250 Phrasal Verbs & Idioms by Topic (A2–C1) + Collocations & Quizzes

Vocabulary & Idioms

250 Phrasal Verbs & Idioms by Topic (A2–C1) + Collocations & Quizzes

  • October 26, 2025
  • Com 3

💡 Want to finally remember phrasal verbs and common English idioms? ✨
This guide 📘 groups 250 high-frequency phrases by topic (A2–C1) and shows short meanings, examples, and key collocations 🧩 so you can learn them in natural chunks.

📅 You’ll master everyday sets — Daily Life, Travel, Work — and higher-level idioms for exams 🎓 and professional English 💼.

📝 Each pack ends with a mini-quiz, and there’s a 100-item master list to review by particles (up / out / off, etc.).

🔖 Bookmark this page and add 10 items a day — within a month, you’ll know them all! 🚀

📚 Learning Tips from the MES Team 💬

• 🧩 Learn by topic + collocation — e.g., call off a meeting; save up for a trip.
• 🇬🇧🇺🇸 Note register and variants — informal / neutral / formal; US vs UK differences.
• 🔀 Watch separability — turn it off ✅ (separable) vs look after her 🚫 (inseparable).
• ⏰ Practice little and often — 5–10 minutes a day with spaced repetition.

“Learn phrases as chunks with their collocations — not as single words.”

✨ MES Team

Before You Start: Smart Tips for Phrasal Verbs

  1. Meaning patterns of particles (quick feel):
    • up = finish/increase (finish up, speed up), out = complete/remove (figure out, cut out),  off = separate/stop (turn off, cut off).

  2. Separable vs inseparable: If separable, pronouns go in the middle (pick it up). Many verb + preposition combinations (e.g., look after) are inseparable.

  3. Register & region: Some items are informal (rip off, freak out) or BrE/AmE (e.g., splash out—BrE; rain check—AmE).

Two visual aids (place side‑by‑side)
• Visual 1: “Common particle meanings (up/out/off/in/on/down/back/over/through/away).”
• Visual 2: “Separable vs inseparable: where pronouns go (pick it up vs look after her).”

Topic Packs (A2–C1)

Format: term (PV = phrasal verb, ID = idiom) — meaning; Example; Collocations/Register/Notes.
CEFR is indicative; learn across levels.

🧺 Daily Life (A2–B1):
Use common patterns — put on / take off clothes, run out of milk or time, turn on / off the light or TV.

  • get up (PV) — leave bed. I get up at 7. Colloc: get up early/late.

  • wake up (PV) — stop sleeping. She woke up suddenly. Colloc: wake up to an alarm.

  • sleep in (PV) — stay in bed longer. We slept in on Sunday. Register: informal.

  • put on (PV) — dress. Put on a jacket. Colloc: put on shoes/makeup.

  • take off (PV) — remove clothing. Take off your coat.

  • try on (PV) — test clothes. Try it on in the mirror. Colloc: try on a dress/shirt.

  • tidy up (PV) — clean. Let’s tidy up the kitchen.

  • throw away (PV) — discard. Don’t throw away receipts. Colloc: throw away rubbish/old papers.

  • pick up (PV) — collect. I’ll pick you up at 6. Colloc: pick up groceries/children.

  • drop off (PV) — deliver/leave. He dropped me off at work.

  • hang out (PV) — spend time. They hang out after class. Informal.

  • catch up (with) (PV) — update each other. Let’s catch up soon.

  • run out (of) (PV) — have none left. We ran out of milk.

  • turn on/off (PV) — start/stop a device. Turn off the lights.

  • look after (PV) — take care of. She looks after her brother. Inseparable.

Mini‑Quiz (Daily Life) — fill the gap

  1. We’ve ____ coffee—buy some more. 

  2.  Can you ____ the TV? 

  3.  I’ll ____ you ____ at 8.

  4.  She ____ her shoes before entering. 

  5.  Let’s ____ this weekend.

  6. Answers: 1) run out of 2) turn off 3) pick … up 4) took off 5) hang ou

✈️ Travel & Transport (A2–B1):
Use key patterns — check in / out (hotel), set off early, break down (car).

  • set off (PV) — begin a journey. We set off at dawn.

  • check in (PV) — register at hotel/airport. We checked in online.

  • check out (PV) — leave/pay. They checked out at noon.

  • take off (PV) — plane departs. The flight took off late.

  • touch down (PV) — land. We touched down at 9.

  • stop over (PV) — short stay between flights. A stopover in Doha.

  • look around (PV) — explore. We looked around the old town.

  • get around (PV) — move within a place. Bikes are the best way to get around.

  • see off (PV) — say goodbye at station/airport. They saw him off at the gate.

  • pick up (PV) — collect by car. I’ll pick you up at the station.

  • drop off (PV) — leave by car. Drop me off at the corner.

  • get in (PV) — arrive (train/plane/car). What time does the train get in?

  • hold up (PV) — delay. Traffic held us up.

  • get away (PV/ID) — go on holiday. We need to get away this weekend.

  • break down (PV) — stop working (vehicle). The bus broke down.

Mini‑Quiz (Travel)

Choose the best option: a) check in b) set off c) hold up

1)We were ____ by an accident.

2) Let’s ____ early to avoid traffic. 

3) You can ____ online.

Answers: 1) c 2) b 3) a

💼 Work & Business (B1–B2): Use useful patterns — set up a meeting/company, follow up by email, turn down an offer.

  1. follow up (PV) — continue contact. I’ll follow up tomorrow.

  2. carry out (PV) — execute. Carry out a survey.

  3. draw up (PV) — prepare (document). Draw up a contract.

  4. set up (PV) — establish/arrange. Set up a call.

  5. take on (PV) — accept (work/staff). We’re taking on new interns.

  6. turn down (PV) — reject. She turned down the offer.

  7. go over (PV) — review. Let’s go over the report.

  8. run by (PV) — check an idea with someone. Run it by the client.

  9. reach out (PV) — contact. Reach out if you need help.

  10. bring forward (PV) — move earlier. Bring the meeting forward to 10.

  11. push back (PV) — postpone. We’ll push back the deadline.

  12. figure out (PV) — solve/understand. We’ll figure it out.

  13. catch up on (PV) — get up to date. Catch up on emails.

  14. fill in (PV) — complete (form) / substitute. Fill in this form.

  15. wrap up (PV) — finish. Let’s wrap up here.

                                                                     Mini‑Quiz (Work)

Fill the gap:

 1) Can we ____ the demo to Wednesday?

 2) I’ll ____ the proposal with legal.

3) We should ____ a quick retro.

Answers: 1) bring forward 2) run by 3) set up

📚 Study & Exams (A2–B1):
Use common patterns — look up a word, hand in homework, sit for an exam.

  1. look up (PV) — search reference. Look it up in the dictionary.

  2. go over (PV) — review. Go over your notes.

  3. brush up on (PV) — refresh. Brush up on tenses.

  4. keep up (with) (PV) — maintain pace. Keep up with the class.

  5. hand in (PV) — submit. Hand in your assignment.

  6. hand out (PV) — distribute. The teacher handed out worksheets.

  7. drop out (PV) — leave a course. He dropped out of college.

  8. sign up (PV) — register. Sign up for IELTS prep.

  9. sit for (PV) — take an exam. She’s sitting for the test.

  10. take down (PV) — write notes. Take down the key points.

  11. work out (PV) — solve. Work out the answer.

  12. zone out (PV) — lose focus (inf.). I zoned out in class.

  13. cram for (PV) — study intensely. He crammed for physics.

  14. pass with flying colors (ID) — succeed excellently. She passed with flying colors.

  15. fall behind (PV) — become late. He fell behind on coursework.

Mini‑Quiz (Study)
Choose: a) brush up on b) hand in c) fall behind

  1. I need to ____ phrasal verbs. 

  2.  Don’t ____ your essay late.

  3.  Try not to ____ this term.

  4. Answers: 1) a 2) b 3) c

💻 Technology & Online (B1–B2):
Use key patterns — log in / out, back up files, shut down the server.

  1. log in / log out (PV) — enter/exit an account. Log in first.

  2. sign in / sign out (PV) — alternative to log in/out.

  3. set up (PV) — configure. Set up your profile.

  4. back up (PV) — copy for safety. Back up your photos.

  5. plug in / unplug (PV) — connect/disconnect power. Unplug the charger.

  6. boot up (PV) — start a computer. It booted up quickly.

  7. shut down (PV) — turn off. Shut down the system.

  8. scroll up/down (PV) — move the page. Scroll down for details.

  9. zoom in/out (PV) — change magnification. Zoom in on the map.

  10. click on (PV) — select with the mouse. Click on “Submit.”

  11. update to (PV) — move to a newer version. Update to 2.0.

  12. speed up (PV) — make faster. Speed up the site.

  13. slow down (PV) — make slower. The app slowed down.

  14. sync up (PV) — synchronize. Sync up calendars.

  15. filter out (PV) — remove unwanted items. Filter out spam.

Mini‑Quiz (Tech)
Fill the gap:

 1) Please ____ your data weekly. 

2) ____ and try again. 

3) We should ____ the homepage.

Answers: 1) back up 2) log out 3) speed up

💰 Money & Shopping (B1):
Use common patterns — save up for a trip, pay off a loan, sell out of sizes.

  1. shop around (PV) — compare prices. Shop around before you buy.

  2. mark down (PV) — reduce price. They marked down the jackets.

  3. mark up (PV) — raise price. Retailers marked up fuel.

  4. pay off (PV) — finish paying. Pay off a loan.

  5. save up (PV) — put aside money. Save up for a holiday. (BrE “holiday,” AmE “vacation”)

  6. splash out (PV, BrE) — spend a lot. We splashed out on dinner.

  7. cut back (on) (PV) — reduce. Cut back on eating out.

  8. stock up (on) (PV) — buy in quantity. Stock up on basics.

  9. run up (PV) — accumulate (a bill/debt). He ran up huge bills.

  10. fork out (PV) — pay unwillingly. Fork out for repairs. Informal.

  11. rip off (PV/ID) — overcharge; a rip‑off. That’s a rip‑off.

  12. check out (PV) — pay at cashier. Let’s check out.

  13. ring up (PV) — record a sale. They rang up my items.

  14. sell out (PV) — no stock left. The sneakers sold out.

  15. knock down (PV) — reduce by negotiation. Knock the price down.

Mini‑Quiz (Money)
Choose: a) save up b) shop around c) sell out

  1. The new phone will ____ fast. 

  2. 2) We should ____ for a flight. 

  3. 3) I’m ____ for a laptop

  4. Answers: 1) c 2) b 3) a

💪 Health & Fitness (B1):
Use everyday patterns — warm up before exercise, work out regularly, cut down on sugar.

  1. warm up (PV) — prepare body. Warm up before running.

  2. work out (PV) — exercise/solve. He works out daily.

  3. cool down (PV) — lower intensity. Cool down after.

  4. cut down (on) (PV) — reduce. Cut down on sugar.

  5. give up (PV) — stop a habit. Give up smoking.

  6. come down with (PV) — become ill. She came down with flu.

  7. fight off (PV) — resist illness. Fight off a cold.

  8. throw up (PV) — vomit. He threw up. Informal.

  9. pass out (PV) — faint. She passed out.

  10. get over (PV) — recover. Get over a bug.

  11. build up (PV) — increase (stamina). Build up strength.

  12. burn out (PV) — exhaustion. Avoid burning out.

  13. check up on (PV) — see if okay. Check up on a friend.

  14. put on (PV) — gain (weight). He put on weight.

  15. slim down (PV) — lose weight. She’s slimming down.

Mini‑Quiz (Health)
Fill the gap: 

1) You should ____ carbs.

 2) Don’t forget to ____ first.

 3) He finally ____ smoking.

Answers: 1) cut down on 2) warm up 3) gave up

 

💞 Relationships & Feelings (B1–B2):
Use common patterns — get along with someone, stand up for yourself.

  1. get along (with) (PV) — be friendly. We get along well.

  2. fall out (with) (PV) — argue. They fell out over money.

  3. make up (with) (PV) — reconcile. They made up.

  4. break up (PV) — end a relationship. They broke up.

  5. get over (PV) — recover emotionally. He got over it.

  6. look up to (PV) — admire. I look up to her.

  7. look down on (PV) — think you’re better. Don’t look down on people.

  8. open up (PV) — share feelings. She opened up.

  9. cheer up (PV) — become happier. Cheer up!

  10. calm down (PV) — relax. Please calm down.

  11. freak out (PV) — become very upset. He freaked out. Informal.

  12. turn down (PV) — reject (a date). She turned him down.

  13. hit it off (ID) — like each other instantly. They hit it off.

  14. stand up for (PV) — defend. Stand up for yourself.

  15. let down (PV) — disappoint. He let me down.

Mini‑Quiz (Relationships)
Choose: a) fall out b) hit it off c) turn down

  1. They argued and ____ . 

  2.  We met and instantly ____ . 

  3.  She politely ____ the invitation

  4. Answers: 1) a 2) b 3) c

🗞️ News, Media & Culture (B2):
Use key patterns — tune in, go viral, sum up the story.

  1. tune in (PV) — watch/listen at a time. Tune in at 8.

  2. go viral (ID) — spread rapidly online. The clip went viral.

  3. come out (PV) — be released. The book comes out in May.

  4. put out (PV) — publish/release. They put out a statement.

  5. bring up (PV) — raise a topic. She brought up safety.

  6. sum up (PV) — summarize. To sum up, we agree.

  7. back up (PV) — support with evidence. Back up your claim.

  8. point out (PV) — highlight. He pointed out a flaw.

  9. play down (PV) — minimize. They played down risks.

  10. blow up (PV) — explode/ become huge. The story blew up online.

  11. dig into (PV) — investigate. Journalists dug into records.

  12. roll out (PV) — launch broadly. They rolled out the feature.

  13. read up on (PV) — research. Read up on the case.

  14. speak out (PV) — express publicly. Experts spoke out.

  15. step down (PV) — resign. The editor stepped down.

Mini‑Quiz (Media)
Fill the gap: 

1) Please ____ your sources.

 2) The series ____ next week. 

3) She ____ about the issue.

Answers: 1) back up 2) comes out 3) spoke out

🌍 Environment & Society (B2–C1):
Use key patterns — phase out coal, clean up beaches, call for action.

  1. cut down (PV) — reduce (trees/usage). Cut down plastic.

  2. phase out (PV) — end gradually. Phase out coal.

  3. switch over (to) (PV) — change energy source. Switch over to solar.

  4. run out of (PV) — have no resources left. We’re running out of water.

  5. clean up (PV) — remove pollution. Clean up the river.

  6. die out (PV) — become extinct. Species are dying out.

  7. throw away (PV) — discard waste. Don’t throw away batteries.

  8. break down (PV) — decompose. Bioplastics break down.

  9. give off (PV) — emit. Engines give off fumes.

  10. take up (PV) — start a habit/role. Take up cycling.

  11. roll back (PV) — reduce policies. Roll back subsidies.

  12. step up (PV) — increase efforts. Step up investment.

  13. bring about (PV) — cause change. Bring about reform.

  14. call for (PV) — demand. Leaders call for action.

  15. scale up (PV) — expand. Scale up green tech.

Mini‑Quiz (Environment)
Choose: a) phase out b) clean up c) call for

  1. Activists ____ stronger laws. 

  2.  Cities must ____ waste faster. 

  3.  Countries plan to ____ coal.
    Answers: 1) c 2) b 3) a

🧠Master Quick List — 100 Extra Phrasal Verbs & Idioms by Particle (B1–C1)

📘 Expand your vocabulary by learning phrasal verbs grouped by particle — this helps you see patterns and remember faster!

UP (10): build up, bring up, pick up, set up, speed up, keep up (with), make up, put up with, give up, catch up
OUT (10): find out, figure out, carry out, point out, run out (of), sort out, stand out, break out, hand out, work out
OFF (10): take off, cut off, switch off, pay off, show off, put off (postpone), call off, head off, drop off, write off
IN / INTO (10): look into, check in, break in, plug in, tune in, turn into, drop in, chip in, dig into, log in
ON (10): get on (with), hold on, move on, depend on, try on, log on, go on, take on, pass on, turn on
BACK (10): go back, get back, bring back, call back, pay back, fall back on, look back, step back, bounce back, cut back
OVER (10): think over, talk over, hand over, take over, run over, go over, look over, start over, do over, roll over
DOWN (10): slow down, break down, cut down, calm down, narrow down, put down, note down, step down, turn down, wind down
THROUGH (10): get through, pull through, think through, go through, see through, break through, come through, run through, sift through, push through
AWAY (10): throw away, give away, pass away, fade away, put away, tuck away, file away, take away, whisk away, chip away (at)

💡Tip: Add these to your flashcards; review one particle group per day.

FAQs'

  • ❓ How many should I learn per week?
  • ⚡ What’s the fastest way to remember them?
  • 🔀 Separable vs Inseparable — Easy Rule
  • her 🧾 Are idioms okay in formal writing?
  • 🇬🇧🇺🇸 US vs UK Differences to Know

📅 Aim for 50–70 items per week — about 10–15 per day, then review them the next day (🧠 spaced repetition).

🎯 Learn by topic + collocation (e.g., set up a meeting).
🗣 Practice active recall — cover the meaning, say it aloud, and make your own sentence each time.

✂️ Separable: Pronouns go in the middle → turn it off
🚫 Inseparable: Object comes after the particle → look after her

🧐 Use them sparingly.
💬 Many idioms are informal, so prefer neutral phrasal verbs in academic or professional writing — unless you’re quoting speech.

🇬🇧 holiday, splash out
🇺🇸 vacation, rain check
🌍 Both understand most common phrasal verbs — just match your audience!

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