Phrasal Verbs for Exams: A Comprehensive Guide for English Learners
Phrasal verbs are an essential part of English, especially for exams like IELTS, TOEFL, or Cambridge tests. 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 can significantly improve your fluency and comprehension in English. Below is a detailed list of common phrasal verbs useful for exams, along with examples and exercises.
1. Look up
Meaning: To search for information (usually in a dictionary or online).
- I didn’t know the word, so I looked it up in the dictionary.
- She looked up the train schedule before leaving.
- Can you look up the meaning of this phrase?
2. Go over
Meaning: To review or examine something carefully.
- Before the exam, I went over all my notes.
- The teacher went over the answers with the class.
- Let’s go over the essay one more time.
3. Put off
Meaning: To postpone or delay something.
- He put off studying until the last minute.
- Don’t put off your homework until tomorrow.
- The meeting was put off due to bad weather.
4. Take down
Meaning: To write or record something.
- The students took down notes during the lecture.
- She took down the phone number carefully.
- Can you take down this message for me?
5. Hand in
Meaning: To submit something (e.g., homework, an assignment).
- You must hand in your essay by Friday.
- He forgot to hand in his application on time.
- Did you hand in the report to the teacher?
6. Figure out
Meaning: To understand or solve something.
- It took me hours to figure out the math problem.
- Can you figure out what this word means?
- She finally figured out how to use the software.
7. Run out of
Meaning: To have no more of something left.
- I ran out of time during the exam.
- We ran out of paper, so we couldn’t print the document.
- She ran out of ideas for her project.
8. Turn up
Meaning: To appear or arrive, often unexpectedly.
- He didn’t study, but he still turned up for the exam.
- The missing book finally turned up in the library.
- She turned up late to the meeting.
9. Break down
Meaning: To stop working (for machines) or to analyze something in detail.
- My computer broke down before I could save my work.
- The teacher broke down the lesson into smaller parts.
- He broke down the problem step by step.
10. Get through
Meaning: To finish or complete something difficult.
- I finally got through all the exam questions.
- She got through the book in one night.
- We need to get through this chapter today.
Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct phrasal verb.
- I need to _____ (search) this word in the dictionary.
- Don’t _____ (postpone) your revision until the last day.
- She _____ (submitted) her assignment yesterday.
- We _____ (analyzed) the data into smaller sections.
- He _____ (arrived) late for the test.
Exercise 2: Match the phrasal verb with its meaning.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Look up | a) To submit |
| Hand in | b) To search for information |
| Go over | c) To review |
| Run out of | d) To have no more left |
| Break down | e) To analyze in detail |
Answer Key
Exercise 1:
- look up
- put off
- handed in
- broke down
- turned up
Exercise 2:
- Look up – b) To search for information
- Hand in – a) To submit
- Go over – c) To review
- Run out of – d) To have no more left
- Break down – e) To analyze in detail