Continue and Stop
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| carry on (+ -ing / without object) | continue | Carry on — don't stop! · She carried on working after midnight. |
| keep on (+ -ing) | continue (often with a sense of repetition or persistence) | He keeps on making the same mistake. |
| give up (+ -ing / + object) | stop trying; stop a habit | She gave up smoking last year. · Don't give up! |
| cut down on (+ -ing / + noun) | reduce (a habit or activity) | I'm trying to cut down on sugar. · He's cutting down on working overtime. |
| go on (+ -ing) | continue doing the same thing | She went on talking for an hour. |
Discover and Research
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| find out (separable) | discover a fact, learn new information | I found out that the meeting was cancelled. · How did you find it out? |
| look up (separable) | search for information (in a dictionary, online, etc.) | Look up the word in the dictionary. · I'll look it up. |
| look into (inseparable) | investigate | The police are looking into the complaint. |
Relationships and care
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| look after (inseparable) | take care of | She looks after her elderly parents. |
| get on with (inseparable) | have a good relationship with | I get on well with my colleagues. |
| fall out with (inseparable) | argue and stop being friendly | They fell out with each other over money. |
| make up (separable or no object) | reconcile after an argument | They argued but made up the next day. |
| break up with (inseparable) | end a romantic relationship | She broke up with her boyfriend last month. |
Result and outcome
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| end up (+ -ing / + adjective / + place) | eventually arrive at a situation, often unexpectedly | We got lost and ended up in the wrong town. · He ended up becoming a doctor. |
| turn out (no object / + to-inf) | happen in a particular way; prove to be | Everything turned out well in the end. · It turned out to be cheaper than expected. |
| set up (separable) | establish a business or organisation | They set up a new company last year. |
| put off (separable) | postpone; or discourage/distract someone | Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today. · The noise put me off. |
Exercises
Choose the correct phrasal verb.
1. She ___ smoking three years ago and feels much healthier now. (= stopped the habit)
2. I don't know what "ephemeral" means. I'll ___ it ___ in the dictionary.
3. She ___ her little sister every day after school. (= takes care of)
4. We took the wrong bus and ___ in a completely different part of the city.
5. They had a big argument but ___ a few days later. (= reconciled)