Phrasal verbs combine a base verb (get, go, take…) with one or more particles (up, on, off…) to create a new meaning that's often very different from the original verb. Click a tab below to open one verb group at a time — each has its pattern, a table of meanings and examples, a separable/inseparable note, and two exercises.
Pattern: GET is one of the most flexible verbs in English — combined with different particles it can mean movement, relationships, or overcoming a difficulty.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| get up | wake up and leave bed | I get up at 7am every day. |
| get on | board a bus, train, plane or bike | We got on the train at Platform 2. |
| get off | leave a bus, train, plane or bike | Get off at the next stop. |
| get in | enter a car or small space; arrive | He got in the car and drove away. · What time does the flight get in? |
| get out (of) | leave a car or small space | She got out of the taxi. |
| get over | recover from an illness or bad experience | It took him weeks to get over the flu. |
| get back | return | We got back from holiday on Sunday. |
| get into | become interested in; enter | I got into painting during lockdown. |
| get along (with) | have a friendly relationship with someone | My roommates and I get along really well. |
| get away | escape; go on a short trip | We need to get away for the weekend. |
| get by | manage with minimal resources | We don't earn much, but we get by. |
| get rid of | eliminate, throw away | I finally got rid of my old sofa. |
| get through | complete something difficult; survive | She got through the exam despite being nervous. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. I always ___ at 6:30am on weekdays.
2. She's finally starting to ___ her breakup.
3. We ___ really well with our new neighbours.
4. Could you please ___ that old broken chair?
5. What time do we ___ the airport? (= arrive)
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
Every morning I at 6am and quickly get dressed. I the bus outside my house and two stops later, near my office. Last year I painting as a hobby, and now I paint every weekend to relax. When work gets stressful, my colleagues and I always — we support each other a lot.
Pattern: MAKE phrasal verbs often describe inventing, understanding, or compensating for something.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| make up | invent a story; reconcile after an argument | He made up an excuse. · They had a fight but made up quickly. |
| make out | understand or perceive with difficulty | I can't make out what she's saying, the line is bad. |
| make for | head towards; contribute to | They made for the exit. · Good communication makes for a happy team. |
| make up for | compensate for | Extra practice will make up for lost time. |
| make out with | kiss passionately (informal) | They were making out with each other at the party. |
| make something up | invent a story or excuse | Don't worry, I'll make something up if he asks. |
| make it up to somebody | compensate someone for a wrong | I'm sorry I'm late — let me make it up to you with dinner. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. I couldn't ___ what the sign said, it was too far away.
2. He didn't do his homework, so he decided to ___ an excuse.
3. Working this weekend will ___ the day I missed last week.
4. As soon as the meeting ended, everyone ___ the door.
5. I forgot our anniversary — I really need to ___ this weekend.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
When my boss asked why the report was late, I almost had to an excuse. Luckily, I could part of the missing work over the weekend. At the party, I couldn't really what the DJ was saying over the music. My best friend and her boyfriend had a huge argument, but they again by the next morning. I still feel bad about forgetting her birthday — I need to somehow.
Pattern: PUT phrasal verbs usually involve placing, delaying, or tolerating something — most can be separated by a pronoun object.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| put on | dress in; gain weight | Put on your coat, it's cold. · He's put on some weight. |
| put off | postpone; discourage | Let's put off the meeting until Friday. · The smell put me off my food. |
| put away | store in its place | Please put away your toys. |
| put up with | tolerate | I can't put up with this noise any longer. |
| put down | set something down; belittle someone | She put down her bag. · Stop putting him down in front of everyone. |
| put in | install; invest time or effort | They put in new windows. · She put in a lot of effort. |
| put someone through | connect someone by phone; make someone experience something hard | Can you put me through to the manager? · I'm sorry I put you through so much stress. |
| put forth | propose an idea (formal) | The committee put forth a new proposal. |
| put back | return something to its place; delay | Put the book back on the shelf. · The flight was put back two hours. |
| put forward | propose; move to an earlier time | She put forward an interesting idea. · The clocks are put forward in spring. |
| put aside | save money; ignore differences | I put aside some money every month. · Let's put aside our differences. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. I can't ___ this constant noise from the construction site.
2. Could you ___ me ___ to the sales department, please?
3. It's cold outside, ___ your jacket.
4. We had to ___ the trip because of bad weather.
5. She always ___ some money every month for emergencies.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
Every winter I a big coat before leaving the house. This month we had to our vacation because of a family emergency. I know it's frustrating, but please try to the delay — it won't happen again. Could you to customer service? My parents always taught me to a little money each month for the future.
Pattern: GO phrasal verbs describe movement, changes, or events — none of them can take a direct object, so none are separable.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| go out | leave home to socialize | We're going out for dinner tonight. |
| go on | continue; happen | Please go on with your story. · What's going on here? |
| go back | return to a place | I want to go back to Japan someday. |
| go up | increase, rise | Prices have gone up a lot this year. |
| go down | decrease, fall | Temperatures go down in winter. |
| go away | leave, disappear | Go away, I'm busy! · The pain went away after a few days. |
| go off | explode or ring (alarm); (food) become bad | The fire alarm went off suddenly. · This milk has gone off. |
| go through | experience something difficult; examine | She's going through a hard time. · Let's go through the report together. |
| go over | review, check carefully | Let's go over your answers before the test. |
| go for | choose, pursue | I think I'll go for the blue one. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. My phone battery ___ suddenly and the screen went black.
2. Prices ___ a lot since last year — everything is more expensive.
3. Let's ___ the instructions one more time before we start.
4. He's ___ a really difficult time after losing his job.
5. Which option will you ___, the cheap one or the expensive one?
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
Every Saturday my friends and I for dinner at a new restaurant. Last week the fire alarm suddenly while we were eating, so we had to leave! Prices at that restaurant have really recently, so next time I think I'll something cheaper. My friend is a stressful week at work, so we wanted to cheer her up.
Pattern: TAKE phrasal verbs often describe removing, starting, or resembling something — most can be separated by a pronoun object.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| take off | remove clothing; (plane) leave the ground | Take off your shoes, please. · The plane takes off at 9am. |
| take out | remove; take someone on a date | He took the trash out. · She took him out for his birthday. |
| take on | accept a responsibility or new employee | The company is taking on new staff. |
| take after | resemble a family member | She takes after her mother. |
| take up | start a hobby; occupy space or time | He took up yoga last year. · This sofa takes up too much space. |
| take back | retract a statement; return an item | I take back what I said, I'm sorry. · She took the shoes back to the shop. |
| take over | assume control | The new manager took over last month. |
| take care of | look after | Can you take care of my cat this weekend? |
| take in | absorb/understand information; deceive; make clothing smaller | It's a lot to take in. · He took everyone in. · I need to take in these trousers. |
| take down | remove something fixed; write notes | They took down the old sign. · Let me take down your number. |
| take away | remove; (food) to go | The waiter took away our plates. · Can I get this pizza to take away? |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. Please ___ your shoes before entering the house.
2. She really ___ her grandmother — same smile, same eyes.
3. Could you ___ my dog while I'm on holiday?
4. He decided to ___ playing the guitar this year.
5. The new CEO will ___ the company next month.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
Last year I decided to painting as a new hobby. My sister always says I our dad because we're both creative. When I go to my art class, I always my old clothes and put on an apron so I don't get paint on them. My neighbour is very kind — she often offers to my plants when I travel. Sadly, the art school is closing because a bigger company is going to the building next year.
Pattern: COME phrasal verbs describe arriving, discovering, or dealing with something — all are intransitive, so none are separable.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| come back | return | He came back from the trip yesterday. |
| come in | enter | Come in, the door's open! |
| come on | hurry up; start working (device); used to encourage | Come on, we're late! · The heating comes on automatically. |
| come across | find by chance; give an impression | I came across an old photo. · She comes across as very confident. |
| come up | arise, happen unexpectedly | Something urgent came up at work. |
| come up with | think of an idea or solution | She came up with a great idea. |
| come down with | become ill with | I think I'm coming down with a cold. |
| come along | make progress; accompany | The project is coming along nicely. · Do you want to come along? |
| come out | be published/released; become known | Her new book comes out next month. · The truth eventually came out. |
| come over | visit; (feeling) affect suddenly | Come over for dinner sometime. · A wave of tiredness came over me. |
| come round/around | regain consciousness; change one's opinion; visit informally | He came round after fainting. · She finally came round to my idea. |
| come through | survive or succeed; (information) arrive | They came through the crisis together. · The results finally came through. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. I think I'm ___ a cold — I have a sore throat.
2. We need to ___ a solution before the deadline.
3. Her new album ___ next Friday.
4. He fainted but ___ a few minutes later.
5. I ___ some old letters while cleaning the attic.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
Last week I started feeling tired and I think I was the flu. My project at work is finally nicely after months of hard work. While tidying my room, I some old photos from university. My team had to a creative solution quickly when the client changed the plan. Would you like to for coffee this weekend?
Pattern: GIVE phrasal verbs describe surrendering, distributing, or releasing something.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| give up | stop trying; abandon a habit | Don't give up! · She gave up chocolate for a month. |
| give in | surrender, stop resisting | After a long argument, he finally gave in. |
| give away | give something for free; reveal a secret | They're giving away free samples. · Don't give away the ending! |
| give out | distribute; stop functioning | She gave out the exam papers. · His knees finally gave out. |
| give back | return something | Please give back my pen. |
| give off | emit a smell, heat, or light | The flowers give off a lovely smell. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. The teacher will ___ the test papers now.
2. Please don't ___ the ending of the film!
3. After arguing for an hour, she finally ___.
4. These flowers ___ a really strong smell.
5. Can you ___ the book I lent you?
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
My grandmother never wants to trying, even when things get hard. At the shop, they were free samples of chocolate to every customer. I borrowed my friend's umbrella last week and I need to soon. These candles a really relaxing smell. After I explained my reasons three times, my parents finally and let me go to the concert.
Pattern: BRING phrasal verbs describe causing, raising, or presenting something — all can be separated by a pronoun object.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| bring up | mention a topic; raise a child | Why did you bring that up? · She was brought up in Spain. |
| bring back | return something; cause memories | Can you bring back some milk? · This song brings back memories. |
| bring about | cause something to happen | The new law brought about big changes. |
| bring down | cause to fall or decrease; make sad | The scandal brought down the government. · That news really brought me down. |
| bring forward | move to an earlier time | They brought the meeting forward to Monday. |
| bring out | release a product; highlight a quality | The company is bringing out a new phone. · That colour brings out your eyes. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. This old photo really ___ some happy memories.
2. I don't want to ___ this topic again, but we need to talk.
3. They decided to ___ the wedding to next month instead of next year.
4. The new policy ___ a lot of positive changes.
5. That dress really ___ the colour of your eyes.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
Whenever I smell fresh bread, it memories of my grandmother's kitchen. My boss decided to the deadline by one week, so now we have less time. I didn't want to the subject of money, but we really need to discuss the budget. The heavy rain a lot of problems for the local farmers. The company is finally going to their new product next month.
Pattern: RUN phrasal verbs often describe unexpected meetings, shortages, or escaping.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| run into | meet by chance; encounter a problem | I ran into an old friend yesterday. · We ran into some trouble. |
| run out (of) | have no more of something | We've run out of milk. |
| run away | escape, flee | The dog ran away from home. |
| run over | hit with a vehicle | Be careful, that car nearly ran over the cat. |
| run through | practice/review quickly; use up quickly | Let's run through the presentation once more. · He ran through his savings. |
| run late | be behind schedule | Sorry, I'm running late. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. I ___ my old teacher at the supermarket yesterday.
2. We need more coffee — we've completely ___.
3. Sorry I'm late, the bus was ___.
4. Let's quickly ___ the plan before the meeting starts.
5. The cat almost got ___ by a car!
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
Yesterday I an old classmate at the train station — I hadn't seen her in years! Unfortunately, the meeting was delayed because the previous one was , so we had to wait. Before the presentation, we decided to quickly the slides one more time. We've completely coffee at the office, so someone needs to buy more. When I was a kid, our dog once and we spent hours looking for him.
Pattern: BREAK phrasal verbs often describe things stopping, starting suddenly, or falling apart.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| break down | stop working (machine); lose emotional control | My car broke down on the motorway. · She broke down in tears. |
| break up | end a relationship; split into pieces | They broke up after two years together. |
| break out | start suddenly (fire, war, disease) | A fire broke out in the building. |
| break in | enter illegally by force; interrupt | Thieves broke in through the window. · Sorry to break in, but I have a question. |
| break away | escape from control; separate from a group | She broke away from the crowd. |
| break off | stop suddenly; separate a piece | He broke off in the middle of his sentence. · She broke off a piece of chocolate. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. My car ___ on the way to work this morning.
2. A fire ___ in the old factory last night.
3. They decided to ___ after three years together.
4. Someone tried to ___ through the back window.
5. She ___ a small piece of the cake for her brother.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
During the meeting, the printer suddenly and we couldn't finish the documents. A small fire in the kitchen, but luckily someone put it out quickly. My neighbours last month after ten years together — it was very sad news. Somebody tried to through our garage door last week, but the alarm scared them away. Halfway through his speech, he suddenly and couldn't continue.
Pattern: CHECK phrasal verbs are used for hotels, systems, and monitoring — all are inseparable.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| check in | register at a hotel or airport | We checked in at 3pm. |
| check out | leave a hotel; look at something | Checkout is at 11am. · Check out this new app! |
| check up on | verify someone or something is OK | She checks up on her elderly neighbour every day. |
| check into | investigate; register at a hotel | The police are checking into the incident. · We checked into our hotel late. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. What time do we need to ___ of the hotel tomorrow?
2. I always ___ my grandmother every Sunday to make sure she's okay.
3. We can't ___ until 3pm, our room isn't ready yet.
4. The manager is going to ___ the complaint.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
When we arrived at the airport, we had to two hours before the flight. The next morning, we had to of the hotel by 11am. Every evening, I like to my little brother to make sure he's doing his homework. The police decided to the strange noises the neighbours had reported.
Pattern: SET phrasal verbs often relate to starting a journey, a business, or an activity.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| set up | establish, arrange | They set up a new business last year. |
| set off | start a journey; trigger an alarm | We set off early to avoid traffic. · The smoke set off the alarm. |
| set out | start a journey; begin with a goal | They set out at dawn. · She set out to become a doctor. |
| set aside | save for later; put to one side | I set aside an hour every day to read. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. We ___ at 5am to avoid the traffic.
2. She decided to ___ her own bakery.
3. I always ___ some time on Sundays to plan my week.
4. He ___ to become a professional pianist when he was just ten.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
Every morning we early to beat the traffic on the way to the coast. Two years ago, my sister decided to her own online shop. I try to at least thirty minutes a day for exercise. When she was young, she to travel to every country in Europe, and she almost did it!
Pattern: WORK phrasal verbs describe solving problems, exercising, or studying something in depth.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| work out | exercise; solve a problem; be resolved successfully | I work out at the gym three times a week. · We worked out the solution. · Everything worked out in the end. |
| work on | try to improve or complete something | She's working on her English pronunciation. |
| work through | deal with something step by step | We need to work through these issues calmly. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. I ___ at the gym every morning before work.
2. She's ___ her presentation for tomorrow's meeting.
3. Let's calmly ___ this misunderstanding together.
4. Don't worry, everything will ___ in the end.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
Every evening after dinner, I at the gym for about an hour. My colleague has been a new project all week, and it's almost finished. We had a disagreement, but we sat down and calmly it together. I was worried about the exam, but it all fine in the end.
Pattern: STAND phrasal verbs describe being noticeable, supporting someone, or defending a position — all are inseparable.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| stand up | rise to a standing position | Please stand up when the judge enters. |
| stand for | represent, symbolize; tolerate | What does "UN" stand for? · I won't stand for this behaviour. |
| stand out | be noticeably different or better | Her work really stands out from the rest. |
| stand by | support someone; remain ready | I'll always stand by you. · Stand by for further instructions. |
| stand up for | defend, support a person or idea | You should always stand up for your friends. |
| stand up to | confront bravely | She finally stood up to her bully. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. What does the abbreviation "ASAP" ___?
2. Her designs really ___ from all the others in the competition.
3. No matter what happens, I will always ___ you.
4. It's important to ___ your friends when they're being treated unfairly.
5. He finally learned to ___ his older brother instead of being afraid of him.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
During the ceremony, everyone had to when the anthem started playing. My little sister always me when I'm having a hard time. Her paintings really because of the bright colours she uses. He was scared, but he finally decided to the boy who was bullying him. I won't this kind of disrespect in my classroom.
Pattern: CALL phrasal verbs describe communication by phone or requesting something.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| call back | return a phone call | I'll call you back in five minutes. |
| call off | cancel | They called off the wedding. |
| call for | require, demand; go to collect someone | This calls for a celebration! · I'll call for you at 8pm. |
| call on | ask someone to do something; visit | The teacher called on me to answer. · We called on our neighbours. |
| call out | shout; publicly criticize | She called out his name. · He was called out for his mistake. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. I'm busy right now, can I ___ you ___ later?
2. The concert was ___ because of the storm.
3. This amazing news really ___ a celebration!
4. The teacher always ___ the quiet students to encourage them to speak.
5. She had to ___ his rude behaviour in front of everyone.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
I'm driving right now, so I can't talk — I'll as soon as I get home. Because of the heavy rain, the outdoor concert had to be . This kind of good news really a celebration! In class, the teacher often students who haven't spoken yet. When he saw his friend being unfair, he decided to his behaviour immediately.
Pattern: HOLD phrasal verbs describe waiting, delaying, or restraining something.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| hold on | wait; grip tightly | Hold on a second, I'm coming. · Hold on to the railing. |
| hold up | delay; remain strong/valid; rob | The traffic held us up. · His argument doesn't hold up. · The bank was held up. |
| hold back | restrain, hesitate to say or do something | She held back her tears. · Don't hold back, tell me the truth. |
| hold on to | keep, not let go of | Hold on to your ticket, you'll need it later. |
| hold off | delay, postpone | Let's hold off on the decision until next week. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. ___ a minute, I need to grab my keys!
2. The accident on the motorway ___ traffic for over an hour.
3. She tried to ___ her tears during the sad movie.
4. Make sure you ___ your passport during the whole trip.
5. Let's ___ the announcement until everyone is here.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
a second, I just need to tie my shoes before we go. There was an accident on the highway, and it us for almost an hour. During the interview, she tried hard not to her nervousness. Please your boarding pass — you'll need it at the gate. We decided to the party until next weekend, when everyone is free.
Pattern: PULL phrasal verbs are often used for vehicles and for recovering from difficulty.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| pull over | stop a vehicle at the side of the road | The police asked him to pull over. |
| pull out | withdraw; (vehicle) move into traffic | She pulled out of the competition. · The car pulled out suddenly. |
| pull off | succeed at something difficult | They managed to pull off an amazing performance. |
| pull through | survive, recover from a serious problem | The doctors think he'll pull through. |
| pull up | stop a vehicle; bring up on a screen | The taxi pulled up outside the hotel. · Can you pull up that document? |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. The police officer signalled for the driver to ___.
2. Despite the injury, the surgeons believe she will ___.
3. It was a difficult performance, but the dancers really ___ it.
4. The bus ___ right in front of the school entrance.
5. She decided to ___ of the race after injuring her ankle.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
The car in front of us suddenly had to because of a flat tyre. After the surgery, the doctors said he should without any problems. It was a risky plan, but somehow they managed to it perfectly. The taxi finally right outside our hotel. Because of the injury, she had no choice but to of the tournament.
Pattern: PICK phrasal verbs describe choosing, collecting, or unfairly targeting someone.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| pick up | lift; collect someone or something; learn casually | Can you pick up that pen? · I'll pick you up at 6pm. · She picked up Italian while living in Rome. |
| pick out | choose or select from a group | He picked out a nice tie for the interview. |
| pick on | unfairly criticize or bully | Stop picking on your little brother! |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. Could you ___ some bread on your way home?
2. She carefully ___ the perfect dress for the party.
3. He always ___ his younger classmates, which isn't fair.
4. I'll ___ you ___ from the airport at 6pm.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
On my way home, I usually some fresh vegetables from the market. My mum helped me a nice outfit for my job interview. It's not fair that some kids others just because they're different. I lived in France for a year and I some French just by listening to people talk.
Pattern: HANG phrasal verbs are used for socializing, waiting, and finishing a phone call.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| hang out | spend relaxed time with friends | We hung out at the beach all afternoon. |
| hang on | wait; hold tightly | Hang on, let me check. · Hang on to the rope. |
| hang up | end a phone call; put on a hook | She hung up before I could say goodbye. · Hang up your coat. |
| hang around | stay in a place without doing much | They were just hanging around the park. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. We usually ___ at my house after school.
2. ___ a second, I'll be right back.
3. Please don't ___ before I finish explaining!
4. The teenagers were just ___ outside the shop, not buying anything.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
On Fridays, my friends and I like to at the local café. a moment, I need to find my keys before we leave. She was so angry that she the phone without saying goodbye. After school, some kids just near the park gates instead of going home.
Pattern: SETTLE phrasal verbs describe becoming comfortable in a new place or accepting less than you wanted — all are inseparable.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| settle down | become calm; start a stable life | The children finally settled down and went to sleep. · They settled down in a small village. |
| settle in | become comfortable in a new place | It took her a while to settle in at her new school. |
| settle for | accept something less than ideal | I didn't get my first choice, so I settled for the second. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. It took the new student a few weeks to ___ at his new school.
2. After years of travelling, they decided to ___ in a small town.
3. I wanted the red one, but I had to ___ the blue one instead.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
After moving to a new city, it took me a couple of months to really and feel comfortable. My grandparents finally in a quiet house by the sea after years of moving around. The store didn't have the shoes I wanted in my size, so I had to a different colour.
Pattern: CARRY phrasal verbs describe continuing an activity, completing a task, or getting too excited.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| carry on | continue | Please carry on with your work. |
| carry out | perform, execute a plan or task | The scientists carried out several experiments. |
| carry away (get carried away) | become too excited and lose control | Sorry, I got carried away and bought too much. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. Please ___ with the presentation, we're listening.
2. The team will ___ the experiment tomorrow morning.
3. I'm sorry, I got a bit ___ during the sale and bought five pairs of shoes.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
Even though it started raining, the players decided to with the match. The engineers plan to several safety tests before the launch. During the party, everyone got so that we forgot about the time completely.
Pattern: LET phrasal verbs describe permission, disappointment, or release.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| let down | disappoint | I'm sorry, I didn't mean to let you down. |
| let in | allow to enter | Can you let the cat in, please? |
| let out | allow to leave/escape; make a sound | She let the dog out into the garden. · He let out a scream. |
| let go (of) | release, stop holding | Please let go of my hand. · It's time to let go of the past. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. I promised to help, so I don't want to ___ you ___.
2. Could you ___ the dog ___? It's freezing outside.
3. When he heard the good news, he ___ a loud shout of joy.
4. It's hard to ___ old habits.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
I promised my team I would finish the project on time, and I really don't want to . It was raining hard, so I quickly before she got wet. When she opened the surprise gift, she a happy scream. It took him years to finally the pain of losing his job.
Pattern: KEEP phrasal verbs describe maintaining pace, continuing, or staying at a distance.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| keep up with | stay at the same pace or level as | It's hard to keep up with all the new technology. |
| keep on | continue doing something | She kept on talking even when no one was listening. |
| keep away (from) | stay at a distance | Keep away from the edge, it's dangerous. |
| keep up | maintain something at a good level | Keep up the great work! · He couldn't keep up the pace. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. I run every morning to ___ the rest of the team during training.
2. Despite the criticism, she ___ working on her project.
3. The sign said to ___ the wet paint.
4. The coach told the players to ___ the great effort in the second half.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
Technology changes so fast that it's difficult to all the new updates. Even though everyone told her to stop, she practising every single day. The warning sign told visitors to the cliff edge because it was dangerous. Our coach always reminds us to the good energy, even when we're losing.
Pattern: DROP phrasal verbs describe leaving someone somewhere, visiting casually, or quitting.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| drop off | take someone/something to a place; fall asleep | I'll drop you off at the station. · He dropped off in front of the TV. |
| drop by/in | visit without an appointment | Feel free to drop by anytime. · She dropped in to say hello. |
| drop out (of) | quit school, a course, or a competition | He dropped out of university after one year. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. Can you ___ me ___ at the airport tomorrow morning?
2. Feel free to ___ anytime you're in the neighbourhood.
3. He decided to ___ of college to start his own business.
4. I was so tired that I ___ on the sofa while watching TV.
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
Tomorrow morning I need to at the train station before work. My old friend said she might this weekend since she's visiting the city. Some students of the course because it was too difficult. After a long day, I usually on the couch before dinner.
Pattern: PASS phrasal verbs are often used as polite ways to talk about death, fainting, or passing something on.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| pass away | die (a polite, gentle way to say this) | Her grandfather passed away last year. |
| pass out | faint, lose consciousness | He passed out from the heat. |
| pass by | go past, move near | I pass by your house every day on my way to work. |
| pass on | transmit, hand down (information, tradition, illness) | She passed on the recipe to her daughter. · Please pass this message on. |
Exercise 1 — Multiple choice
1. My great-grandmother sadly ___ last winter.
2. It was so hot in the room that two people ___.
3. I ___ your office every morning on my way to the gym.
4. Could you ___ this message ___ to the rest of the team?
Exercise 2 — Complete the text
Her beloved grandfather sadly last spring, after a long illness. During the ceremony, the heat was so intense that a few guests actually . Every morning, I the old bakery on my way to the office. My grandmother always said she wanted to her family recipes to the next generation.