20 Most Common English Phrasal Verbs with Meaning & Examples

What if I told you that just 20 phrasal verbs could make your English sound 10x more natural? Read on — because that’s exactly what this article delivers.

Imagine watching your favourite English movie and hearing: “Come on, give it up!” or “I ran into my old teacher today!” — and not understanding what those phrases really mean. That’s the power (and the confusion) of English phrasal verbs.

Common English phrasal verbs are used by native speakers every single day — in conversations, emails, movies, and podcasts. Yet most English learners never properly study them, which is why their English often sounds unnatural or robotic.

If you want to speak English fluently and naturally, learning phrasal verbs with meaning is absolutely essential. This guide will give you the 20 most important phrasal verbs, their definitions, and real example sentences — plus powerful tips to actually remember them.

What Is a Phrasal Verb? (Simple Definition)

A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb + a preposition or adverb that creates a completely new meaning — different from the original verb alone.

Example:

“Give” = to hand something to someone
“Give up” = to stop trying (completely different meaning!)

This is why phrasal verbs confuse so many learners. You can’t always guess the meaning from the individual words. You have to learn them as a unit.

More examples of this “meaning shift”:

Original Verb	Phrasal Verb	New Meaning
look	look after	to take care of
break	break down	to stop working / to cry
run	run into	to meet someone by accident
turn	turn up	to arrive / to increase volume
get	get over	to recover from something

Notice how adding a small preposition changes the entire meaning of the verb. This is exactly what makes phrasal verbs so important to master.

Why Are Phrasal Verbs So Important?

Here’s a fact that will surprise you: native English speakers use phrasal verbs in over 70% of everyday conversations. When you replace formal verbs with phrasal verbs, your English instantly sounds more natural, friendly, and fluent.

Compare:

❌ “I will discontinue my subscription.” (too formal, unnatural in speech)
✅ “I’ll cancel my subscription.” → Better: “I’ll give up my subscription.”

Or:

❌ “He became unconscious.”
✅ “He passed out.” (how native speakers actually say it)

Knowing common English phrasal verbs is the bridge between textbook English and real-world English.

20 Most Common English Phrasal Verbs (With Meaning and Examples)

Here is your ultimate phrasal verbs list — the 20 most commonly used in daily English conversations. Study each one carefully. Pay attention to the example sentences.

#	Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence
1	Give up	Stop trying; quit	I will never give up learning English.
2	Look after	Take care of	She looks after her little brother every day.
3	Run into	Meet someone by accident	I ran into my old teacher at the mall.
4	Turn up	Arrive / increase volume	He didn’t turn up for the meeting.
5	Break down	Stop working / become upset	My car broke down on the highway.
6	Get over	Recover from	It took me a month to get over the flu.
7	Put off	Delay or postpone	Don’t put off your homework until tomorrow.
8	Come across	Find by chance / make an impression	I came across this great article online.
9	Bring up	Mention a topic / raise a child	She brought up an important point in the meeting.
10	Look forward to	Be excited about something coming	I’m looking forward to the weekend.
11	Go on	Continue / happen	What is going on here?
12	Find out	Discover / get information	I found out that he moved to another city.
13	Take off	Leave the ground / remove / become popular	The plane took off at 6 AM.
14	Make up	Invent a story / reconcile after a fight	Don’t make up excuses. Tell the truth.
15	Work out	Exercise / solve a problem / turn out well	Things will work out in the end.
16	Carry on	Continue	Carry on with your work. Don’t stop.
17	Set up	Arrange / establish	He set up his own business last year.
18	Pick up	Collect / learn casually / improve	She picked up Spanish very quickly.
19	Hold on	Wait / grip something tightly	Hold on a second — I’ll be right back.
20	Turn down	Refuse / lower volume	He turned down the job offer.

Deep Dive: 5 Phrasal Verbs You Must Know Today

Let’s explore five of the most commonly used phrasal verbs in detail, with multiple examples so you truly understand how to use them.

1. Give Up

Meaning: To stop doing something, usually because it is too difficult.

“Learning English is hard, but never give up.” “She gave up eating sugar for a whole month.” “He gave up on the project after failing three times.”

💡 Remember: “Give up” is used for quitting habits, hobbies, goals, or attempts.

2. Look Forward To

Meaning: To be excited and happy about something that will happen in the future.

“I’m really looking forward to your birthday party!” “We are all looking forward to the summer holidays.” “She is looking forward to starting her new job.”

⚠️ Grammar Note: Always use a gerund (verb+ing) or noun after “look forward to.” ✅ I’m looking forward to meeting you. ❌ I’m looking forward to meet you.

3. Break Down

Meaning: (1) A machine stops working. (2) A person becomes emotionally overwhelmed and cries.

“The washing machine broke down again.” “She broke down in tears when she heard the sad news.” “Our car broke down in the middle of the highway.”

💡 Tip: “Break down” can be used for machines AND for emotions — both are very common.

4. Pick Up

Meaning: (1) To collect someone or something. (2) To learn something casually. (3) To improve.

“Can you pick up the kids from school today?” “He picked up English very quickly by watching movies.” “Business is starting to pick up after a slow month.”

💡 Tip: “Pick up” is one of the most versatile phrasal verbs in English. It has many meanings — learn all of them!

5. Work Out

Meaning: (1) To exercise. (2) To find a solution. (3) For a situation to end well.

“I work out at the gym every morning.” “We need to work out a solution to this problem.” “Don’t worry — everything will work out fine.”

Phrasal Verbs for Daily Situations

Here’s a quick reference list of phrasal verbs organized by situation — perfect for everyday English conversations:

🏠 At Home

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
Wake up	Stop sleeping	Wake up! It’s 7 AM.
Tidy up	Clean and organize	Please tidy up your room.
Turn off	Switch off	Turn off the lights.
Run out of	Have no more left	We’ve run out of milk.

💼 At Work

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
Get back to	Reply / return to	I’ll get back to you by Friday.
Put together	Compile / assemble	Can you put together a report?
Follow up	Check progress	I need to follow up on that email.
Call off	Cancel	The meeting was called off.

🗣️ In Conversations

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
Bring up	Mention	He brought up a great point.
Go over	Review	Let’s go over the main points.
Point out	Draw attention to	She pointed out the mistake.
Speak up	Talk louder / voice your opinion	Please speak up — I can’t hear you.

5 Powerful Tips to Remember Phrasal Verbs

Knowing phrasal verbs is one thing. Remembering them is another. Here are the best strategies:

Tip 1: Learn Phrasal Verbs with Example Sentences

Never learn a phrasal verb as just a definition. Always learn it inside a sentence.

❌ “Give up” = quit (forgettable)
✅ “She gave up smoking after 10 years.” (memorable because it’s a real situation)

Tip 2: Learn Phrasal Verbs by Situation

Group phrasal verbs by the situations you use them in: at home, at work, at school, at the store. This way, when you’re in that situation, the right phrasal verb comes naturally.

Tip 3: Use Them in Your Own Sentences

After learning a new phrasal verb, create 3 personal sentences using it. The more personal the sentence, the better your brain remembers it.

Tip 4: Practice with Flashcards

Use apps like Anki or Quizlet to create digital flashcards for phrasal verbs. Study 5 new phrasal verbs per day and review old ones daily.

Tip 5: Watch English Content and Spot Them

When you watch English movies, TV shows, or YouTube, actively listen for phrasal verbs. Pause, write them down, and look up their meanings. This connects them to real emotional moments — which makes them unforgettable.

Practice Exercise: Test Your Phrasal Verbs Knowledge

Fill in the blanks with the correct phrasal verb from the list:

(give up, look after, work out, turn down, pick up)

Don’t __________ — keep trying and you will succeed!
She will __________ the children while their parents travel.
He __________ the job offer because the salary was too low.
I want to __________ a new language this year.
Everything will __________ if you stay positive.

Answers: 1. give up | 2. look after | 3. turned down | 4. pick up | 5. work out

Conclusion – Phrasal Verbs Are the Key to Natural English

Now you know the 20 most common English phrasal verbs, their meanings, and how to use them in real sentences. Remember:

✅ Phrasal verbs are essential for natural, fluent English
✅ Learn them in context, not just as definitions
✅ Practice daily — use them in your speaking and writing
✅ Start with these 20 before moving to advanced ones

The next time someone says “Don’t give up!” — you will not only understand it perfectly, but you will smile knowing that you have mastered one of English’s most important phrasal verbs.

💬 Which phrasal verb are you going to use TODAY? Write a sentence in the comments below using your favourite one from this list! And don’t forget to share this phrasal verbs guide with your classmates and friends.

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