What are Phrasal Verbs?

To quickly review phrasal verbs: Phrasal verbs are verbs made up of a verb plus one or more particles (generally prepositions such as of, to, with, etc.). Phrasal verbs can be separable or inseparable, meaning that they can stay together or be separated. Phrasal verbs are some of the most commonly used verbs in everyday English used by native English speakers. Phrasal verbs can be very confusing, so it is important to begin by understanding some phrasal verb. This phrasal verb activity provides a great place to start Choose the correct definition for the phrasal verbs in the second list from the first list.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

recover from discover escape wait think of a solution inherit characteristic arrive connect on the phone reduce make sense continue doing something care for search postpone

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. m. n.

find out _____ get on with _____ hold on _____ get away _____ take after _____ cut down _____ look after _____ come up with _____ add up _____ put through _____ look for _____ get over _____ turn up _____ put off _____

Key 1 - Answers
a. find out discover b. get on with continue doing something c. hold on wait

d. get away escape e. take after inherit characteristic f. cut down reduce

g. look after care for h. come up with think of a solution i. j. k. l. add up make sense put through connect on the phone look for search get over recover from

m. turn up arrive n. put off postpone

2 ANSWERS
a. Have you found out if you won the competition yet? b. I need to get away from work and take a holiday. c. She still hasn't gotten over the death of her cat.

d. My daughter is a great cook, she really takes after her mother. e. Could you hold on a moment while I see if Peter is in his office? f. Extension 286? I'll put you through.

g. She promised to cut down her cigarette smoking to five a day. h. He spent the entire night thinking and in the end came up with a brilliant idea. i. j. k. l. I'm afraid your story is not believable. It just doesn't add up. My sister looked after my cats while I was away on vacation. We're not ready yet, we are going to have to put off the meeting until next week. I'm looking for Tom's address. Do you know it?

m. Mary turned up thirty minutes late for the party. n. I'm tired of waiting for Jack. Can we get on with our work?

Use the correct phrasal verb you have learned to complete the phrase. Once you have decided on a phrasal verb.

1. find out 2. get on with 3. hold on 4. get away 5. take after 6. cut down 7. look after

8. come up with 9. add up 10. put through 11. look for 12. get over 13. turn up 14. put off

a. Have you _____ if you won the competition yet? b. I need to _____ from work and take a holiday. c.

She still hasn't _____ the death of her cat.

d. My daughter is a great cook, she really _____ her mother. e. Could you _____ a moment while I see if Peter is in his office? f.

Extension 286? I'll _____.

g. She promised to _____ her cigarette smoking to five a day. h. He spent the entire night thinking and in the end _____ a brilliant idea. i. j. k. l.

I'm afraid your story is not believable. It just doesn't _____. My sister _____ my cats while I was away on vacation. We're not ready yet, we are going to have to _____ the meeting until next week. I'm _____ Tom's address. Do you know it?

m. Mary _____ thirty minutes late for the party. n. I'm tired of waiting for Jack. Can we _____ our work?

Choose the correct definition for the phrasal verbs in the second list from the first list.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

become successful become extinct begin to like a person or thing become involved in be careful to avoid become popular be ready to hear become accustomed to become an adult become full of be found to be become less close become begin by doing something become unlit

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. m. n. o.

look out for _____ turn out _____ listen for _____ turn into _____ get used to _____ grow up _____ die out _____ fill up with _____ break into _____ drift apart _____ catch on _____ take off _____ go out _____ start off _____ take to _____

Use the correct phrasal verb you have learned to complete the phrase. Once you have decided on a phrasal verb.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

It _____ to be a beautiful night tonight! He finally _____ his wife's cooking. Unfortunately, they _____ until they finally decided to get a divorce. He's trying to _____ the tourism industry. I _____ Tom the first time I met him. Finally, the lights _____ and we had a good night's sleep. Make sure to _____ the horn's announcement of the principle theme at the beginning of the second movement. He _____ in Germany, but moved to the US at the age of 18. His books _____ and he became a very famous author. Let's _____ by introducing ourselves. My name is Ken. If we don't do something now, the birds are going to _____ soon. When you go to New York, _____ the bad restaurants offering cheap food. Jack _____ a responsible adult. He _____ unleaded gas and left on his journey. As soon as he moved to New York, his career _____ .

KEY 2
a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. m. n. o. look out for be careful to avoid turn out be found to be listen for be ready to hear turn into become get used to become accustomed to grow up become an adult die out become extinct fill up with become full of break into become involved in drift apart become less close catch on become popular take off become successful go out become unlit start off begin by doing something take to begin to like a person or thing

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

It turned out to be a beautiful night tonight! He finally got used to his wife's cooking. Unfortunately, they drifted apart until they finally decided to get a divorce. He's trying to break into the tourism industry. I took to Tom the first time I met him. Finally, the lights went out and we had a good night's sleep. Make sure to listen for the horn's announcement of the principle theme at the beginning of the second movement. He grew up in Germany, but moved to the US at the age of 18. His books caught on and he became a very famous author. Let's start off by introducing ourselves. My name is Ken. If we don't do something now, the birds are going to die out soon. When you go to New York, look out for the bad restaurants offering cheap food. Jack turned into a responsible adult. He filled up with unleaded gas and left on his journey. As soon as he moved to New York, his career took off.