Grammar › Phrasal Verbs › 100 Common Phrasal Verbs

What does it do?

English has many short verbs, like come, take, give, get and look. When you add a small word, the meaning can change a lot. Look means use your eyes. Look up to someone means you think they are great.

You often cannot guess the meaning from the two parts. That is why it helps to learn each verb and small word together, as one piece. People use phrasal verbs all the time, in films, reviews and everyday talk.

Look at the tiles. Came out has nothing to do with coming or going out. It means the film was ready for people to watch. The two words work as one.

The 100 phrasal verbs

The list is in groups by the small word, with the biggest group first. Tap a group to open it, and tap the speaker to hear each example.

UP — 22 phrasal verbs

Up often means completely or finished. It can also show movement upward.

pick up = lift, or collect someone (can split: pick it up)
Peter picks up the orb.

get up = leave your bed
I get up at seven every morning.

wake up = stop sleeping (can split: wake her up)
The baby woke up at five.

grow up = change from a child into an adult
Peter grows up in space.

give up = stop trying, or stop having something (can split: give it up)
Peter will not give up the orb.

set up = start or build something (can split: set it up)
My sister set up her own small shop.

make up = invent (can split: make it up)
Peter makes up the name Star-Lord.

look up = search for information (can split: look it up)
I look up new words in a dictionary.

end up = finally be in a place or situation
We got lost and ended up at the beach.

show up = arrive
Gamora shows up on Xandar.

come up with = think of an idea or plan
Rocket comes up with a plan to escape.

put up with = accept something bad without complaining
I can’t put up with this noise.

blow up = become very popular, very fast
Her cooking video blew up online.

hold up = make someone late (can split: hold us up)
Sorry I’m late. The traffic held me up.

speak up = talk louder, or say what you think
Speak up. I can’t hear you.

wrap up = finish (can split: wrap it up)
Let’s wrap up the meeting.

catch up on = do or watch something you missed
I need to catch up on my emails.

look up to = think someone is great
Young fans look up to Gamora.

live up to = be as good as people hoped
The hotel didn’t live up to the photos.

team up with = work together
Peter teams up with Gamora, Rocket and Groot.

sign up for = agree to join something
I signed up for a yoga class.

dress up as = wear clothes to look like someone
The kids dressed up as pirates.

OUT — 16 phrasal verbs

Out often means outside, gone, or to the end. It can also mean finding or showing something.

find out = discover
Peter finds out that many people want the orb.

go out = leave home to have fun
We go out for dinner on Fridays.

come out = be ready for people to watch or buy
The film came out in 2014.

work out = end well, or do exercise
Don’t worry. It will all work out.

figure out = understand or solve (can split: figure it out)
Rocket figures out a way to escape.

run out of = have none left
We ran out of milk.

point out = show or tell someone something (can split: point it out)
My teacher pointed out my mistake.

turn out = happen in the end, often in a surprising way
The test turned out to be easy.

check out = look at something, or leave a hotel (can split: check it out)
Check out this new café.

sort out = fix a problem (can split: sort it out)
Don’t worry, I’ll sort it out.

hang out = spend free time with friends
I hang out with my friends after school.

eat out = eat in a restaurant
We don’t eat out much.

take out = remove, or take someone to a nice place (can split: take it out)
Take out the rubbish.

break out = start suddenly, often something bad
A fire broke out in the kitchen.

cut out = stop eating or doing something (can split: cut it out)
My dad cut out sugar last year.

act out = show a scene with your body and voice (can split: act it out)
Kids act out the fight scenes at home.

ON — 10 phrasal verbs

On often means continue. It can also mean wearing or using something.

go on = continue, or happen
Please go on. I’m listening.

put on = start to wear (can split: put them on)
Peter puts on his headphones.

turn on = make a machine start (can split: turn it on)
Can you turn on the light?

get on = enter a bus, train or plane
We got on the train at nine.

hold on = wait a moment
Hold on! I’m coming.

try on = put on clothes to see if they fit (can split: try them on)
Can I try on these shoes?

carry on = continue
Peter carries on dancing.

move on = start something new
It’s time to move on.

get on with = have a good relationship, or continue
I get on with my neighbours.

be based on = come from another story
The film is based on Marvel comics.

THROUGH, AROUND AND MORE — 10 phrasal verbs

These small words often show movement: through something, around a place, or along with someone.

look for = try to find
I’m looking for my keys.

look after = take care of
Can you look after my cat this weekend?

go through = live through a hard time, or check carefully
She went through a hard year.

get through = finish something hard, or reach someone by phone
I called, but I couldn’t get through.

come across = find by chance
I came across an old photo of my mum.

look around = look at the things in a place
Let’s look around the market.

turn around = face the other way
Turn around and look at the sea.

come along = go somewhere with someone
Do you want to come along?

get along = have a good relationship
My brother and I get along well.

look forward to = feel happy about something that is coming
I’m looking forward to the weekend.

OFF — 9 phrasal verbs

Off often means stop, leave, or remove.

turn off = make a machine stop (can split: turn it off)
Please turn off your phone.

take off = leave the ground, or remove clothes
Our plane took off an hour late.

get off = leave a bus, train or plane
Get off the bus at the next stop.

put off = decide to do something later (can split: put it off)
We put off our film night until Saturday.

set off = start a trip
We set off early to miss the traffic.

switch off = make a machine stop (can split: switch it off)
Switch off the TV before bed.

call off = decide that something will not happen (can split: call it off)
Yondu does not call off the hunt for Peter.

show off = try to make people see how good you are
He always shows off.

drop off = take someone to a place in a car (can split: drop me off)
Mum drops me off at school.

DOWN — 8 phrasal verbs

Down often means lower, less, or onto paper.

sit down = move so you are sitting
Please sit down.

turn down = say no to an offer (can split: turn it down)
The Broker turns down the orb.

calm down = become less angry or worried
Calm down. Everything is OK.

slow down = go less fast
Slow down! You’re driving too fast.

write down = write on paper so you remember (can split: write it down)
Write down the new words.

break down = stop working
Our car broke down on the way home.

let down = not do what someone hoped (can split: let you down)
I won’t let you down.

put down = stop holding (can split: put it down)
Put down your bags and relax.

BACK — 7 phrasal verbs

Back often means return to a place, a person or an earlier time.

come back = return
I’ll come back in ten minutes.

go back = return to a place
I want to go back to Spain one day.

get back = return home
What time did you get back last night?

call back = phone someone again (can split: call you back)
I’m busy now. Can I call you back?

give back = return something to its owner (can split: give it back)
Please give back my book.

pay back = return money (can split: pay you back)
I’ll pay you back tomorrow.

bring back = make something old popular again (can split: bring them back)
The film brought back songs from the 1970s.

IN / INTO — 7 phrasal verbs

In and into often mean enter, or be inside something.

come in = enter
Come in and close the door.

fill in = write answers in a form (can split: fill it in)
Please fill in this form.

check in = say you have arrived at a hotel or airport
We checked in at the hotel at three.

log in = enter a website with your name and password
Log in to see your messages.

move in = start living in a new home
We moved in last month.

run into = meet by chance
I ran into my old teacher at the shop.

be set in = happen in a place or time
The first scene is set on Earth in 1988.

AWAY — 6 phrasal verbs

Away often means leave, or put something in another place.

go away = leave
Go away! I’m busy.

throw away = put in the bin (can split: throw it away)
Don’t throw away that box.

put away = put back in the right place (can split: put them away)
Put away your toys, please.

run away = leave a place fast, often to escape
The dog ran away from the noise.

give away = give something for free (can split: give them away)
She gave away all her old clothes.

get away with = do something wrong and not get into trouble
Peter thinks he can get away with it.

OVER — 5 phrasal verbs

Over often means from start to end, or from one place or person to another.

come over = visit someone’s home
Come over for dinner on Sunday.

get over = feel better after something bad
It took me weeks to get over my cold.

take over = take control
A new boss took over in May.

think over = think carefully before you decide (can split: think it over)
Think it over and tell me tomorrow.

go over = check or look at again
Let’s go over the answers together.

Visual guide

How to make it

When to use each one

Words that help: small words you will meet again

A few small words appear in most phrasal verbs. Learn them, and new phrasal verbs get easier to guess.

small words that come after the verb

verbs that join them most

Common mistakes

One more thing

This part is a little harder. You can come back to it later.

Practice: pick the right phrasal verb

Eight questions, from all the groups in the list. Choose one answer. You get the answer, and why.

Keep going

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