Common Phrasal Verbs‏‎

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This is simply a list of common phrasal verbs‏‎ which your students should know. There is no easy way to learn phrasal verbs as their meaning cannot be guessed by their make-up. Likewise many phrasal verbs have several completely unrelated meanings.

This means that phrasal verbs must simply be learned in context.

back up - support
break into - enter illegally
break off - separate, remove
break out - escape
break up - dismantle, take to pieces
bring about - cause to happen
bring off - succeed in doing s.t.
bring round - help regain consciousness
bring up - raise (a child)
call off - cancel
call up - conscript into the army
catch on - become popular
check out - examine
check up on - make sure s.o. is working
clear up - tidy up a mess
come into - inherit
come up with - think of, invent
counted in - include
count on - rely on
cut off - disconnect (e.g. telephone)
do away with - abolish s.t.
do down - criticize badly
do up - repair, renovate
drop off - fall asleep
face up to - accept and deal with
fall for - suddenly attracted to s.o.
get back - take possession of again
get by - survive
get on with - be friends with
get round to - find time to do s.t.
get through to - communicate to
give away - part with
give off - emit, exude
give out - emit; distribute
give in - stop trying
give up - stop doing s.t.
go for - attack
go off - become bad, moldy etc.
go through - examine, check
hang onto - keep, not let go
hang up - put the phone down
hold back - restrain
hold down - manage to keep (a job)
hold up - delay; rob at gunpoint
join up - enter the army
keep in - stop from leaving
keep up with - be as good/fast etc. as
knock off - finish work; steal
knock out - hit unconscious
leave out - omit
let down - disappoint s.o.
let in - admit into
let off - free without punishment
look after - take care of
look for - search for s.t.
look up - search for s.t. in a book
look up to - respect
make for - head towards
make out - discern, see clearly
make up - invent (a story etc.)
own up - admit
pass away - die
pass by - go past something
pass out - faint
pass up - not take advantage of
pay back - return s.t. borrowed
picked up - acquire (habits)
pick out - choose
pull down - demolish (building)
pull up - stop (a car)
put off - postpone; dissuade
put up with - tolerate
ring off - put the phone down
ring up - call on the phone
run into - meet unexpectedly
run off with - steal and leave
run over - knock down with a car
see through - finish a (difficult) job
send for - call s.o. to visit you
set off - begin, start (a journey)
soak up - absorb
stand by - support; reserve
stand for - tolerate; represent
stand in for - replace as a substitute
stand out - be obvious
stand up to - resist, fight against
stop over - spend the night
take after - resemble
take down - write down
take off - imitate; remove
take over - assume control of
take up - start a new hobby
try out - test to see if it works
turn up - arrive unexpectedly
wear off - fade away
wear out - tire