NEW ENGLISH FILE INTERMEDIATE – UNIT 7C: PHRASAL VERBS

PHRASAL VERB / MEANING, SYNONYM / EXAMPLE SENTENCE
ask for s/t
(transitive inseparable) / Request / Can I ask you for a favour?
I asked my classmate for a pen/pencil.
break up (with s/o)
(transitive inseparable) / Split up with s/o,
Stop a romantic relationship, when a relationship comes to an end / Yesterday I broke up with my boyfriend because I didn’t love him anymore.
calm down (intransitive) / Relax, chill out, take it easy / Can you calm down now, please? You’re too jittery.
The teacher told everyone in class to calm down.
carry on (doing s/t)
(intransitive)
Carry on with (transitive inseparable) / Continue, not stop / Are you going to carry on studying English next year?
drop s/o or s/t off
(transitive separable) / Leave someone at a place, the opposite of pick up / (in a taxi, to the taxi driver):
Could you drop me off in Plaça Catalunya, please?
eat out
(intransitive) / Eat in a restaurant (not at home) / We’re going to eat out this evening to celebrate my birthday. We’re going to a great Italian place!
find out s/t or
find out about s/t
(transitive inseparable) / Discover (information) / Last week I found out about the origin of my teacher’s name. It comes from Basque and it means “dove”.
get on (well) with s/o
(transitive inseparable) / Have a good relationship with someone / I get on well with Maria because she’s my best friend.
give s/t back
(transitive separable) / Return / If I lend you my pen, will you give it back, please?
give s/t up
(transitive separable) / Stop doing something / I used to play the guitar years ago, but this year I was too busy with my studies and I gave it up.
go away
(intransitive) / Leave / Go away! I don’t want to see you anymore!
go out (with s/o)
(transitive inseparable) / Have a romantic relationship with someone, to date someone; go to a disco/to the cinema / A: How long have you and your girlfriend been going out?
B: For two years.
grow up
(intransitive) / Become adult / You’re such a baby! When will you grow up?
Oh, how much you’ve grown up!
look after s/o or s/t
(transitive inseparable) / Take care of s/o or s/t / I sometimes look after my little brother when my parents are away.
look forward to s/t
(transitive inseparable) / Really want something to happen, impatiently, wish for / I am really looking forward to the summer holidays.
look out
(intransitive) / Be careful, watch out / Look out! There’s a car coming!
make s/t into
(transitive separable) / Convert in, transform / Make this piece of paper into a paper plane.
The old factory was made into a fashion shop.
pass away
(intransitive) / Die / I’m sorry your grandma passed away. I give you my condolences.
pick s/o or s/t up
(transitive separable) / Collect s/o from a place / Can you pick you me up from the station tonight?
put s/t on (e.g. music)
(transitive separable) / Play music, put clothes on / Put your jacket on. It’s cold outside.
(be) sold out
(intransitive) / Be finished, run out (there are no more left) / I wanted to go and see Els Amics de les Arts, but the tickets were sold out! So I’ll have to wait for the next concert!
switch s/t off
(transitive separable) / Turn s/t off (electrical) / If you’re not watching TV, please switch it off.
take s/t up
(transitive separable) / Make shorter / start doing an activity / Your trousers are way too long. You need to take them up.
I have a lot of free time and I have recently taken up yoga.
throw s/t away
(transitive separable) / Get rid of something / Throw your chewing gum away now! Put it in the bin.
turn s/t down
(transitive separable) / Refuse or reject / lower the volume / Svetlana turned down Ricardo’s marriage proposal.
Can you turn the music down, please? It’s too loud!
warm up
(intransitive / transitive separable) / Exercise your muscles before and after doing sport / make hot / Always warm up before a football match because otherwise you can get injured.
Your lunch is in the microwave. Warm it up before you eat it.
Run out (intransitive) / Finish / Oops! We’re running out of petrol, so we urgently need to find a petrol station.
The ink in my pen has run out. I need to get a new one.
We’ve run out of milk. I need to go to the supermarket.