Essential English Phrasal Verbs: 48 Must-Know Expressions by Topic
Phrasal verbs are verb + particle combinations that carry a meaning you cannot predict word by word. They are everywhere in natural English — spoken, written, and online. Use the search or filter by topic to explore all 48.
48 items · 6 topics
"move on"
stop dwelling on something and progress to something new
"It was a tough breakup, but she's finally managed to move on."
"go back"
return to a place, time, or previous state
"I'd love to go back to Italy someday — the food was incredible."
"turn around"
rotate to face the other direction; or reverse a bad situation
"The new CEO managed to turn the company around in just two years."
"head off"
leave or depart, often at the start of a journey
"We're heading off at 6 a.m. to beat the traffic."
"come back"
return to a place or a previous condition
"He came back from holiday completely refreshed and full of energy."
"pass by"
go past a place or person without stopping
"I pass by the bakery every morning, which makes dieting very difficult."
"drive off"
leave in a vehicle; also to repel someone
"She waved goodbye, got in the car, and drove off down the road."
"set off"
begin a journey; or cause something to start (e.g. an alarm)
"We set off at dawn to reach the summit before noon."
"carry out"
perform or complete a task or plan
"The engineers carried out a full safety inspection of the bridge."
"take on"
accept new work, responsibility, or an employee
"She took on three new clients last month and is already overwhelmed."
"follow up"
check on progress or pursue something further after an initial action
"I sent the proposal last week — I should follow up with them today."
"come up with"
produce an idea, plan, or solution
"The marketing team came up with a brilliant concept for the campaign."
"put off"
delay or postpone something; or make someone lose interest
"Stop putting off the report — the deadline is tomorrow morning."
"hand in"
submit work or a document to someone in authority
"Please hand in your expense reports by the end of the week."
"sort out"
solve a problem or organise something
"Can you sort out the printer issue before the client presentation?"
"wrap up"
finish or conclude something, especially a meeting or project
"Let's wrap up the meeting — we've covered everything on the agenda."
"get along (with)"
have a friendly, harmonious relationship with someone
"I really get along with my new flatmate — we have the same sense of humour."
"catch up (with)"
talk with someone you have not seen recently to share news
"Let's grab a coffee and catch up — it's been months!"
"fall out (with)"
have an argument and stop being on good terms with someone
"They fell out over a misunderstanding and haven't spoken since."
"make up"
reconcile after a quarrel or argument
"They argued badly but made up the next morning over breakfast."
"reach out (to)"
contact someone, especially to offer help or ask for support
"Don't hesitate to reach out to me if you ever need advice."
"open up"
become willing to share feelings, thoughts, or secrets
"It took years before he felt comfortable enough to open up about his past."
"talk over"
discuss something thoroughly with someone
"We need to talk this decision over before we commit to anything."
"cut off"
interrupt someone speaking; or stop contact with someone completely
"She cut off her toxic friend after years of one-sided support."
"cheer up"
become or cause someone to feel happier and more positive
"She bought him flowers to cheer him up after a difficult week."
"calm down"
become less angry, upset, or excited; or help someone do so
"Take a deep breath and calm down — we can solve this together."
"freak out"
become very scared, anxious, or overwhelmed; lose control emotionally
"He completely freaked out when he saw the spider on the ceiling."
"bottle up"
suppress or hide emotions instead of expressing them
"She always bottles up her feelings, which isn't healthy in the long run."
"choke up"
become so emotional that you cannot speak normally
"He choked up during his wedding speech and had to pause for a moment."
"let down"
disappoint someone who had expectations or faith in you
"I promised I'd be there, and I don't want to let you down."
"act up"
behave badly or cause trouble, often from frustration or stress
"The kids always act up when they're overtired and hungry."
"wind down"
relax gradually after a period of stress or activity
"I like to wind down before bed by reading for half an hour."
"figure out"
understand or solve something through thinking
"It took me a while, but I finally figured out how to use the software."
"look up"
search for information in a book, dictionary, or online
"If you don't know a word, look it up in a dictionary before guessing."
"find out"
discover or learn a fact or piece of information
"I only found out about the exam change this morning — nobody told me!"
"read up on"
study a subject thoroughly, especially by reading
"Before the interview, I read up on the company's history and products."
"pick up"
learn something informally and without effort over time
"She picked up Japanese surprisingly fast just by living in Tokyo."
"work out"
calculate or solve something; or develop in a particular way
"Can you work out how much we each owe for the dinner bill?"
"take in"
absorb and understand information that you are seeing or hearing
"There was so much new information that it was hard to take it all in."
"come across"
find or encounter something unexpectedly
"I came across a fascinating article about black holes while doing research."
"get up"
rise from bed or a seated position
"I usually get up at 6:30, but I struggle on Monday mornings."
"turn off"
stop a device or appliance from working by operating a switch
"Please turn off the lights when you leave the room."
"run out of"
use all of something so there is none left
"We've run out of milk again — can you pick some up on your way home?"
"tidy up"
clean and organise a space
"We need to tidy up the flat before our guests arrive this evening."
"put away"
return something to its correct storage place
"Can the children please put away their toys before dinner?"
"wake up"
stop sleeping and become conscious; or cause someone to do so
"The loud alarm woke me up at 5 a.m. and I could not get back to sleep."
"drop off"
take someone to a destination by car; or fall asleep
"She dropped off during the film — she must have been exhausted."
"eat out"
have a meal at a restaurant rather than at home
"We eat out every Friday night as a family — it's our little tradition."
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are phrasal verbs so difficult for English learners?
Phrasal verbs are challenging because a single base verb (like "get" or "take") can pair with different particles to create dozens of unrelated meanings. "Get up", "get on", and "get over" have almost nothing to do with each other. The only reliable way to master them is through extensive exposure in context, rather than memorising grammar rules.
How many English phrasal verbs are there?
Estimates vary, but native English has over 5,000 phrasal verb combinations. However, research shows that just 200–300 high-frequency phrasal verbs cover the vast majority of everyday speech and writing. Start with the 48 on this page — they are among the most commonly used across all levels.
What is the difference between separable and inseparable phrasal verbs?
With separable phrasal verbs, you can place an object between the verb and particle: "turn the TV off" or "turn off the TV." With inseparable phrasal verbs, the verb and particle must stay together: "come across an idea" (not "come an idea across"). When the object is a pronoun, separable verbs always split: "turn it off" (never "turn off it").
What is the fastest method to learn phrasal verbs?
The most effective approach is encountering phrasal verbs in authentic context — films, podcasts, native-level books — rather than studying isolated lists. Research on language acquisition strongly supports the Comprehensible Input method: when you hear and understand a phrasal verb naturally 5–10 times, it becomes part of your active vocabulary without deliberate memorisation.
Should I learn phrasal verbs by particle (up, down, out) or by theme?
Both methods have value. Learning by particle helps you notice patterns — for example, "up" often implies completion or increase. Learning by theme (like work or emotions) gives you immediately usable vocabulary clusters. We recommend starting with thematic groupings for practical fluency, then exploring particle-based patterns as your level advances.
The fastest way to internalise phrasal verbs is hearing them in context. Authentic English videos make the meaning stick.
Hear phrasal verbs in real English videos →
