30 Common Phrasal Verbs, Definition and Example Sentences
Table of Contents
Clear sb off
Meaning: to make sb go away from a place
Example Sentence: The police’ll use dogs to clear the protesters off the road.
Clear up
Meaning: to solve or explain
Example Sentence: I think the trouble will clear up in a couple of days.
Check off
to mark with a tick
Let’s check off the names of the people to be invited.
Knock off
to stop working at the end of the day
What time will they knock off?
Knock back
to quickly drink sth
We have knocked back two double rums.
Knock up
to build or assemble sth quickly
He knocked up a bed out of some old pieces of wood?
Check in
Confirm you are taking a flight
I usually check in online.
Touch down
Land (planes)
Our flight touched down before night.
Hold up
Delay when travelling
I’m sorry, I am late but I was help up at work.
Set off
Start a journey
They set off for London just after five.
Stop over
Stay at a place for a night on the way to somewhere else
They stopped over in Singapore on their way to Australia.
Get away
Take a vacation, especially because you need a rest
I would love to get away and go to the beach next month.
Keep from
refrain, control yourself
I couldn’t keep from playing football.
Keep in
not allow someone out.
Children were kept in after school.
Keep off
to not touch something
He kept off the subject of his divorce.
Keep away
to avoid someone or something
You must keep away medicines from children.
Make after
to chase or follow
The policeman made after the thief.
Make up
to make peace
Please come back. I want to make up.
Make out
to succeed in business
How are you making out in your new job?
Make up for
to recover, make sth better
Nothing can make up for the loss of a child.
Read back
to read something again
Please read back the text of the message.
Read up on sth
to read a lot about in order to learn about it
I read up on the history of the World War II.
Read over
look for mistakes or check details
I asked her to read over my essay.
Read through
to read quickly beginning to the end
Always read through your work when you’ve finished.
Look ahead
to think about future
The past is past. Let us look ahead.
Look after
to take care of sb/sth
He’s not competent to look after young children.
Look round
to visit a place and look at the things in it
I will spend all day looking round the city.
Look on
to watch sth happen without taking part in it
Look on the bright side –no one was badly hurt.
Look forward to
something that is going to happen
He had worked hard and was looking forward to his retirement.
Look in
to pay a short visit
You’ll look in and say hello when you have time.
Take over
to get control of sth
He can take over the business when I’m away.
Take away
to remove sth/sb from
Take away the glasses and the tray.
Take in
to allow sb to stay in your home
My house is full; I can’t take in any more guests.
Take down
to remove sth from a high position
Take down this book and read slowly.
Cut back
to reduce
The Government will cut back on defence spending.
Cut in
to interrupt
When you cut in on our conversation, we were talking.
Cut into
to shortening into parts or to make sth smaller
Knives easily cut into the cake.
Cut across
to make a shorter route
If I cut across the field, it’ll save time.
Cut through
to go through by cutting
We cut through the solid rock to build the tunnel .
Cut up
to cut into pieces
My mother cut up the onions and put them in the pot.
Cut out
to stop working
There are two engines. One of them cut out yesterday.
Let in
Meaning; to allow sth/sb to enter
Example Sentence; She opened the window to let in some fresh air.
Let into
Meaning; to put into the surface of sth
Example Sentence; A skylight had been let into the roof.
