Common Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs are verbs combined with prepositions or adverbs to create new meanings. These expressions are extremely common in everyday English and essent
TL;DR: Phrasal verbs are verbs combined with prepositions or adverbs to create new meanings. These expressions are extremely common in everyday English and e…
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Phrasal verbs are verbs combined with prepositions or adverbs to create new meanings. These expressions are extremely common in everyday English and essent
Common Phrasal Verbs
- Break down — To stop working or to separate into parts (e.g. The car broke down on the highway; he called a mechanic.)
- Bring up — To raise a child or to mention something (e.g. She brought up the important issue during the meeting.)
- Call off — To cancel something (e.g. The match was called off due to bad weather.)
- Carry on — To continue doing something (e.g. Carry on with your work despite the distractions.)
- Check out — To examine or to leave a hotel (e.g. Check out the new restaurant on the main street.)
- Come across — To find or meet someone by chance (e.g. I came across an interesting article while browsing.)
- Drop out — To stop participating or studying (e.g. He dropped out of school to pursue his passion.)
- Find out — To discover or learn something (e.g. I found out the exam date has been changed.)
- Get along — To have a good relationship or manage (e.g. She gets along well with all her classmates.)
- Get over — To recover from or accept something (e.g. He is still getting over his friend's departure.)
- Give up — To stop trying or to quit (e.g. Do not give up; success comes with perseverance.)
- Go back — To return to a previous place or topic (e.g. Let us go back to the beginning of the lesson.)
- Look after — To take care of someone or something (e.g. She looks after her younger siblings every day.)
- Pick up — To collect something or to improve (e.g. Pick up your shoes from the floor; your grades are picking up.)
- Put off — To delay or postpone something (e.g. Do not put off your homework; complete it today.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can phrasal verbs be used in formal writing?
Some phrasal verbs are acceptable in formal writing, while others are more colloquial. Use phrasal verbs sparingly in formal contexts and choose standard verbs when possible. Always consider your audience and context.
How many phrasal verbs should I learn?
Focus on learning 50-100 common phrasal verbs first. These appear frequently in everyday communication and exams. Once you master the basics, you can expand your knowledge gradually.
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