Phrasal Verbs (Basic)

To stop sleeping.

"I usually wake up at 6 AM."

To get out of bed after sleeping.

"You need to get up now or you'll be late."

To start a machine or light.

"Please turn on the light; it's getting dark."

To stop a machine or light.

"Don't forget to turn off the TV before going to bed."

To take a seat.

"Please come in and sit down."

To rise to a standing position.

"Everyone stood up when the teacher entered the room."

To wear clothes, shoes, or accessories.

"It's cold outside, so put on your jacket."

To remove clothes or shoes.

"Please take off your shoes before entering the house."

To try to find something.

"I am looking for my keys. Have you seen them?"

To lift something or someone up.

"Can you pick up the phone? It's ringing."

To stop holding something and place it on a surface.

"Put down your pencils, the exam is over."

To leave one's home to go to a social event.

"Are we going out for dinner tonight?"

To enter a room or building.

"The door is open, please come in!"

To return to a place.

"I forgot my wallet, so I have to go back home."

To stop trying to do something.

"The puzzle is too hard, I give up."

To put on clothes to see if they fit.

"You should try on this shirt before you buy it."

To put something in the garbage.

"Don't throw away this paper, I still need it."

To make something clean and neat.

"We need to clean up the kitchen after cooking."

To direct your eyes towards something.

"Look at that beautiful bird in the tree!"

To record something on paper.

"Please write down my phone number."

To become an adult.

"He grew up in a small town in Texas."

To do something more quickly.

"Hurry up, or we will miss the bus!"

To become less angry or excited.

"Take a deep breath and calm down."

To wait for a short time.

"Hold on a minute, I'll be right back."

To return a phone call.

"I'm busy right now, can I call you back later?"

To discover information.

"I need to find out what time the movie starts."

To take care of someone or something.

"Can you look after my dog while I'm on holiday?"

To register at a hotel or airport.

"We need to check in at the hotel by 3 PM."

To pay the bill and leave a hotel.

"We checked out of the hotel early this morning."

To complete a form with information.

"Please fill in this application form."

To enter a bus, train, or plane.

"We got on the bus just before it left."

To leave a bus, train, or plane.

"We need to get off at the next train station."

To increase the volume or heat.

"Can you turn up the radio? I love this song."

To decrease the volume or heat.

"Please turn down the TV, I'm trying to sleep."

To change direction.

"I forgot my bag, we have to turn around."

To escape from a place or person.

"The dog was scared and ran away."

To continue doing something.

"Please go on reading the story."

To return money that you borrowed.

"I will pay you back tomorrow."

To arrive at a place.

"He didn't show up for the meeting."

To remove something from somewhere.

"Please take out the trash tonight."

To clean the dishes after a meal or wash your hands and face.

"Dinner is ready, go wash up."

To remove something or buy food to eat elsewhere.

"Two burgers to take away, please."

To exercise in a gym.

"I try to work out at the gym three times a week."

To eat at a restaurant instead of at home.

"We are too tired to cook, let's eat out tonight."

To find information in a book or online.

"If you don't know the word, look it up in the dictionary."

To return something to its owner.

"I will give back your pen after the class."

To die (a polite way of saying it).

"His grandfather passed away last year."

To store something in its correct place.

"Please put away your toys before dinner."

To end a phone call.

"Don't hang up until I finish talking."

When a machine stops working.

"My car broke down on the way to work."