• Ielts Vocabulary Free Download
• Ielts Vocabulary List Pdf
• Most Important Phrasal Verbs For Ielts Ielts Documented
• Most Important Phrasal Verbs For Ielts Ielts Documentation

Introduction

A phrasal verb is the combination of a standard verb such as make or put with one or two particles. In some cases the particle is an adverb such as away, together; in others it is a preposition such as through, in. Here are a few examples of the many hundreds of English phrasal verbs: pass away, pull together, fall through, make do with, put down to.

Phrasal verbs are combinations of words that perform the function of a verb. These combinations necessarily include a verb and either an adverb or a preposition (or both). They form one complete semantic unit because the words that comprise a phrasal verb together describe one action. Phrasal verbs are an important part of learning the English language. Most phrasal verbs consist of two words (verb + adverb or verb + preposition) but a few consists of three words. Think of them as you would any other English vocabulary. Study them as you come across them, rather than trying t.

[ Return to the Phrasal Verbs index. ]

Ielts Vocabulary Free Download

The difficulty of phrasal verbs

Phrasal verbs are one of the most difficult aspects for learners of the English language. There are three main reasons for this:

1. In many cases the meaning of the phrasal verb cannot be deduced from its elements, i.e., it is being used idiomatically. For example: a learner who knows that to tick is to make a checkmark may have difficulty in understanding the sentence The teacher ticked off the student for being late, in which the phrasal verb to tick off means to reprimand or to express disapproval.
2. Many phrasal verbs are polysemous; i.e., they have more than one meaning. The phrasal verb to put down has the literal meaning of putting something down on the table or floor. But it also has the idiomatic meanings:
   • to make someone feel small, to criticize and humiliate them
   • to kill as in the sentence I had to have my cat put down.
   • to stop, quash, put an end to as in the sentence The police put down the riots with unnecessary brutality.
3. There are difficulties with the grammar of phrasal verbs, particularly with the position of the particles. Look at the following examples:

   She put down the baby.	She put the baby down.
   The teacher put the student down.	The teacher put down the student.
   The student put her bad grade down to tiredness.	The student put down her bad grade to tiredness.

The importance of phrasal verbs

Phrasal verbs are very important for learners because they are so prevalent in everyday spoken and informal written language. Not only do learners need to understand the more common phrasal verbs, but they will also need to use them themselves. If they don't, and use a more formal synonym, they run the risk of sounding pompous or ridiculous to native speakers. Imagine, for example, your friend telling you Oh, do desist from talking! instead of Oh, do shut up! or Oh, do belt up! or Oh, do pipe down!

Selection principles

The phrasal verbs listed on this website are those that, in the opinion of the webmaster, are among the most useful for English learners to learn first. Only idiomatic phrasal verbs that are likely to cause difficulties to language learners have been included. The definition listed for each phrasal verb is generally very short and should be regarded as the first step in the learning process. The example sentences are the second, more useful step in the process of understanding the verb and the contexts in which is is used. The third step is to look at the additional information that is listed for some verbs.

The Collins Cobuild Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs is recommended for learners who want to more examples of this difficult but important aspect of English grammar. There is a comprehensive list of phrasal verbs on the UsingEnglish website.

For teachers: There is an analysis of phrasal verbs in: Lui, Dilin. 'The Most Frequently Used English Phrasal Verbs in American and British English: A Multicorpus Examination.' TESOL Quarterly 45.4 (2011): 661-688.

Turn on / Turn off

• Turn on the TV, I want to watch a program.
• Turn off the TV – it’s time to go to bed.

Put on / Take off

• I was cold, so I put on a jacket.
• When I get home, I always take off my shoes.

You can use put on / take off with clothes, shoes, hats, watches, and jewelry.

Ielts Vocabulary List Pdf

Find out

To discover or learn information.

• Can you find out what time the first train to London arrives?
• I just found out that my coworkers are going to have a surprise birthday party for me.

Find out can be used to discover information on purpose (first example) or by accident (second example).

Give up

To stop doing something.

• I need to give up smoking.
• The book was so difficult that I gave up. I didn’t finish the book.
• My doctor says I need to give up fast food.

You can use give up with an activity (smoking) or a thing (fast food).

Put away

To put something in its place.

• Your clothes are all over the floor. Please put them away.
• I put away all the toys, then cleaned the house.

Most Important Phrasal Verbs For Ielts Ielts Documented

Throw away (Throw out)

To put something in the garbage/trash.

• The bananas were rotten, so I threw them away.
• I accidentally threw out some important documents! 🙁

Fill in

To give missing information.

• Please fill in the missing word in this sentence: My brother _____ 12 years old.
• To get a passport, I filled in two forms and paid $200.

Most Important Phrasal Verbs For Ielts Ielts Documentation

Get along (+ with)

To have a good relationship.

• My parents get along very well. They’ve been married for 35 years.
• We get along with our boss. We enjoy working for her.
• I don’t get along with my brother. We fight all the time.