OUT/FOR
This phrasal verb means to fail to keep a commitment
back out of
The client backed out of the deal in the last minute
This phrasal verb means to tolerate someone/something unpleasant
put up with (something or someone)
One of my colleagues is not very nice, but we put up with him because he does excellent work
This phrasal verb means to depend on, rely on
count on (something or someone)
This phrasal verb means to investigate
look into
I'm looking into the possibility of taking an intensive English course in Australia next year.
This phrasal verb means to find accidentally
come across someone/something
I came across a word I’d never seen before.
This phrasal verb means to leave / quit
drop out of
I dropped out of Science because it was too difficult.
This phrasal verb means do something without being noticed or punished
get away with something
Jason always gets away with cheating in his maths tests.
This phrasal verb means to eliminate, throw away
get rid of (something
We have rats in the house.... we need to call the exterminator to get rid of them.
This phrasal verb means to substitute for
FILL IN FOR
The president of the company is traveling, so the vice president is filling in for him at the meeting.
This phrasal verb means to feel happy/excited about something in the future
look forward to (something)
I'm looking forward to the Christmas break.
This phrasal verb means to like or not like (formal)
CARE FOR not CARE FOR something or someone
I don't care for his behaviour.
This phrasal verb means to have a big argument and end the friendship.
fall out
This phrasal verb means to continue doing something
carry on with something
Just carry on with what you were doing
This phrasal verb means to interrupt
break in
The TV station broke in to report the news of the president's death
This phrasal verb means to get to the same point as someone else
catch up with
If you miss a class, it's your reponsibility to catch up with the lesson.
This phrasal verb means to say publicly that something must happen
call for something
Several of the newspapers were calling for his resignation.
This phrasal verb means to completely use up something so that you have no more.
run out of
This phrasal verb means to mention briefly during a speech or discussion
touch on (something)
We touched on the issue of employee satisfaction during the meeting, but we didn't go into much detail.
This phrasal verb means to enter (a vehicle)
When I got in the car, it started raining.
This phrasal verb means to resemble a family member
take after someone
I take after my mother. We are both impatient.
She's very friendly and extroverted, she takes after her father.
This phrasal verb means to represent or permit,
If a letter, an abbreviation, or a symbol stands for something, that is what it means or represents
stand for something
The letters ERM stand for Exchange-Rate Mechanism.
This phrasal verb means to mantain the pace of
keep up with
We try to keep up with what’s happening.
This phrasal verb means to to make a decision between two or more people or things after not being certain which to choose
settle on someone/something
I was debating what type of fitness class to take, and I finally settled on yoga
This phrasal verb is used to say that something or someone changed or developed into something different
turn into someone/something
The caterpillar turned into a butterfly.
This phrasal verb means to take care of
look after (something or someone)
I can't go out tonight because I'm looking after my sister's children.