Phrasal verbs: the secret of natural English

A phrasal verb is a verb plus a small word like up, out, off or through. Together they mean something new: to give up has nothing to do with giving.

Why they matter

Fluent speakers use phrasal verbs constantly, especially in dialogue. A character who says “The meeting has been cancelled” sounds formal. One who says “They called it off” sounds real.

Five to start using today

• figure out: understand or solve. “I can't figure out this clue.”
• come across: find by chance. “I came across an old letter.”
• run out of: have none left. “We ran out of time.”
• turn down: refuse. “She turned down the offer.”
• pull through: survive a hard time. “The doctors say he'll pull through.”

One warning

In formal essays, a single-word verb is often better: investigate instead of look into. Choose the register that fits the task. Practise with our Phrasal Verbs worksheet and quick drill.