Common Phrasal Verbs for Exams

A phrasal verb is a verb plus a particle (a preposition or adverb) that together have a new meaning. Give up does not mean "give" + "up"; it means "quit".

Separable and inseparable

Some phrasal verbs can be split by the object: turn off the light / turn the light off. With a pronoun, the split is required: turn it off (not "turn off it"). Others cannot be split: look after the baby.

Frequently tested phrasal verbs

• bring up — raise a child; mention: She was brought up by her grandmother.
• break down — stop working; lose control of emotions: The car broke down.
• break out — start suddenly (war, fire, disease): Fire broke out at night.
• call off — cancel: The match was called off.
• carry out — perform, conduct: to carry out research.
• come across — find by chance: I came across an old letter.
• do away with — abolish: to do away with a custom.
• fall out — quarrel: The brothers fell out over money.
• get along with — have a good relationship: She gets along with everyone.
• give in — surrender, yield: The rebels finally gave in.
• give up — stop, quit: He gave up smoking.
• go through — examine; experience: She went through a hard time.
• look after — take care of: Who looks after your parents?
• look down on — consider inferior: Don't look down on the poor.
• look into — investigate: Police are looking into the case.
• look up to — admire, respect: Students look up to their teacher.
• make up for — compensate: He worked late to make up for lost time.
• put off — postpone: The meeting was put off till Monday.
• put out — extinguish: to put out a fire.
• put up with — tolerate: I can't put up with this noise.
• run out of — have none left: We ran out of petrol.
• set up — establish: to set up a business.
• take after — resemble an older relative: She takes after her mother.
• take off — remove; leave the ground: The plane took off on time.
• turn down — reject: He turned down the offer.
• turn up — arrive, appear: Only ten people turned up.

Tip

In MCQs, read the whole sentence and replace the phrasal verb with each meaning. Only one meaning will fit the context.