The Next 50 Phrasal Verbs

Numbers 21 to 70.

Figure outNo. 21 most common

Find the answer to a problem(separable)

“The police couldn't FIGURE OUT how the burglars had got into the warehouse.”

Sit downNo. 22 most common

Take a seat. Help someone to sit.(separable)

“a) I was feeling faint, so I had to SIT DOWN for a while to recover. b) The nurse SAT me DOWN in a chair.”

Get upNo. 23 most common

Get out of bed(separable)

“I GET UP at seven o'clock on weekdays, but lie in till noon at the weekend.”

Take outNo. 24 most common

Borrow a library book(separable)

“I TOOK OUT all the books I needed for my essay from the library.”

Come onNo. 25 most common

Encouragement

“COME ON; don't give up now when you're so close to finishing.”

Go downNo. 26 most common

Decrease, get smaller

“The price of scanners has GONE DOWN recently.”

Show upNo. 27 most common

Attend something or arrive somewhere(separable)

“Very few SHOWED UP at the meeting.”

Take offNo. 28 most common

Make great progress(separable)

“The software house really TOOK OFF when they produced the latest version of their DTP package.”

Work outNo. 29 most common

End nicely(separable)

“Things were going wrong for them but fortunately it all WORKED OUT in the end.”

Stand upNo. 30 most common

Move from a sitting or lying down to a vertical position(separable)

“Everybody STOOD UP when the judge entered the court.”

Come downNo. 31 most common

Rain

“Just look at the rain COMING DOWN!”

Go aheadNo. 32 most common

Proceed

“The construction of the bypass WENT AHEAD despite the protests from environmentalists.”

Go upNo. 33 most common

Rise or climb

“The price of petrol has GONE UP sharply because of the increase in duty in the Government's budget.”

Look backNo. 34 most common

Think about the past

“Old people often LOOK BACK on over their lives.”

Wake upNo. 35 most common

Stop sleeping(separable)

“I WOKE UP at half past six this morning.”

Carry outNo. 36 most common

Perform a task(separable)

“The government is CARRYING OUT test on growing genetically modified crops.”

Take overNo. 37 most common

Assume control(separable)

“A Hong Kong bank TOOK OVER the bank to enter the British market.”

Hold upNo. 38 most common

Delay(separable)

“I was HELD UP by the terrible traffic and arrived half an hour late for my appointment.”

Pull outNo. 39 most common

Start moving (train)(separable)

“The train was PULLING OUT when I got there.”

Turn aroundNo. 40 most common

Make something successful or profitable that has been doing badly(separable)

“They are hoping to TURN the company AROUND with the launch of the new products.”

Take upNo. 41 most common

Fill or occupy time or space(separable)

“An awful lot of my time at work is TAKEN UP with pointless bureaucracy nowadays.”

Put upNo. 43 most common

Allow someone to stay at your house for a night or a few days(separable)

“She PUT me UP for the night because I'd missed the last bus and there were no night buses running.Increase prices, taxes, duties, etc.”

Bring backNo. 44 most common

Cause someone to remember(separable)

“Visiting my old school BROUGHT BACK memories of when I was a pupil there.”

Bring upNo. 45 most common

Mention. Raise a topic for discussion.(separable)

“They didn't BRING the subject UP at the meeting.”

Look outNo. 46 most common

Be careful

“LOOK OUT; you're going to drop that!”

Bring inNo. 47 most common

Earn

“The job BRINGS IN two thousand dollars a month.”

Open upNo. 48 most common

Start to talk freely about something(separable)

“She hates to OPEN UP and discuss her feelings.”

Check outNo. 49 most common

Pay the bill when leaving a hotel(separable)

“She CHECKED OUT and took a cab to the airport.”

Move onNo. 50 most common

Change the subject or your job(separable)

“She MOVED ON to another company where the salary was considerably better.”

Put outNo. 51 most common

Broadcast(separable)

“Several charities PUT OUT an appeal on TV for money for the victims of the flooding in Mozambique.”

Catch upNo. 53 most common

Get work, etc, up to date(separable)

“I was ill for a fortnight and now I've got to CATCH UP on the work I missed.”

Go inNo. 54 most common

Go to hospital for treatment, surgery, etc.

“He WENT IN for a triple bypass operation two days ago.”

Break downNo. 55 most common

End negotiations unsuccessfully(separable)

“The talks between management and the unions BROKE DOWN acrimoniously.Start crying; become very emotional.”

Get offNo. 56 most common

Escape punishment(separable)

“He GOT OFF on a technicality and left the court a free man.Leave a vehicle.”

Keep upNo. 57 most common

Not let someone go to bed(separable)

“First I phoned you and left a message that you should phone me; then you phoned and I was out, so you left a message; then.! How long can we KEEP this UP without ever speaking to each other directly?”

Put downNo. 58 most common

Kill an animal because it's old, ill, etc.(separable)

“He had his dog PUT DOWN because it was in a lot of pain from its tumours.Stop holding (but withdraw support gently)”

Reach outNo. 59 most common

Stretch your arm to get something

“I REACHED OUT and caught the ball.”

Go offNo. 60 most common

Explode (bomb), start ringing (alarm)(inseparable)

“The fire alarm WENT OFF because someone was smoking in the toilets.”

Cut offNo. 61 most common

Disconnect; interrupt or stop something(separable)

“The telephone's been CUT OFF because we didn't pay the bill.”

Pull upNo. 63 most common

Slow and stop a car(separable)

“The cab PULLED UP outside my house and I got out.”

Set outNo. 64 most common

Display, show(separable)

“The figures are SET OUT in the council's annual report.”

Clean upNo. 65 most common

Tidy and clean(separable)

“CLEAN this bedroom UP; it's a disgrace.”

Shut downNo. 66 most common

Close a business, shop, etc.(separable)

“The shop SHUT DOWN when the out-of-town supermarket opened.”

Turn overNo. 67 most common

Give to the authorities(separable)

“The court ordered the company to TURN OVER their financial records.”

Slow downNo. 68 most common

Reduce speed(separable)

“The car SLOWED DOWN when they saw the police.”

Wind upNo. 69 most common

Close a company because it's unprofitable(separable)

“The company was WOUND UP when the creditors demanded payment.”

Turn upNo. 70 most common

Appear

“She didn't TURN UP for class today.Increase volume, temperature, etc.”

Order: PHaVE List, Garnier and Schmitt (2015), counted from real English.

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