200 Most Common Phrasal Verbs (Part 1)

Question 1

I asked him/her out to dinner and a movie.

Answer 1

ask (someone) out

[invite on a date]

Question 2

I usually ask around to see what other people think about it.

Answer 2

ask-around

[ask a lot of people the same question]

Question 3

Everything adds up to around $1,000.

Answer 3

add-up to (something)

[the total of everything]

Question 4

Excuse me, could you please back (your car) up a little bit?

I can’t get out of my parking spot. Your car is blocking me.

Answer 4

back (something) up

[reverse, go backward]

Question 5

My parents backed (my decision to go to college) up.

Answer 5

back (someone) up

[support, give support to]

Question 6

The terrorist blew (the building) up with explosives.

Answer 6

blow (something) up

[explode]

Question 7

We blew up (a hundred balloons) for my brother’s birthday.

Answer 7

blow (a balloon) up

[fill with air]

Question 8

(My car) broke down last week.

Answer 8

(A machine) breaks-down

[stop functioning; not work anymore]

Question 9

(Sarah) broke down in tears because her boyfriend broke up with her.

Answer 9

(A person) breaks-down

[feel very sad and/or upset]

Question 10

If you break (this sentence) down, you will see that it includes many different parts of a sentence.

James broke (his iPhone) down to see how it was made.

Answer 10

break (something) down

[take a large thing and divide into smaller parts]

Question 11

A thief broke in last night.

The police broke into (the home) of the suspected criminal.

Answer 11

break-in (when) / break-into (something/place)

[enter illegally and without permission]

Question 12

I bought some new shoes. They are too stiff right now. I need to break (them) in.

I have to break (these new baseball gloves) in.

Answer 12

break (something) in

[wear or use something so that it does not feel new anymore]

Question 13

I broke up with my girlfriend yesterday.

My sister is breaking up with her boyfriend as we speak.

1) How many times did you break up with someone before?
2) How many times did someone break up with you?

Answer 13

break-up

[end a relationship with your boyfriend or girlfriend]

1) YOU ended the relationship
2) YOUR PARTNER ended the relationship

Question 14

I broke (them) up because they were fighting.

She broke (them) up because they were not a good couple.

I broke (him) up (with her) because she was mean.

Answer 14

break (someone) up

[to separate two people; or cause another person’s relationship to end]

Question 15

Did the prisoner in Shawshank Redemption break out of prison?

We are going to break out of here!

Answer 15

break-out

[escape]

Question 16

I broke out (in pimples) all over my face the night before my prom.

I am breaking out (in rashes) on the back of my neck.

He will break out (in hives) if he eats that mango.

Answer 16

break-out (in something)

[develop a skin condition, like a rash or pimples]

Question 17

The depressing movie brought (her) down.

The sad music is bringing (her) down.

That story has brought (me) down before.

Answer 17

bring (someone) down

[make unhappy; make sad; create a bad mood for]

Question 18

Steve Jobs’ adoptive parents brought (him) up, not his biological parents.

I was brought up by my grandparents.

Answer 18

bring (someone) up

[raise; take care of; teach/educate]

Question 19

We wanted to talk about money, but nobody brought (it) up yet.

We usually don’t bring (religion) up when talking with new co-workers.

Answer 19

bring (something) up

[start talking about a subject; introduce a new subject in the conversation]

Question 20

The disgusting smell brought (my food) up.

The gross movie brought (her dinner) up.

Answer 20

bring (someone’s food) up

[make food come up from the stomach; feel sick; vomit]

Question 21

I called around to see which store had the best price.

Can you call around to find the best deal for us?

Answer 21

call-around

[call many different people/places with the same question]

Question 22

I will call (you) back after I’m done.

He called (me) back right away.

Answer 22

call (someone) back

[return a phone call]

Question 23

I should call (the meeting) off because I can’t make it tonight.

They will call (the baseball game) off because it’s going to rain tonight.

Julia Roberts called (many weddings) off in the movie, “Runaway Bride.”

Answer 23

call (something) off

[cancel a meeting or appointment]

Question 24

The teacher called on (the student) for an answer.

This professor usually calls on (students) that are not paying attention.

Answer 24

call-on (someone)

[ask for an answer or opinion, usually from a student]

Question 25

My brother called (me) up to ask for $1,000.

If you need anything, call (this guy) up. He will help you.

Answer 25

call (someone) up

[to call by telephone, usually to request something]

Question 26

I need to calm down because I’m too upset right now.

She needs to calm down. She is way too excited right now.

Answer 26

calm-down

[relax yourself after being angry, upset or too excited]

Question 27

You need to calm (your friend) down because he is creating a lot of problems right now.

I will calm (my friend) down.

Answer 27

calm (someone) down

[make SOMEONE ELSE more relaxed after being angry, upset or too excited]

Question 28

I need to catch up with all material.

All the other runners usually have to catch up to Usain Bolt because they are almost always slower than him.

Answer 28

catch-up

[get to the same point as another person]

Question 29

I can check in after 3:00 p.m. The hotel doesn’t allow people to get their room keys before that.

When I arrive at JFK airport, I will check in and get my tickets.

Answer 29

check-in

[get your room at the hotel; get your airplane tickets at the airport]

Question 30

We need to check out by tomorrow at noon.

I bought some things on Amazon.com. When I checked out, I realized that it all added up to a lot.

Answer 30

check-out

[leave a hotel room and pay the bill]

[pay for an online purchase]

Question 31

I found a great apartment online. However, I need to check (the apartment) out before I sign the lease.

Hey, look at this! Check (it) out!

The FBI is checking (this person) out to see if he is good or bad.

Answer 31

check (s.o. / s.t.) out

[look at it carefully; inspect it; investigate it]

Question 32

Hey, check out (that hot guy).
Hey, check out (that hot girl) over there.

Did you check out (the schedule)?

Answer 32

check out (s.o / s.t.)

[take a look at (informal)]

Question 33

I need to cheer up.

You need to cheer up more.

She needs to cheer up because she has a pretty good life.

Answer 33

cheer-up

[become happier; make yourself happy]

Question 34

I need to cheer (you) up.

You need to cheer (her) up more.

She needs to cheer (her sister) up because she looks really sad right now.

Answer 34

cheer (someone) up

[make someone else happier]

Question 35

Volunteers chipped in to feed the victims of hurricane Sandy.

I have great neighbors who chip in to keep our neighborhood clean and safe.

Answer 35

chip in

[to provide extra help]

Question 36

My assistant cleans (my office) up every morning.

My sister never cleans (her bedroom) up.

Answer 36

clean (something) up

[tidy, clean]

Question 37

I came across (a $50 bill) on the street as I was walking.

I hope I come across (a briefcase full of money) because I’m broke.

Answer 37

come-across (something)

[find something and did not expect to find it]

Question 38

Do I come across as a mean girl to you?

Does he come across as a smart person?

They come across as people who likes to chip in.

Answer 38

come-across as (something)

[seem like something to someone]

Question 39

The wires on my earphones are always tangled. They don’t come apart no matter how hard I try.

Cornbread comes apart as soon as you pull on it.

Answer 39

come-apart

[separates by itself or separates easily]

Question 40

I came down with (the flu).

He doesn’t feel well.

I think he came down with (some kind of illness) last night.

Answer 40

come-down with (something)

[become sick with something]

Question 41

The police want witnesses to come forward with any information about the crime.

The teacher wants the student who threw the paper to come forward. He will not let anyone leave until someone admits that he/she threw it.

Answer 41

come-forward

[give information; or admit doing something]

Question 42

He comes from (Italy).

This nut comes from (Hawaii). It is called a Macadamia nut.

Answer 42

come-from (somewhere)

[originate from; the original location is from here]

Question 43

I am counting on (my stocks) to go up.

We are going camping tomorrow. Jim is the only one with a tent. We need him to bring it tomorrow. If he doesn’t we will not have a tent and it will be very uncomfortable. So we are counting on (Jim) to bring the tent tomorrow.

Answer 43

count-on (s.o. / s.t.)

[rely on; put trust and hope on]

Question 44

I don’t need this item on my list anymore. I am crossing (it) out.

This word is not a commonly used word. Cross (it) out.

Answer 44

cross (something) out

[cancel; draw a line through; delete]

Question 45

I need to cut back on (shopping). I am spending too much money on clothes.

I need to cut back on (eating fatty foods). I am gaining too much weight.

I have to cut back on (drinking alcohol) every weekend. It is not good for my health.

I should cut back on (using bad words). It doesn’t sound good to others.

Answer 45

cut-back on (something)

[consume less; eat less; drink less; buy less; do less]

Question 46

The people cut (the tree) down because it was getting dangerous to the homes around it.

The lumberjacks cut (all the trees in our forest) down.

Answer 46

cut (something) down

[cut it and make it fall to the ground]

Question 47

I don’t like it when people cut in while I’m telling a story. They should just let me finish before saying what they have to say.

My brother cut in to stop me from saying something I will probably regret later.

Answer 47

cut-in

[interrupt while doing something]

Question 48

The impatient driver cut in and almost caused an accident.

Why did you cut in like that? You didn’t even signal before changing lanes.

Answer 48

(s.o. / vehicle) cut-in

[person or vehicle drives their car in front of someone and too close to the person]