This is the core list: 100phrasalverbs,
grouped by base verb, each with a plain-English meaning and one example
sentence. It is deliberately not a list of 1,000. A hundred well-chosen phrasal
verbs cover the bulk of everyday English, and a list you can actually finish
beats a list you abandon in the letter B.
If you want the rules behind the list - what a phrasal verb is, why one verb
has several meanings, how the grammar works - start with the
main phrasal verbs guide and come back here
for the vocabulary.
,Z. Take one base-verb group at a time (all the
get verbs, then all the take verbs). Five to ten new phrasal verbs per
session is plenty.
, not just the two words. Take off =
remove evaporates by Tuesday; take off your coat sticks.
grammar. Every entry carries one:
Mark
It means
S
Separable: turn the light off or turn off the light. A pronoun split it: turn it off.
Inseparable: the object always follows the particle. Look after her, never look her after.
N
No object: the plane took off.
The S / I distinction matters more than it looks: get it wrong and the
sentence is not just unusual, it is broken. The full rules are in the
separable phrasal verbs guide.
. The
Practice worksheets and infographics section further
down this page generates printable worksheets from the exercises, with the
answer keys built in, plus infographic versions of these tables. Open one and
print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser. That is the take-away
version of this page; there is no separate download to hunt for.
A list is a map, not a journey. Three next steps, in order:
grammar. The single most damaging mistake with these verbs is
pronoun placement (turn off it). The
separable phrasal verbs guide
drills exactly that.
.Get,
take,
look,
put,
go and
come each have a full page with
more meanings and more examples than fit here.
automatic. The
phrasal verbs exercises page has
mixed drills across the whole topic, and the worksheets on this page print
with answer keys for offline practice.
Test yourself before you print the worksheets. Answers are below.
Which phrasal verb from the list means postpone?
Is look after separable or inseparable?
Correct the mistake: She turned down it.
Which two meanings of pick up appear in the list?
Complete: _We've run ______ coffee - can you buy some?_
: 1. Put off. 2. Inseparable - look after her, never look her
after. 3. She turned it down. (Pronouns split a separable verb.) 4. Lift /
collect a person (and casually learning, as in pick up Spanish). 5. out of
(run out of = have no more left).
Practise: test yourself
1
Pick the right one
0/8
Choose the phrasal verb that matches the meaning in brackets.
1
We need to the meeting until Friday. (postpone)
2
I an old photo while cleaning. (found by chance)
3
She a brilliant idea. (thought of)
4
The car on the motorway. (stopped working)
5
They the match because of rain. (cancelled)
6
He his grandfather. (looks like)
7
We've milk again. (have no more)
8
Scientists the tests last month. (completed)
2
Fill in the blank
0/8
Fill each gap with one particle to complete the phrasal verb.
1
I grew in a small town.
2
My alarm went at six this morning.
3
She's looking her keys - have you seen them?
4
Please put the milk in the fridge.
5
The teacher gave the exam papers.
6
I ran an old friend at the station.
7
They set at dawn to catch the ferry.
8
Don't throw those letters - I want to keep them.
3
Matching
0/8
Match each phrasal verb with its meaning.
4
Pick the right one
0/6
Choose the correct sentence. Watch the object and the pronoun.
1
A separable verb with a pronoun.
2
An inseparable verb.
3
A separable verb with a pronoun.
4
An inseparable verb with a pronoun.
5
A separable verb with a pronoun.
6
A three-word verb.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common phrasal verbs in English?
The base verbs get, take, look, put, go, come, turn and give produce more everyday phrasal verbs than any others. Individual champions include get up, go on, come back, find out, pick up, give up, turn off, look for, carry on and set up. The 100 in this list cover the core of everyday spoken and written English.
What do S, I and N mean in this list?
S means separable: the object can split the verb (turn the light off or turn off the light), and a pronoun must split it (turn it off). I means inseparable: the object always follows the particle (look after her, never look her after). N means the verb takes no object at all (the plane took off). Some verbs carry two marks because they have both a with-object and a no-object use.
How many phrasal verbs should I learn?
Start with the 100 on this page. English has thousands of phrasal verbs, but a few hundred cover the vast majority of everyday use, and these 100 are the heart of that set. Learn them in groups of five to ten, in full sentences, and add rarer ones only as you actually meet them.
Can I download this phrasal verbs list as a PDF?
Yes. The Practice worksheets and infographics section on this page generates printable worksheets from the exercises, complete with answer keys, plus infographic versions of the tables. Open any one and print it or save it as a PDF from your browser.
Should I learn phrasal verbs alphabetically?
No. An alphabetical list puts back down next to back up and teaches you nothing about either. Learn them grouped by base verb (as on this page) or by particle, in full example sentences. Both groupings give the meanings something to hang on, which is why this list is organised by base verb rather than A to Z.
