A phrase is a group of words that forms part of a sentence but does not make a complete sentence. A phrase contains no finite verb. In this session let us share the list of phrasal verbs with example.
What is Phrasal Verb?
A phrasal verb is formed with a simple verb and an adverb particle or preposition. In forming a phrasal verb a verb can take a number of adverb particles or prepositions. The adverbs particle or the preposition gives a verb a special idiomatic meaning. This implies that phrasal verb is verb + preposition/adverb, when they can be replaced another verb(s) having the same meaning.
Examples: My friends backed up (supported) my candidature.
In the above sentence backed up is a phrasal verb. It can be replaced by supported, which has the similar meaning to backed up.
List of Phrasal Verbs with Example
Account for (show reason for) – Tina’ illness accounts for her absence.
Ask for (beg, demand for) – Don’t ask for any favour from me.
Act on (act upon advice) – The boys are not in a mood to act on our suggestion.
Back away (move back) – When police arrived on the spot the mob started to back away.
Be against (oppose) – I am against electing such dishonest men to our Parliament.
Be away (remain away from home) – Mr. Joshi is away from home for a week.
Be over (be finished) – The storm is over now. We can resume our journey again.
Bear out (confirm) – The Commissioners findings bear out the general doubt that terrorists are involved in this accident.
Blow up (explode) – The extremists blew up the bridge.
Break down:
(a) Collapse : She completely broke down when she heard that she was not elected for the job.
(b) Collapse of Machine : The car broke down when we were driving through the forest.
(c) Collapse of negotiation : The negotiation broke down as both the parties remained obstinate.
Break in (enter suddenly) – Thieves broke into the ship and stole away 3 lakh rupees.
Break off (stop talking suddenly) – Both the sisters were in the middle of their conversion. They broke off when their mother came in.
Break out (sudden appearance) – Cholera has broken out in many villages.
Break out (escape) – The thief was locked up but he broke out.
Bring up (rear/ educate) – Children should be brought up properly.
Bring round (to persuade somebody to accept something to which he/she was opposed before) – After a lot of persuasion I bring him round to help his uncle.
Bring round (restore to consciousness) – The old man fainted on the ground. Splashing of water on his face brought him round.
Bear up (to endure) – He bore up the misfortune bravely and established him.
Call at (visit a place for a short time) – I called at the bank to deposit some money.
Call for (visit a place to collect a person or thing) – I called for Rahul to collect my dictionary from him.
Call on (visit a person) – The Chief Minister called on the Governor to apprise him the law and order situation of the state.
Call for (demand) – The situation calls for immediate action.
Call off (cancel) – The match was to be called off due to rain.
Call out (Summon someone to tackle situation) – Army was to be called out as the situation was going out of control.
Call up (Summon for military service) – In many Asian countries young boys and girls are called up at a tender age of twelve or thirteen.
Call up (telephone) – I called up Mohit and told him the news immediately.
Call off (withdraw) – After a discussion with the Chief Minister, the employees called off their strike.
Carry out (perform duties) – A dutiful and honest cadet always carries out what his commander wants.
Clear away (disperse) – After an hour rain the cloud cleared away and the sun started to sign.
Come across (find by chance) – When I was searching for my passport I came across this letter.
Come off (detach) – When I lifted the teapot its handle came off in my hand.
Come off (happen) – When is your marriage coming off ?
Come off (end its show) – “Mera Nam Joker” is coming off next week.
Come out (exposed) – At last their plan came out.
Come round (be cured) – The patient will come round soon.
Come up (rise to the surface) – Whales frequently come up the sea surface to breathe fresh air.
Come up (mention) – The question of reservation in Prime Educational Institutions will come up during the next session of the Parliament.
Crop up (appear suddenly) – Difficulties will crop up on your way but remain unmoved.
Cut down (felling a tree) – Seventy percent are cut down for fuel, agriculture and furniture where as only ten percent are cut down for industries.
Cut down (reduce expenses) – You have to cut down your expenses.
Cut off (remain isolated) – Heavy rain kept our village cut off from the world for a week.
Crack down (severe attack) – The Prime Minister cracked down on the leaders of opposition who were more concerned about their political gain.
Deal with (treat) – They don’t know how to deal with unruly students.
Drop out (stop attending school before completion of the course) – Due to poverty most of the students in primary schools of the tribal areas dropped out of the school.
Dig up (discover) – To dig up a real man from an autobiography is an impossible task.
Do away with (abolish) – The government should do away with regulations controlling sell of woods.
Do without (manage in the absence) – We have to do away with rice as it is not available here.
Draw back (retire) – It is impossible to drawback now when we have already implemented half of our programme.
Drop in (pay a short visit) – I dropped in at uncle’s house just to know when he was going to village.
Face up (accept the reality) – You have to face up all the sorrows and joys of life.
Fall among (meet by chance) – Last night while returning from the market I fell among some thieves.
Fall away (desert) – His supporters began to fall away as soon as he lost the election.
Fall back (retreat) – Our army fought so bravely with the invaders that they started to fall back.
Fall in (collapse) – The roof fell in the rain.
Fed up (bored) – I am completely fed up with such a garrulous boy like Jatin.
Fix up (arrange) – Our Club has already fixed up two matches for this winter.
Get away (be free to leave) – Though I told you return early, I had so much to do at office that I could not get away.
Get back – If you lend something to Sunita, you will never get it back.
Get back – When will we get at home back if we start now ?
Get on (make progress) – How is your son getting on in school ?
Get out (escape) – The cat can’t get at home back if we start now ?
Get over (recover) – He is just getting over from a serious disease.
Get up (rise) – When do you get up ?
Get at (attack) – The thief tried to get at me.
Give off (emit) – Jasmine flowers give off sweet smell.
Give out (come to an end) – We were compelled to return when our food supply gave out.
Give up (abandon) – It is not impossible to give up a bad habit.
Go ahead (proceed) – You go ahead with your plan . I’ll help you.
Go away (leave the place) – I am busy. Please go away and let me do my work.
Go off (explode) – A bomb kept in a car went off and killed ten people.
Go out:
(a) Go out of house : Mrs. Swain does not go out if it is not badly required.
(b) Go to parties : Mrs. Swain’s daughter goes out a lot .
Hang about (wait, loiter) – Why are you hanging here about ? Are you waiting for somebody?
Hang on (keep in possession) – I would hang on to this umbrella.
Hold up (Hold by threat) – The terrorists held up the bus at the gun point and set fire to it.
Hold up (delayed) – Heavy rainfall held up the bus.
Keep on (continue) – I wanted to ask him a question but he kept on talking giving me no chances to do so.
Live on (food) – People in Odisha live on rice.
Live by (profession) – How is your uncle living by ?
Live up (Maintain a certain standard) – She had high ideals and she tried to live up to them.
Look for (search) – Where is my pen ? I’m looking for it since yesterday.
Look into (investigate) – People demand that C.B.I. must look into liquor tragedy.
Pull down (demolish) – Government is thinking of pulling down buildings constructed encroaching roads.
Put down (crush a rebellion) – Army is called to put down the rebellion.
To use up (consume) – All the ration has been used up.
To see through (to know the truth) – I could not see through his cunningness.
To stagger into (to move unsteadily) – He staggered in to the hospital and fainted there.
To pull out (depart) – The Pakistani soldiers pulled out of Bangladesh.
To put aside (keep for other’s use) – If his book does not come to your aid put aside it for others.
To be equipped with (supply oneself with) – Good education equip us with knowledge and self-confidence.
Take after (resemble) – The son takes after his father.
Stand for (represent) – Through ages Bharat stands for spirituality.
