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Phrasal verbs
Verbs
1. Phrasal verbs
Phrasal verbs are expressions formed of a verb followed by a preposition or an adverb, which modifies the meaning of the original verb.
She is looking after the children.
The verb look means to turn your eyes towards someone or something so that you can see it. However, when we add the particle after, the meaning changes. Look after means to take care of someone or something.
She is looking for her keys.
In this example, the particle added to the verb look is for, and look for means to try to find someone or something.
2. Most common phrasal verbs
Here are some of the most commonly used phrasal verbs:
Take off
Leave the ground (aircraft).
Take off
Remove a piece of clothing.
Take after (appearance / character)
To look or behave like an older relative.
Take up (activity)
To start a new activity because you have become interested in it.
Take up (space / time)
To fill a particular amount of time or space.
Try on
To put on a piece of clothing in order to know if it fits you or if it looks good on you.
Pick up
To go and meet someone or something, in a vehicle, to take them somewhere else.
Pick up
To lift someone or something up from a surface.
Write down
To write something on a piece of paper.
Put on
To put a piece of clothing or jewellery on your body.
Put up with
To accept somebody or something annoying or unpleasant without complaining.
Put down
To put someone or something you are holding on a surface, especially the floor.
Put up
To fix something to an upright structure, such as a wall or a post.
Give up
To stop doing something you did regularly.
Look out!
You say that to someone who is in danger, so that they are careful.
Look up
To try to find a word in a dictionary or information in a book or a computer.
Look into sth
To try to discover the truth about a problem, a crime…, in order to solve it.
Come across
To meet or find someone or something by chance.
Come up with
To think of an idea, plan, suggestion or explanation.
Calm down
To become quieter and relaxed after being angry, nervous or excited.
Give up
To stop trying to do something because is too difficult.
Make up
To invent something in order to deceive someone.
Find out
To discover a fact or a piece of information.
Carry on
To continue doing something.
Carry out
To do and complete a task.
Speak up
To speak louder in order to be heard.
Turn on
To make a machine or piece of equipment start working.
Turn off
To make a machine or piece of equipment stop working.
Turn up
To arrive.
Break down
To stop working (machine or vehicle).
Warm up
To heat previously cooked food in order to eat it warm.
Do up
To fasten a piece of clothing with buttons, shoelaces…
Run out of sth
To use all of something so that there’s none left.
Go off (food)
To become bad (food or drink) so it is not fit to eat or drink.
Set off
To start going somewhere.
Get over (problem / illness)
To recover from an illness, a shock, the end of a sentimental relationship…
Fall apart
To break to pieces because of something being old, poor quality or in bad condition.
Fall out (with)
To have an argument with someone and stop being friendly with them.
Call off
To cancel.
Remember!
Phrasal verbs are expressions formed of a verb followed by a preposition or an adverb, which modifies the meaning of the original verb.
TAKE
Take off
Leave the ground (aircraft).
Take off
Remove a piece of clothing
Take after (appearance or character)
To look or behave like an older relative.
TAKE
TRY
Take up (activity)
To start a new activity because you have become interested in it.
Take up (space / time)
To fill a particular amount of time or space.
TRY
Try on
To put on a piece of clothing in order to know if it fits you or if it looks good on you.
PICK
WRITE
Pick up
To go and meet someone or something, in a vehicle, to take them somewhere else.
Pick up
To lift someone or something up from a surface.
WRITE
Write down
To write something on a piece of paper.
PUT
Put on
To put a piece of clothing or jewellery on your body.
Put up with
To accept somebody or something annoying or unpleasant without complaining.
Put down
To put someone or something you are holding on a surface, especially the floor.
PUT
COME
Put up
To fix something to an upright structure, such as a wall or a post.
COME
Come across
To meet or find someone or something by chance.
Come up with
To think of an idea, plan, suggestion or explanation.
LOOK
Look out!
You say that to someone who is in danger, so that they are careful.
Look up
To try to find a word in a dictionary or information in a book or a computer.
Look into sth
To try to discover the truth about a problem, a crime…, in order to solve it.
CALL
MAKE
FIND
Call off
To cancel.
CALL
Make up
To invent something in order to deceive someone.
FIND
Find out
To discover a fact or a piece of information.
CARRY
SPEAK
Carry on
To continue doing something.
Carry out
To do and complete a task.
SPEAK
Speak up
To speak louder in order to be heard.
TURN
Turn on
To make a machine or piece of equipment start working.
Turn off
To make a machine or piece of equipment stop working.
Turn up
To arrive.
FALL
GO
Fall apart
To break to pieces because of something being old, poor quality or in bad condition.
Fall out (with)
To have an argument with someone and stop being friendly with them.
GO
Go off (food)
To become bad (food or drink) so it is not fit to eat or drink.
GIVE
RUN
Give up
To stop doing something you did regularly.
Give up
To stop trying to do something because is too difficult.
RUN
Run out of sth
To use all of something so that there’s none left.
WARM
Warm up
To heat previously cooked food in order to eat it warm.
DO
Do up
To fasten a piece of clothing with buttons, shoelaces…
BREAK
Break down
To stop working (machine or vehicle).
CALM
Calm down
To become quieter and relaxed after being angry, nervous or excited.
SET
Set off
To start going somewhere.
GET
Get over (problem / illness)
To recover from an illness, a shock, the end of a sentimental relationship…