Phrasal Verbs | Intermediate English for IELTS

Intermediate English for IELTS: Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are one of the most important parts of natural English. They appear in everyday conversation, informal writing, and many IELTS Speaking answers. Learning phrasal verbs can help you sound more fluent, more natural, and more confident.

Before studying this lesson, it is helpful to review English Alphabet and Spelling, Pronunciation Basics, Parts of Speech, Sentence Structure Basics, Subject-Verb Agreement, Prepositions in English, Basic Adjectives, Basic Adverbs, Present Simple Tense, Present Continuous Tense, Past Simple Tense, Future Forms in English, Modal Verbs, Gerunds and Infinitives, Passive Voice, Reported Speech, Conditional Sentences, Relative Clauses, Conjunctions and Linking Words, and Collocations. These lessons help you build the grammar and vocabulary patterns that phrasal verbs often depend on.

What are phrasal verbs?

A phrasal verb is a verb combined with one or more particles, usually an adverb, a preposition, or both. The meaning often changes from the meaning of the individual words.

Examples:

• give up = stop trying
• look after = take care of
• put off = delay
• find out = discover
• carry on = continue

Some phrasal verbs have two particles.

Example:

• put up with = tolerate
• catch up with = reach the same level or become up to date

Phrasal verbs are very common in English, especially in informal and spoken language. They are also very useful in IELTS Speaking because they make your answers sound less stiff and more natural.

Why phrasal verbs matter for IELTS

Phrasal verbs are important for IELTS because they help you understand and produce natural English.

In Speaking, they help you:

• sound more fluent and natural
• express everyday actions more clearly
• show wider vocabulary control
• understand common native-like expressions

In Listening and Reading, they help you:

• understand informal speech
• recognise meaning changes quickly
• avoid confusion when a familiar verb has a new meaning

In Writing, phrasal verbs should be used carefully. They are often too informal for Task 2 essays, but they can still appear in Task 1 or General Training letters when the tone is appropriate. For formal writing, learners often replace them with more academic alternatives.

The main types of phrasal verbs

There are several ways to classify phrasal verbs. For IELTS learners, the most useful distinction is between:

1. Separable phrasal verbs
2. Inseparable phrasal verbs
3. Three-part phrasal verbs
4. Phrasal-prepositional verbs

1) Separable phrasal verbs

A separable phrasal verb can split the object and place it between the verb and particle.

Examples:

• turn off
• pick up
• put on
• write down
• hand in
• throw away

Examples in sentences

• Please turn off the light.
• Please turn the light off.
• I picked up the book.
• I picked the book up.

Important rule

If the object is a pronoun, it usually goes between the verb and the particle.

Correct:

• Please turn it off.
• She picked him up.

Incorrect:

• Please turn off it.
• She picked up him.

This is one of the most common phrasal verb mistakes.

2) Inseparable phrasal verbs

An inseparable phrasal verb cannot be split.

Examples:

• look after
• run into
• come across
• deal with
• get over
• go through
• rely on
• listen to

Examples in sentences

• She looks after her younger brother.
• I ran into an old friend yesterday.
• We need to deal with this problem quickly.

You cannot separate these verbs.

Incorrect:

• She looks her brother after.
• I ran an old friend into.

3) Three-part phrasal verbs

Some phrasal verbs have three parts: a verb + particle + particle.

Examples:

• put up with
• look forward to
• catch up with
• run out of
• get on with
• keep up with

Examples in sentences

• I cannot put up with that noise.
• We are looking forward to the trip.
• The company has run out of paper.

These are extremely useful in IELTS because they are common, natural, and expressive.

4) Phrasal-prepositional verbs

These verbs include a verb, a particle, and a preposition. The two particles cannot usually be separated.

Examples:

• look forward to
• get on with
• run out of
• put up with
• come down with

These are often taught together with phrasal verbs because they behave in a similar way.

Common meanings of phrasal verbs

Phrasal verbs can express many ideas. Some of the most common meaning groups are:

1) Start or continue

• begin with
• carry on
• go on
• set off
• keep on

Examples:

• Let us carry on with the lesson.
• The journey will set off early in the morning.

2) Stop or finish

• give up
• calm down
• break down
• shut down
• end up

Examples:

• Do not give up too early.
• The machine broke down last night.

3) Discover or understand

• find out
• figure out
• work out
• pick up
• catch on

Examples:

• I found out the truth later.
• She quickly picked up the new grammar pattern.

4) Leave or arrive

• set off
• get in
• get out
• check in
• check out

Examples:

• We checked in at the hotel.
• The bus got in late.

5) Relationship or social actions

• get along with
• fall out with
• look up to
• care for
• deal with

Examples:

• I get along with my classmates.
• She looks up to her teacher.

6) Problems and difficulty

• go through
• put up with
• run into
• face up to
• sort out

Examples:

• Families may go through difficult times.
• We need to sort out this issue quickly.

Phrasal verbs in IELTS Speaking

Phrasal verbs are especially helpful in Speaking because they sound natural and often express ideas more simply than single-word alternatives.

Natural speaking examples

• I usually wake up early.
• I hang out with my friends on weekends.
• I had to give up football because of my studies.
• I often look after my younger sister.
• I want to cut down on junk food.

Stronger Speaking answers

• My city has taken off economically in recent years.
• I came across this interesting article online.
• I really look forward to holidays because they help me relax.

A useful tip

Use phrasal verbs naturally. Do not force them into every answer. A few correct, well-chosen phrasal verbs are better than many awkward ones.

Phrasal verbs in IELTS Writing

In formal IELTS Writing Task 2, phrasal verbs are usually less common than more academic vocabulary. For example:

• give up can become quit or abandon
• put off can become postpone
• look into can become investigate
• carry out can become conduct
• find out can become discover

More formal alternatives

• put off → postpone
• carry out → conduct
• find out → discover
• set up → establish
• go up → increase
• go down → decrease

Example

Informal:

• The government should look into the problem.

More formal:

• The government should investigate the problem.

This does not mean phrasal verbs are wrong in writing. It means you should choose them carefully depending on the tone.

Useful Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Topics

Education

• catch up with
• hand in
• drop out of
• keep up with
• brush up on

Examples:

• Students should keep up with their homework.
• Some learners need to brush up on grammar before the exam.

Work and career

• take on
• set up
• carry out
• work out
• deal with

Examples:

• The company decided to take on more staff.
• She wants to set up her own business.

Health

• cut down on
• give up
• build up
• come down with
• feel run down

Examples:

• People should cut down on sugar.
• I came down with a cold last week.

Technology

• log in
• log out
• back up
• turn on
• shut down

Examples:

• Remember to back up your files.
• The system shut down unexpectedly.

Travel

• check in
• check out
• set off
• get away
• stop over

Examples:

• We will set off at 6 a.m.
• The family stopped over in Dubai.

Phrasal verbs and grammar accuracy

Phrasal verbs interact with grammar. You still need to use the correct tense, subject, and object structure.

Examples:

• She gave up smoking last year.
• They are looking after their neighbour’s cat.
• I will look into the problem tomorrow.
• He had already found out the truth before I told him.

This is why it helps to review Present Simple Tense, Present Continuous Tense, Past Simple Tense, Future Forms in English, Present Perfect Tense, Past Continuous Tense, and Past Perfect Tense.

Common mistakes with phrasal verbs

Mistake 1: Splitting inseparable phrasal verbs

Incorrect:

• She looks her brother after.

Correct:

• She looks after her brother.

Mistake 2: Putting pronouns in the wrong place

Incorrect:

• Please turn off it.

Correct:

• Please turn it off.

Mistake 3: Using the wrong particle

Incorrect:

• I will look at the problem.

Correct:

• I will look into the problem.

Mistake 4: Confusing phrasal verbs with prepositional verbs

Incorrect:

• She looks after her sister up.

Correct:

• She looks after her sister.

Mistake 5: Using too many phrasal verbs in formal writing

Too many phrasal verbs can make an essay sound too casual.

Better:

• The authorities should investigate the issue.

Mistake 6: Learning only the literal meaning

Many phrasal verbs are idiomatic. Their meaning is not always obvious.

• give up = stop trying
• look after = take care of
• run out of = have none left

Mistake 7: Memorising without context

Phrasal verbs are easier to remember when you learn them in sentences, not as isolated word lists.

Useful Tips for IELTS Students

• Learn the most common phrasal verbs first.
• Group them by topic such as travel, study, health, and work.
• Learn whether the verb is separable or inseparable.
• Practise both meaning and sentence structure.
• Use phrasal verbs in speaking, but choose them carefully in formal writing.
• Review Conjunctions and Linking Words and Collocations so you can combine phrasal verbs naturally with other vocabulary.
• Use Relative Clauses and Conditional Sentences when you want to build longer, more fluent answers.

Practice: Phrasal Verbs

Exercise 1: Choose the correct phrasal verb

1. Please __________ the light before you leave.
2. I __________ an old classmate at the market yesterday.
3. She wants to __________ smoking.
4. We are __________ to the concert tonight.
5. The shop has __________ of sugar.

Exercise 2: Rewrite with a phrasal verb

1. The meeting was cancelled.
2. He discovered the truth.
3. Please continue with your work.
4. I take care of my grandparents.
5. They postponed the trip.

Exercise 3: Correct the mistakes

1. She looks her children after.
2. Please turn off it.
3. I will look the problem into.
4. They ran of out milk.
5. We are looking forward the holiday.

Exercise 4: Make your own sentences

Write one sentence with each phrasal verb:

• give up
• look after
• carry out
• find out
• put off

Answer key

Exercise 1 answers

1. turn off
2. ran into
3. give up
4. looking forward
5. run out

Exercise 2 sample answers

1. The meeting was called off.
2. He found out the truth.
3. Please carry on with your work.
4. I look after my grandparents.
5. They put off the trip.

Exercise 3 answers

1. She looks after her children.
2. Please turn it off.
3. I will look into the problem.
4. They ran out of milk.
5. We are looking forward to the holiday.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) What is a phrasal verb?

A phrasal verb is a verb combined with one or more particles that creates a new meaning.

2) Are phrasal verbs important for IELTS?

Yes. They are very important for Speaking and useful for understanding everyday English in Listening and Reading.

3) Are phrasal verbs formal or informal?

Many phrasal verbs are informal, though some are neutral and appear in academic or professional English.

4) Can I use phrasal verbs in IELTS Writing Task 2?

You can, but use them carefully. More formal alternatives are often better in Task 2 essays.

5) What is the difference between separable and inseparable phrasal verbs?

Separable phrasal verbs can split the verb and particle with an object. Inseparable ones cannot.

6) How many phrasal verbs should I learn first?

Start with high-frequency phrasal verbs that appear in daily conversation and common IELTS topics.

7) What is the easiest way to remember phrasal verbs?

Learn them in context with example sentences and group them by topic or meaning.

8) Why are phrasal verbs hard to learn?

Their meaning is often not obvious from the individual words, so memorising them as phrases is more effective.

9) Should I avoid phrasal verbs in academic writing?

Not completely, but use them less often and choose the tone carefully.

10) How can I practise phrasal verbs for IELTS?

Use them in speaking answers, rewrite simple sentences with phrasal verbs, and review them in topic groups.

Phrasal Verbs in English for IELTS

Phrasal verbs are a major part of natural English and a valuable tool for IELTS learners. They help you sound fluent, understand native speech, and express ideas more naturally. The key is to learn them in context, notice whether they are separable or inseparable, and practise them in real sentences.

To continue building strong IELTS English, review Sentence Structure Basics, Prepositions in English, Collocations, Conjunctions and Linking Words, Passive Voice, and Reported Speech.