Phrasal verb listening practice
Changing the small word after a verb can change its meaning. Listen to the whole phrase, then check how the words fit together.
Get away with
A person may break a rule without punishment, or use one coat of paint when two would be better. In both cases, they may get away with it.
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Get back to
If you cannot answer now, you can get back to a person later. When the interruption ends, you can get back to the task.
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Get by
When you have less money, equipment or language than you would like but still manage, you get by.
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Get out of something
An excuse may help someone get out of a meeting, while a changed routine may help them get out of a bad habit.
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Get over
After an illness, disappointment or shock, feeling like yourself again can take time. That process is getting over it.
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Get round to
The task has stayed on your list for weeks. When you finally do it, you get round to it.
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Get together
Friends get together for lunch, while two people who get together may also be starting a relationship. Context prevents awkward misunderstandings.
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Give away
A shop can give away samples, while your smile can give away a secret. The same phrasal verb changes meaning with its object and situation.
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Go down
Prices can go down, a website can go down, and the sun goes down every evening. The subject tells you what kind of change happened.
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Go off
An alarm goes off when it starts making noise, but a light goes off when it stops working. The subject reverses what the same words seem to mean.
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Grow apart
Two people can still care about each other yet slowly share less of their lives. Grow apart names that gradual distance without blaming either person.
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Hand in
Finishing an assignment is not the final step. You still have to hand it in so the responsible person officially receives it.
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Head back
You have enjoyed the walk, but it is getting dark. Saying we should head back signals that it is time to start returning, not that you are already home.
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Hold up
Traffic can hold you up, while a repair can hold up through bad weather. One use creates a delay; the other survives pressure.
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Keep it down
You need quiet, but saying be silent may sound too strong. Keep it down asks people to lower their noise rather than stop every sound.
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Keep out of
You can keep out of an argument by not joining it, or keep rain out of a bag by closing it. One is about involvement; the other is about entry.
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Keep up
A fast walker, changing technology, and a daily habit can all be difficult to keep up with. The common idea is avoiding falling behind or stopping.
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Leave out
A missing name, ingredient, or detail may be accidental, but a person who is left out can feel unwanted. Context shows whether the omission is practical or social.
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Let off
A teacher may let a student off with a warning, while people may let fireworks off at a celebration. The object tells you whether the topic is punishment or an explosion.
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Live up to
Excellent reviews create a picture in your mind before you arrive. The real experience lives up to them only if it is as good as that picture.
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Live with
Some problems cannot be removed immediately. Learning to live with one means accepting its presence and managing life around it, not enjoying it.
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Lock out
Leaving your keys inside can lock you out of your home. Too many wrong passwords can create the same problem online: you are outside the access boundary.
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Look forward to
Plans feel more motivating when you imagine enjoying them. Look forward to turns that positive anticipation into one useful phrase.
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Look into
When you cannot resolve a problem or answer a question immediately, saying 'I will look into it' is useful and honest. It promises investigation, not an instant solution.
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What to practise
Use the examples to understand a meaning and its word order. Try dictation to hear that pattern in a sentence.
Notice the whole expression, including words such as up, off, and out. Use the sentence to decide which meaning fits.
Check where the object goes. With a separable verb, a short object such as it goes between the verb and the particle. Other expressions stay together.
Why it is hard to hear
What to listen for
The small word after a verb is not always quiet. Listen to the actual recording instead of assuming where the strongest beat will fall.
Recognising the verb alone may not be enough. If the sentence is unclear, replay the words that follow it and check them against the example.
Start here
Suggested starting points
Choose a level that fits you. You can return to the full list at any time.
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Start at B1
28 Phrasal Verbs With Take
Take off, take over and take up share one short verb but describe very different actions. Grouping them by idea makes the expressions easier to retrieve than learning a random list.
12 min · Open lesson → -
Next at B1
Add up
A colleague says the receipts add up, but the explanation does not. The same two words describe two very different judgements.
12 min · Open lesson → -
Next at B1
Back down
A manager changes a policy after staff challenge it. She does not move backwards, but people say she backed down.
12 min · Open lesson →
Level progression
From B1 to C2
Check the lesson count at each level before choosing where to start.
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B1
76 lessons
Choose an everyday verb. Learn one useful meaning and practise its basic word order.
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B2
No lessons yet
Compare meanings in different situations. Notice when a change of object changes the message.
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C1
No lessons yet
Compare the expression with a more formal alternative, using the lesson notes to judge the setting.
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C2
No lessons yet
Follow the expression through longer clauses. Keep track of the verb, its small word, and its object.
Accent note
Compare the available voices
The available recordings are listed in each lesson. Compare the same clip in another accent when offered, but keep its word order and meaning in view.
Questions learners ask
Before you start
Which level should I start with?
Use the level filter to find a suitable lesson. Start lower if you need support with the meaning or word order, even if you usually study at a higher level.
Do I need every meaning at once?
Start with the meaning used in the example. If the guide compares other meanings, study the object and situation that distinguish them.
Can I use a one-word verb instead?
Sometimes. Check both meaning and tone: a one-word alternative can be useful, but it does not always fit the same sentence or situation.
How do I practise object position?
Read the pattern and example, then close the transcript and write the sentence you hear. Check the position of short words such as it and them.
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