Most Common Phrasal Verbs List
admin 4/27/2019
There are so many phrasal verbs in the English language and each phrasal verb has many differentmeanings.
This is why it’s important to beginmemorising the most important phrasal verbs as a list. Are you ready? Excellent!
It might seem like a lot, but these 25 phrasal verbs will improve not only yourwritten communication, but also your ability to understand conversations.
Native speakers use phrasal verbs all thetime in conversation!
Most of these phrasal verbs have several meanings, make sure youremember them all!
25 Phrasal Verbs List
1. Add up
a- Tobe added together and equal the expected or correct total.
Example: “We added up the apples: there were 12″
Example: “We added up the apples: there were 12″
b-Tomake sense : to seem to be logical ortrue.
Example: “Her story didn’t add up, I think she waslying, it didn’t make sense”
Example: “Her story didn’t add up, I think she waslying, it didn’t make sense”
2. Blow up
a- Tofill (something) with air or gas
Example: “Please could you blow up thoseballoons?”
Example: “Please could you blow up thoseballoons?”
b- Toexplode or to cause (something, such as a bomb) to explode.
Example: “The building was blown up by a bomb”
Example: “The building was blown up by a bomb”
c- Tobecome very angry.
Example: “When I said I couldn’t go to her party, sheblew up”
Example: “When I said I couldn’t go to her party, sheblew up”
3. Bring up
a- Totake care of and teach (a child who is growing up).
Example: “Their grandparents brought them upbecause their parents were always travelling”
Example: “Their grandparents brought them upbecause their parents were always travelling”
b- Tomention (something) when talking : to start totalk about (something).
Example: “Don’t bring up the fight again, please!”
Example: “Don’t bring up the fight again, please!”
4. Call off
a- Tostop doing or planning to do (something) .
Example: “Maria called off the wedding, shedecided she didn’t love him”
Example: “Maria called off the wedding, shedecided she didn’t love him”
b- Tocause or tell (a person or animal) to stop attacking, chasing, etc.
Example: “Call off your dog! He’s attacking my cat”
Example: “Call off your dog! He’s attacking my cat”
5. Carry on
a- Tocontinue to do what you have been doing
Example: “Sorry I interrupted, carry on talking!”
Example: “Sorry I interrupted, carry on talking!”
b- Tobehave or speak in an excited or foolish way.
Example: “The little boy was carrying on: shouting andkicking all day long”
Example: “The little boy was carrying on: shouting andkicking all day long”
6. Come across
a- Toseem to have a particular quality or character : tomake a particular impression.
Example: “Julia came across as a bit bossy”
Example: “Julia came across as a bit bossy”
b- Tobe expressed to someone.
Example: “I tried to sound happy but it came across asover-excited”
Example: “I tried to sound happy but it came across asover-excited”
c- Tomeet or find (something or someone) by chance.
Example: “Luis was leaving the fruit shop and he cameacross Tom, what a coincidence”
Example: “Luis was leaving the fruit shop and he cameacross Tom, what a coincidence”
7. Come up with
a- To get or think of (something that isneeded or wanted).
Example: “We finally came up with a solution tothe problem!”
Example: “We finally came up with a solution tothe problem!”
8. Fall apart
a- Tobreak into parts in usually a sudden and unexpected way,
Example: “My cake fell apart when I tried to cutit”
Example: “My cake fell apart when I tried to cutit”
b- Tobecome unable to live in a normal way because you are experiencing a lot ofconfusion or emotional pain
Example: “After the divorce, she fell apart”
Example: “After the divorce, she fell apart”
9. Get along
a- Tobe or remain friendly
Example: “We’re not together anymore, but we getalong great”
Example: “We’re not together anymore, but we getalong great”
b- Tomake progress while doing something.
Example: “How are you getting along at playing the guitar?”
Example: “How are you getting along at playing the guitar?”
c- Toleave a place
Example: “It was lovely to see you, but my friend hasto get along, she has class”
Example: “It was lovely to see you, but my friend hasto get along, she has class”
d- Tobecome old.
Example: “Her grandma is getting along; she’s almost99″
Example: “Her grandma is getting along; she’s almost99″
10. Get away
a- Togo away from a place.
Example: “I can0t wait to get away from the city”
Example: “I can0t wait to get away from the city”
b- Toavoid being caught : to escape
Example: “The thieves managed to get away in a stolencar”
Example: “The thieves managed to get away in a stolencar”
c- Tonot be criticized or punished for (something).
Example: “Yvonne is always lying, I can’t understandhow she gets away with it”
Example: “Yvonne is always lying, I can’t understandhow she gets away with it”
11. Get over
a- Tostop being controlled or bothered by (something, such as a problem or feeling).
Example: “I got over my fear of flying”
Example: “I got over my fear of flying”
b- Tostop feeling unhappy about (something).
Example: “Finally, Kylie got over her ex-boyfriend”
Example: “Finally, Kylie got over her ex-boyfriend”
c- Tobecome healthy again after (an illness).
Example: “Have you heard? Dave has gotten over the flu”
Example: “Have you heard? Dave has gotten over the flu”
12. Give up -
a- Tostop an activity or effort : to admit thatyou cannot do something and stop trying
Example: “We all gave up smoking on January 1st”
Example: “We all gave up smoking on January 1st”
13. Go on -
a- Tocontinue.
Example: “They landed in Paris and then went on toMontpellier”
Example: “They landed in Paris and then went on toMontpellier”
b- Togo or travel to a place before another person or group that is with you.
Example: “You go on to the restaurant, I’ll come in 10minutes”
Example: “You go on to the restaurant, I’ll come in 10minutes”
c- Tohappen
Example: “What’s going on? What’s happening?”
Example: “What’s going on? What’s happening?”
d- Usedin speech to urge someone to do something
Example: “Go on! Try it, it’s delicious”
Example: “Go on! Try it, it’s delicious”
14. Hold on
a- Tohave or keep your hand, arms, etc., tightly around something.
Example: “Hold on to the railing, that way youwon’t fall”
Example: “Hold on to the railing, that way youwon’t fall”
b- Tosucceed in keeping a position, condition, etc.
Example: “I will hold on to my job until May”
Example: “I will hold on to my job until May”
15. Look after -
a- Totake care of (someone or something).
Example: “The nurse looked after the patient formonths, until he was better”
Example: “The nurse looked after the patient formonths, until he was better”
16. Look forward to
a- Toexpect (something) with pleasure.
Example: “William is really looking forward togoing on holiday”
Example: “William is really looking forward togoing on holiday”
17. Look up
a- Improve.
Example: “The economy is finally looking up”
Example: “The economy is finally looking up”
b- Tosearch for (something) in a reference book, on the Internet, etc.
Example: “Let’s look up his number in the yellow pages”
Example: “Let’s look up his number in the yellow pages”
18. Make out -
a- Towrite down the required information on (something, such as a check).
Example: “Who shall I make the check out to?”
Example: “Who shall I make the check out to?”
b- Tohear and understand (something)
Example: “I can’t make out what you’re saying, can you speak louder?”
Example: “I can’t make out what you’re saying, can you speak louder?”
c- Tokiss and touch for a long time in a sexual way.
Example: “We made out in the back of his car”
Example: “We made out in the back of his car”
a- Tofall asleep or become unconscious.
Example: “Lisa was so tired, she got home andpassed out on the sofa”
b- togive (something) to several or many people.
Example: “I passed out leaflets with information on ourcourse”
Example: “I passed out leaflets with information on ourcourse”
20. Pull over -
a- Tomove a vehicle to the side of the road and stop.
Example: “That looks like a lovely restaurant, canyou pull the car over and park?”
Example: “That looks like a lovely restaurant, canyou pull the car over and park?”
21. Put down
a- Toplace (someone or something that you have been holding or carrying) on a table,on the floor, etc.
Example: “You can put the suitcases down in thebedroom”
Example: “You can put the suitcases down in thebedroom”
b- Towrite (something) : to record (something) inwriting
Example: “He put down his memories to write a book whenhe was older”
Example: “He put down his memories to write a book whenhe was older”
c- Togive (an amount of money) as a first payment when you are buying something thatcosts a lot of money
Example: “My husband and I are going to put down somemoney to buy that house in the centre of town”
Example: “My husband and I are going to put down somemoney to buy that house in the centre of town”
d- Tokill (an animal) in a way that causes it little pain usually because it isinjured or sick
Example: “Jessica had to have her rabbit put down; it was very sick”
Example: “Jessica had to have her rabbit put down; it was very sick”
22. Put off
a- Todecide that (something) will happen at a later time : postpone.
Example: “Graham was so tired he put the shoppinoff until next week”
Example: “Graham was so tired he put the shoppinoff until next week”
b- Tocause (someone) to dislike someone or something
Example: “You’re putting me off my food, stop talkingabout insects!”
Example: “You’re putting me off my food, stop talkingabout insects!”
23. Put up with
a- Toallow (someone or something unpleasant or annoying) to exist or happen.
Example: “My mother won’t put up with my sistersor I swearing”
Example: “My mother won’t put up with my sistersor I swearing”
24. Turn up
a- Tobe found usually unexpectedly.
Example: “Oh! My phone turned up in my bed!”
Example: “Oh! My phone turned up in my bed!”
b- Toarrive at a place
Example: “As always, Julian turned up late”
Example: “As always, Julian turned up late”
c- Toincrease the volume, temperature, etc., of something by pressing a button,moving a switch, etc.
Example: “Please turn the music up, I love this song!”
Example: “Please turn the music up, I love this song!”
25. Watch out
Example: “Watch out in the mountain, there arebears there!”