Adam
Alex
Benjamin
Emma
Gill
Jade
James
Rebecca
RonnieMany two-word phrasal verbs can be used alone as complete sentences or commands in English.
It is important to understand them because they are used so often in English. It is also easy to use them because they are so short! Please note that a few of the expressions below are considered impolite or rude and have been marked as such.
Note: A phrasal verb is a verb plus an adverb and/or preposition. It has a different meaning than when the verb is used alone. There are thousands of phrasal verbs in English, most of which are used as part of a sentence.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Back away! | move backwards, away from something frightening or dangerous |
| Back off! | (slang – rude) stop bothering or threatening someone |
| Back up! | move backwards; step backwards; drive backwards |
| Bear down! | push or press down hard |
| Bend down! | lean over and forward; lean down |
| Bend over! | lean forward from the waist |
| Breathe in! | take a breath in; take air into the lungs |
| Breathe out! | take a breath out; push air out of the lungs |
| Brighten up! | be cheerful; be happier |
| Buckle down! | start working, studying, or doing something else seriously |
| Buddy up! | find a partner |
| Bugger off! | (slang – rude) Go away! |
| Butt out! | (slang – rude) don’t interfere |
| Buzz off! | (slang – rude) Go away! |
| Calm down! | relax, don’t be angry, don’t be upset, don’t be worried |
| Carry on! | keep doing what you were doing |
| Cheer up! | be happier; don’t be sad |
| Chill out! | relax; don’t be upset or angry |
| Clean up! | clean yourself or your surroundings |
| Close down! | close a shop or business so it is not operating |
| Come back! | return to where you were |
| Come down! | move down off something high come south |
| Come on! | (encouraging someone) do what I am telling you to do (not believing someone) I don’t believe you (rushing someone) move faster |
| Come in! | enter a closed space |
| Come out! | leave a closed space |
| Come over! | come to my house; come to where I am |
| Come up! | move to a higher place |
| Cool down! | Relax; don’t be upset or angry |
| Cover up! | put on more clothes |
| Double up! | form pairs because space or resources are limited |
| Dream on! | (slang) I don’t think what you have just said will happen |
| Drink up! | finish your drink |
| Eat up! | finish your food |
| Fess up! | (slang) confess / admit what you did; tell the truth about what you did |
| Finish up! | finish what you have been doing |
| Fuck off! | (slang – very, very rude) Go away! |
| Gather around! | make a group and come together in one place |
| Gear up! | get ready to do something |
| Get away! | move away; run away; escape |
| Get down! | come down from a high place |
| Get in! | go inside something, like a car or bus |
| Get off! | go out of something, like a bus or train |
| Get on! | climb on board something moving or about to start moving, like a train |
| Get out! | (slang – rude) Leave this place! (used when angry at someone) |
| Get up! | become awake; don’t sleep |
| Give up! | stop doing what you’re doing give yourself to the police or authorities |
| Go around! | move to where you need to go by passing some obstacle instead of going straight |
| Go away! | leave the place where you are |
| Go back! | return to where you were |
| Go on! | continue what you were saying |
| Grow up! | behave in a mature way; don’t act like a child |
| Hang on! | wait hold tight |
| Hang up! | end the phone call |
| Hold on! | waithold this tight or you might fall |
| Hurry up! | do whatever you are doing quickly, whether it’s physical or mental |
| Keep away! | stay away; do not go near |
| Keep out! | stay outside; do not enter |
| Lace up! | tie your shoelaces; put on your shoes |
| Lay off! | (slang – rude) stop doing something that bothers someone |
| Lie down! | put your body in a horizontal position; relax on a bed or sofa |
| Lighten up! | cheer up; don’t be so serious or worried |
| Line up! | make or form a line |
| Listen up! | listen carefully |
| Loosen up! | (slang) relax; don’t be so stressed |
| Move along! | keep moving; don’t stop in this spot |
| Move back! | move to a place in the back |
| Move forward! | move to a place in the front |
| Move on! | continue your life; go on with your life |
| Open up! | Open the door! |
| Perk up! | cheer up; don’t be sad |
| Press on! | keep doing what you need to do; don’t give up |
| Pull back! | move backward |
| Quiet down! | stop being noisy |
| Queue up! | Make or form a line |
| Saddle up! | Get ready to ride a horse by putting the saddle on the horse |
| Scoot over! | (slang) move to make space for someone else |
| Stand up! | stand |
| Shut up! | (slang – rude) be quiet; stop talking |
| Sit down! | sit; be seated |
| Sit up! | sit straight in your chair, bed, etc. |
| Smarten up! | become more intelligent and aware of what’s happening around you |
| Speak up! | talk louder |
| Speed up! | move faster |
| Stand up! | stand |
| Stay away! | don’t go near |
| Straighten up! | stand straight; do not bend |
| Stretch out! | lie down comfortably |
| Sum up! | summarize |
| Take off! | leave fast |
| Tidy up! | clean the place; put things in the right places |
| Turn back! | go backwards |
| Turn over! | move your body so that the other side faces up |
| Wait up! | wait for me to catch up with you |
| Wake up! | don’t sleep anymore; become awake |
| Walk away! | leave a difficult situation |
| Walk out! | leave a situation because you do not approve of something leave someone (leave a relationship) |
| Watch out! | be very careful |
| Work away! | continue working |
| Write back! | reply to a letter or email |
Quiz