This document provides definitions and examples of common English phrasal verbs divided into three parts. It explains that phrasal verbs with three parts have the object always following the verb and cannot be separated. Phrasal verbs with two parts are transitive, followed by a direct object that cannot be separated from the verb. Over 40 phrasal verbs are defined with examples, covering meanings such as reducing amounts, meeting problems, thinking of ideas, visiting others, and more. The document is intended to help practice English phrasal verbs for an FCE exam.

1. FCE COACHING – DISTANCE COURSE
PHRASAL VERBS 1
VERBS WITH THREE PARTS ( The object always follows these verbs and cannot be
put between any one of the parts. )
PHRASAL VERB MEANING EXAMPLE
CUT DOWN ON Reduce the amount of I’ve decided to cut down on
smoking.
CATCH UP WITH Reach the same place as They are too far ahead for us
to catch up with them.
COME UP AGAINST Meet ( negative I’m afraid we’ve come up
connotation) usu. a problem against a problem we can’t
, difficulties. solve.
COME UP WITH Think of Have you come up with an
answer yet?
DROP IN ON Visited I dropped in on Bill and Sheila
on my way home.
FACE UP TO Accept, deal with You must face up to reality.
FEEL UP TO Feel fit to do You must feel up to going to
work.
He didn’t accept the job
because he thought he wasn’t
up to it.
GET AWAY WITH Avoid discovery Jack stole the money and got
away with it. He left the
country and was never found.
GET ALONG / ON Have a good relationship Do you get along with your
WITH with. new boss? He seems friendly.
GET ON WITH Continue with Stop talking and get on with
your work.
GET OUT OF Avoid a responsibility I managed to get out of
working late and went straight
home.
GET ROUND TO Find time to do I haven’t got round to
decorating yet.
GET UP TO Do, often something wrong. What has young Bill been
getting up to?
GO IN FOR Have as a hobby. Do you go in for sailing?
GROW OUT OF Become too old for Julie has grown out of playing
with dolls.
KEEP UP WITH Stay in the same place as You’re going too fast! I can’t
keep up with you!
LOOK DOWN ON Feel superior to Our neighbours look down on
anyone without a car
LOOK UP TO Respect He really looks up to his
father. He wants to be like him
in the future.
LOOK FORWARD TO Expecting eagerly We are looking forward to our
summer holidays

2. MAKE UP FOR Compensate for The wonderful dinner made up
for the terrible service of the
waiters.
PUT UP WITH Bear I can’t put up with these
screaming children.
RUN OUT OF Have no more of Oh, dear! We’re running out
of petrol. Let’s look for a
filling station.
STAND UP FOR Defend You must learn to stand up for
yourself and not let those kids
bully you.
VERBS WITH TWO PARTS (The verbs on the following list are transitive – they are
followed by the direct object and they cannot be separated.)
PHRASAL VERB MEANING EXAMPLE
ASK AFTER Ask for news of Jim asked after you yesterday. He
sent his regards.
CALL FOR Come and collect I’ll call for you at 6. Please, be
ready 10 minutes earlier.
CALL ON Visit I called on some friends I hadn’t
seen for years when I was in
Madrid.
COME ACROSS Find by chance Joe came across the old painting in
the attic while he was getting
ready to move house.
COME INTO Inherit Sue came into a large sum of
money when her granny died.
COUNT ON Depend on I’m counting on you to help me.
DEAL WITH Take action about The reporter asked the new Mayor
how he would deal with the traffic
problem.
DO WITHOUT Manage without We’ll have to do without a holiday
this year.
GET AT Suggest What are you getting at? Please, be
straight with me.
GET OVER Recover from Barry has got over his illness now.
GO OVER Discuss the details Let’s go over our plan once more.
JOIN IN Contribute to Try to join in the lesson as much
as you can.
LIVE ON Have as income They live on the money her father
gives them since they have been
unemployed for months now.
LOOK INTO Investigate The government is looking into the
issue of the u$s 800,000 smuggled
into the country.
LOOK ROUND Look at everything Let’s look round the town today.
We have to continue our trip
tomorrow.
MAKE FOR Go in the direction of Where are you making for exactly?
PICK ON Choose a person to bother My teacher is always picking on

3. or punish me.
RUN INTO Meet by chance I ran into Steve in the supermarket
yesterday. He was surprised to see
me there.
SEE ABOUT Arrange We’ll have to see about getting the
new manager an office.
SEE TO Attend to, take care of Can you see to the dog’s food
while I am away on holiday?
STAND FOR Tolerate I won’t stand for such rudeness. I
demand an apology!
STAND FOR Be a candidate Andrew is standing for Parliament.
TAKE AFTER Have the same Helen takes after her mother.
characteristics as ( a
member of the family)
From “FCE Language Practice”, by Michael Vince.