English phrasal verbs aren’t the most popular topic among students as each phrase has many different meanings. Just change a preposition, and you’ll get an entirely new meaning of the words. Thus, it seems challenging to memorize them all, but you can start from the most common phrasal verbs that are used in conversational English.
To help you start learning, we created a list of phrasal verbs for conversation and organized it alphabetically. So without further hesitation, let’s take a look at the list.
Add
Add on — To include an extra thing or amount in something.
The referee added on 5 minutes for the stoppage time.
Add up — This phrase can mean either to seem to be true or logical, to make sense, or to be added together.
His story didn’t add up, and I think he was lying.
Please add up the pears. There have to be ten in the basket.
Bring
Bring sth up — To start talking about something. This phrase can also mean to vomit something.
He’s always bringing up the past.
She looked white around the gills. I thought she’d bring up her breakfast.
Bring sth to light — This phrase can be used when you want to say that something was discovered or made known publicly.
These issue has been brought to light in the nick of time.
Bring sth to the party — to provide or offer something, such as a helpful skill, in a situation.
John brings years of professional experience to the party.
Bring on — To cause something to happen. Used when it comes to something negative. In this context, “bring” and “on” can be separated by a noun. Also, the phrasal verb can be used as a part of a request to make something or someone appear.
I think the painty smell brought her headache on.
We’re celebrating his birthday tonight, so bring on the cake!
Bring it on! — A set phrase used to challenge someone or to show that you’re prepared to compete or do something complicated.
Do you think that you’re a better football player? Bring it on!
Call
Call on — To visit someone.
I’m sorry I’m late. I called on Margaret because she came down with the flu.
Call off — This phrase can be used to cancel something as well as to stop an animal or even person who is behaving aggressively.
Laura didn’t love him, so she called off the wedding.
Call off your dog!
Carry
Carry on — The verb has several meanings, but it’s the most frequently used when it comes to excited, anxious, uncontrolled or even foolish behaviour. Besides, it means “to continue or proceed.”
Her children have been carrying on all day long.
Sorry for interruptions, please carry on with your story.
Cheer
Cheer on — To encourage or support someone, usually with shouts.
We arrived to cheer on the baseball team from our town in the championship game.
Cheer up — This phrase is used to improve one’s mood, especially when someone is sad.
Cheer up! Tomorrow’s another day!
Come
Come across — To behave in a way that makes others believe you have a particular personality.
She came across as confident when she made her speech.
Come up with sth — To think of an idea or plan.
We’ll think about ideas for a new marketing campaign and see what we can come up with.
Come in — To enter a place such as a room, home, office, etc.
Do you want to come in for a cup of tea?
Cut
Cut off — The phrasal verb has different meanings, but it’s usually used to say that someone or something or someone is prevented from leaving a place or interrupted.
Our home is cut off from the rest of the city.
You have no rights to cut me off when I’m talking.
Cut it/that off! — Use it when you want to say “Stop doing that!”.
Hey, you two, cut it out! We’ll get in trouble if you keep doing that!
Cut in — To interrupt someone who is speaking.
He always cuts in on my conversations!
Fall
Fall apart — To break into parts. This phrase can also be used to show severe emotional problems.
Their marriage is falling apart.
After he lost his work, he began to fall apart.
Fall back on sth — To use something for help when other things have failed.
Jacob always has his professional experienced to fall back on.
Fill
Fill in — To add required information to the empty spaces. The phrase “fill someone in” can also mean to provide details about something.
Please fill in the form to make an order.
Did Thomas fill you in on the launched project?
Find out
Find out — To discover new facts or information.
We may never find out the truth about what happened.
Get
Get along (with) — To be friendly with someone.
I get along with my colleagues.
Get away — To escape or to leave a place.
We went home to get away from the crowd.
Let’s have lunch. I’ll get away from work in thirty minutes.
Get over sth — To accept and feel better about something terrible that has happened in the past.
Kathy looks so upset, but I know she can get over it.
To help you start learning, we created a list of phrasal verbs for conversation and organized it alphabetically. So without further hesitation, let’s take a look at the list.
Add
Add on — To include an extra thing or amount in something.
The referee added on 5 minutes for the stoppage time.
Add up — This phrase can mean either to seem to be true or logical, to make sense, or to be added together.
His story didn’t add up, and I think he was lying.
Please add up the pears. There have to be ten in the basket.
Bring
Bring sth up — To start talking about something. This phrase can also mean to vomit something.
He’s always bringing up the past.
She looked white around the gills. I thought she’d bring up her breakfast.
Bring sth to light — This phrase can be used when you want to say that something was discovered or made known publicly.
These issue has been brought to light in the nick of time.
Bring sth to the party — to provide or offer something, such as a helpful skill, in a situation.
John brings years of professional experience to the party.
Bring on — To cause something to happen. Used when it comes to something negative. In this context, “bring” and “on” can be separated by a noun. Also, the phrasal verb can be used as a part of a request to make something or someone appear.
I think the painty smell brought her headache on.
We’re celebrating his birthday tonight, so bring on the cake!
Bring it on! — A set phrase used to challenge someone or to show that you’re prepared to compete or do something complicated.
Do you think that you’re a better football player? Bring it on!
Call
Call on — To visit someone.
I’m sorry I’m late. I called on Margaret because she came down with the flu.
Call off — This phrase can be used to cancel something as well as to stop an animal or even person who is behaving aggressively.
Laura didn’t love him, so she called off the wedding.
Call off your dog!
Carry
Carry on — The verb has several meanings, but it’s the most frequently used when it comes to excited, anxious, uncontrolled or even foolish behaviour. Besides, it means “to continue or proceed.”
Her children have been carrying on all day long.
Sorry for interruptions, please carry on with your story.
Cheer
Cheer on — To encourage or support someone, usually with shouts.
We arrived to cheer on the baseball team from our town in the championship game.
Cheer up — This phrase is used to improve one’s mood, especially when someone is sad.
Cheer up! Tomorrow’s another day!
Come
Come across — To behave in a way that makes others believe you have a particular personality.
She came across as confident when she made her speech.
Come up with sth — To think of an idea or plan.
We’ll think about ideas for a new marketing campaign and see what we can come up with.
Come in — To enter a place such as a room, home, office, etc.
Do you want to come in for a cup of tea?
Cut
Cut off — The phrasal verb has different meanings, but it’s usually used to say that someone or something or someone is prevented from leaving a place or interrupted.
Our home is cut off from the rest of the city.
You have no rights to cut me off when I’m talking.
Cut it/that off! — Use it when you want to say “Stop doing that!”.
Hey, you two, cut it out! We’ll get in trouble if you keep doing that!
Cut in — To interrupt someone who is speaking.
He always cuts in on my conversations!
Fall
Fall apart — To break into parts. This phrase can also be used to show severe emotional problems.
Their marriage is falling apart.
After he lost his work, he began to fall apart.
Fall back on sth — To use something for help when other things have failed.
Jacob always has his professional experienced to fall back on.
Fill
Fill in — To add required information to the empty spaces. The phrase “fill someone in” can also mean to provide details about something.
Please fill in the form to make an order.
Did Thomas fill you in on the launched project?
Find out
Find out — To discover new facts or information.
We may never find out the truth about what happened.
Get
Get along (with) — To be friendly with someone.
I get along with my colleagues.
Get away — To escape or to leave a place.
We went home to get away from the crowd.
Let’s have lunch. I’ll get away from work in thirty minutes.
Get over sth — To accept and feel better about something terrible that has happened in the past.
Kathy looks so upset, but I know she can get over it.