
Answers on page 50

1 Gap-fill exercise 6. She tu down the job offer because she

Complete the sentences with the words from below. had a better one on the table.
7. I think we need to we up the cost of
talked aiming paid trade back snowed
switching over to the accounting software.
banking work 8. I need you to wo out the total cost of
each air-conditioning unit, please.
1. All our hard work has finally off as the 9. All files are ba up to the cloud on a daily
new product is selling really well. basis.
2. We need to out our monthly costs. 10. The pharmaceutical companies te up so
3. We’re on their support for the project they could develop the new drug.
as we need their votes.
4. They over the problem in the meeting. 3 Gap-fill exercise
5. Don’t forget to up all your work before Complete the sentences with the words from below.
you leave tonight.
paid stand taken trade paying pay
6. You get $1,000 off the new car if you in
your old one. took stands
7. I’m under all this week. Can we meet up
sometime next week? 1. She’s over a few of the marketing
8. We’re for a 10% increase in sales this manager’s duties.
month. 2. The clothes website really off among
teenagers.
2 Sentence completion 3. It will be at least 8 years before this investment starts
Complete the sentences with the missing letters. out and we receive regular payments.
1. We decided to swi over to the new 4. We’ve out over $40,000 to
system because it was easier to use. shareholders this year.
2. After buying the company, they car it up 5. We had lots of good applicants for the post, but Paula
and sold off the parts they didn’t want. really out from the rest.
3. They bai out of the deal because they 6. The company wants to off the debt as
didn’t think it was a good idea. soon as possible.
4. The business deal wo out well in the 7. She agreed to off her work from home
end. flexibility for a lighter workload.
5. She to some time off work because she 8. The yellow letters really out against the
was moving house. black background.

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