Learn Common Phrasal Verbs in English
The most frequent phrasal verbs in everyday English conversation.
Grammar Focus
A phrasal verb is a verb combined with one or two small words — usually a preposition or adverb — that together create a new meaning different from the original verb. Phrasal verbs are extremely common in everyday spoken and written English, and mastering the most frequent ones will make you sound natural and fluent.
- A phrasal verb consists of a base verb plus a particle (preposition or adverb): get up, look after, find out.
- The combined meaning is often idiomatic — it cannot always be guessed from the individual words: "give up" means to stop trying, not to give something upward.
- Separable phrasal verbs can have a noun object placed between the verb and particle: "turn off the TV" or "turn the TV off". With pronouns, separation is required: "turn it off" (never "turn off it").
- Inseparable phrasal verbs must always stay together — the object always follows the particle: "look after the children" (never "look the children after").
- Some phrasal verbs are intransitive — they take no object at all: "wake up", "sit down", "come back".
- Learning phrasal verbs in context (with a sentence, not just a definition) is the most effective strategy.
Form & Structure
Separable Phrasal Verbs
Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
Common High-Frequency Phrasal Verbs
Common Mistakes
Using a pronoun after an inseparable phrasal verb incorrectly
Tip: With separable phrasal verbs, a pronoun object MUST go between the verb and particle. You can never place a pronoun after the particle.
Separating an inseparable phrasal verb
Tip: Inseparable phrasal verbs cannot be split. Always keep the verb and particle together, and place the object after the particle.
Confusing similar phrasal verbs with different meanings
Tip: 'Give up' means to stop trying, while 'look up' means to search for information. Always learn the specific meaning of each phrasal verb, not just the words.
Why This Grammar Matters
Daily routines and schedules
Work and study
Travel and transportation
Personal challenges and motivation
Continue Learning
Phrasal Verbs with Multiple Meanings
More phrasal verbs lessons
So / Neither + Auxiliary
intermediate companion topic
Would like / Would rather
intermediate companion topic
Quantifiers
intermediate companion topic
Too / Enough + Adjective or Noun
intermediate companion topic
Reflexive Pronouns
intermediate companion topic
This lesson content was created with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.
Quick Summary
| Use | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Separable Phrasal Verbs | verb + particle (particle can separate from verb with a noun or pronoun object): **turn off** the TV / turn the TV **off** / turn **it** off | Please **turn off** the lights before you leave. / Please turn the lights **off**. |
| Inseparable Phrasal Verbs | verb + particle (always together — object always follows the full phrasal verb): **look after** the baby (never: look the baby after) | She **looks after** her elderly parents every weekend. |
| Common High-Frequency Phrasal Verbs | get up, give up, look up, put on, take off, find out, come back, go on, turn off, wake up, pick up, set up, carry on, run out of, look forward to | What time do you usually **get up** in the morning? |
Phrasal verbs are one of the most challenging and most important areas of English grammar for intermediate learners to master. A phrasal verb combines a base verb with one or two small words — known as particles — to create a new meaning that is often completely different from the original verb. For example, 'give' means to hand something to someone, but 'give up' means to stop trying. 'Look' means to direct your eyes somewhere, but 'look after' means to take care of someone. This idiomatic quality is what makes phrasal verbs both fascinating and frustrating. The good news is that a relatively small set of phrasal verbs accounts for a huge proportion of everyday English conversation. Research in corpus linguistics consistently shows that verbs like get up, give up, find out, look up, put on, take off, pick up, and come back appear in almost every area of spoken English — from casual conversation to workplace communication, travel, and storytelling. Once you have a solid command of the most common phrasal verbs, you will understand far more of what native speakers say and write. This lesson focuses on the intermediate level, which means you will learn not just individual phrasal verbs but also the underlying structural rules that govern how they work. Understanding the difference between separable and inseparable phrasal verbs, for example, will help you avoid some of the most persistent errors that intermediate learners make. You will also learn strategies for remembering phrasal verbs, how to use them naturally in real-life situations, and how to expand your phrasal verb vocabulary over time. By the end of this lesson, you will have a functional understanding of the most frequent phrasal verbs in English and the confidence to use them correctly in conversation and writing.
What Are Phrasal Verbs in English?
A phrasal verb is a multi-word verb consisting of a base verb and one or two particles — words like up, down, in, out, off, on, after, or over. Together, the verb and particle(s) form a single unit of meaning that is usually very different from the meaning of the base verb alone. For example, the verb 'run' has a straightforward meaning: to move quickly on foot. But phrasal verbs built with 'run' have entirely new meanings: 'run out of' means to have no more of something ('We've run out of milk'), 'run into' means to meet someone unexpectedly ('I ran into my old teacher at the supermarket'), and 'run over' can mean to review something quickly ('Let's run over the main points before the meeting'). Phrasal verbs are deeply embedded in natural English speech. Native speakers use them constantly, often without realising it. This is precisely why intermediate learners who have studied textbook English sometimes feel lost when listening to native speakers — the formal vocabulary they learned is frequently replaced by phrasal verbs in real conversation. 'I need to research this' becomes 'I need to look this up'. 'She is caring for her mother' becomes 'She's looking after her mother'. 'He abandoned his plan' becomes 'He gave up on his plan'. Mastering phrasal verbs is therefore not optional if you want to reach fluency. It is a central part of developing a natural, idiomatic command of English.
Read the full grammar guide
Most Common Phrasal Verbs in English
While there are thousands of phrasal verbs in English, a core group appears far more frequently than the rest. Focusing on these high-frequency phrasal verbs first will give you the best return on your study time. Here are some of the most important phrasal verbs for intermediate learners, grouped by theme: Morning and daily routines: wake up (to stop sleeping), get up (to leave your bed), put on (to dress in), take off (to remove clothing). Learning and information: find out (to discover information), look up (to search for information in a reference), write down (to record in writing), go over (to review). Work and organisation: set up (to arrange or establish), carry on (to continue), run out of (to exhaust a supply), sort out (to resolve or organise). Relationships and social life: get on with (to have a good relationship with), look after (to care for), come across (to encounter), pick up (to collect someone). Motivation and progress: give up (to stop trying), keep on (to continue doing something), get over (to recover from something), go on (to continue). For each of these, try to learn the meaning in a full sentence rather than as an isolated pair of words. Seeing the phrasal verb in context makes it far easier to remember and use correctly.
Separable and Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
One of the most important structural rules for phrasal verbs in English is the distinction between separable and inseparable phrasal verbs. Understanding this difference will help you avoid one of the most common intermediate-level errors. Separable phrasal verbs allow — and sometimes require — the object to be placed between the verb and the particle. For example, 'turn off' is separable: you can say 'Turn off the television' or 'Turn the television off'. Both are correct when the object is a full noun phrase. However, when the object is a pronoun (it, them, him, her), separation is not optional — it is mandatory. You must say 'Turn it off', never 'Turn off it'. This rule applies to all separable phrasal verbs: 'pick up the package' or 'pick the package up', but 'pick it up' (not 'pick up it'). Inseparable phrasal verbs, on the other hand, must always keep the verb and particle together. The object always follows the complete phrasal verb. 'Look after' is inseparable: you say 'She looks after her brother', not 'She looks her brother after'. Similarly, 'get over', 'come across', 'run into', and 'look forward to' are all inseparable. Unfortunately, there is no reliable rule to tell you whether a phrasal verb is separable or inseparable — you need to learn this information for each one. Using a good dictionary that labels phrasal verbs as separable (often marked as [T, sep]) or inseparable ([T, no sep]) is essential. Over time, correct usage will become intuitive through exposure and practice. Some phrasal verbs are intransitive — they take no object at all: wake up, sit down, take off (when a plane leaves the ground), come back. These cannot be separated because there is nothing to separate them with.
Common Mistakes with Phrasal Verbs
Even intermediate and advanced learners make consistent mistakes with phrasal verbs. Being aware of these errors will help you avoid them in your own speaking and writing. The most frequent mistake involves pronoun placement with separable phrasal verbs. Many learners say 'Turn off it' or 'Pick up them', placing the pronoun after the particle. This is always wrong. Pronouns must always go between the verb and the particle: 'Turn it off', 'Pick them up'. Make a conscious effort to apply this rule every time you use a separable phrasal verb with a pronoun object. A second common error is trying to separate inseparable phrasal verbs. Learners sometimes say 'She looks her children after' by analogy with separable verbs. But inseparable phrasal verbs like 'look after', 'get over', 'come across', and 'run into' must always stay together. If you are unsure whether a phrasal verb is separable, keep the verb and particle together as a default — you will be right for all inseparable verbs, and acceptable for separable ones when using noun phrase objects. A third common problem is confusing similar-sounding phrasal verbs that have very different meanings. 'Give up' and 'give in' are often confused: 'give up' means to stop trying, while 'give in' means to surrender or agree after resistance. 'Look up' (to search for information) and 'look after' (to care for someone) are also frequently mixed up. Careful attention to meaning in context is the best remedy. Finally, learners sometimes avoid phrasal verbs altogether and use more formal Latinate vocabulary instead. While formal vocabulary has its place, avoiding phrasal verbs in everyday conversation will make your English sound stiff and unnatural. The goal is to use the right register for each situation.
How to Learn Phrasal Verbs Effectively
Learning phrasal verbs requires a different strategy from learning ordinary vocabulary. Because phrasal verb meanings are often idiomatic, rote memorisation of lists is usually ineffective. Instead, here are the most reliable approaches. First, learn phrasal verbs in complete example sentences, not in isolation. Seeing 'She gave up smoking last year' is far more memorable than simply memorising 'give up = stop'. The sentence gives you context, collocations, and a mental image that helps the meaning stick. Second, organise phrasal verbs thematically rather than alphabetically. Group them by topic — travel, work, relationships, daily routine — and you will find them easier to retrieve in conversation. Third, use the phrasal verbs you are learning actively. When you encounter a new phrasal verb, try to use it in your own sentences the same day. Speaking and writing with new language consolidates it far more effectively than passive reading or listening. Fourth, keep a dedicated phrasal verb notebook. Record each new phrasal verb with its meaning, whether it is separable or inseparable, and two example sentences. Review this notebook regularly. Finally, consume English media where phrasal verbs are used naturally — podcasts, TV series, YouTube videos, and fiction. Pay attention when you hear a phrasal verb you recognise, and note new ones as you encounter them. Immersion is one of the most powerful tools for acquiring natural phrasal verb usage.
Practice In This Page
1. Please _____ the lights before you leave. / Please turn the lights **off**.
Show answer
turn off
2. She _____ her elderly parents every weekend.
Show answer
looks after
3. Turn off it when you leave.
Show answer
Turn it off when you leave.
4. She looks her sister after.
Show answer
She looks after her sister.
5. I need to give up the dictionary to find that word.
Show answer
I need to look up that word in the dictionary.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a phrasal verb in English?
- A phrasal verb is a verb combined with one or two particles — usually a preposition or adverb — that together create a new idiomatic meaning. For example, 'get up' means to rise from bed, and 'find out' means to discover information. The combined meaning is often very different from the individual words.
- What is the difference between separable and inseparable phrasal verbs?
- Separable phrasal verbs allow the object to be placed between the verb and the particle: 'turn off the light' or 'turn the light off'. With pronouns, separation is required: 'turn it off'. Inseparable phrasal verbs must always keep the verb and particle together: 'look after the children' (never 'look the children after'). You need to learn which type each phrasal verb is.
- Can I put a pronoun after the particle in a separable phrasal verb?
- No. When the object of a separable phrasal verb is a pronoun (it, them, him, her, us, me), the pronoun must always go between the verb and the particle. You must say 'turn it off', 'pick them up', and 'write it down'. Saying 'turn off it' or 'pick up them' is always incorrect in standard English.
- How many phrasal verbs do I need to know in English?
- There are thousands of phrasal verbs in English, but a much smaller core set of around 50 to 100 high-frequency phrasal verbs covers the vast majority of everyday communication. For intermediate learners, focusing on the most common phrasal verbs — such as get up, give up, find out, look up, take off, pick up, and carry on — will provide the greatest practical benefit.
- Are phrasal verbs used in formal English?
- Phrasal verbs are most common in informal spoken English, but many also appear in professional and semi-formal contexts. Some phrasal verbs, such as 'set up', 'carry out', 'find out', and 'point out', are fully acceptable in formal writing. However, in very formal or academic writing, it is sometimes preferable to use a single Latinate verb instead — for example, 'establish' instead of 'set up', or 'discover' instead of 'find out'.
- What is the best way to remember phrasal verbs?
- The most effective approach is to learn phrasal verbs in complete example sentences rather than as isolated word pairs. Group them by theme (daily routine, work, travel, etc.), use them actively in your own speaking and writing, and keep a dedicated vocabulary notebook. Regular exposure to natural English through podcasts, TV series, and books also helps you encounter phrasal verbs in authentic contexts, which reinforces both meaning and usage.