Mastering Phrasal Verbs: The Top 50 You Need to Know
Speak more naturally by learning the most common phrasal verbs used in daily English.
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Take the Free Level TestWhat are Phrasal Verbs?
Phrasal verbs are a combination of a verb and a particle like "up," "off," or "out." These combinations often have a completely different meaning than the original verb. For instance, "give" means to hand something to someone, but "give up" means to stop trying. They are essential for reaching a B2 level of English.
Top 50 Phrasal Verbs List
1. Bring up
Meaning: To mention a topic.
Example: She brought up the new project during the meeting.
2. Call off
Meaning: To cancel something.
Example: They had to call off the game because of rain.
3. Carry on
Meaning: To continue doing something.
Example: Please carry on with your work while I am out.
4. Check out
Meaning: To look at or verify something.
Example: You should check out the new library downtown.
5. Come across
Meaning: To find something by chance.
Example: I came across an old photo in the attic.
6. Cut back
Meaning: To reduce the amount of something.
Example: We need to cut back on our monthly spending.
7. Do over
Meaning: To do something again.
Example: My teacher made me do the assignment over.
8. Fall apart
Meaning: To break into pieces.
Example: This old book is starting to fall apart.
9. Figure out
Meaning: To understand or find a solution.
Example: I cannot figure out how to open this box.
10. Find out
Meaning: To discover information.
Example: Let me know when you find out the results.
This is a curated selection of the most frequent phrasal verbs in daily conversation.
Tips for Learning Phrasal Verbs
- Do not try to learn them all at once. Focus on five per day.
- Learn them in context. Seeing how they are used in a sentence is better than a simple list.
- Group them by the verb or by the particle to see patterns.
- Practice with a native speaker. This is the fastest way to master them.
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