Phrasal Verbs for life

Phrasal Verbs for Life: A Comprehensive Guide for English Learners

Phrasal verbs are an essential part of everyday English. They consist of a verb and one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs), and their meanings often differ from the original verb. Mastering phrasal verbs will help you sound more natural in conversations. Below is a detailed guide to common phrasal verbs related to life experiences, along with examples and exercises.

1. Grow up

Meaning: To mature or become an adult.

• She grew up in a small village.
• He wants to be a doctor when he grows up.
• They grew up speaking three languages.

2. Bring up

Meaning: To raise or care for a child.

• Her grandparents brought her up after her parents passed away.
• It’s challenging to bring up children in a big city.
• He was brought up to respect his elders.

3. Look after

Meaning: To take care of someone or something.

• Can you look after my dog while I’m on vacation?
• She looks after her sick mother every day.
• He needs to learn how to look after his finances.

4. Get along

Meaning: To have a good relationship with someone.

• I get along well with my coworkers.
• They didn’t get along at first, but now they’re best friends.
• Do you get along with your neighbors?

5. Fall out

Meaning: To have an argument or disagreement.

• They fell out over money issues.
• She fell out with her best friend last year.
• It’s sad when family members fall out.

6. Make up

Meaning: To reconcile after an argument.

• They had a fight but made up the next day.
• It’s important to make up after disagreements.
• She apologized, and they made up quickly.

7. Go through

Meaning: To experience something difficult.

• She went through a tough time after losing her job.
• He went through a lot of pain during his recovery.
• They went through a divorce last year.

8. Turn out

Meaning: To result in a particular way.

• The party turned out to be a great success.
• He thought it would rain, but it turned out sunny.
• It turned out that she was right all along.

9. Take after

Meaning: To resemble a family member in appearance or behavior.

• She takes after her mother in looks.
• He takes after his father in his love for sports.
• The twins take after each other in many ways.

10. Pass away

Meaning: A polite way to say someone has died.

• His grandfather passed away last month.
• She was sad when her cat passed away.
• Many famous artists have passed away too young.

Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences with the correct phrasal verb from the list above.

1. She ___ in a big city with lots of noise and traffic.
2. After their argument, it took them weeks to ___.
3. He ___ his uncle in his sense of humor.
4. They ___ a lot of financial problems last year.
5. Can you ___ my plants while I’m away?

Exercise 2: Match the Phrasal Verb to Its Meaning

Phrasal Verb	Meaning
Grow up	a. To resemble a family member
Bring up	b. To mature
Take after	c. To raise a child

Answer Key

Exercise 1 Answers:

1. grew up
2. make up
3. takes after
4. went through
5. look after

Exercise 2 Answers:

• Grow up – b
• Bring up – c
• Take after – a