Speak English more naturally by mastering these essential phrasal verbs!
Top 20 Phrasal Verbs for ESL Learners
📘 Introduction: What Are Phrasal Verbs?
If you’re an ESL learner, you’ve probably heard phrases like:
“She gave up.”
“We ran out of milk.”
“Let’s catch up!”
At first, these expressions can feel confusing. You may understand the individual words, but the overall meaning seems completely different. These expressions are called phrasal verbs, and they are a core part of everyday conversational English.
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and a preposition or adverb that together create a new meaning. Often, this meaning cannot be understood simply by looking at the individual words. Because of this, phrasal verbs can be one of the most challenging aspects of learning English for ESL students.
For example:
- “Look after” does not literally mean “look” and “go behind.”
- Instead, it means “to take care of someone or something.”
Example sentence:
She looks after her younger brother while her parents are at work.
Another example is “give up.”
While “give” and “up” have their own meanings, together they mean to stop trying or to quit something.
Example sentence:
He gave up smoking last year.
Phrasal verbs are extremely common in spoken English, movies, TV shows, social media, and casual conversations. Native speakers use them naturally, often without realizing it. If you rely only on formal vocabulary, your English may sound correct but slightly unnatural.
Learning phrasal verbs helps you:
- Sound more natural and fluent in English
- Understand native speakers more easily
- Improve your listening and speaking skills
- Communicate more confidently in everyday situations
The good news is that you don’t need to memorize hundreds of phrasal verbs at once. Start with the most common ones that appear in daily conversations.
In this post, we’ll explore the top 20 phrasal verbs every ESL student should know, along with simple definitions and practical example sentences to help you understand and use them correctly in real-life communication.
✅ Top 20 Phrasal Verbs for ESL Learners
1. Give up
Meaning: To stop doing something
Example: I gave up junk food last year.
Tip: Often used when quitting a habit or goal.
2. Look after
Meaning: To take care of someone or something
Example: She looks after her grandmother on weekends.
Common Use: Children, pets, sick people, etc.
3. Put off
Meaning: To delay or postpone
Example: Stop putting off your homework!
Useful For: Time management discussions
4. Take off
Meaning: To remove something or when a plane leaves the ground
Example 1: He took off his jacket.
Example 2: The plane took off at 9 PM.
5. Pick up
Meaning: To collect someone/something or to learn informally
Example 1: Can you pick me up at 5?
Example 2: She picked up some Spanish while traveling.
6. Turn on / Turn off
Meaning: To start or stop a device
Example: Please turn off the lights before you leave.
Extra: Also used for emotions (e.g., That show turns me off.)
7. Break down
Meaning: To stop working or become emotional
Example 1: My car broke down on the highway.
Example 2: She broke down in tears.
8. Get along (with)
Meaning: To have a friendly relationship
Example: Do you get along with your coworkers?
British English Equivalent: Get on with
9. Run out (of)
Meaning: To have no more of something
Example: We ran out of coffee this morning.
10. Make up
Meaning: To invent or reconcile
Example 1: He made up a funny excuse.
Example 2: They argued but made up quickly.
11. Call off
Meaning: To cancel something
Example: The meeting was called off due to rain.
12. Turn up / Show up
Meaning: To arrive unexpectedly or without warning
Example: He didn’t turn up to the party.
13. Carry on
Meaning: To continue
Example: Please carry on with your work.
14. Back up
Meaning: To support or make a copy
Example 1: I’ll back you up during the presentation.
Example 2: Don’t forget to back up your files.
15. Come across
Meaning: To find something unexpectedly
Example: I came across an old diary in the attic.
16. Figure out
Meaning: To understand or solve something
Example: She finally figured out the math problem.
17. Check out
Meaning: To look at something or leave a hotel
Example 1: Check out this website!
Example 2: They checked out at noon.
18. Set up
Meaning: To arrange or organize
Example: We set up a Zoom call for 3 PM.
19. Look forward to
Meaning: To anticipate something positively
Example: I’m looking forward to the holidays.
20. Catch up (with)
Meaning: To reach the same level or update someone
Example: Let’s meet and catch up this weekend.
💡 How to Learn Phrasal Verbs Effectively
Memorizing phrasal verbs doesn’t have to be boring. Here are some tips to make it easier:
- ✅ Use Flashcards (Apps like Quizlet or Anki)
- ✅ Watch English Shows (Notice how characters use them in context)
- ✅ Make Your Own Sentences
- ✅ Group by Verb:
Example: “get up”, “get out”, “get in”, “get along”
📝 Practice Activity
Write your own sentences using these 5 phrasal verbs:
- Give up
- Look after
- Pick up
- Run out of
- Catch up
✍️ Final Thoughts
Phrasal verbs are not just grammar—they’re living language. Whether you’re chatting with a friend, writing an email, or watching Netflix, these 20 phrasal verbs will help you sound fluent, natural, and confident.
So next time you hear someone say “Let’s catch up,” you won’t be confused—you’ll be part of the conversation.
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