Phrasal Verbs Exercises
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What phrasal verbs are and how they work
A phrasal verb is a verb plus one or two particles (up, out, on, off…) whose combined meaning is often different from the verb alone: give up means quit, not give something upward.
- Form:
- verb + particle(s): wake up, look after, run out of
- Meaning:
- often idiomatic — 'turn down an offer' means refuse it
- Separable:
- some take the object between verb and particle: turn the music down / turn it down
- Inseparable:
- others never split: look after the kids (never 'look the kids after')
- Strategy:
- learn phrasal verbs in context and in topic groups, not as isolated lists
Examples
I woke up at six and got up ten minutes later.
wake up = stop sleeping; get up = leave the bed
She turned down the job offer because of the salary.
turn down = refuse
We've run out of milk — can you buy some?
run out of = have none left
Can you look after my dog this weekend?
look after = take care of (inseparable)
He gave up smoking two years ago.
give up = stop doing something
Audio uses a synthetic voice.
Practice exercises
Choose the correct phrasal verb
Select the phrasal verb that completes each sentence.
1.The plane ___ on time despite the storm.
2.I need to ___ this word in the dictionary.
3.She ___ a story about why she was late.
4.Our car ___ on the motorway, so we called a mechanic.
5.Don't worry, you can always ___ on me.
6.The fire alarm ___ during class, so everyone left the building.
Complete with the correct particle
Type the missing particle (up, off, after, out, on...).
Build the sentence
Click the words in the correct order — watch the position of the object.
13. Build the sentence:
14. Build the sentence:
15. Build the sentence:
16. Build the sentence:
True or false?
Decide if each statement about phrasal verbs is true or false.
17."She turned down it" is correct English.
18.'Give up' means to stop doing something.
19.The meaning of a phrasal verb is always the literal meaning of the verb plus the particle.
20.'Look after' and 'take care of' mean the same thing.
Phrasal verbs: why they matter and how to learn them
Phrasal verbs are common in everyday English. They combine a verb with a short word such as up, off or after. Sometimes the meaning is easy to guess; sometimes it is different from the verb alone. For example, look up a word means find information about it.
Learn each expression with an example. “The plane took off” means it left the ground. “We ran out of milk” means no milk is left. “Can you look after my dog?” means can you take care of it. A sentence gives you the meaning more clearly than a short list alone.
Some phrasal verbs can split. You can say “turn off the TV” or “turn the TV off.” With a pronoun, put it in the middle: “turn it off.” Other phrasal verbs do not split: “look after the children,” not “look the children after.”
A useful way to study is to group a few expressions by situation. For a daily routine, learn wake up, get up and put on. For a trip, learn set off and take off. Write one short sentence for each expression so you can see how it works.
A phrasal verb can have more than one meaning. Take off can describe a plane leaving the ground or a person removing a coat. The surrounding words help you choose. Practise a small group, then return to it later and use the expressions in your own sentences.
Frequently asked questions
What is a phrasal verb?
A phrasal verb is a verb combined with one or two particles (adverbs or prepositions) — like give up, look after, or run out of — that together create a meaning often different from the original verb.
What is the difference between separable and inseparable phrasal verbs?
Separable phrasal verbs allow the object between the verb and particle (turn the TV off / turn off the TV), and require it there when the object is a pronoun (turn it off). Inseparable phrasal verbs keep the verb and particle together (look after the kids, never 'look the kids after').
How many phrasal verbs should I learn?
Focus on the 100–200 most frequent ones first (get up, find out, give up, look for, turn on/off...). They are very common in everyday English. Learn them in context — in sentences and topic groups — rather than from alphabetical lists.
Are phrasal verbs informal?
Phrasal verbs are common in every register, but they are especially frequent in spoken and informal English. In formal writing, a Latin-based synonym often sounds more formal: 'postpone' instead of 'put off', 'tolerate' instead of 'put up with'.
Can a phrasal verb have more than one meaning?
Yes, very often. 'Take off' can mean to leave the ground (a plane), to remove (clothes), or to become successful (a business). Context tells you which meaning applies.
Answer key
1. The plane ___ on time despite the storm.
Answer: took off
'Take off' means to leave the ground (for planes). 'Take up' = start a hobby; 'take over' = assume control.
2. I need to ___ this word in the dictionary.
Answer: look up
'Look up' means to search for information. 'Look after' = take care of; 'look out' = be careful.
3. She ___ a story about why she was late.
Answer: made up
'Make up' means to invent (a story, an excuse). 'Make out' = manage to see/hear; 'make off' = escape.
4. Our car ___ on the motorway, so we called a mechanic.
Answer: broke down
'Break down' means to stop working (machines). 'Break up' = end a relationship; 'break out' = start suddenly (war, fire).
5. Don't worry, you can always ___ on me.
Answer: count on
'Count on' means to rely on someone. It is inseparable — the object always follows 'on'.
6. The fire alarm ___ during class, so everyone left the building.
Answer: went off
'Go off' means to start ringing or exploding suddenly (alarms, bombs). 'Go on' = continue or happen; 'go out' = leave home for entertainment — or, for a fire, stop burning: the opposite of what happened here.
7. Please turn ___ the TV — the baby is sleeping.
Answer: off
'Turn off' (stop it) and 'turn down' (make it quieter) both work here — both mean reducing the noise.
8. I grew ___ in a small town in the mountains.
Answer: up
'Grow up' means to become an adult. "I grew up in…" is the standard way to talk about your childhood home.
9. She takes ___ her mother — they have the same smile.
Answer: after
'Take after' means to resemble an older family member.
10. The meeting was put ___ until next Friday.
Answer: off
'Put off' means to postpone. Don't confuse it with 'put on' (clothes) or 'put out' (a fire).
11. We set ___ early to avoid the traffic.
Answer: off
'Set off' and 'set out' both mean to start a journey.
12. Could you speak ___ a little? I can hardly hear you.
Answer: up
'Speak up' means to talk louder. It's inseparable here — you can't split it with an object in this meaning.
13. turned / she / it / down
Answer: she turned it down
With separable phrasal verbs, a pronoun object must go between the verb and the particle: turned it down.
14. after / looks / he / his little sister
Answer: he looks after his little sister
'Look after' is inseparable — the object always comes after the particle.
15. gave / smoking / my dad / up
Answer: my dad gave up smoking
Give up + an activity means stop doing it: my dad gave up smoking. For a movable noun object, compare turn off the TV and turn the TV off.
16. out of / we / run / have / coffee
Answer: we have run out of coffee
'Run out of' is a three-word phrasal verb — the three parts always stay together.
17. "She turned down it" is correct English.
Answer: False
False — when the object is a pronoun, it must go between the verb and particle: "She turned it down."
18. 'Give up' means to stop doing something.
Answer: True
True — "He gave up sugar" means he stopped eating it.
19. The meaning of a phrasal verb is always the literal meaning of the verb plus the particle.
Answer: False
False — most phrasal verbs are idiomatic: 'run into a friend' has nothing to do with running.
20. 'Look after' and 'take care of' mean the same thing.
Answer: True
True — both mean to be responsible for someone or something's well-being.