FCE Phrasal Verbs
get by
manage to survive / live with just enough e.g. money "My dad doesn't have a job right now but we manage to ___ __"
take turns
to alternate "My mum and dad took _____ driving on the way to Italy"
fall out
to argue or stop being friendly with someone "I've fallen ___ with my best friend"
turn up
to arrive, usually unexpectedly early or late "We invited everyone over for 8pm but the first guests turned __ at 10"
pull in
to attract "The interesting shop display pulled __ lots of customers"
live up to
to be as good as something "It's hard to ____ __ __ my parents' expectations of me"
not have a clue
to be completely unable to guess, understand, or deal with something "I don't ____ _ ____ what we just did in that lesson!"
be up to
to be doing something "What have you been __ __ recently?"
show off
to behave to attract attention. "She's really showing ___ her expensive new dress today"
go for
to choose "I didn't know what to choose but in the end I went ___ pizza"
pick up
to collect, or to go and get, someone or something "I need to ____ __ my little sister from school"
go on
to continue "The road was blocked so we couldn't __ __"
get on with
to continue doing something, especially work "I can't talk, I have to ___ __ ____ my homework"; OR to be friendly with "I ___ __ well ____ my classmates"
stick to
to continue, follow, or obey a plan "If you _____ __ your diet you will lose weight!"
put off
to decide or arrange to delay an event or activity until a later time or date "Lots of kids are missing today so we'll ___ ___ the test until next week"
pay in
to deposit or put money in to a bank account "Hello, I need to ___ this money __ to my account"
sum up
to describe the important facts or characteristics about something or someone "I can ___ him __ in two words - an idiot!"
turn out
to develop in a particular way or have a particular result "I was really worried but in the end it turned ___ fine"
pass away
to die (usually a person) "My great grandma passed ____ when I was a baby"
let down
to disappoint "We were supposed to meet outside the club but my friend ___ me ____ so I had to go in alone"; OR to to let air out (of something) "Someone has ___ ____ our car tyres!"
find out
to discover information "I'll have to ____ ___ what time the film starts"
talk over
to discuss a problem or a plan "Instead of fighting you two should just ____ it ____"
cut down (on)
to do less of something or use something in smaller amounts "I need to ___ ____ on how much chocolate I eat"
take risks
to do something even though something bad might happen because of it "I don't like taking _____"
keep a promise
to do what you said you would do "A friend is someone who can ____ _ _______"
get into
to enter "I hope I ___ ____ my choice of high school"
set up
to establish "My parents ___ __ a cleaning business"
look into
to examine the facts about a problem or situation "We made a complaint about the hotel and they have promised to ____ ____ it"
let (someone) off
to excuse someone from doing something "I'll ___ you ___ doing your presentation today if you're not feeling well"
work out
to exercise "I like to ____ __ at the gym"; OR to solve a problem by calculation or study "I worked ___ the answer all by myself!"
fall through
to fail to happen or be completed (plans, arrangements, etc.) "Our plan to go to the cinema fell _______ which was a shame"
come across
to find or meet (something or someone) by chance "I came ______ my old dress in the charity shop"
add up
to find the total of "Two plus two adds __ to 4"
get through
to finish/complete (some work / a task / a book / etc.) "Try to ___ _______ at least 1 chapter of your book each day"
throw away
to get rid of/discard "My mum threw ____ all my old dolls but I still want them!"
give away
to give something to someone else for free "I gave ____ all my old clothes to charity"
pop into
to go into a place or visit for a short time "Before we go for lunch I just need to ___ ____ H&M"
stay up
to go to bed later than usual "I stayed __ to watch the sun come up"
run out (of)
to have no more of (something) "Can you lend me some money as I seem to have ___ ___?"
come up against
to have to deal with a problem "I've never ____ __ _______ anything I can't handle!"
cut off
to interrupt a power supply. "I couldn't Skype you as our internet was ___ ___"
take up to
to last a period of time "This test can ____ __ __ one hour to complete"
go without
to live without something you need or usually have "This month I've gone _______ my phone as the battery died"
care for
to look after "We cared ___ my grandma when she became ill"
take after
to look or be like an older relative "Everyone says I ____ _____ my mum"
go off
to make a sudden loud noise "My alarm clock goes ___ at six every morning"
wear out
to make someone extremely tired "I was completely worn ___ after the match"
clear up
to make things (a place, a situation) cleaner or tidier "You can't have any sweets until you _____ your room __"
do without
to manage without having something "I'm sure I can __ _______ my phone for a day, can't I ?"
get together
to meet (usually for social reasons) "My family all got ________ for my Uncle's birthday"
stay out
to not come home "I stayed ___ until 1am - my mum was not happy!"
get hold of
to obtain something "I called my friend but couldn't ___ ____ __ her"
take part in
to participate "I love taking ____ __ class discussions"
cater for
to provide what is wanted or needed by someone or something "The hotel was excellent, it catered ___ all our needs"
bring up
to raise a child "My parents brought me __ to be independent; OR to mention a new subject "We brought __ the idea of watching a film in class but out teacher said no"
get over
to recover from (an illness / a failure / a difficulty / a shock / etc.) "It took a long while to ___ ____ the death of my cat"
turn down
to refuse or reject (something or someone) "I was turned ____ for the job because I didn't have enough experience"
chill out
to relax completely "I'm just gonna _____ ___ this weekend"
count on
to rely on, trust "Don't worry, you can _____ __ me to help if you need it"
take out
to remove or borrow something or someone from somewhere "My boyfriend ___ me ___ for a meal"
do up
to repair or decorate a building so that it looks attractive "My family are doing __ our old cottage"; OR to fasten something "I can't __ __ my zip"
look up to
to respect or admire (someone) "I really ____ __ __ my big brother"
hand back
to return something to the person who gave it to you "I must remember to ____ ____ your book when I have finished with it"
make up
to say or write something which is not true "I made __ a story about an elf"; OR to be friends again after a problem "We always have fights but then ____ __ again"
sort out
to solve a problem "I have to stay in and ____ ___ this problem with my PC"
hang around with
to spend time with someone "I stopped hanging ______ ____ my old friends when I went to University"
set off
to start a journey "We ___ ___ for Austria at 5am"
take up
to start doing a particular job or activity "I took __ yoga two years ago"
keep up with
to stay at the same point/level as (someone) "I couldn't ____ __ ____ the faster runners in the race"
pull over
to stop at the side of the road "The police pulled us ____ as we had a broken car headlight"
give up
to stop trying to do something (often because it is too difficult) "I gave __ the piano when I was 10"
break down
to stop working "Our relationship broke ____ so much we no longer spoke to each other"
get away with
to succeed in avoiding punishment for something "I didn't do my homework but I got ____ ____ it as my teacher was ill"
put up with
to suffer or tolerate (a difficult situation or person) without complaining "People who live in flats often have to ___ __ ____ noisy neighbours"
come up with
to suggest or think of an idea or plan "David came __ ____ a nice idea to visit Bruntal this weekend"
take over
to take control of something "I will ____ ____ my father's business when he retires"
point out
to tell someone about some information, often because you believe they do not know it or have forgotten it "I'll just _____ ___ that we don't actually have Maths on Friday"
look back
to think about something that happened in the past "When I ____ ____ on my childhood I realise it wasn't so bad"
look forward to
to think with pleasure about a future event that you expect to enjoy "I'm really looking _______ __ Christmas"
have a go
to try to do something "Why don't you ____ _ __, you might like it?"