Phrasal verbs Worksheet Practice Exercises with Answers

While most verbs are single words, some are phrasal: they hold two words. In phrasal verbs, the first word is a verb and the second word is called a particle. Here are some examples, with the phrasal verbs underlined:

• She looked up the answer.
• We will just drop off the files.
• The professor pointed out the correct answer.

Notice that the meaning of a phrasal verb is often similar to the meaning of a single verb:

• She looked up the answer. / She researched the answer.
• We will just drop off the files. / We will just deliver the files.
• The professor pointed out the correct answer. / The professor identified the correct answer.

Quick Tip 11.1

If you can swap a single verb for a verb and the word following it, you probably have a phrasal verb. For example, you can say, She pointed out the truth to us or She showed the truth to us. Point out is a phrasal verb.

We can also still identify phrasal verbs using our "to" or "should" Quick tips:

• to look up / should look up
• to warm up / should warm up
• to point out / should point out

Test Yourself 11.1

Each of the sentences below holds a phrasal verb. Underline the phrasal verb, using the verb swap tip and the "to" and "should" tips to help you.

Sample: The lecturer summed up his main points.

Getting Started

Question 1. He fixed up the lighting in the hall.
Answer: The phrasal verb is fixed up. It means "repaired" or "improved." You can say "He fixed the lighting in the hall" using a single verb meaning.
In simple words: "Fixed up" is a phrasal verb here. It shows someone made repairs or improvements to the lighting.

Exam Tip: Always check if you can swap the verb-plus-particle combo with a single verb - if yes, it's a phrasal verb.

Question 2. They read over the document many times.
Answer: The phrasal verb is read over. It means "reviewed" or "examined." You can say "They reviewed the document" using a single verb meaning.
In simple words: "Read over" is a phrasal verb. It shows the action of checking or going through written material carefully.

Exam Tip: When you identify phrasal verbs, think about what single verb could replace the verb-particle pair.

Question 3. You dream up the most amazing things.
Answer: The phrasal verb is dream up. It means "created" or "invented." You can say "You invented the most amazing things" using a single verb meaning.
In simple words: "Dream up" is a phrasal verb. It shows someone making up or coming up with imaginative ideas.

Exam Tip: The particle (up, over, out, etc.) changes the meaning of the main verb - always consider the full two-word unit.

Question 4. Ron takes out the garbage every Monday night.
Answer: The phrasal verb is takes out. It means "removes" or "carries away." You can say "Ron removes the garbage every Monday night" using a single verb meaning.
In simple words: "Takes out" is a phrasal verb. It shows the action of taking something away or outside.

Exam Tip: Some phrasal verbs are very common in daily life - recognizing them helps you understand both spoken and written English better.

Question 5. I will pay off my mortgage in fifteen years.
Answer: The phrasal verb is pay off. It means "settled" or "cleared." You can say "I will clear my mortgage in fifteen years" using a single verb meaning.
In simple words: "Pay off" is a phrasal verb. It shows finishing payment of a debt or loan completely.

Exam Tip: The "to" test works well here - "to pay off" and "should pay off" both sound natural, confirming it's a phrasal verb.

More Practice

Question 6. Yesterday, the company's president handed in her resignation.
Answer: The phrasal verb is handed in. It means "submitted" or "gave formally." You can say "The president submitted her resignation" using a single verb meaning.
In simple words: "Handed in" is a phrasal verb. It shows giving or presenting something officially to someone in charge.

Exam Tip: Phrasal verbs with "in" often show giving or presenting something formally.

Question 7. She took over the entire operation.
Answer: The phrasal verb is took over. It means "assumed control" or "managed." You can say "She managed the entire operation" using a single verb meaning.
In simple words: "Took over" is a phrasal verb. It shows taking charge or control of something from someone else.

Exam Tip: The particle "over" in phrasal verbs often suggests taking something from someone or replacing them.

Question 8. Unfortunately, the buyer of my property blew off the deal.
Answer: The phrasal verb is blew off. It means "canceled" or "abandoned." You can say "The buyer canceled the deal" using a single verb meaning.
In simple words: "Blew off" is a phrasal verb. It shows someone ignoring or canceling something they promised to do.

Exam Tip: The particle "off" can mean ending, stopping, or rejecting something - watch for this pattern.

Question 9. It is obvious that she cooked up the whole story.
Answer: The phrasal verb is cooked up. It means "invented" or "created falsely." You can say "She invented the whole story" using a single verb meaning.
In simple words: "Cooked up" is a phrasal verb. It shows making up a story that isn't true, especially on purpose.

Exam Tip: The particle "up" can suggest creating, building, or inventing something new.

Question 10. You bring up an interesting point.
Answer: The phrasal verb is bring up. It means "raised" or "introduced." You can say "You introduced an interesting point" using a single verb meaning.
In simple words: "Bring up" is a phrasal verb. It shows starting a discussion about something or mentioning a topic.

Exam Tip: The particle "up" with "bring" often means introducing a new topic or starting a discussion.

Separable Phrasal Verbs

In many cases, the two parts of a phrasal verb, the verb and its particle, can be separated:

• She looked the answer up.
• We will just drop the files off.
• The professor pointed the correct answer out.

Even when the two parts are separated, it's still a phrasal, or multi-word, verb. When you can separate the two parts in this way, you know that you've got a phrasal verb.

Quick Tip 11.2

If you can move a particle away from its verb, you have a phrasal verb. For example, since you can say both She looked up the answer and She looked the answer up, look up is a phrasal verb.

Test Yourself 11.2

Underline the phrasal verbs in each of the sentences below. The particle will not necessarily be next to its verb.

Sample: The students will hand their assignment in tomorrow.

Getting Started

Question 1. Mr. Parker helped out his neighbors.
Answer: The phrasal verb is helped out. The particle "out" comes right after the verb here, but could also appear later - "Mr. Parker helped his neighbors out." This movable particle shows it's a phrasal verb.
In simple words: "Helped out" is a phrasal verb because you can also say "helped his neighbors out" - the words can be separated.

Exam Tip: If you can shift the particle to later in the sentence and it still sounds natural, you've found a separable phrasal verb.

Question 2. You should call the agency up.
Answer: The phrasal verb is call up. The particle "up" appears after the object "agency" here, but you could also say "call up the agency." This ability to move the particle shows it's a phrasal verb.
In simple words: "Call up" is a phrasal verb. You can say it two ways: "call up the agency" or "call the agency up."

Exam Tip: When the particle comes after the object, look back to see if the verb before it could be a phrasal verb - check if you can move the particle.

Question 3. Those children put on a show.
Answer: The phrasal verb is put on. The particle "on" comes right after the verb. You could also say "put a show on," making this a separable phrasal verb.
In simple words: "Put on" is a phrasal verb. The particle and verb stick together here, but they could separate as "put a show on."

Exam Tip: Think about whether you could rearrange the words - if yes, the particle is separable.

Question 4. What brought this reaction about?
Answer: The phrasal verb is brought about. The particle "about" appears at the end, separated from the verb "brought." You could also say "brought about this reaction," showing this is a separable phrasal verb.
In simple words: "Brought about" is a phrasal verb. Here the particle comes at the end, but it could move closer to the verb.

Exam Tip: When you see a particle at the end of a sentence, check if it pairs with a verb earlier - it might be a separated phrasal verb.

Question 5. The hurricane tore the roofs of many houses off.
Answer: The phrasal verb is tore off. The particle "off" appears at the very end, separated from the verb "tore." You could also say "tore off the roofs," showing this is a separable phrasal verb.
In simple words: "Tore off" is a phrasal verb. The particle "off" moved to the end, but normally it sits right after "tore."

Exam Tip: Separable phrasal verbs let the object slip between the verb and particle - watch for particles floating at the end of sentences.

More Practice

Question 6. The first member of the relay team passed off the baton successfully.
Answer: The phrasal verb is passed off. The particle "off" appears after the object "baton." You could also say "passed the baton off," making this a separable phrasal verb.
In simple words: "Passed off" is a phrasal verb. The words can switch positions - "passed off the baton" or "passed the baton off."

Exam Tip: In sports or relay contexts, phrasal verbs often show movement or transfer of something from one person to another.

Question 7. The herdsman gathered all his sheep in.
Answer: The phrasal verb is gathered in. The particle "in" appears at the end, separated from the verb "gathered." You could also say "gathered in all his sheep," showing this is a separable phrasal verb.
In simple words: "Gathered in" is a phrasal verb. The particle moved to the end here, but you could put it right after "gathered."

Exam Tip: The particle "in" often shows collecting or bringing things together in one place.

Question 8. Debbie kept up her grades in graduate school.
Answer: The phrasal verb is kept up. The particle "up" comes right after the verb, before the object "her grades." You could also say "kept her grades up," making this a separable phrasal verb.
In simple words: "Kept up" is a phrasal verb. You can say it two ways: "kept up her grades" or "kept her grades up."

Exam Tip: Phrasal verbs with "up" often mean maintaining or continuing something at the same level.

Question 9. I took my glasses off quickly.
Answer: The phrasal verb is took off. The particle "off" appears at the end, separated from the verb "took." You could also say "took off my glasses," showing this is a separable phrasal verb.
In simple words: "Took off" is a phrasal verb. The particle moved to the end, but normally it sits right after "took."

Exam Tip: With objects like "my glasses" (pronouns and possessives), the particle often moves to the end - the pattern shows you have a separable phrasal verb.

Question 10. Last month the bank signed the deed over to me.
Answer: The phrasal verb is signed over. The particle "over" appears after the object "deed." You could also say "signed over the deed," making this a separable phrasal verb.
In simple words: "Signed over" is a phrasal verb. The words can rearrange - "signed over the deed" or "signed the deed over."

Exam Tip: The particle "over" in phrasal verbs often means transferring ownership or responsibility to someone else.

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

In some cases, a particle cannot be separated from its verb:

• She asked for the receptionist.
• The lawyer objected to the defendant's statement.
• He will look into the judge's decision.

In these cases, you cannot say:

• *She asked the receptionist for.
• *The lawyer objected the defendant's statement to.
• *He will look the judge's decision into.

So Quick Tip 11.2 is not useful in these cases; you have to rely on the verb swap test and the "to" and "should" tests.

Test Yourself 11.3

Some of the sentences below hold a one word verb and some hold a phrasal verb. Underline the one word verb or phrasal verb in each sentence.

Sample: They owed her a lot of money.

Getting Started

Question 1. Eat up your dinner!
Answer: The phrasal verb is eat up. It contains a verb (eat) and a particle (up). You could say "Eat your dinner up" as an alternate form.
In simple words: "Eat up" is a phrasal verb here. It's two words - a verb plus a particle that change the meaning together.

Exam Tip: Compare this to sentences with single verbs - "eat" alone would give a different sense than "eat up."

Question 2. The girls will put the puzzles away.
Answer: The phrasal verb is put away. It holds a verb (put) and a particle (away). You could also say "put away the puzzles."
In simple words: "Put away" is a phrasal verb. It means store or place something in its proper location.

Exam Tip: The particle "away" in phrasal verbs usually means storing, removing, or placing something out of sight.

Question 3. I understand that concept.
Answer: The single-word verb is understand. This is not a phrasal verb - it's one complete verb with no particle. You cannot replace it with a phrasal verb form here.
In simple words: "Understand" is a single verb, not a phrasal verb. It stands alone as a complete word.

Exam Tip: Not every sentence holds a phrasal verb - some have regular single-word verbs that do their own job.

Question 4. Birds fly south for the winter.
Answer: The single-word verb is fly. This is not a phrasal verb - it's one complete verb with no particle following it.
In simple words: "Fly" is a single verb. The words "south" and "for the winter" are not particles but rather tell us where and when the birds fly.

Exam Tip: Remember that direction words (south, north, east, west) and time markers are not particles - particles must create a new meaning with the verb.

Question 5. The elderly woman got off the bus with great difficulty.
Answer: The phrasal verb is got off. It holds a verb (got) and a particle (off). You could also say "got the bus off" is not correct - this is actually an inseparable phrasal verb here, as "off" must stay with "got."
In simple words: "Got off" is a phrasal verb. It means stepped down from or exited a vehicle or high place.

Exam Tip: Always check context - some phrasal verbs work only in one word order, making them inseparable.

More Practice

Question 6. We ate out last night.
Answer: The phrasal verb is ate out. It holds a verb (ate) and a particle (out). You could say "We went to a restaurant" as a single-verb meaning.
In simple words: "Ate out" is a phrasal verb. It means going to a restaurant to eat instead of eating at home.

Exam Tip: This phrasal verb is inseparable - you cannot say "ate the restaurant out," so the particle stays attached to the verb.

Question 7. The show ran far too long.
Answer: The single-word verb is ran. This is not a phrasal verb - it's one complete verb. The words "far too long" describe how the show ran, not a particle.
In simple words: "Ran" is a single verb here. It doesn't pair with a particle to make a phrasal verb.

Exam Tip: Adverbs like "far" and adjectives like "too long" modify verbs but are not particles - don't confuse them with phrasal verb particles.

Question 8. They checked out the scenery around their hotel.
Answer: The phrasal verb is checked out. It holds a verb (checked) and a particle (out). You could also say "They examined the scenery" using a single verb.
In simple words: "Checked out" is a phrasal verb. It means examined, looked at, or inspected something carefully.

Exam Tip: The particle "out" can mean examining or discovering - think about the overall meaning the two words create together.

Question 9. The pitcher threw the batter out in the eighth inning.
Answer: The phrasal verb is threw out. It holds a verb (threw) and a particle (out). You could also say "The pitcher eliminated the batter" using a single verb.
In simple words: "Threw out" is a phrasal verb in sports. It means the pitcher ended the batter's turn by throwing successfully.

Exam Tip: In sports language, phrasal verbs appear frequently - learning them helps you understand sports commentary and writing.

Question 10. The butcher opened his store up at 7 A.M.
Answer: The phrasal verb is opened up. It holds a verb (opened) and a particle (up). You could also say "The butcher started his store" or "opened his store."
In simple words: "Opened up" is a phrasal verb. It means unlocked and made ready for business at a specific time.

Exam Tip: With business language, "open up" is a common phrasal verb - "up" adds the sense of beginning or making something ready.

To Enhance Your Understanding

Take a look at these groups of sentences:

• She looked up the answer. / She looked the answer up.
  *She looked up it. / She looked it up.
• We will just drop off the children. / We will just drop the children off.
  *We will just drop off them. / We will just drop them off.
• He pointed out the other girl. / He pointed the other girl out.
  *He pointed out her. / He pointed her out.

As you can see, in some cases (those with an asterisk), a particle cannot be next to its verb; the two parts must be separated. As a matter of fact, this is true in all of those cases where the direct object of the verb (what the verb is acting upon) is one of the following words: me, you, him, her, it, us, them. You might recognize these words as pronouns. You'll learn about these pronouns in Lesson 21, about direct objects in Lesson 39, and more about verbs and their particles in Lesson 30.