Phrasal Verbs for Grade 8: A Comprehensive Guide
Phrasal verbs are an essential part of English grammar, especially for Grade 8 students. They consist of a verb and one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs), and their meanings are often different from the original verb. Mastering phrasal verbs will help you sound more natural in English.
What Are Phrasal Verbs?
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and a preposition or adverb (or both) that creates a new meaning. For example, “give up” means to stop doing something, which is different from the verb “give.”
Common Phrasal Verbs for Grade 8
1. Look After
Meaning: To take care of someone or something.
- She looks after her little brother when their parents are at work.
- Can you look after my dog while I’m on vacation?
- He looked after the plants while his neighbor was away.
2. Give Up
Meaning: To stop doing something, especially a habit.
- He decided to give up smoking for his health.
- Don’t give up on your dreams!
- She gave up playing the piano because she lost interest.
3. Turn Down
Meaning: To refuse an offer or request.
- He turned down the job offer because the salary was too low.
- She turned down the invitation to the party.
- They turned down our proposal.
4. Run Out Of
Meaning: To have no more of something left.
- We ran out of milk, so I went to the store.
- He ran out of time and couldn’t finish the test.
- They ran out of money during their trip.
5. Put Off
Meaning: To postpone or delay something.
- She put off her homework until the last minute.
- They put off the meeting until next week.
- Don’t put off studying for your exams!
6. Take Off
Meaning: To remove clothing or for an airplane to leave the ground.
- He took off his jacket when he entered the house.
- The plane took off on time.
- She took off her shoes before entering the temple.
7. Find Out
Meaning: To discover or learn something.
- I found out that she was moving to another city.
- He found out the truth about the accident.
- Did you find out what time the movie starts?
8. Break Down
Meaning: To stop working (for machines) or to lose control emotionally.
- My car broke down on the way to work.
- She broke down crying when she heard the bad news.
- The washing machine broke down yesterday.
9. Call Off
Meaning: To cancel something.
- They called off the match due to heavy rain.
- The concert was called off because the singer was sick.
- We had to call off our picnic because of the storm.
10. Bring Up
Meaning: To mention a topic or to raise a child.
- He brought up an interesting point during the discussion.
- She was brought up by her grandparents.
- Don’t bring up that topic again—it’s sensitive.
Exercises: Practice Using Phrasal Verbs
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Choose the correct phrasal verb from the list below to complete the sentences:
- look after
- give up
- turn down
- run out of
- put off
- She decided to ___________ smoking for her health.
- Can you ___________ my cat while I’m away?
- They ___________ the party because of bad weather.
- We ___________ sugar, so I need to buy some.
- He ___________ the job offer because it required too much travel.
Exercise 2: Match the Phrasal Verb with Its Meaning
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Take off | To remove clothing |
| Find out | To discover something |
| Break down | To stop working (machine) |
| Bring up | To mention a topic |
| Call off | To cancel something |
Answer Key
Exercise 1 Answers:
- give up
- look after
- called off
- ran out of
- turned down
Exercise 2 Answers:
- Take off – To remove clothing
- Find out – To discover something
- Break down – To stop working (machine)
- Bring up – To mention a topic
- Call off – To cancel something