English ESL Worksheets: Phrasal Verbs. Theory and exercises to practice the most used English phrasal verbs. Free eBook and printable PDF
English ESL Worksheets: Phrasal Verbs
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Phrasal verbs
Phrasal verbs are verbs that are used in common with other parts of speech, usually prepositions, and take on meanings of their own when combined with these other parts of speech.
Phrasal verbs are very useful and plentiful, and hence provide endless teaching materials for ESL teachers.
Some examples include:
- to go out = to date
- to bring up = to raise
- to take after = to act like
- to find out = to learn, to discover
- to put off = to postpone
To see the difference that simple preposition can make in meaning:
- take up = do a hobby
- take off = undress
- take in = adopt
- take away = revoke
- take over = conquer
The importance of phrasal verbs to ESL teaching and learning cannot be overstated. Although phrasal verbs are written as a combination of two or more words, they act as if they were one word.
Phrasal verbs can be inseparable, separable, transitive, and intransitive.
Here is a list of the most commonly used with some exercises:
- TO GET
- TO BREAK
- TO FALL
- TO GIVE
- TO GO
- TO LOOK
- TO MAKE
- TO PUT
- TO RUN
- TO TAKE
- TO TURN
English ESL Worksheets: Phrasal Verbs
Exercises
| TO GET | ||
| Phrasal verbs | The situation | Phrases with similar meaning or sentiment |
| (1) to get off with | Clare’s party. | Pete got off with Eva / had a romanctic liaison with |
| (2) to get on | The bus, the train. | A strange man got on at Ealing / boarded |
| (3) to get on with | His parents. | I don’t get on with his parents / our relations are not good |
| (4) to get through (to) | Phoning the office | I couldn’t get through / The call was unsuccessful. |
| (5) to get up | Tomorrow morning | I have to get up at 6 tomorrow |
Fill the gaps with correct preposition.
- 1 Anne got _____ with Alan at the office party.
- 2 When I got _____ the bus, it was full and I had to stand up.
- 3 My boss is OK. We get _____ quite well.
- 4 Is there something wrong with your mobile? I couldn’t get _____ .
- 5 Monday tomorrow and that means getting _____ early.
- 6 The police know that he got _____ at Petersfield but they still don’t know where he was going.
- 7 We’ve phoned the station 5 times but we can’t get _____ to information.
- 8 He’s a pig. He got _____ with my ex.
- 9 She doesn’t have to get _____ until ten.
- 10 My brother and I used to fight but now we get _____ just fine.
| TO GET 2 | ||
| Phrasal verbs | The situation | Phrases with similar meaning or sentiment |
| (1) to get away with | Someone who never does the washing up. | I don’t know how he gets away with it / Why doesn’t anyone make objections or complain about it? |
| (2) to get by (on) | You went on holiday without much money. | I got by on 20 Euros a day / I survived on 20 Euros a day. |
| (3) to get down to | Your exams are coming up. | I need to get down to some revision / I need to start doing some serious work. |
| (4) to get over | You’ve had the flu | It took me 10 days to get over it / to get better or recover. |
| (5) to get round | You want to go camping but you need your parents’ permission. | I can get round them somehow / persuade them somehow |
Fill the gaps with correct preposition.
- 1 A: Mary never does any revision but she always passes her exams.
- B: I know. I don’t know how she gets ______________ with it.
- 2 I want Tuesday off work but I’m not sure how to get ______________ my boss.
- 3 I still haven’t got ______________ this wretched cold yet.
- 4 A: How am I going to persuade Diane to let me come?
- B: Don’t worry. We’ll get ______________ her somehow.
- 5 A: How much money did you spend in Thailand?
- B: You can get ______________ on $ 15 a day.
- 6 The robbers got ______________ with a million Euros.
- 7 It took me a year to get ______________ my divorce.
- 8 A: When are your exams?
- B: In 6 weeks time. I really need to get ______________ to some work.
- 9 When I was a student, I got ______________ on very little money.
- 10 A: Geof had an operation last year.
- B: Yes but he got ______________ it quickly.
| TO BREAK | ||
| Phrasal verbs | The situation | Phrases with similar meaning or sentiment |
| (1) to break down | The car | The car broke down in the middle of nowhere / stopped working. |
| (2) to break into | A burglary | Thieves broke into our house while we were on holiday. |
| (3) to break off | Diplomacy | The US has broken off trade talks with The EU. |
| (4) to break out | A prison | Three men broke out of prison yesterday. |
| (5) to break up | A relationship | When she discovered he was a pig, she broke up with him. |
Fill the gaps with correct preposition.
- 1 The United States has broken ___________ all commercial ties with North Korea.
- 2 Janet and Andy broke ___________ last Saturday. Everybody’s so shocked.
- 3 The lift broke ___________ so we had to walk up the stairs.
- 4 A mad man broke ___________ of the high security mental hospital yesterday.
- 5 Thieves broke ___________ The Tower of London and stole The Crown Jewels.
- 6 My granny broke ___________ with her husband when she was 80!
- 7 Sorry I’m late. The bus __________ down.
- 8 The European Union is threatening to break ___________ trade links with Algeria.
- 9 Someone broke ___________ our school and burnt all the exams.
- 10 Fifty prisoners broke ___________ of the camp last night
| TO FALL | ||
| Phrasal verbs | The situation | Phrases with similar meaning or sentiment |
| 1 to fall apart | A rusty old car | I need to buy a new car before this one falls apart / disintergrates. |
| 2 to fall behind | You missed a week of classes | I’ve really fallen behind / I have a lot of catching up to do. |
| 3 to fall for | You bite a wax apple which had been strategically placed in the fruit bowl by your brother. | I really fell for it / I thought it was real. |
| 4 to fall out (with) | A friend | I’ve fallen out with Paco / Our friendship has finished. |
| 5 to fall through | A plan | We were all going to the beach but the plan fell through / we didn’t go in the end. |
Fill the gaps with correct preposition.
- 1 I haven’t seen you with Gary for ages. I hope you haven’t fallen __________.
- 2 My house needs some urgent repair work. It’s falling __________.
- 3 I’m worried about little Johnny. He’s falling __________ the rest of the class.
- 4 I’m not going out this weekend because I’ve really fallen __________ in my assignments.
- 5 A: Sorry I’m late. The traffic was bad.
- B: You don’t expect me to fall __________ that old excuse, do you?
- 6 He told me he needed money for petrol and I fell __________ it.
- 7 Begoña used to get on well with her neighbours but they fell __________ over making too much noise.
- 8 I’ve dropped my remote control for the TV so many times that it’s literally falling __________ .
- 9 We were all set to launch a new product into the market but it all fell __________ .
- 10 A: I thought you were going to spend a year in Lisbon.
- B: I was, but it’s fallen __________ .
| TO GIVE | ||
| Phrasal verbs | The situation | Phrases with similar meaning or sentiment |
| (1) to give away | A free offer | This magazine is giving away a free CD. |
| (2) to give in | A conflict of interests | I give in/I surrender. Have it your way. |
| (3) to give off / out | A heater | It gives off a good heat /It emits a good heat. |
| (4) to give out | Someone who complains a lot | He’s always giving out about something. |
| (5) to give up(1) | smoking | I gave up 3 years ago/ I stopped 3 years ago. |
| (6) to give up(2) | A difficult question | I give up / I don’t know so tell me the answer. |
Fill the gaps with correct preposition.
| 1 | Oh stop giving ____________. You’re always complaining, you are! |
| 2 | They’re giving ____________ a free beach towel with every 20,000 cans of cola you buy! |
| 3 | Don’t give ____________ . Keep trying. |
| 4 | Sam didn’t want to help so we all tried to persuade him and in the end he gave ____________ . |
| 5 | It’s difficult to give ____________ bad habits. |
| 6 | The fire gave ____________ a tremendous heat. |
| 7 | It was a very difficult problem. In the end I gave ____________ and found somebody to help me. |
| 8 | Our boss is mean. He never gives ____________ anything. |
| 9 | Do you know the answer or do you give ____________ ? |
| 10 | I’ve got a small electric heater but it doesn’t give ____________ much heat. |
| TO GO | ||
| Phrasal verbs | The situation | Phrases with similar meaning or sentiment |
| 1 to go away | The weekend | I’m going away for the weekend / I’m leaving my city or area to go to another place. |
| 2 to go in for | Holidays: Carla hates just lying on the beach all day. | Carla goes in for action holidays / She prefers action holidays. |
| 3 to go off (1) | Bananas! Where to keep them. | If you put bananas in the fridge, they go black. If you leave them out, they go off / go bad or rotten. |
| 4 to go off (2) | Hard rock | I used to like hard rock but I’ve gone off it now / don’t like it anymore. |
| 5 to go on | Talking too much | Kay is always going on / talking incessantly or nonstop about her health problems. |
| 6 to go out | Friday and Saturday | I normally stay in on Friday night and go out / go to a pub in my area on Saturday. |
| 7 to go over | Instructions for a camera | You really should go over / study carefully the instructions before you start taking pictures. |
Fill the gaps with correct preposition.
- 1 Make sure you go __________ the report before the meeting.
- 2 Stop going __________. You’re giving me a headache.
- 3 Can we go to a Thai restaurant. It’s just I don’t go __________ burgers and pizzas.
- 4 That fish of yours has been in the fridge for a week. It must have gone __________ by now.
- 5 This weekend? Hmm. We could go out for a posh meal or get in the car and go __________ for a couple of days.
- 6 I used to like blue cheese but I’ve gone __________ it now.
- 7 I avoid going __________ during the week.
- 8 Begoña’s gone __________ with her boyfriend for 4 days at the beach.
- 9 Kyle doesn’t like discos. He goes __________ quiet bars where you can hear yourself speak.
- 10 This chicken smells funny. I think it’s gone __________.
- 11 Patrick is so boring. He goes __________ about himself the whole time.
- 12 Let’s go __________ the details one more time to make sure everything’s clear.
| TO LOOK | ||
| Phrasal verbs | The situation | Phrases with similar meaning or sentiment |
| (1) to look after | You’re going away. | Can you look after the cat for me? / take care of |
| (2) to look for | You’ve lost your watch. | I’m looking for my watch / searching for |
| (3) to look forward to | Your holiday | I’m really looking forward to my holiday / can’t wait for |
| (4) to look out | A car’s coming. | Look out! / Be careful! |
| (5) to look up | You don’t understand a word. | I’ll have to look it up in the dictionary / check it |
Fill the gaps with correct preposition.
- 1 Who looks _____ Bobbi when you’re away?
- 2 I was looking _____ it for ages. In the end I found it in my dressing gown pocket.
- 3 We’re going camping next weekend. I’m really looking _____ to it.
- 4 Look ____ ! A banana skin!
- 5 This book is too difficult. I have to look _____ too many words all the time.
- 6 I’ve got the dentist on Thursday. I’m not looking _____ to it at all.
- 7 When my parents went on holiday, my granny looked _____ me. Dear old Granny!
- 8 There’s a scooter coming. Look !_____
- 9 I’ve finished with my boyfriend because when I wasn’t feeling very well he didn’t look _____ me.
- 10 Try to guess the meaning without looking it _____ .
| TO MAKE | ||
| Phrasal verbs | The situation | Phrases with similar meaning or sentiment |
| 1 to make it | The 5:33 train | We made it / arrived on time for the 5:33 train. |
| 2 to make of | The Pirates of The Caribbean | What did you make of the film? What was your opinion of it? |
| 3 to make off with | A bank robbery | The robbers made off with / escaped with 3 million Euros. |
| 4 to make out | A false accent | He tried to make out / give the impression that he was Scottish but his accent was dreadful. |
| 5 to make up (1) | A lie | She made it all up / invented the whole story. |
| 6 to make up (2) | An argument | Have you made up / made peace with Susanne yet? |
Fill the gaps with correct preposition.
- 1 They had a massive row. Both of them resolutely refuse to make _________.
- 2 In Naples a motorcyclist made _________ with my wife’s handbag.
- 3 He tried to make _________ he’d been out with friends but I knew the terrible truth.
- 4 If you’re not going to tell him the truth, then you’ll have to make _________ a pretty good excuse.
- 5 Hmm. Very strange. What do you make _________ it, Sherlock?
- 6 Sarah and Clare didn’t make _________ on time. We had to leave without them.
- 7 I didn’t make much _________ that restaurant. Did you?
- 8 Sorry I couldn’t make _________ to the cinema. My girlfriend called and talked for hours.
- 9 The mugger made _________ with my wallet, my watch and my mobile phone.
- 10 He got a free flight to San Francisco by making _________ he worked for PanAm.
| TO PUT | ||
| Phrasal verbs | The situation | Phrases with similar meaning or sentiment |
| (1) to put off | Clare’s party; she’s got flu. | She’s put it off until next Saturday / It’s postponed. |
| (2) to put off | You’re playing chess. | Be quiet! You’re putting me off / distracting me. |
| (3) to put on | It’s cold outside. | Put your coat on / Wear your coat. |
| (4) to put up with | Someone’s being horrible to you. | I can’t put up with it anymore / I can’t tolerate it. |
| (5) to put someone through | You phone a big company. | I’m putting you through now / connecting you. |
Fill the gaps with correct preposition.
- 1 We’ve decided to put _____ the camping trip until next week because of the bad weather.
- 2 Don’t laugh! You’re putting me _____.
- 3 I’m cold. I’ll put my jumper _____.
- 4 Uncle Tom’s an idiot but I only have to put _____ with him once a year.
- 5 Hold the line, please. I’m putting you _____ now.
- 6 This is a very difficult trick so try not to put me _____, OK?
- 7 He put his glasses _____before he opened the newspaper.
- 8 Putting _____ with my paranoid boss is the worst part of my job.
- 9 Raymond wants me to have a drink with him tomorrow. I must find a way to put it _____.
- 10 Can you put me _____ to Mr Brown, please?
| TO RUN | ||
| Phrasal verb | The Situation | Phrases with similar meaning or sentiment |
| (1) to run down | A critical person | He runs down everything I do / He criticizes everything I do. |
| (2) to run into | In the street | I ran into your ex yesterday / I met your ex. |
| (3) to run over | Granny’s cat | It was run over / killed by a car. |
| (4) to run out (of) | The end of the class | We’re run out ot time / There’s no more time. |
| (5) to run up | Your credit at the shop | You’ve run up a big bill / You’ve accumulated a big bill. |
Fill the gaps with correct preposition.
- 1 He’s always running _______ the government.
- 2 I ran _______ an old friend the other day.
- 3 He limps because he was run _______ when he was 6.
- 4 She ran _______ of money on holiday.
- 5 I’ve run _______ a huge bill on my credit card.
- 6 We ran _______ our neighbour on holiday in Itaca.
- 7 We’ve run _______ of milk!
- 8 He’s a pig. He’s always running his girlfriend _______ .
- 9 A policeman got run _______ yesterday.
- 10 Be careful with Internet. You could run _______ a big bill.
| TO TAKE | ||
| Phrasal verb | The Situation | Phrases with similar meaning or sentiment |
| (1) to take after | Family resemblance: character or physical | She takes after her father / Her character is similar to her father’s. |
| (2) to take in | In class | I took everything in / I absorbed all the information. |
| (3) to take off | You’re hot | Take your jumper off / Remove your jumper. |
| (4) to take over | One company buys another | Dung Burgers have taken over Cack Pizzas / They have taken control of them / bought them out. |
| (5) to take up | A new hobby | Dave’s taken up golf / He’s started playing golf as a hobby. |
Fill the gaps with correct preposition.
- 1 I’ve just taken _______ karate.
- 2 The lesson was complicated but I managed to take ______ most of it.
- 3 My brother has a short temper. My father says he takes ________ our mother.
- 4 She normally takes ______ her shoes before lying on the bed.
- 5 The new director will be taking _______ next month.
- 6 He took _______ his hat before he entered her house.
- 7 Many people take _______ English to help their careers.
- 8 He spoke so fast that I couldn’t take _______ a word of what he said.
- 9 He’s not academic. He takes ______ his father.
- 10 Companies are always taking each other ______ .
| TO TURN | ||
| Phrasal verbs | The situation | Phrases with similar meaning or sentiment |
| (1) to turn down(1) | A job offer | She turned down an opportunity to work in China / She rejected it. |
| (2) to turn down (2) | Loud music | Turn it down / Decrease the volume |
| (3) to turn off | The Telly | There was rubbish on every channel so I turned it off. |
| (4) to turn on | A heater | I felt cold so I turned the heater on. |
| (5) to turn out | The weather | It’s turned out nice / It’s a nice day. |
| (6) to turn up(1) | a meeting | Only 3 people turned up / came to the meeting. |
| (7) to turn up (2) | The news | Turn it up. I can’t hear it. |
Fill the gaps with the correct preposition.
- 1 You’ve been watching cartoons all morning. It’s time to turn the telly _____________ now.
- 2 Michael was offered a great job but he turned it _____________ .
- 3 We were worried about it raining on the day of the picnic but it turned _____________ fine in the end.
- 4 I hate it when I forget to turn _____________ the alarm clock on a Saturday.
- 5 Thousands of people turned ______________to protest against the exploitation of children by big companies.
- 6 I can’t hear what they’re saying. Can you turn it _____________ , please?
- 7 They turned me _____________ for the new position.
- 8 Turning _____________ a computer involves 3 different steps. Crazy, isn’t it?
- 9 How many turned _____________ for the charity concert?
- 10 He drives around town with tecno music turned _____________ to the maximum volume. What an idiot!
English ESL Worksheets: Phrasal Verbs
The Top Phrasal Verbs Exercise
Fill the gaps with prepositions.
- 1 Damn. My pen’s run __________ . Can you lend me yours?
- 2 This is a problem we need to sort __________ as soon as possible.
- 3 I get __________ with my boss. I’ve no problems there.
- 4 Look.There’s Andy. He’s showing __________ in his new sports car. Idiot.
- 5 What time does your plane take __________?
- 6 We were going to Cuenca for the weekend but the plan fell __________ at the last moment.
- 7 “I can’t stand my husband’s mother, but I can’t complain. I only have to put __________ with her two or three times a year.”
- 8 She first took __________ ballet when she was six.
- 9 They haven’t spoken to each other for 3 years. They fell __________ over money.
- 10 A: I thought you were going to spend a year in Lisbon.
- B: I was, but it’s fallen __________ .
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