Busy. Please wait.
Log in with Clever
or

show password
Forgot Password?

Don't have an account?  Sign up 
Sign up using Clever
or

Username is available taken
show password


Make sure to remember your password. If you forget it there is no way for StudyStack to send you a reset link. You would need to create a new account.
Your email address is only used to allow you to reset your password. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.


Already a StudyStack user? Log In

Reset Password
Enter the associated with your account, and we'll email you a link to reset your password.

200 common phrasal verbs

Quiz yourself by thinking what should be in each of the black spaces below before clicking on it to display the answer.
        Help!  

Verb
Meaning
Example
ask (someone) out   invite on a date   Brian asked Judy out to dinner and a movie.  
🗑
ask around   ask many people the same question   I asked around but nobody has seen my wallet.  
🗑
add up to (something)   equal   Your purchases add up to $205.32.  
🗑
back (something) up   reverse   You'll have to back up your car so that I can get out.  
🗑
back (someone) up   support   My wife backed me up over my decision to quit my job.  
🗑
blow up   explode   The racing car blew up after it crashed into the fence.  
🗑
blow (something) up   add air   We have to blow 50 balloons up for the party.  
🗑
break down   stop functioning (vehicle, machine)   Our car broke down at the side of the highway in the snowstorm.  
🗑
break down   get upset   The woman broke down when the police told her that her son had died.  
🗑
break (something) down   divide into smaller parts   Our teacher broke the final project down into three separate parts.  
🗑
break in   force entry to a building   Somebody broke in last night and stole our stereo.  
🗑
break into (something)   enter forcibly   The firemen had to break into the room to rescue the children.  
🗑
break (something) in   wear (something) a few times so that it doesn't look/feel new   I need to break these shoes in before we run next week.  
🗑
break in   interrupt   The TV station broke in to report the news of the president's death.  
🗑
break up   end a relationship   My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved to America.  
🗑
break up   start laughing (informal)   The kids just broke up as soon as the clown started talking.  
🗑
break out   escape   The prisoners broke out of jail when the guards weren't looking.  
🗑
break out in (something)   develop a skin condition   I broke out in a rash after our camping trip.  
🗑
bring (someone) down   make unhappy   This sad music is bringing me down.  
🗑
bring (someone) up   raise a child   My grandparents brought me up after my parents died.  
🗑
bring (something) up   start talking about a subject   My mother walks out of the room when my father brings up sports.  
🗑
bring (something) up   vomit   He drank so much that he brought his dinner up in the toilet.  
🗑
call around   phone many different places/people   We called around but we weren't able to find the car part we needed.  
🗑
call (someone) back   return a phone call   I called the company back but the offices were closed for the weekend.  
🗑
call (something) off   cancel   Jason called the wedding off because he wasn't in love with his fiancé.  
🗑
call on (someone)   ask for an answer or opinion   The professor called on me for question 1.  
🗑
call on (someone)   visit (someone)   We called on you last night but you weren't home.  
🗑
call (someone) up   phone   Give me your phone number and I will call you up when we are in town.  
🗑
calm down   relax after being angry   You are still mad. You need to calm down before you drive the car.  
🗑
not care for (someone)/(something)   not like (formal)   I don't care for his behaviour.  
🗑
catch up   get to the same point as (someone) else   You'll have to run faster than that if you want to catch up with Marty.  
🗑
check in   arrive and register at a hotel or airport   We will get the hotel keys when we check in.  
🗑
check out   leave a hotel   You have to check out of the hotel before 11:00 AM.  
🗑
check (someone)/(something) out   look at carefully, investigate   The company checks out all new employees.  
🗑
check out (someone)/(something)   look at (informal)   Check out the crazy hair on that guy!  
🗑
cheer up   become happier   She cheered up when she heard the good news.  
🗑
cheer (someone) up   make happier   I brought you some flowers to cheer you up.  
🗑
chip in   help   If everyone chips in we can get the kitchen painted by noon.  
🗑
clean (something) up   tidy, clean   Please clean up your bedroom before you go outside.  
🗑
come across (something)   find unexpectedly   I came across these old photos when I was tidying the closet.  
🗑
come apart   separate   The top and bottom come apart if you pull hard enough.  
🗑
come down with (something)   become sick   My nephew came down with chicken pox this weekend.  
🗑
come forward   volunteer for a task or to give evidence   The woman came forward with her husband's finger prints.  
🗑
come from somewhere   originate in   The art of origami comes from Asia.  
🗑
count on (someone)/(something)   rely on   I am counting on you to make dinner while I am out.  
🗑
cross (something) out   draw a line through   Please cross out your old address and write your new one.  
🗑
cut back on (something)   consume less   My doctor wants me to cut back on sweets and fatty foods.  
🗑
cut (something) down   make (something) fall to the ground   We had to cut the old tree in our yard down after the storm.  
🗑
cut in   interrupt   Your father cut in while I was dancing with your uncle.  
🗑
cut in   pull in too closely in front of another vehicle   The bus driver got angry when that car cut in.  
🗑
cut in   start operating (of an engine or electrical device)   The air conditioner cuts in when the temperature gets to 22°C.  
🗑
cut (something) off   remove with (something) sharp   The doctors cut off his leg because it was severely injured.  
🗑
cut (something) off   stop providing   The phone company cut off our phone because we didn't pay the bill.  
🗑
cut (someone) off   take out of a will   My grandparents cut my father off when he remarried.  
🗑
cut (something) out   remove part of (something) (usually with scissors and paper)   I cut this ad out of the newspaper.  
🗑
do (someone)/(something) over   beat up, ransack (Br.E., informal)   He's lucky to be alive. His shop was done over by a street gang.  
🗑
do (something) over   do again (N.Amer.)   My teacher wants me to do my essay over because she doesn't like my topic.  
🗑
do away with (something)   discard   It's time to do away with all of these old tax records.  
🗑
do (something) up   fasten, close   Do your coat up before you go outside. It's snowing!  
🗑
dress up   wear nice clothing   It's a fancy restaurant so we have to dress up.  
🗑
drop back   move back in a position/group   Andrea dropped back to third place when she fell off her bike.  
🗑
drop in/by/over   come without an appointment   I might drop in/by/over for tea some time this week.  
🗑
drop (someone)/(something) off   take (someone)/(something) somewhere and leave them/it there   I have to drop my sister off at work before I come over.  
🗑
drop out   quit a class, school etc   I dropped out of Science because it was too difficult.  
🗑
eat out   eat at a restaurant   I don't feel like cooking tonight. Let's eat out.  
🗑
end up   eventually reach/do/decide   We ended up renting a movie instead of going to the theatre.  
🗑
fall apart   break into pieces   My new dress fell apart in the washing machine.  
🗑
fall down   fall to the ground   The picture that you hung up last night fell down this morning.  
🗑
fall out   separate from an interior   The money must have fallen out of my pocket.  
🗑
fall out   (of hair, teeth) become loose and unattached   His hair started to fall out when he was only 35.  
🗑
figure (something) out   understand, find the answer   I need to figure out how to fit the piano and the bookshelf in this room.  
🗑
fill (something) in   to write information in blanks (Br.E.)   Please fill in the form with your name, address, and phone number.  
🗑
fill (something) out   to write information in blanks (N.Amer.)   The form must be filled out in capital letters.  
🗑
fill (something) up   fill to the top   I always fill the water jug up when it is empty.  
🗑
find out   discover   We don't know where he lives. How can we find out?  
🗑
find (something) out   discover   We tried to keep the time of the party a secret, but Samantha found it out.  
🗑
get (something) across/over   communicate, make understandable   I tried to get my point across/over to the judge but she wouldn't listen.  
🗑
get along/on   like each other   I was surprised how well my new girlfriend and my sister got along/on.  
🗑
get around   have mobility   My grandfather can get around fine in his new wheelchair.  
🗑
get away   go on a vacation   We worked so hard this year that we had to get away for a week.  
🗑
get away with (something)   do without being noticed or punished   Jason always gets away with cheating in his maths tests.  
🗑
get back   return   We got back from our vacation last week.  
🗑
get (something) back   receive (something) you had before   Liz finally got her Science notes back from my room-mate.  
🗑
get back at (someone)   retaliate, take revenge   My sister got back at me for stealing her shoes. She stole my favourite hat.  
🗑
get back into (something)   become interested in (something) again   I finally got back into my novel and finished it.  
🗑
get on (something)   step onto a vehicle   We're going to freeze out here if you don't let us get on the bus.  
🗑
get over (something)   recover from an illness, loss, difficulty   I just got over the flu and now my sister has it.  
🗑
get over (something)   overcome a problem   The company will have to close if it can't get over the new regulations.  
🗑
get round to (something)   finally find time to do (N.Amer.: get around to (something))   I don't know when I am going to get round to writing the thank you cards.  
🗑
get together   meet (usually for social reasons)   Let's get together for a BBQ this weekend.  
🗑
get up   get out of bed   I got up early today to study for my exam.  
🗑
get up   stand   You should get up and give the elderly man your seat.  
🗑
give (someone) away   reveal hidden information about (someone)   His wife gave him away to the police.  
🗑
give (someone) away   take the bride to the altar   My father gave me away at my wedding.  
🗑
give (something) away   ruin a secret   My little sister gave the surprise party away by accident.  
🗑
give (something) away   give (something) to (someone) for free   The library was giving away old books on Friday.  
🗑
give (something) back   return a borrowed item   I have to give these skates back to Franz before his hockey game.  
🗑
give in   reluctantly stop fighting or arguing   My boyfriend didn't want to go to the ballet, but he finally gave in.  
🗑
give (something) out   give to many people (usually at no cost)   They were giving out free perfume samples at the department store.  
🗑
give (something) up   quit a habit   I am giving up smoking as of January 1st.  
🗑
give up   stop trying   My maths homework was too difficult so I gave up.  
🗑
go after (someone)   follow (someone)   My brother tried to go after the thief in his car.  
🗑
go after (something)   try to achieve (something)   I went after my dream and now I am a published writer.  
🗑
go against (someone)   compete, oppose   We are going against the best soccer team in the city tonight.  
🗑
go ahead   start, proceed   Please go ahead and eat before the food gets cold.  
🗑
go back   return to a place   I have to go back home and get my lunch.  
🗑
go out   leave home to go on a social event   We're going out for dinner tonight.  
🗑
go out with (someone)   date   Jesse has been going out with Luke since they met last winter.  
🗑
go over (something)   review   Please go over your answers before you submit your test.  
🗑
go over   visit (someone) nearby   I haven't seen Tina for a long time. I think I'll go over for an hour or two.  
🗑
go without (something)   suffer lack or deprivation   When I was young, we went without winter boots.  
🗑
grow apart   stop being friends over time   My best friend and I grew apart after she changed schools.  
🗑
grow back   regrow   My roses grew back this summer.  
🗑
grow up   become an adult   When Jack grows up he wants to be a fireman.  
🗑
grow out of (something)   get too big for   Elizabeth needs a new pair of shoes because she has grown out of her old ones.  
🗑
grow into (something)   grow big enough to fit   This bike is too big for him now, but he should grow into it by next year.  
🗑
hand (something) down   give (something) used to (someone) else   I handed my old comic books down to my little cousin.  
🗑
hand (something) in   submit   I have to hand in my essay by Friday.  
🗑
hand (something) out   to distribute to a group of people   We will hand out the invitations at the door.  
🗑
hand (something) over   give (usually unwillingly)   The police asked the man to hand over his wallet and his weapons.  
🗑
hang in   stay positive (N.Amer., informal)   Hang in there. I'm sure you'll find a job very soon.  
🗑
hang on   wait a short time (informal)   Hang on while I grab my coat and shoes!  
🗑
hang out   spend time relaxing (informal)   Instead of going to the party we are just going to hang out at my place.  
🗑
hang up   end a phone call   He didn't say goodbye before he hung up.  
🗑
hold (someone)/(something) back   prevent from doing/going   I had to hold my dog back because there was a cat in the park.  
🗑
hold (something) back   hide an emotion   Jamie held back his tears at his grandfather's funeral.  
🗑
hold on   wait a short time   Please hold on while I transfer you to the Sales Department.  
🗑
hold onto (someone)/(something)   hold firmly using your hands or arms   Hold onto your hat because it's very windy outside.  
🗑
hold (someone)/(something)up   rob   A man in a black mask held the bank up this morning.  
🗑
keep on doing (something)   continue doing   Keep on stirring until the liquid comes to a boil.  
🗑
keep (something) from (someone)   not tell   We kept our relationship from our parents for two years.  
🗑
keep (someone)/(something) out   stop from entering   Try to keep the wet dog out of the living room.  
🗑
keep (something) up   continue at the same rate   If you keep those results up you will get into a great college.  
🗑
let (someone) down   fail to support or help, disappoint   I need you to be on time. Don't let me down this time.  
🗑
let (someone) in   allow to enter   Can you let the cat in before you go to school?  
🗑
look after (someone)/(something)   take care of   I have to look after my sick grandmother.  
🗑
look down on (someone)   think less of, consider inferior   Ever since we stole that chocolate bar your dad has looked down on me.  
🗑
look for (someone)/(something)   try to find   I'm looking for a red dress for the wedding.  
🗑
look forward to (something)   be excited about the future   I'm looking forward to the Christmas break.  
🗑
look into (something)   investigate   We are going to look into the price of snowboards today.  
🗑
look out   be careful, vigilant, and take notice   Look out! That car's going to hit you!  
🗑
look out for (someone)/(something)   be especially vigilant for   Don't forget to look out for snakes on the hiking trail.  
🗑
look (something) over   check, examine   Can you look over my essay for spelling mistakes?  
🗑
look (something) up   search and find information in a reference book or database   We can look her phone number up on the Internet.  
🗑
look up to (someone)   have a lot of respect for   My little sister has always looked up to me.  
🗑
make (something) up   invent, lie about (something)   Josie made up a story about about why we were late.  
🗑
make up   forgive each other   We were angry last night, but we made up at breakfast.  
🗑
make (someone) up   apply cosmetics to   My sisters made me up for my graduation party.  
🗑
mix (something) up   confuse two or more things   I mixed up the twins' names again!  
🗑
pass away   die   His uncle passed away last night after a long illness.  
🗑
pass out   faint   It was so hot in the church that an elderly lady passed out.  
🗑
pass (something) out   give the same thing to many people   The professor passed the textbooks out before class.  
🗑
pass (something) up   decline (usually (something) good)   I passed up the job because I am afraid of change.  
🗑
pay (someone) back   return owed money   Thanks for buying my ticket. I'll pay you back on Friday.  
🗑
pay for (something)   be punished for doing (something) bad   That bully will pay for being mean to my little brother.  
🗑
pick (something) out   choose   I picked out three sweaters for you to try on.  
🗑
point (someone)/(something) out   indicate with your finger   I'll point my boyfriend out when he runs by.  
🗑
put (something) down   put what you are holding on a surface or floor   You can put the groceries down on the kitchen counter.  
🗑
put (someone) down   insult, make (someone) feel stupid   The students put the substitute teacher down because his pants were too short.  
🗑
put (something) off   postpone   We are putting off our trip until January because of the hurricane.  
🗑
put (something) out   extinguish   The neighbours put the fire out before the firemen arrived.  
🗑
put (something) together   assemble   I have to put the crib together before the baby arrives.  
🗑
put up with (someone)/(something)   tolerate   I don't think I can put up with three small children in the car.  
🗑
put (something) on   put clothing/accessories on your body   Don't forget to put on your new earrings for the party.  
🗑
run into (someone)/(something)   meet unexpectedly   I ran into an old school-friend at the mall.  
🗑
run over (someone)/(something)   drive a vehicle over a person or thing   I accidentally ran over your bicycle in the driveway.  
🗑
run over/through (something)   rehearse, review   Let's run over/through these lines one more time before the show.  
🗑
run away   leave unexpectedly, escape   The child ran away from home and has been missing for three days.  
🗑
run out   have none left   We ran out of shampoo so I had to wash my hair with soap.  
🗑
send (something) back   return (usually by mail)   My letter got sent back to me because I used the wrong stamp.  
🗑
set (something) up   arrange, organize   Our boss set a meeting up with the president of the company.  
🗑
set (someone) up   trick, trap   The police set up the car thief by using a hidden camera.  
🗑
shop around   compare prices   I want to shop around a little before I decide on these boots.  
🗑
show off   act extra special for people watching (usually boastfully)   He always shows off on his skateboard  
🗑
sleep over   stay somewhere for the night (informal)   You should sleep over tonight if the weather is too bad to drive home.  
🗑
sort (something) out   organize, resolve a problem   We need to sort the bills out before the first of the month.  
🗑
stick to (something)   continue doing (something), limit yourself to one particular thing   You will lose weight if you stick to the diet.  
🗑
switch (something) off   stop the energy flow, turn off   The light's too bright. Could you switch it off.  
🗑
switch (something) on   start the energy flow, turn on   We heard the news as soon as we switched on the car radio.  
🗑
take after (someone)   resemble a family member   I take after my mother. We are both impatient.  
🗑
take (something) apart   purposely break into pieces   He took the car brakes apart and found the problem.  
🗑
take (something) back   return an item   I have to take our new TV back because it doesn't work.  
🗑
take off   start to fly   My plane takes off in five minutes.  
🗑
take (something) off   remove (something) (usually clothing)   Take off your socks and shoes and come in the lake!  
🗑
take (something) out   remove from a place or thing   Can you take the garbage out to the street for me?  
🗑
take (someone) out   pay for (someone) to go somewhere with you   My grandparents took us out for dinner and a movie.  
🗑
tear (something) up   rip into pieces   I tore up my ex-boyfriend's letters and gave them back to him.  
🗑
think back   remember (often + to, sometimes + on)   When I think back on my youth, I wish I had studied harder.  
🗑
think (something) over   consider   I'll have to think this job offer over before I make my final decision.  
🗑
throw (something) away   dispose of   We threw our old furniture away when we won the lottery.  
🗑
turn (something) down   decrease the volume or strength (heat, light etc)   Please turn the TV down while the guests are here.  
🗑
turn (something) down   refuse   I turned the job down because I don't want to move.  
🗑
turn (something) off   stop the energy flow, switch off   Your mother wants you to turn the TV off and come for dinner.  
🗑
turn (something) on   start the energy, switch on   It's too dark in here. Let's turn some lights on.  
🗑
turn (something) up   increase the volume or strength (heat, light etc)   Can you turn the music up? This is my favourite song.  
🗑
turn up   appear suddenly   Our cat turned up after we put posters up all over the neighbourhood.  
🗑
try (something) on   sample clothing   I'm going to try these jeans on, but I don't think they will fit.  
🗑
try (something) out   test   I am going to try this new brand of detergent out.  
🗑
use (something) up   finish the supply   The kids used all of the toothpaste up so we need to buy some more.  
🗑
wake up   stop sleeping   We have to wake up early for work on Monday.  
🗑
warm (someone)/(something) up   increase the temperature   You can warm your feet up in front of the fireplace.  
🗑
warm up   prepare body for exercise   I always warm up by doing sit-ups before I go for a run.  
🗑
wear off   fade away   Most of my make-up wore off before I got to the party.  
🗑
work out   exercise   I work out at the gym three times a week.  
🗑
work out   be successful   Our plan worked out fine.  
🗑
work (something) out   make a calculation   We have to work out the total cost before we buy the house.  
🗑


   

Review the information in the table. When you are ready to quiz yourself you can hide individual columns or the entire table. Then you can click on the empty cells to reveal the answer. Try to recall what will be displayed before clicking the empty cell.
 
To hide a column, click on the column name.
 
To hide the entire table, click on the "Hide All" button.
 
You may also shuffle the rows of the table by clicking on the "Shuffle" button.
 
Or sort by any of the columns using the down arrow next to any column heading.
If you know all the data on any row, you can temporarily remove it by tapping the trash can to the right of the row.

 
Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.

  Normal Size     Small Size show me how
Created by: tomhuc
Popular English Vocabulary sets