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?"