Grammar Part 2 Phrasal Verbs
Part 2: Phrasal Verbs
|
Phrasal Verb |
Meaning |
Example |
| ask somebody out | invite on a date | I asked my girlfriend out to dinner. |
| ask around | ask many people the same question | I asked around but nobody has seen my smartphone. |
| add up to something | equal | Your purchases add up to 2,500 baht. |
| back something up | reverse | You’ll have to back up your car so that I can get out. |
| back somebody up | support | My mother backed me up over my decision to get married. |
| blow up | explode | The car blew up after it crashed into the fence. |
| blow something up | add air | We have to blow a lot of balloons up for the new year party. |
| break down | stop functioning (vehicle, machine) | Our car broke down at the side of the highway. |
| break down | get upset | The old woman broke down when her son left her alone. |
| break something down | divide into smaller parts | Our teacher broke the assignments down into four separate parts. |
| break in | force entry to a building | The thief broke in last night and stole our TV. |
| break into something | enter forcibly | The firemen had to break into the bedroom to rescue the children. |
| break something in | wear something a few times so that it doesn’t look/feel new | I need to break these shoes in before the football match next week. |
| break in | interrupt | The TV station broke in to report the news of the president’s death. |
| break up | end a relationship | My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved to America. |
| break up | start laughing (informal) | The kids just broke up as soon as the clown started talking. |
| break out | escape | The prisoners broke out of jail. |
| break out in something | develop a skin condition | Kim broke out in a rash after eating seafood. |
| bring about | cause it to happen | One way they can bring about political change is by putting pressure on the country. |
| bring somebody down | make unhappy | This sad movie is bringing me down. |
| bring out | to produce a particular quality | The greeting-card company is bringing out a new line of Mother’s Day cards. |
| bring somebody up | raise a child | My grandparents brought me up when
I was young. |
| bring something up | start talking about a subject | My mother walks out of the room when my father brings up sports. |
| bring something up | vomit | Oliver drank so much that he brought his dinner up in the toilet. |
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
Example |
| call around | phone many different places/people | We called around but we weren’t able to find the hotel we needed. |
| call somebody back | return a phone call | I called the company back but the offices were closed. |
| call for | to need or deserve a particular action, remark, or quality | This calls for a celebration! |
| call in | to telephone the place you work | Call in to this radio station and ask the governor a question. |
| call something off | cancel | Jason called the wedding party off. |
|
call on somebody |
ask for an answer or opinion |
The teacher called on me for the first question. |
| call on somebody | visit somebody | I called on my friend last night but she wasn’t home. |
| calm down | relax after being angry | You need to calm down before you drive the car. |
| care for somebody/ something | feel concern or interest | Jessica made her boyfriend feel special and cared for. |
| catch up | get to the same point as somebody else | You have to run faster to catch up with Martin. |
| check in | arrive and register at a hotel or airport | Guests will get the hotel room keys when they check in. |
| check out | leave a hotel | You have to check out of the hotel before 11:00 AM. |
| check somebody/ something out | look at carefully, investigate | The policemen check out clothing the witness. |
| check out somebody/ something | look at (informal) | Check out the crazy clothing on that guy! |
| cheer up | become happier | She cheered up when she heard the good news. |
| cheer somebody up | make happier | I gave you some flowers to cheer you up. |
| chip in | help | If everyone chips in, we can finish working by noon. |
| clean something up
come about |
tidy, clean
to happen, or start to happen |
Please clean up the kitchen before you leave.
How did such a confused situation come about? |
| come across something | find unexpectedly | I came across my ex-boyfriend when I was going shopping. |
| come apart | separate | I picked up the book and it came apart in my hands. |
| come down with something | become sick | My sister came down with fever last week. |
| come from some place | originate in | Chocolate comes from the cacao tree. |
| count on somebody/ something | rely on | I can always count on my best friend. |
| come up | to happen, usually unexpectedly | I’ve got to go because something has just come up and I need to go. |
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
| cross something out | draw a line through | Please cross out your old address and write the new one. |
| cry out | to shout or make a loud noise because you are frightened, hurt, etc. | “Why are you doing this?” she cried out suddenly. |
| cut back on something | consume less | My doctor wants me to cut back on sweets. |
| cut something down | make something fall to the ground | We had to cut the old trees in our yard down after the storm. |
| cut in | interrupt | You shouldn’t cut in while I was dancing with this lady. |
| cut in | pull in too closely in front of another vehicle | The bus driver got angry when that taxi driver cut in. |
| cut in | start operating (of an engine or electrical device) | If the computer starts to overheat, the fan cuts in. |
| cut something off | remove with something sharp | The doctors cut off his leg because of the accident. |
| cut something off | stop providing | The phone company cut off our phone because we didn’t pay the bill. |
| cut something out | remove part of something (usually with scissors and paper) | I cut this picture out of the magazine. |
| dress up | wear nice clothing | It’s a luxurious hotel, so we have to dress up. |
| drop back | move back in a position/group | Andrew dropped back to third place when he fell off his bike. |
| drop in/ by/ over | come without an appointment | I can drop in/by/over and pick you up after work. |
| drop somebody/ something off | take somebody/ something somewhere and leave them/it there | I have to drop my son off at school before I come over. |
| drop out | quit a class, school etc. | Some students dropped out of school because of the financial issues. |
| eat out | eat at a restaurant | Let’s eat out to celebrate your birthday. |
| end up | eventually reach/do/decide | We ended up going shopping instead of going to the theatre. |
| fall apart | break into pieces | My poor old shoes are falling apart. |
| fall down | fall to the ground | The picture on the wall fell down this morning. |
| fall out | separate from an interior | The money must have fallen out of my pocket. |
| fall out | (of hair, teeth) become loose and unattached | His teeth started to fall out when he was 70. |
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
| figure something out | understand, find the answer | It takes time to figure out the math problem. |
| fill something in | to write information in blanks, as on a form (BrE) | Please fill in the form with your name, address, and phone number. |
| fill something out | to write information in blanks, as on a form (AmE) | The form must be filled out in capital letters. |
| fill something up | fill to the top | I always gas fill the tank up when it gets to half. |
| find out | discover | I must find out how much the new mobile phone will cost. |
| find something out | discover | We tried to keep the time of the party a secret, but Samantha found out. |
| get something across/ over | communicate, make understandable | Our ideas are better and we need to find a different way of getting that across. |
| get along/on | like each other | My mother and new girlfriend get along/on well. |
| get around | have mobility | My grandfather can get around fine in his new wheelchair. |
| get away | go on a vacation | We worked so hard this year that we had to get away for a week. |
| get away with something | do without being noticed or punished | Tom always gets away with cheating in his science tests. |
| get back | return | We got back from our vacation last week. |
| get something back | receive something you had before | Liza finally got her science notes back from her roommate. |
| get back at somebody | retaliate, take revenge | My sister got back at me for stealing her mobile phone. |
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
| get over something | recover from an illness, loss, difficulty | I just got over the flu. |
| get round to something | finally find time to do (AmE: get around to something) | I don’t know when I am going to get round to writing the thank you cards. |
| get together | meet (usually for social reasons) | Let’s get together this weekend. |
| get up | get out of bed | I get up early every day. |
| give somebody away | reveal hidden information about somebody | The father gave away his daughter at the wedding. |
| give somebody away | take the bride to the altar | My father gave me away at my wedding. |
| give something away | give something to somebody for free | The library was giving away old books. |
| give something back | return a borrowed item | I have to give these skates back to Frank before his hockey game. |
| give in | reluctantly stop fighting or arguing | My boyfriend didn’t want to go to the ballet, but he finally gave in. |
| give something out | give to many people (usually at no cost) | They are giving out free perfume samples at the department store. |
| give something up | quit a habit | I am giving up smoking. |
| give up | stop trying | I gave up doing my math homework because it was difficult. |
| go after somebody | follow somebody | My brother tried to go after the thief. |
| go against somebody | compete, oppose | We are going against the best soccer team tonight. |
| go ahead | start, proceed | Please go ahead and eat before the pizza gets cold. |
| go back | return to a place | I have to go back home before midnight. |
| go out | leave home to go on a social event | We’re going out for dinner tonight. |
| go out with somebody | date | Jenny has been going out with Kim since last winter. |
| go over something | review | Please go over your answers before you submit your homework. |
| go over | visit somebody nearby | I haven’t seen Tina for a long time. I think I’ll go over for an hour or two. |
| go without something | suffer lack or deprivation | How long can they go without food? |
| grow apart | stop being friends over time | My close friend and I grew apart after she changed schools. |
| grow back | regrow | My roses grew back this summer. |
| grow into something | grow big enough to fit | This shirt is too big for him now, but he should grow into it by next year. |
| grow out of something | get too big for | Rita needs a new skirt because she has grown out of her old one. |
| grow up | become an adult | When Jack grows up, he wants to be a policeman. |
| hand something down | give something used to somebody else | I handed my old comic books down to my younger brother. |
| hand something in | submit | I have to hand in my homework by Friday. |
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
| hand something out | to distribute to a group of people | We will hand out the brochures at the door. |
| hand something over | give (usually unwillingly) | The policeman asked the man to hand over his wallet. |
| hang in | stay positive (informal) | Hang in there. I’m sure you’ll find a better job soon. |
| hang on | wait a short time (informal) | Hang on while I buy these shoes! |
| hang out | spend time relaxing (informal) | We are going to hang out at my apartment. |
| hang up | end a phone call | I didn’t say goodbye before hanging up. |
| hold somebody/ something back | prevent from doing/going | I had to hold my dog back because there was a cat in the park. |
| hold something back | hide an emotion | Amy didn’t pass the examination, and she tried to hold back her tears. |
| hold on | wait a short time | Please hold on while I am taking a bath. |
| hold onto somebody/ something | hold firmly using your hands or arms | Hold onto your hat because it’s very windy. |
| hold somebody/ something up | rob | A man in a black mask held the bank up this morning. |
| keep on doing something | continue doing | Keep on doing exercise and you’ll be in good shape. |
| keep something from somebody | not tell | We kept our secret from our parents for one year. |
| keep somebody/ something out | stop from entering | Keep the wet dog out of the bedroom. |
| keep something up | continue at the same rate | If you keep up exercising , you will stay healthy. |
| let somebody down | fail to support or help, disappoint | Don’t let me down, darling. |
| let somebody in | allow to enter | Can you let the dog in before going out? |
| log in (or on) | sign in (to a website, database etc.) | I can’t log into Facebook. |
| log out (or off) | sign out (of a website, database etc.) | If you don’t log off, somebody could get into your account. |
| look after somebody/ something | take care of | I have to look after my grandmother. |
| look down on somebody | think less of, consider inferior | Your father looks down on me because I am not a rich man. |
| look for somebody/ something | try to find | I’m looking for a beautiful dress for the wedding party. |
| look forward to something | be excited about the future | I’m looking forward to summer. |
| look out | be careful, vigilant, and take notice | Look out! That motorbike is going to hit you! |
| look out for somebody/ something | be especially vigilant for | Don’t forget to look out for snakes in the forest. |
| look something over | check, examine | Can you look over my paragraph writing for spelling mistakes? |
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
| look something up | search and find information in a reference book or database | We can look up her phone number on the Internet. |
| look up to somebody | have a lot of respect for | My little sister always looks up to my mother. |
| make something up | invent, lie about something | Joe made up a story about why he arrived late. |
| make up | forgive each other | We were angry last night, but we made up this morning. |
| mix something up | confuse two or more things | I mixed up the twins’ names again! |
| pass away | die | His aunt passed away last night. |
| pass out | faint | It was so hot that an old lady passed out. |
| pass something out | give the same thing to many people | The salesman passed out the brochures during the party. |
| pass something up | decline (usually something good) | I can’t believe she passed up the chance to go to USA. |
| pay somebody back | return owed money | I’ll pay you back on Friday. |
| pay for something | be punished for doing something bad | My uncle will pay for the movie. |
| pick something out | choose | I picked out the dress for the party. |
| point somebody/ something out | indicate with your finger | I’ll point out my boyfriend when I see him. |
| put something down | put what you are holding on a surface or floor | You can put down the groceries on this table. |
| put something off | postpone | We are putting off our trip until next month. |
| put something out | extinguish | The firemen put the forest fire out in Australia. |
| put something together | assemble | It took several hours to put the puzzle together. |
| put up with somebody/ something | tolerate | I don’t think I can put up with three small children in the car. |
| put something on | put clothing/ accessories on your body | I will put on a new dress for my birthday party. |
| run away | leave unexpectedly, escape | The dogs ran away from. |
| run over somebody/ something | drive a vehicle over a person or thing | I accidentally ran over your bicycle in the driveway. |
| run over/ through something | rehearse, review | Let’s run over/through these songs before the show. |
| run out | have none left | We ran out of shampoo. |
| send something back | return (usually by mail) | My letters were sent back to me because I used the wrong address. |
| set something up | arrange, organize | Our boss set up a meeting for next Wednesday. |
| show off | act extra special for people watching (usually boastfully) | He always shows off to his classmates. |
| sleep over | stay somewhere for the night (informal) | You should sleep over tonight because the weather is too bad to drive home. |
| sort something out | organize, resolve a problem | If you have a problem, the officer can help you sort yourself out. |
| stick to something | continue doing something, limit yourself to one particular thing | You can lose weight if you stick to the diet. |
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
| switch something on | start the energy flow, turn on | We heard the news when we switched on the TV. |
| take after somebody | resemble a family member | Amy takes after her mother. They are both beautiful. |
| take something apart | purposely break into pieces | He took apart the car brakes and found the problem. |
| take something back | return an item | I will take my new computer back because it doesn’t work. |
| take off | start to fly | My plane takes off in ten minutes. |
| take something off | remove something (usually clothing) | Take off your shoes when entering the house. |
| take something out | remove from a place or thing | Henry took out his wallet. |
| take somebody out | pay for somebody to go somewhere with you | My grandparents took us out for dinner. |
| tear something up | rip into pieces | I tore up all the photos of my ex-boyfriend. |
| think back | remember (often + to, sometimes + on) | When I think back on my childhood, I always feel happy. |
| think something over | consider | I’ll have to think this job offer over before I quit. |
| throw something away | dispose of | We threw our old furniture away when we won the lottery. |
| turn something down | decrease the volume or strength (heat, light etc.) | Please turn the TV down while the guests are here. |
| turn something down | refuse | I turned the job down because I don’t want to move. |
| turn something off | stop the energy flow, switch off | Your mother wants you to turn the TV off and come for dinner. |
| turn something on | start the energy, switch on | It’s too dark in here. Let’s turn on some lights. |
| turn something up | increase the volume or strength (heat, light etc.) | Can you turn the music up? I really like this song. |
| turn up | appear suddenly | Our dog turned up after we put an announcement on TV. |
| try something on | sample clothing | I’m going to try these jeans on, but I don’t think they will fit. |
| try something out | test | I am going to try out this new brand of detergent. |
| use something up | finish the supply | The kids used all of the toothpaste up so we need to buy some more. |
| wake up | stop sleeping | We have to wake up early on Monday. |
| warm somebody/ something up | increase the temperature | You can warm up your hands in front of the fireplace. |
| warm up | prepare body for exercise | I always warm up before I go for a run. |
| wear off | fade away | Most of my make-up wore off after the show. |
| work out | exercise | I work out at the gym every weekend. |
| work out | be successful | Our plan worked out, so our boss gave us a bonus. |
| work something out | make a calculation | I have to work out the price before I buy
a new smartphone. |