Essential Phrasal Verbs
Centre 17
Essential Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs are verbs that have two or three words. For example ‘look up’ and ‘carry
on’ are phrasal verbs. Over the next five pages you will find the most important
phrasal verbs. Try to learn them.
account for something
catch up
to explain something
to reach someone or something that is in
Could she account for the missing
front of you by moving faster
money?
We soon caught up with the car in front.
add up something
check in
to put two or more numbers together to
1 to show your ticket at an airport
get a total
We have to check in two hours before the
Have you added up the figures?
flight leaves.
2 to go to the desk at a hotel in order to
base something on something
say that you have arrived
If you base something on facts or ideas,
I’ll just check in and get my key.
you use those facts or ideas to develop it.
Her latest book is based on a true story.
check out
to leave a hotel after paying
blow up something
Have you checked out yet?
1 to destroy something with a bomb
Terrorists blew up an office building in
cheer up
the city.
to stop feeling sad
2 to fill something with air
Cheer up! It’s not so bad!
I was blowing up balloons.
close down
break down
If a business closes down, it stops
If a car or machine breaks down, it stops
operating.
working.
So many shops on this street are closing
My car broke down on the way to work.
down.
break into something
come back
to get into a building or car using force,
to return to a place
usually to steal something
I’ve just come back from the office.
Someone broke into the office and stole
come in
some computers.
to enter a room or building
bring up someone
Come in and have a drink.
to look after a child until he or she
Come on!
becomes an adult
used to ask someone to come quickly or
Her grandparents brought her up.
do something quickly
call back or call someone back
Come on! We’re late already.
to telephone someone a second time, or
deal with something
to telephone someone who telephoned
to take action in order to do something
you before
How do you deal with this problem?
I’m a bit busy now – could I call you back
later?
depend on someone or something
1 to need the help of someone or
call off something
something
to decide that something that is planned
Our economy depends on the car
will not happen
industry.
The game was called off because of bad
2 to be affected by someone or
weather.
something
carry on
We might have the party in the garden
to continue doing something
but that depends on the weather.
Carry on with your homework while I’m
gone.
Centre 18
Essential Phrasal Verbs
drop someone/something off
get out
to take someone or something to a place,
to move out of a car
usually by car
I’ll get out at the traffic lights.
Could you drop me off at the station?
get over something
eat out
to feel better after being ill or sad
to eat at a restaurant
She’s just getting over a cold.
Let’s eat out tonight.
get up
end up
1 to wake up and get out of bed
to finally be in a particular place or
It’s time to get up, Molly.
situation
2 to stand up
He ended up in prison.
I got up to open the door.
fall out
give something back
to argue with someone
to give something to the person who
Lucia and Marie have fallen out again.
gave it to you
I must give you that book back.
fall over
to fall to the ground
give in
She fell over and hurt her knee.
to finally agree to do something that
someone wants
fill in/out something
We will never give in to terrorists’
to write all the information that is
demands.
needed on a document
She filled in the form.
give out
to give something to a lot of people
fill up or fill something up
He gave out copies of the report.
to become full, or to make something
become full
give up something
The restaurant soon filled up with
1 If you give up something bad, such as
people.
smoking, you stop doing it or having it.
I gave up smoking two years ago.
find something out
2 to stop doing something because it is
to get information about something
too difficult
I must find out the train times.
I gave up trying to help her years ago.
finish off something
go off
to do the last part of something
1 to leave a place and go somewhere else
I have to finish off this report by Friday.
She went off with Laurie.
get away with something
2 If a bomb or gun goes off, it explodes or
to do something bad without being
fires.
punished for it
A bomb went off in a shopping centre.
If he is rude to you, don’t let him get
go on
away with it.
1 to last for a particular period of time
get back
The film seemed to go on forever.
to return to a place
2 to continue doing something
What time did you get back to the hotel?
We can’t go on living like this.
3 to happen
get off or get off something
What’s going on?
to leave a bus, train, aeroplane, or boat
We should get off at the next stop.
go out
to leave a place in order to go
get on or get on something
somewhere else
1 to go onto a bus, train, aeroplane, or
Are you going out tonight?
boat
I think we got on the wrong bus.
grow up
2 If two or more people get on, they like
to become older or an adult
each other and are friends.
She grew up in Madrid.
Karen and Sophie don’t get on.
