PHRASAL VERBS

15 Most Useful Phrasal Verbs

1. Call sth off: to stop or cancel

a) call off the search.

b) I called off today because I’m sick.

c) They called off the football match because of the weather forecast.

2. Look sth up: search for.

a) I’ll go online and look up ‘phrasal verbs’.

b) Look me up the next time you’re in town.

3. Get away with sth: escape blame/punishment.

a) He sure got away with that.

b) The crook¹ got away with 50 dollars.

c) She is so spoilt. She gets away with murder (used idiomatically).

4. Pull through (sth): often used in discussing health. to become well again after a serious illness, especially when you might have died.

a) The surgery was rough, but he pulled through.

b) The victim of the dog attack pulled through with no lingering injuries.

5. Break up: this usually refers to relationships but it can also refer to fights. If a marriage breaks up or two people in a romantic relationship break up, their marriage or their relationship ends.
a) Fred and Matilda are going to break up – but variations can be used to show an emotional state: When Matilda dumped Fred, he was pretty broken up about it.

b) The police were called to break up the fight at the pub.

6. Blow out:  it means a tire flattens while driving, it can also mean a lopsided² sports score or to indicate anger.

a) Mel had a blowout on the way to work.

b) It was a blowout; the Packers beat the Bears 24 to 3.

c) Ed broke Bob’s window, and Bob had a complete blowout when he saw it.

7. Give in/give up: relent³ or surrender⁴.

a) She didn’t want to go, but the kids pestered⁵ her until she gave in.

b) The robber gave up when the cops cornered him.

8. Put up with: endure

a) Tom put up with many jokes when he rode his ostrich⁶ to work.
b) Sally had to put up with many months of unpaid work before she was finally given a permanent contract.

9. Look down on: a person who feels superior to others is said to look down on them.

a) Dog owners sometimes look down on cat owners, which is silly, because cat owners sometimes look down on dog owners.

10. Turn into: to become something else. It is also used in driving.
a) Caterpillars⁷ turn into butterflies.

b) After you pass the park, turn into the school parking lot.

11. Carry on: to continue. It can also be used when someone complains for a long time about something.

a) After the incident, the workers carried on with their work.
b) When he accidentally spilled red wine on her dress, she carried on about it for hours.

12. Look after: attend to.

a) Babysitters look after children.

b) Could you please look after my bags while I order at the bar?

13. Pass out: faint.

a) During the Australian Open, many tennis players nearly passed out because of the extreme heat.

14. Put off: postpone or delay. It is also used to describe an aversion to something.

a) He put off painting and cut the grass first.

b) We’ve had to put off the trip to Japan.

c) When I was a child I was forced to eat tapioca that I am completely put off by the sight of it.

15. Look forward to: anticipate.

a) I look forward to meeting with you next week (verb + ing form)
b) Kids always look forward to the holidays.

1- crook:  /krʊk/ (n) a very dishonest person, especially a criminal or a cheat. E.g.: These politicians are just a bunch of crooks.

2- lopsided: /ˌlɒpˈsaɪd.ɪd/ (adj) with one side bigger, higher, etc. than the other; not equally balanced: a charming, lopsided grin.

3- relent: /rɪˈlent/ (v) to act in a less severe way towards someone and allow something that you had refused to allow before. E.g.: Her parents eventually relented and let her go to the party. The security guard relented and let them through.

4- surrender:  /sərˈen.dər/ (v) [I] to stop fighting and admit defeat. E.g.: They would rather die than surrender (to the invaders).

5- pester:  /ˈpes.tər/ to behave in an annoying manner towards someone by doing or asking for something repeatedly. E.g.: At the frontier, there were people pestering tourists for cigarettes, food or alcohol. [+ to infinitive] John has been pestering her to go out with him all month.

6- ostrich:  /ˈɒs.trɪtʃ/ someone who says that a problem does not exist, because they do not want to deal with it. E.g.: If you're an ostrich about your debts, you're only going to make matters worse.

7- caterpillar:  /ˈkæt.ə.pɪl.ər/ a small, long animal with many legs, which feeds on the leaves of plants, and develops into a butterfly or moth.

WHICH PHRASAL VERB MEANS...?

1- "to spend a lot of money on someone": He was extremely generous and always ......... money on his friends. 

a) lavished

b) covered

c) spread

d) laid

2- "to show that you are not connected to someone or something to avoid trouble": The company were very keen to dissociate themselves ........ the shamed director to avoid any bad publicity.

a) from

b) behind

c) off

d) beside

3- "to revise": I'm staying in tonight to swot ........ on phrasal verbs before tomorrow's test. 

a) in

b) back

c) up

d) along

4- "when two people in a relationship become less close": Since I moved to a new city, Alan and myself have drifted ........ and rarely keep in contact. 

a) apart

b) aside

c) away

d) along

5- "to become less angry”: It took him quite a while to ........ down after their argument. 

a) boil

b) simmer

c) ripple

d) trickle

6- "to have a strong desire for something": Since hearing that Sam has bought another car I've been hankering ........ buying a new model myself.

a) up

b) on

c) with

d) after

7- "to suddenly attempt to hit someone": The children were playing peacefully in the garden when all of a sudden one of them ........ out against the other.

a) lashed

b) blew

c) knocked

d) snapped

8- "to sell a business" - The shareholders voted to ........ off the area of the company that was not making a profit.

a) hive

b) rattle

c) ward

d) stave

9- "to want something very much" - I ........ for the opportunity to travel around the world.

a) dream

b) yearn

c) wonder

d) want

10- "to have fun being silly": The children were ........ about in the garden having water fights. 

a) fiddling

b) loafing

c) larking

d) moping

11- "to get a disagreement out in the open": I'm sick and tired of the way Cathy keeps ignoring me since our disagreement. I'm going to ........ it out with her the next time I see her. 
a) get
b) make
c) set
d) have

12- "to convince someone that an item is something it is not". The antique dealer tried to pass ........ the painting as a work of art. 
a) through
b) off
c) back
d) out

13-  "to be very upset about something" (informal). He's really cut ........ about being turned down for the job. 
a) off
b) in
c) up
d) out

14- "to decide that a course of action is impossible". The bus and train strike ruled ........ any possibility of us going shopping. 
a) out
b) through
c) away
d) off

15- "to deal with an experience successfully". She ........ through her exams without the slightest problem.

a) muddled
b) rushed
c) passed
d) sailed

16- "to produce large numbers of something rapidly". The author was accused of simply having ........ out trashy romantic novels for his entire career. 
a) churned
b) pushed
c) thrown
d) sent

17- "to accumulate debts". We have run ........ quite a lot of debt since Kevin lost his job. 
a) in
b) up
c) out
d) along

18- "to offer yourself up for election to a post". Karen has let it be known that she intends to ........ for President. 
a) stand
b) offer
c) carry
d) bid

19- "to start a friendship with someone". I struck ........ a friendship with a lovely Brazilian woman on holiday.

a) off
b) up
c) out
d) down

20- "to believe that someone has a quality". Of course I know it's Steve's birthday. Credit me ........ some sense! 

a) for
b) on
c) of
d) with

21- "to be somewhere not easily found". We found a lovely little restaurant tucked ........ in the old part of town. 

a) up
b) away
c) back
d) aside

22- "to share the cost of something". If we all ........ together we'll be able to buy them a lovely wedding present. 

a) fit
b) group
c)  join
d) club

23- "to lower the intellectual quality of something with the aim of appealing to the general public". I really do feel that the TV networks are ........ down the news. Most of the features are so trivial. 

a) forcing
b) dumbing
c) lowering
d) scaling

24- "to spend a lot of money on something (often a luxury). I've decided I'm going to ........ out on a new car. My old one is always going wrong. 

a) splash

b) pour

c) spill

d) slip

25- "to be damaged beyond repair". Have you heard? Danny's ........ his car off in an accident. Fortunately he wasn't hurt but the car is a wreck.
a) broken
b) smashed
c) written
d) finished

26- "to criticise someone". She must be rather insecure as every time I talk to her about work she always ........ her colleagues down.
a) runs
b) plays
c) keeps
d) knocks

27- "to be an abbreviation for a word". FCE ........ for First Certificate in English.              
a) stands b) goes c) comes d) makes

28- "to close down a business". A decision was made to wind ........ the business as it was very close to being bankrupt.
a) though
b) out
c) up
d) in

29- "to suddenly enter a room where someone else is". I was having a confidential talk with the doctor when the receptionist ........ in on us and started asking questions.
a) burst

b) blew
c) flew
d) broke

30- "to meet by chance". I .......... into Terry in town today. He was leaving a shop just as I was going in.
a) jumped
b) bumped
c) walked
d) knocked

31- "to depend on something in order to be successful". The deal is almost complete. It all ........ on the Chairman agreeing to sign.

a) rests

b) sits

c) stands
d) hangs

32-  "to resign from an important position". She decided to ........ down from her role as Theatre Director due to pressures at home.
a) settle
b) come
c) step
d) wind

33- "to embarrass someone". He was angry with his girlfriend for showing him ........ in front of his friends.
a) up
b) in
c) out
d) on

34- "to persuade (someone), through logical argument, to agree with you or do something". We can't afford to lose such a valuable colleague. Can't we .......... with her not to resign?

a) go

b) reason

c) level

d) meet

35- "to lie with your legs and body in a straight line". The doctor asked him to stretch ........ on the couch so he could examine his leg.

a) along

b) out

c) up

d) back

36- "to explode". The bomb ........ off at 5.30, just as people were leaving work.

a) blew

b) set

c) took

d) went

37- "to remove money from a source". He was suspended from work following allegations that he was ........ off money from the company accounts.
a) slicing
b) siphoning
c) weaning            
d) stripping

38- "to start to fall asleep". I was watching the TV last night when I started to ........ off. I just couldn't keep my eyes open.

a) ease

b) fall

c) drift

d) wear

39-  "to embarrass someone". He was angry with his girlfriend for showing him ........ in front of his friends.

a) up

b) in

c) out

d) on

40- "to protrude". The building consists of a patchwork of balconies ........ out from flat, featureless walls.

a) pressing
b) jutting
c) pointing
d) hanging

41- "to make use of something that is in reserve or saved". I was able to ........ on some of my savings to pay for the holiday. 

a) turn

b) draw

c) serve

d) move

42- "to not progress with work as fast as others". I've been going out too often lately and have ........ behind with my work. 

a) fallen

b) left

c) gone

d) put
 

 GLOSSARY 

- cut sth out: SHAPE › to remove something or form a shape by cutting , usually something made of paper or cloth: She cut out his picture from the magazine. STOP EATING › to stop eating or drinking something, usually to improve your health : I've cut out red meat from my diet. Cut it out! informal › something you say to tell someone to stop doing something annoying : Cut it out! Can't you see I'm trying to work? not be cut out to be sth/not be cut out for sth › to not have the right qualities for something: I'm not really cut out to be a nurse.
- cut sth up: to cut something into pieces. be cut up: UK informal › to be very upset about something: He was very cut up when his brother died.
- dissociate yourself from sb/sth: to say that you do not have any connection or involvement with someone or something: He's trying to dissociate himself from his former friends .
- fiddle: to move things about or touch things with no particular purpose: Put your papers down and stop fiddling!
- hanker after/for sth: to have a strong wish for something, especially if you cannot or should not have it: What did you hanker after most when you were in prison ? Even after all these years , I still hanker for a motorbike.
- lash: If wind or rain lashes against something, the wind or rain is very strong and hits or blows hard against it: Rain lashed against the window . Wind and heavy rain lashed the palm trees. lash sth down/together, etc › to tie something firmly to something else: The boxes had been lashed together with ropes. lash out: (ph.v.) HIT › to suddenly hit someone: He lashed out and caught her on the side of the face. CRITICIZE › to criticize someone angrily: He lashed out at the government for refusing to take action.
- lavish sth on sb/sth:  /ˈlævɪʃ/ to give a large amount of money, gifts , attention , etc to someone or something: They have lavished more than £6 million on the new stadium.
- mope about/around (somewhere): /məʊp/ to move about without any particular purpose or energy because you are unhappy or disappointed: He was driving me mad, moping about the house all day.
- muddle: get sb/sth muddled up › to think that a person or thing is someone or something else: I often get Jonathan and his brother muddled up.
- muddle through (sth): to manage to do something although you do not know how to do it well: None of us has any formal training but somehow we muddle through.
- pass off: to happen: The pop festival passed off peacefully, despite the fears of local residents.
- pass sth/sb off as sth/sb: to pretend that something or someone is different from what they really are: He tried to pass himself off as some sort of expert.
- pass out: to become unconscious: I don't remember any more because I passed out at that point.
- pass (sth) over/through, etc: to go in a particular direction, or to cause something to go in a particular direction: Another plane passed over our heads. We pass through your village on the way home.
- rattle: to ( cause something to) make a noise like a series of knocks: The explosion rattled the cups on the table . The dying man's voice rattled in his throat . [+ adv/prep] The car rattled over the cobblestones . My car engine is making a strange rattling noise. rattle sth off: to say or read aloud very quickly a list of names or things, or something you have learned: She rattled off the names of the people who were coming to the party.
- ripple: /ˈrɪp·l/ to move in small waves , or to make something move in small waves: A field of wheat rippled in the breeze.
- rule sb/sth out: to decide that something or someone is not suitable for a particular purpose, or to decide that something is impossible: The police have not ruled him out as a suspect.
- simmer: to gently cook a liquid or something with liquid in it so that it is very hot, but does not boil. 
- snap: BREAK [I, T] › If something long and thin snaps, it breaks making a short, loud sound, and if you snap it, you break it, making a short, loud sound: The twigs snapped as we walked on them. She snapped the carrot in half (= into two pieces ). snap (sth) open/shut/together, etc › to suddenly move to a particular position , making a short , loud noise , or to make something do this: She snapped the book shut. The suitcase snapped open and everything fell out. SPEAK ANGRILY [I, T] › to say something suddenly in an angry way: "I don't know what you mean ," he snapped. I was snapping at the children because I was tired. LOSE CONTROL [I] › to suddenly be unable to control a strong feeling , especially anger: She asked me to do the work again and I just snapped. PHOTOGRAPH [T] informal › to take a photograph of someone or something: Photographers snapped the Princess everywhere she went. ANIMAL [I] › If an animal snaps, it tries to bite someone: The dog was barking and snapping at my ankles.
- stave sth off: to stop something bad from happening now although it may happen later: He had a bar of chocolate to stave off his hunger.
- swot: /swɒt/ to study a lot: I'm swotting for tomorrow's exam.
- trickle: /ˈtrɪk·l/ If liquid trickles somewhere , it flows slowly and in a thin line: The sweat trickled down her back.
- ward off sb/sth: /ˈwɔrdˈɔf/ to keep someone or something away or prevent something from happening or harming you: He used his umbrella to ward off the fierce sun.
- yearn for sth; yearn to do sth: to want something very much with a feeling of sadness: They yearned for peace. She yearned to get away.

KEY

1- a)

2- a)

3- c) 

4- a)

5- b)

6- d) 

7- a) 

8- a) 

9- b)

10- c) 
11- d) 
12- b)  
13- c) 
14- a) 
15- a)
16- a) 
17- b)  
18- a) 
19- b)
20- d) 
21- b)
22- d) 
23- b)
24- a)
25- c)
26- a)
27- a)
28- c)
29- a)
30- b)
31- d)
32- c)
33- a)
34- b)
35- b)
36- d)
37- b)
38- c)
39- a)
40- b)
41- b) 
42- a)

ask out x ask over

15 Most Useful Phrasal Verbs

 Phasal verbs with "give"

 Phrasal Verbs with "look"

Phrasal Verbs with "make"

Phrasal Verbs for "shopping"

 Phrasal verbs related to "speaking"

Phrasal Verbs for "Telephone Conversations"

 10 Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verbs with "up"

REFERENCE:

MyEnglishTeacher.eu. Available on https://www.facebook.com/myenglishteachers?fref=ts

Teaching English - Learn English Online. Available on https://www.facebook.com/Learn.Special.English

Word Bank: Phrasal Verbs. Available on http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students/wordbank/pverb.htm

Phrasal Verbs. Available on http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cae/students/wordbank/pverb.htm

Phrasal Verbs. Available on http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/fce/students/wordbank/pverb.htm