Level: C1
Exam: C1 Advanced
Vocabulary
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- CAE Phrasal Verbs: BE / CALL
- CAE Phrasal Verbs: CLEAR / COME
- CAE Phrasal Verbs: CUT / FALL
- CAE Phrasal Verbs: GET / GIVE
- CAE Phrasal Verbs: GO / HOLD
- CAE List of Phrasal Verbs: Download PDF
- CAE List of Phrasal Verbs: Download XLS
Learning phrasal verbs
There are lots of things you can do to make learning and remembering phrasal verbs easier. Below are some tips to help you do this.
Remembering phrasal verbs with images or stories
A good way to help you remember a phrasal verb is to imagine an image or story that illustrates it. For example, the phrasal verb step down means to leave an important job or position. To help you remember this, you could imagine a company boss standing above all the workers on a stepladder, and then stepping down onto the floor and walking away.
Identifying phrasal verbs in context
Look out for phrasal verbs when you are:
- reading a book or article
- watching a film or TV programme
- looking at a website.
Pay attention to how the phrasal verb is used and in what kind of situation. Make a note about this to help you remember the right context in which to use the phrasal verb.
Learning phrasal verbs as single units of meaning
While phrasal verbs are combinations of two or three words, it is helpful when you are learning them to think about them as single units of meaning like in the tables below.
CAE Phrasal Verbs: BE / CALL
BE
| be above (something) | 1) to be so important that you needn’t do particular things. 2) to be so good that no one can think you did something wrong |
| be about (something) | to explain, describe or give facts on a particular subject |
| be about to do (something) | to be ready to start to do something very soon |
| be after (someone) | to be trying to catch someone |
| be against (someone/something) | to disagree with or not support someone or something |
| be getting at (something) | to be explaining or saying something important |
| be behind (with) | to not have done as much as you should |
| be down | to feel very sad |
| be (all) for (something/someone) | to support an idea, plan, person, etc. very strongly |
| be dying for (something) | to want something very much |
| be in | 1) to be at home. 2) to be popular |
| be in for (something) | to be likely to experince something uncomfortable or difficult |
| be taken in (by) | to be made to believe something that isn’t true |
| be into (something) | to enjoy doing a particular activity very much |
| be off | 1) not to be going to happen. 2)to smell or be bad |
| be let off | to be allowed to go without being punished |
| be on | to be going to happen |
| be not on | to not be acceptable |
| be out | 1) to not be at home. 2) to not be in fashion any more |
| be out of (something) | to not have something in your home or shop |
| be over | to have finished |
| be through (with) | to be tired or bored with someone or an activity and so determined to leave |
| be up | 1) to be out of bed. 2) to have increased in price |
| be up to (something) | to be doing something wrong or bad |
| be caught up (in) | to be in a difficult or dangerous situation |
| be made up of (something) | to include as its parts |
CALL
| call (something) off | to cancel or stop something |
| call on (someone) | 1) to visit someone as a routine 2) ask for an answer or opinion |
| call (something) out | to say something in a loud voice |
| call after (someone) | be named after someone |
| call around (round) | 1) phone many different places/people 2) to visit |
| call (someone) back | return a phone call |
| call in | 1) get someone to come and do sth 2) short visit |
| call (someone) up | phone |
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CAE Phrasal Verbs: CLEAR / COME
CLEAR
| clear (something) up | to make a place clean and tidy again |
| clear away | 1) leave a place 2) remove or tidy |
| clear off | leave somewhere quickly |
| clear out | 1) tidy up thoroughly and throw away unwanted stuff 2) leave somewhere |
COME
| come about | to happen | ||
| come across (as someone) | to seem to be a particular kind of person | ||
| come across (something) | to find something by chance | ||
| come apart | to fall into pieces | ||
| come back (from) | to return to a place from another place | ||
| come back (into fashion) | to become fashionable again | ||
| come back (to) | to return to your memory | ||
| come between (someone and someone) | to cause a quarrel between two or more people | ||
| come down | to decrease | ||
| come down with (something) | to become ill with a particular infection | ||
| come from (somewhere) | 1) to be born or live in a place 2) to have started or developed from a particular animal, plant or substance | ||
| come on | 1) to move more quickly 2) to begin gradually 3) to arrive somewhere after others | ||
| come out | to arrive in the shops, etc | ||
| come round | 1) to visit someone’s home 2) to become concious again after fainting | ||
| come through | to become known | ||
| come through (something) | to survive a difficult event or period | ||
| come to | to become concious again after fainting | ||
| come up | 1) to rise in the sky 2) to be mentioned 3) to be used in a test 4) to become available | ||
| come up against (someone/something) | to have to deal with difficulty, opposition, etc | ||
| come up to (something) | 1) to reach a particular level 2) to be as good as the level people expext | ||
| come up with (something) | to produce an excuse, a suggestion, the correct answer, etc |
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CAE Phrasal Verbs: CUT / FALL
CUT
| cut down (on) | to use much less of something |
| cut down | to remove a tree or plant by cutting it near the base |
| cut back | to reduce the amount of money being spent |
| cut across | to take a shortcut over an area instead of going around the edge |
| cut in | to interrupt someone when they are speaking |
| cut off | 1) to stop supplies of something like electricity or water 2) to stop a telephone connection |
| cut out | when an engine or piece of machinery suddenly stops working |
| cut through | to be able to deal with the problems or bureaucracy quickly |
| cut up | to divide something into smaller pieces |
FALL
| fall apart | to fall into pieces |
| fall back on (something) | to use money you kept because you need it |
| fall behind (with) | 1) to move more slowly so that others are further ahead 2) to make slower progress then others 3) to not make the necessary regular payments |
| fall for (someone) | to feel strong romantic feelings for someone |
| fall for (something) | to be tricked into believing something that isn’t true |
| fall off | 1) to become separated from an object 2) to become less gradually |
| fall out (of) | to fall from a high place |
| fall out (with) (over) | to have quarrel and end a friendship |
| fall over | to fall onto the ground |
| fall through | to not be agreed, completed, etc successfully |
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CAE Phrasal Verbs: GET / GIVE
GET
| get (something) across (to) | to be successful in explaining your idea, plan, etc. |
| get ahead (get on (in life)) | to have success in your life |
| get around to (get round to doing (something)) | to do something you have planned or wanted to do for a long time |
| get at (someone) | to criticise someone all the time and upset them |
| get away (from/to) | 1) to be successful in going on holiday 2) to go from a place, sometimes because it is difficult to stay |
| get away with (something) | to not be punished for doing something bad or wrong |
| get back (from) | to return to a place |
| get (something) back | to manage to have something you own returned to you |
| get your own back (on someone) | to punish or harm someone who has done something bad to you |
| get by | to get enough money or food |
| get (someone) down | to cause someone to feel very sad |
| get (something) down | to write something |
| get down to (something) | to start doing something |
| get in touch (with someone) | to phone, email, etc. someone |
| get into (something) | 1) to manage to enter a place after an effort 2) to start a conversation, fight, etc. with someone |
| get (someone) into a trouble (with) | to do something that makes yourself deserve punishment (or someone) |
| get off | 1) to leave a bus, train, etc. 2) to start a journey |
| get on (with) | to have a friendly relationship with someone |
| get (someone) out of trouble (with) | to do something so that you avoid punishment |
| get out of (doing) | to manage to avoid doing a job you don’t like |
| get over (someone) | to become happier after the end of a romantic relationship |
| get over (something) | 1) to become well after being ill with a particular illness 2) to become happier after being sad, rightened, etc |
| get through | 1) to be successful when you try to phone someone 2) to pass a test or exam |
| get through (something) | to survive an unpleasant or difficult period |
| get (something) through to (someone) | 1) to manage to reach someone by telephone 2) to manage to make someone understand something |
| get to (someone) | to make you feel very angry or upset |
| get to (somewhere) | to arrive at a place |
| get together (with) | to join other people for a party, meeting, etc |
| get (someone) up | to wake (someone) up and get (them) out of bed |
GIVE
| give (something) away | 1) to give something to someone because you don’t want it or because you want them to have it 2) to tell a secret or give information |
| give back | to return something borrowed |
| give in (to) | to agree to something but not because you want to |
| give in | to accept that you have been defeated and agree to stop competing or fighting |
| give (something) out | 1) to give copies of the same thing to many people 2) to tell people something |
| give up | 1) to admit that you don’t know 2) to leave your job |
| give up (sth) | to stop doing something before you have finished it, usually because it is too difficult |
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Get your writing checked, track your progress online.Sample papers, online practice tests & tips.
CAE Phrasal Verbs: GO / HOLD
GO
| go after (sb) | to chase or follow someone in order to catch them |
| go after (something) | to try to get something |
| go along with (someone/something) | to support an idea, or to agree with someone’s opinion |
| go away | 1) to leave your home in order to spend time somewhere else, usually for a holiday 2) to stop being present |
| go down | 1) to move to a lower place 2) to change to a lower, amount, price, etc |
| go down with (something) | to start to suffer from an infectious disease |
| go for (something) | 1) to try to have or achieve something 2) to like or admire |
| go in | 1) to enter a place 2) to be understood |
| go in for (something) | to do something regularly, or to enjoy something |
| go into (something) | 1) to start doing a particular type of work 2) to discuss, examine, describe, or explain something in a detailed or careful way |
| go off | 1) to leave a place and go somewhere else 2) to become worse in quality 3) to ring loudly or make a loud noise (alarm) 4) to explode or fire (bomb, gun) 5) to stop working (light, machine) |
| go off (something/someone) | to stop liking or being interested in someone or something |
| go on | 1) to continue or move to the next thing 2) to start operating 3) |
| go out | 1) to leave a room or building, especially in order to do something for entertainment 2) to stop producing light or heat |
| go out with (someone) | to have a romantic and usually sexual relationship with someone |
| go over (to) | to move near someone |
| go over (something) | to examine or look at something in a careful or detailed way |
| go round | 1) to visit a place 2) to be enough for everyone or everything 3) to walk, drive round the outside of a place |
| go through | 1) to experience an unpleasant or difficult time 2) to examine something carefully |
| go through with (something) | to do something unpleasant or difficult that has already been agreed or promised |
| go together | to look good together |
| go under | to go below the surace of water |
| go up | 1) to move higher, rise, or increase 2) to be built |
| go with (something) | to look attractive with something |
HOLD
| hold against | 1) have a grudge; 2) show little respect |
| hold back | not show emotion |
| hold back | prevent from progressing or moving forward |
| hold back | not disclose or make public |
| hold back from | not allowed to do something |
| hold down | keep or have a job |
| hold down | prevent from moving by restraint |
| hold down | retain in your stomach |
| hold forth | state your opinions about something |
| hold off | delay |
| hold off | bad weather NOT appearing |
| hold off | prevent someone from attacking or beating you |
| hold on | wait |
| hold on | grip tightly |
| hold onto | keep longer than necessary |
| hold onto | hold tightly; grip |
| hold out | resist |
| hold out | extend in front of you |
| hold out for smth | wait for something better |
| hold out on | not disclose; not pay |
| hold over | delay |
| hold over | go longer than planned |
| hold together | not break up or come apart |
| hold up | delay especially when travelling |
| hold up | Robbery (a bank hold up, etc.) |
| hold with | agree or accept |
CAE List of Phrasal Verbs: Download PDF
Download PDF
CAE List of Phrasal Verbs: Download XLS
FAQs
What are the 20 most used phrasal verbs? ›
- Turn up/down – Turn (something) up/down – increase or decrease the volume or strength. ...
- Turn up – appear suddenly. ...
- Turn down / Turn (something) down - refuse. ...
- Wake up – stop sleeping. ...
- Work out – exercise. ...
- Work out – be successful.
- 1 To ask around. Definition: to ask many people the same question. ...
- 2 To call back. Definition: to return a phone call. ...
- 3 To come across. ...
- 4 To dropby. ...
- 5 To figure (something) out. ...
- 6 To run by/past. ...
- 7 To shop around. ...
- 8 To think (something) over.
Phrasal verbs are multi-word verbs that, like single-word verbs, convey action of the body or mind (e.g., speak up, figure out) or occurrences (e.g., turn up). Phrasal verbs consist of a basic verb + another word or words, usually a preposition or adverb. Example: speak (basic verb) + up (preposition)
How many phrasal verbs are there in total? ›Memorising phrasal verbs is inefficient because there are over 10,000 phrasal verbs in the English language.
What are the 200 phrasal verbs? ›| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ask out | To invite someone for a date. |
| Ask over | Invite. |
| Ask round | Invite someone. |
| Auction off | Sell something in an auction. |
- Under the weather. Meaning - To feel sick. ...
- The ball is in your court. ...
- Spill the beans. ...
- Pull someone's leg. ...
- Sit on the fence. ...
- Through thick and thin. ...
- Once in a blue moon. ...
- The best of both worlds.
Phrasal Verb: VERB + ADVERB + PREPOSITION.
How do you memorize phrasal verbs? ›- Create the topic categories that you want to study.
- For each category, write down between 5 and 10 commonly used phrasal verbs.
- Add each phrasal verb's meaning.
- Now add three different examples of each phrasal verb being used in a sentence in English.
- Under the weather. What does it mean? ...
- The ball is in your court. What does it mean? ...
- Spill the beans. What does it mean? ...
- Break a leg. What does it mean? ...
- Pull someone's leg. What does it mean? ...
- Sat on the fence. What does it mean? ...
- Through thick and thin. ...
- Once in a blue moon.
There are four types of phrasal verbs. They are Separable Phrasal Verbs, Inseparable Phrasal Verbs (Transitive,) Three-word Phrasal Verbs (Transitive,) and Intransitive Phrasal Verbs.
What are modals PDF? ›
Modal verbs (modals) are verbs that add the meaning of logical possibility, ability, necessity, and permission to verbs, which have a degree of strength from stronger to weaker. Modals come before infinitive verbs and the “to” is removed.
Does English have a lot of phrasal verbs? ›Phrasal verbs are very common in English, especially in more informal contexts. They are made up of a verb and a particle or, sometimes, two particles. The particle often changes the meaning of the verb. In terms of word order, there are two main types of phrasal verb: separable and inseparable.
Do phrasal verbs exist in other languages? ›At some point, all English learners will come across phrasal verbs. Although it is totally possible to get by without them, all native English speakers use them on a daily basis. They are often hard for learners to pick up, as they don't exist in most other languages.
How many parts do phrasal verbs have? ›Phrasal verbs have two parts: a main verb and an adverb particle.
What is the difference between verb phrase and phrasal verb? ›The key difference between verb phrase and the phrasal verb is that the verb phrase refers to a verb that has more than one word whereas the phrasal verb refers to a verb followed by a preposition or an adverb. Both the verb phrase and phrasal verb contain a main verb and words that support it.
How many phrases are there in English? ›Eight common types of phrases are: noun, verb, gerund, infinitive, appositive, participial, prepositional, and absolute. Take a look at our selection of phrase examples below.
How many phrasal verbs are there with get? ›How many phrasal verbs are there with “get”? There are 177 phrasal verbs with “get”! Don't worry, not all of them are hard to understand.
What are the 50 idiomatic expressions? ›| IDIOM | MEANING |
|---|---|
| Kill two birds with one stone | Solve two problems at once / with one action |
| Leave no stone unturned | Do everything possible to achieve a goal |
| Let the cat out of the bag | Accidentially reveal a secret |
| Make a long story short | Come to the point |
- Get your act together (Meaning: you need to improve your behaviour/work) ...
- Pull yourself together (Meaning: calm down) ...
- I'm feeling under the weather (Meaning: I'm sick) ...
- It's a piece of cake (Meaning: it's easy) ...
- Break a leg (Meaning: good luck!)
Inseparable phrasal verbs can be transitive (i.e., they can take a direct object), but you can't insert that direct object into the middle of the phrasal verb. In other words, they can't be separated, thus their name.
Are phrasal verbs grammar or vocabulary? ›
A phrasal verb is a vocabulary item that consists of a 'root verb' such as break, get, put, etc and a 'particle' (an adverb or preposition and sometimes both) such as off, away or in.
What are the characteristics of phrasal verb? ›Phrasal verbs are multiword combinations of Verb + Adverb, Verb + Preposition, or Verb + Adverb AND Preposition that function like one-word verbs. They can be transitive or intransitive.
How many phrasal verbs should we learn? ›All joking aside, there really is no “set number of basic phrasal verbs every English learner should know if he or she wants to become a true speaker of the language!”. Try to learn a couple, to begin with, and then one or two every week to enrich your vocabulary.
How do you master phrasal verbs in English? ›- Look for the written transcript on Google.
- Write down the phrasal verbs you find in the transcript.
- Look up their meanings in the dictionary.
- Read some example sentences on Phrasal Verb Demon.
- Practice making your own sentences.
- Create flashcards and test yourself regularly.
Phrasal verbs are, definitely, one of the most difficult parts of English grammar. On one hand, they look very simple and they can make our sentences much shorter. On the other hand, they are all alike, sometimes they make sense, but sometimes, it's very difficult to figure out what they mean.
What are 30 idioms? ›| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Beat around the bush | Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortable |
| Better late than never | Better to arrive late than not to come at all |
| Bite the bullet | To get something over with because it is inevitable |
| Break a leg | Good luck |
Adage, proverb, or saw: a widely known or popular aphorism that has gained credibility by long use or tradition.
What are the main phrasal verbs? ›- To bring up 💬 Meaning: To mention or introduce a topic. ...
- To fill out 📝 Meaning: To complete a form. ...
- Abide by 👮 Meaning: To follow specific rules or an established way of doing things. ...
- To bank on 🙋 ...
- To brush up on 🖌️ ...
- To cut down on ✂️ ...
- Fall through 🙁 ...
- Kick off 🚀
- 1 - Our taxi is here. ...
- 2 - The train is just about to leave. ...
- 3 - It's getting cold. ...
- 4 - Please take ___ your dirty shoes before you come in. ...
- 5 - I'm tired of walking. ...
- 6 - Hang ___ the laundry so that it can dry in the sun. ...
- 7 - Remember to take ___ the garbage before you go to bed.
- bring back. meaning: to return something. ...
- fill in. meaning: to complete a form. ...
- have on. meaning: to wear something. ...
- put out. meaning: to extinguish/ to make a fire stop working. ...
- take off. meaning: to remove clothes/ to get undressed.
What are the types of phrasal verbs? ›
There are four types of phrasal verbs. They are Separable Phrasal Verbs, Inseparable Phrasal Verbs (Transitive,) Three-word Phrasal Verbs (Transitive,) and Intransitive Phrasal Verbs.
What are the 20 idioms with meaning? ›- Adding insult to injury – Make things worse. ...
- Beat around the bush – Avoid saying something. ...
- Blessing in disguise – An unexpectedly good thing. ...
- Birds of a feather flock together – People with a lot in common become good friends. ...
- Biting off more than you can chew - Be overwhelmed.
- Under the weather. What does it mean? ...
- The ball is in your court. What does it mean? ...
- Spill the beans. What does it mean? ...
- Break a leg. What does it mean? ...
- Pull someone's leg. What does it mean? ...
- Sat on the fence. What does it mean? ...
- Through thick and thin. ...
- Once in a blue moon.
- Create the topic categories that you want to study.
- For each category, write down between 5 and 10 commonly used phrasal verbs.
- Add each phrasal verb's meaning.
- Now add three different examples of each phrasal verb being used in a sentence in English.
Phrasal Verb: VERB + ADVERB + PREPOSITION.
Are idioms phrasal verbs? ›Phrasal verbs are compound verbs (more than one word) that result from combining a verb with an adverb or a preposition. The resulting compound verb is idiomatic (e.g. its meaning cannot be derived from the dictionary meaning of its parts).
What are phrasal verbs in English grammar? ›Phrasal verbs are two or more words that together act as a completely new word, with a meaning separate from the original words. For example, pick up means to “grab” or “lift,” very different from the definitions of pick and up alone.
What are the 15 phrasal verbs? ›| Take up | To begin a new hobby |
|---|---|
| Go along | To continue to happen or to develop |
| Back out | Withdraw from something one has agreed to do |
| Wipe out | To destroy something completely |
| Use up | Finish a supply of something |
Phrasal Verbs: Different from Verb Phrases
A verb phrase is a verb with more than one word, and a phrasal verb is a verb that includes one particle or more (a preposition, an adverb, or both).
Definition of phrasal verb
: a phrase (such as take off or look down on) that combines a verb with a preposition or adverb or both and that functions as a verb whose meaning is different from the combined meanings of the individual words.
What are the two types of phrasal verbs? ›
In terms of word order, there are two main types of phrasal verb: separable and inseparable.
What are the 3 types of phrasal verbs? ›...
3 Types of Phrasal Verbs
- Prepositional Phrasal Verb. ...
- Particle Phrasal Verb. ...
- Prepositional-Particle Phrasal Verb.