Phrasal verbs are very important in English, and using them correctly is essential. Using language correctly is all about CONTEXT. For example, the very commonn phrasal verb ‘Put on’ and ‘get on’ can have many meanings, depending on what other words they are being used with. Think about this sentence:
We ‘put on’ our clothes, and if they are too small it is because we have ‘put on’ weight. We ‘put on’ a brave face and ‘get on’ with life. We don’t always ‘get on’ with everybody, but it’s important to ‘get on’ in life.
There are so many phrasal verbs in the English language so here are the most wodely used ones and the categories they are used for.
What is a phrasal verb?
A phrasal verb is a group of words that functions as a verb and is made up of a verb plus a preposition,
Why are phrasal verbs important?
It is important to learn phrasal verbs because they are very common in English, and because the meaning of a verb often changes significantly when it is used with a preposition.
What is the best way to learn how to use phrasal verbs? The best way to learn how a phrasal verb is to read the example sentences and then try to make up you own sentences. Reading interesting stuff is a great way to get used to phrasal verbs.
Phrasal verbs we can use when talking about art and culture.
Many artist’s look up to Picasso as the founder of Cubism.
He brought in a whole new style of modern art.
Some of his work is very hard to take in at first.
Look up to – to admire and respect someone or something
“Many people look up to Vincent van Gogh as a great artist”.
Bring out – to publish or release a new book, album, or work of art
“I can’t wait until she brings out a new Harry Potter book”
Settle in – to become familiar with a new environment, such as a city or country, and start feeling comfortable there
“After a few weeks, the artist began to settle in and started to create some amazing work”.
Look over – to examine or review something carefully
“The art critic looked over the artist’s latest paintings and gave some feedback”.
Bring in – to introduce a new idea or concept
“The gallery wanted to bring in some contemporary art to attract a younger audience”.
Show off – to display something proudly to others
“The artist was excited to show off his latest sculpture at the exhibition”.
Take in – to absorb or understand something, especially something new or complex
“It takes time to take in all the details of a work of art”.
Bring back – to revive or reintroduce something from the past
“The museum is bringing back an old art form that was popular in the 18th century¨.
Phrasal Verbs we can use when describing people and relationships
” I don’t how she puts up with her boss treating her like that”
” I get along with most of my coworkers”
“The fall out from their divorce is affecting the whole family”
There was a break down of communication.
“We have to look after each other”
Get on/along (with): to have a friendly relationship with someone.
“I get along with my co-workers pretty well”.
“She gets on with everyone at work”
Look up to: to respect and admire someone.
“I’ve always looked up to my parents for their hard work and dedication”.
Put up with: to tolerate or endure someone or something unpleasant.
“I don’t know how she puts up with her boss’s constant criticism”.
Fall out (with): to have a disagreement or argument with someone and stop being friends or friendly.
“She fell out with her best friend over a misunderstanding”.
Let down: to disappoint someone by not doing what you promised or expected.
“I was really let down when he didn’t show up to the meeting”.
Hang out (with): to spend time with someone in a relaxed, informal way.
“We like to hang out with our neighbours at the weekends”.
Look after: to take care of someone or something.
“She’s been looking after her sick grandmother for the past few weeks”.
Catch up (with): to get up to date with someone or something after a period of separation or distance.
“We need to catch up with each other on what’s been happening in our lives”.
Break up (with): to end a romantic relationship with someone.
“She broke up with her boyfriend after they realized they wanted different things”.
Break down – When something isn’t working, usually a relationship or car
“My car broke down and I had to walk home”
“There was a break down of communication between them¨
Make up (with): to reconcile or become friends again after a disagreement or argument.
“After a week of not speaking, they finally made up and apologised to each other”.
Phrasal Verbs we can use when describing Technology and Social Media
Loading up big files can take up a lot of bandwith.
I forgot to back up my photos now I have lost them.
I am always looking up information on google.
Log on – to enter a computer system, website, or app by typing in a username and password
“I need to log on to my social media accounts to see the latest updates”.
Log out – to exit a computer system, website, or app, usually to ensure the security of the account
After using a public computer, remember to log out of all accounts.
Scroll through – to move through content on a screen, such as a social media feed, by sliding a finger up or down.
“I spent hours scrolling through my Instagram feed, looking at all the photos”.
Sign up – to create an account for a website, app, or service
“You need to sign up before you can use the new social media platform”.
Follow up – to check in with someone after an initial communication or meeting, often via social media or email.
” I sent an email to follow up with the company after our first call”.
Back up – to create a copy of digital files, often to prevent data loss or corruption Example: Make sure to back up your important files on an external hard drive.
Phrasal Verbs we can use when talking about Cities and The Environment
Developed cities have to clean up their act
Cutting down on carbon emissions improves air quality
Many people are switching to electric cars.
Clean up – to remove dirt, pollution, or other contaminants from an area .
The city organized a beach clean up to remove all the trash left by visitors.
Cut down – to chop or fell trees or vegetation, often for development purposes.
The company plans to cut down several trees to build a new shopping mall.
Bring back – to reintroduce a species or practice that was previously lost or abandoned.
The government is working to bring back endangered animals to their natural habitat.
Spread out – to extend development across a wider area, often to reduce congestion and overcrowding The city decided to spread out new housing developments to avoid overcrowding in specific areas.
Clean out – to remove clutter or unnecessary items from a space.
The city organized a garage sale to clean out the items collected by the community recycling program.
Break down – to decompose or disintegrate over time, often used in relation to waste or materials.
The packaging used for fast food can take years to break down in the environment.
Cut back – to reduce the amount of something, often in order to save resources or decrease negative impact.
The company decided to cut back on paper usage to reduce waste and save costs.
Use up – to consume or deplete a resource, often in large quantities.
We need to be mindful of our water usage and try not to use up too much of this precious resource.
Phase out – to gradually eliminate or discontinue the use of something, often due to environmental concerns.
Many countries have started to phase out the use of single-use plastics to reduce waste and pollution.
Give off – to emit or release something into the environment.
Cars give off a lot of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
Ramp up – to increase the amount or intensity of something, often in the interest of reducing negative impact on the environment.
The government is ramping up efforts to invest in renewable energy sources to combat climate change.
Carbon offset – to balance or neutralize the amount of carbon emissions produced by engaging in activities that reduce carbon in the atmosphere, such as planting trees or investing in renewable energy
Some companies offer the option to carbon offset flights by making donations to carbon reduction projects.
Bring down – to decrease or reduce the amount of something, often in relation to emissions or pollution
We need to bring down our emissions in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
Switch to – to change from one type of energy or resource to another, often in order to reduce negative impact on the environment.
Many people are switching to electric cars to reduce their carbon footprint.
Scale back – to reduce the size or scope of something, often in relation to production or consumption
We need to scale back our consumption of resources if we want to reduce our impact on the environment.
Phrasal Verbs to use when talking about our health and hobbies
They are working out at the gym.
I work out nearly every day.
I like to turn up the volume and listen to my favourite music.
She took up painting when she was 40.
Work out – to engage in physical exercise, often to improve health or fitness.
I try to work out at the gym three times a week to stay in shape.
Cut out – to eliminate something from one’s diet or lifestyle for health reasons. My doctor told me to cut out sugar to improve my health.
Cut down on – to reduce the amount of something, such as food, drink, or unhealthy habits.
I need to cut down on my sugar intake in order to improve my overall health.
Give up – to quit a bad habit, such as smoking or drinking, for the sake of one’s health
Giving up smoking was one of the hardest things I have done
Check up on – to visit a doctor or healthcare provider for a routine examination or to monitor a condition
My doctor wants me to check up on my blood pressure every six months.
Pass out – to faint or lose consciousness due to a medical condition or extreme physical exertion
I passed out during the marathon due to dehydration and heat exhaustion.
Put on – to gain weight, often due to overeating or a sedentary lifestyle.
I put on a few pounds over the holidays, so I need to get back to my healthy eating and exercise habits.
Take up – to start a new hobby or activity.
I recently took up painting as a way to relax after work.
Hang out – to spend time with friends or engage in leisure activities together.
We like to hang out and play board games on the weekends.
Wind down – to relax and reduce stress at the end of the day or after a period of activity.
I like to wind down by taking a warm bath and listening to music.
Pick up – to learn a new skill or hobby, often quickly or informally.
I picked up some basic cooking skills from my grandmother.
Burn out – to become exhausted or overwhelmed from excessive work or activity.
I need to take a break or I’ll burn out from all the overtime at work.
Tune out – to disengage from or ignore something, often as a way to reduce stress or anxiety.
I tune out all the negative news and social media posts to focus on positive things in my life.
Phrasal Verbs used to talk about Work and Education
I need to work on my balancing skills.
I can’t take on any extra work, I am already burnt out.
My son needs to catch up at school if he wants to go to university
Follow up – to pursue or continue an action or task, often in order to achieve a desired outcome
I need to follow up with my clients to ensure that they are satisfied with the work we did for them.
Take on – to accept responsibility for a task or project.
I’m happy to take on that new project and work with the team to see it through to completion.
Carry out – to perform or execute a task or action.
We need to carry out a thorough review of our production process in order to identify areas for improvement.
Get through – to complete a task or a difficult period of work.
I have a lot of work to do, but I’m determined to get through it all and meet my deadlines.
Put off – to postpone or delay a task or activity.
Don’t put off that important meeting – let’s schedule it for tomorrow morning.
Hand in – to submit a document or assignment to a supervisor or superior.
I need to hand in my report to my boss by the end of the day.
Work on – to focus one’s efforts on a specific task or project.
I need to work on this presentation and make sure it’s polished and effective.
Brush up on – to refresh one’s knowledge or skills in a particular subject or area
I need to brush up on my Spanish before I travel to Spain next month.
Drop out – to leave a course or educational program before completing it
Unfortunately, many students drop out of college due to financial or personal reasons.
Catch up – to work to get up to speed or come up to date on a subject or course of study.
I was sick last week and missed some classes, so I need to catch up on the material I missed.
Keep up with – to maintain a level of understanding or knowledge about a particular subject or area E
It’s important to keep up with the latest research in your field in order to stay current.
Figure out – to solve or understand a problem or concept
I spent hours trying to figure out the math problem, but I finally got it!
Fill out – to complete a form or document by providing necessary information
Before you can enroll in the class, you need to fill out the registration form.
