20 Most Common English Phrasal Verbs for Beginners

Introduction

Phrasal verbs are everywhere in spoken English. If you want to understand movies, chat with friends, or read a news article, you will meet them constantly. For beginners (B1–B2 level), learning the most common phrasal verbs can transform your fluency. This guide covers 20 essential phrasal verbs with clear rules, real examples, and common mistakes to avoid.

What Are Phrasal Verbs?

A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and a preposition or adverb (or both). Together, they create a new meaning that is often different from the original verb. For example, “give up” does not mean “give” + “up” — it means “stop trying” or “quit.” Learning phrasal verbs helps you sound more natural and understand casual conversations.

Rules for Using Phrasal Verbs

1. Separable vs. Inseparable: Some phrasal verbs can have the object placed between the verb and particle (e.g., “turn the light off”). Others must stay together (e.g., “look after the baby”).
2. Transitive vs. Intransitive: Transitive phrasal verbs need an object (e.g., “pick up the book”). Intransitive ones do not (e.g., “get up”).
3. Object pronouns always go between the verb and particle in separable phrasal verbs: Say “pick it up,” not “pick up it.”
4. Context changes meaning: One phrasal verb can have multiple meanings. For example, “take off” can mean “remove clothing” or “leave the ground (for a plane).”
5. Use in informal and formal English: Phrasal verbs are common in everyday speech. In formal writing, use single-word synonyms (e.g., “investigate” instead of “look into”).

How to Use Phrasal Verbs

Follow these steps to use phrasal verbs correctly:

1. Learn the meaning first: Never guess. Use a dictionary or this guide.
2. Identify if it is separable or inseparable: Check the list below.
3. Practice with pronouns: If it is separable, put pronouns between the verb and particle.
4. Listen and repeat: Watch English videos and notice how native speakers use them.
5. Write your own sentences: Create 3–5 sentences for each new phrasal verb.

20 Most Common Phrasal Verbs with Examples

Here are the 20 most common phrasal verbs for beginners. Each one includes the meaning and an example sentence. The phrasal verb is bolded in each sentence.

• Get up — to leave your bed. “I get up at 7 a.m. every day.” (Intransitive)
• Wake up — to stop sleeping. “She wakes up early on weekends.” (Intransitive)
• Turn on — to start a device. “Please turn on the TV.” (Separable: “Turn it on.”)
• Turn off — to stop a device. “Don’t forget to turn off the lights.” (Separable: “Turn them off.”)
• Pick up — to lift something or collect someone. “Can you pick up the kids from school?” (Separable: “Pick them up.”)
• Put on — to wear clothing. “He put on his jacket.” (Separable: “Put it on.”)
• Take off — to remove clothing, or for a plane to leave. “She took off her shoes.” (Separable: “Take them off.”)
• Look for — to search. “I am looking for my keys.” (Inseparable)
• Look after — to take care of. “She looks after her younger brother.” (Inseparable)
• Give up — to quit or stop trying. “Never give up on your dreams.” (Inseparable when followed by object; separable without object: “Give it up.”)
• Come back — to return. “He will come back tomorrow.” (Intransitive)
• Go out — to leave home for fun. “Let’s go out tonight.” (Intransitive)
• Find out — to discover information. “I need to find out the truth.” (Inseparable)
• Run out of — to have no more of something. “We have run out of milk.” (Inseparable, always followed by object)
• Break down — for a machine to stop working. “My car broke down on the highway.” (Intransitive)
• Get along with — to have a good relationship. “I get along with my coworkers.” (Inseparable)
• Call back — to return a phone call. “I will call you back later.” (Separable: “Call her back.”)
• Put away — to store something in its proper place. “Please put away your toys.” (Separable: “Put them away.”)
• Show up — to arrive. “He didn’t show up for the meeting.” (Intransitive)
• Work out — to exercise, or to find a solution. “I work out at the gym.” (Intransitive) / “We need to work out a plan.” (Separable: “Work it out.”)

Common Mistakes with Phrasal Verbs

Here are five frequent errors beginners make, with corrections:

• Mistake 1: ❌ “I need to pick up it.”
  ✅ “I need to pick it up.” (Pronoun goes between verb and particle in separable phrasal verbs.)
• Mistake 2: ❌ “She looks after him.” (Correct, but many learners add an extra preposition.)
  ✅ “She looks after him.” (No extra “for” — “look after” is already complete.)
• Mistake 3: ❌ “He gave up smoking up.”
  ✅ “He gave up smoking.” (Do not repeat the particle.)
• Mistake 4: ❌ “We ran out of.” (Missing object.)
  ✅ “We ran out of sugar.” (Always include the object after “run out of.”)
• Mistake 5: ❌ “I will call back you.”
  ✅ “I will call you back.” (Pronoun goes between verb and particle.)

Quick Summary

• Phrasal verbs = verb + particle (preposition/adverb) with a new meaning.
• They can be separable (object goes between verb and particle) or inseparable (object stays after particle).
• Pronouns always go between the verb and particle in separable phrasal verbs.
• Learn the 20 common phrasal verbs above to speak naturally.
• Avoid common mistakes like putting pronouns in the wrong place or forgetting the object.

Practice Exercises

Fill in the blanks with the correct phrasal verb from the list (use the correct form): get up, turn off, pick up, look for, give up, come back, find out, run out of, break down, get along with.

1. I always ________ at 6 a.m. to go for a run.
2. Please ________ the computer before you leave the office.
3. She needs to ________ her friend from the airport at 5 p.m.
4. I am ________ my glasses. Have you seen them?
5. Don’t ________! You can do it.
6. When will you ________ from your trip?
7. I want to ________ what happened at the party.
8. We have ________ coffee. Can you buy some?
9. My old laptop ________ yesterday, so I bought a new one.
10. Do you ________ your new classmates?

Answers:

1. get up
2. turn off
3. pick up
4. looking for
5. give up
6. come back
7. find out
8. run out of
9. broke down
10. get along with

Conclusion

Mastering these 20 common phrasal verbs will help you speak and understand English more naturally. Remember the rules about separability and pronoun placement. Practice every day by listening, repeating, and writing your own sentences. Soon, these phrasal verbs will feel like second nature.

FAQ

1. What is the difference between a separable and inseparable phrasal verb?

A separable phrasal verb allows the object to go between the verb and the particle (e.g., “turn the light off” or “turn off the light”). An inseparable phrasal verb keeps the verb and particle together, and the object always follows the particle (e.g., “look after the baby” — not “look the baby after”).

2. Can I use phrasal verbs in formal writing?

It is best to avoid phrasal verbs in formal academic or business writing. Use single-word synonyms instead. For example, use “investigate” instead of “look into,” or “postpone” instead of “put off.” Phrasal verbs are perfect for everyday conversation, emails to friends, and informal contexts.

3. How many phrasal verbs should I learn at once?

Start with 5–10 phrasal verbs per week. Practice each one in sentences until you feel comfortable. Focus on the most common ones first, like the 20 in this article. Quality over quantity — it is better to know 20 well than 50 poorly.

4. Do all phrasal verbs have multiple meanings?

No, but many do. For example, “take off” can mean “remove clothing” or “a plane leaves the ground.” Always check the context. A good learner’s dictionary will list the different meanings. When you read or hear a phrasal verb, pay attention to the surrounding words to understand which meaning is intended.