If you’ve ever felt confused while learning English, you’re not alone. One major reason?
👉 Phrasal verbs — those tricky two- or three-word combinations like give up, break down, or look after.
They can completely change the meaning of a sentence and often don’t translate well into other languages.
In fact, did you know there are over 5,000 phrasal verbs in English? 😲 No wonder they cause headaches!
But here’s the good news: mastering them can massively boost your fluency and confidence.
What Is a Phrasal Verb?
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb + a preposition or adverb (or both), where the meaning isn’t always obvious from the words themselves.
Example:
🔹 They make your English sound more natural.
🔹 Native speakers use them constantly.
🔹 They often replace more formal vocabulary (e.g., “continue” ➔ “keep going”).
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Give up | Quit | “I won’t give up on my dreams.” |
| Break down | Collect/learn | “My car broke down yesterday.” |
| Look after | Take care of | “She looked after her younger brother.” |
| Pick up | Remove/leave the ground | “Can you pick up the kids?” |
| Turn off | Stop a machine/light | “Please turn off the lights.” |
| Run out of | Have no more left | “We’ve run out of milk.” |
| Take off | Remove / leave the ground | “The plane took off on time.” |
| Come across | Find unexpectedly | “I came across an old photo album.” |
| Put up with | Tolerate | “I can’t put up with this noise!” |
| Get along | Have a good relationship | “They really get along well.” |
🔹 Learn in small groups (5–10 at a time).
🔹 Use them in sentences immediately — don’t just memorize.
🔹 Group them by meaning (e.g., travel, emotions, daily routines).
🔹 Notice them in TV shows, movies, and real conversations!
Want even more tips? Stay tuned for our next deep dive!
➡️ Explore more English learning guides on our blog!
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