Phrasal Verbs Quiz
12 multiple-choice questions on common English phrasal verbs in context: give up, look into, take off, break down, put off and more. B1–B2 level.
This quiz tests common phrasal verbs such as give up, put off, turn down, look into and broke down inside full example sentences, at B1–B2 level. Each question also gives a plain-English gloss in brackets, so you can check the meaning you are aiming for even before you see the answer options, then confirm whether you chose the phrasal verb that actually fits the sentence.
Phrasal verbs are notoriously easy to confuse because the same base verb (give, put, turn, look, break) combines with different particles to produce entirely different meanings. Working through all 12 questions and reviewing any you get wrong in the FAQ below is one of the most effective ways to fix these distinctions before using the verbs in your own speaking and writing.
Keep building your phrasal verb knowledge.
Phrasal Verbs — FAQ
What is a phrasal verb in English?
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs) that together have a meaning different from the individual words. For example, 'give up' means to stop trying, 'look into' means to investigate, and 'take off' means remove clothing or a plane departing. Phrasal verbs are extremely common in everyday spoken and written English.
Are phrasal verbs separable or inseparable?
Separable phrasal verbs allow the object between the verb and particle: 'Turn the music down' or 'Turn down the music'. If the object is a pronoun, it must go in the middle: 'Turn it down' (NOT 'Turn down it'). Inseparable phrasal verbs must keep verb and particle together: 'Look into the problem' (NOT 'Look the problem into').
What are the most common phrasal verbs in English?
Most common phrasal verbs: get up, get on/off, go on, come back, look for (search), look up (find in reference), find out (discover), take off (remove; plane leaving), break down (stop working), put off (postpone), turn up (arrive; increase volume), run out of (exhaust the supply), carry on (continue), and give up (stop trying).
Why are phrasal verbs so difficult to learn?
Phrasal verbs are challenging because: the same particle can change meaning with different verbs; a single phrasal verb often has multiple meanings ('take off' = remove clothing, plane departing, become suddenly successful); meaning is usually idiomatic; native speakers use them constantly; and many have formal single-word equivalents (give up = abandon, look into = investigate).
What is the difference between 'look up', 'look for' and 'look into'?
'Look up' = find information in a reference (Look up the word in a dictionary) or to improve (Business is looking up). 'Look for' = search for something or someone (I'm looking for my keys). 'Look into' = investigate or examine more closely (The police are looking into the matter). These three phrasal verbs must be learned separately.
What are phrasal verbs with 'get'?
Common 'get' phrasal verbs: get up (rise from bed), get on (progress; board a vehicle), get off (leave a vehicle), get over (recover from illness or disappointment), get along/on with (have a good relationship), get away with (escape punishment), get into (enter; become interested in), get through (finish; make contact by phone), get rid of (dispose of), and get back (return).
What are phrasal verbs with 'put'?
Common 'put' phrasal verbs: put off (postpone; discourage), put on (wear clothing; start playing music), put up with (tolerate), put out (extinguish a fire), put through (connect by phone), put down (write down; criticise), put forward (propose an idea), and put back (return something to its place; postpone).
Do phrasal verbs have formal equivalents?
Yes. Many phrasal verbs have formal equivalents: give up → abandon/quit, look into → investigate, put off → postpone, carry out → conduct/implement, come up with → devise, turn down → refuse/decline, find out → discover, break down → collapse/analyse, run out of → exhaust/deplete. In formal writing (IELTS essays), single-word equivalents are usually preferred.
Can phrasal verbs be used in IELTS Writing?
In IELTS Writing Task 2, phrasal verbs should generally be avoided in favour of more formal single-word equivalents: 'investigate' instead of 'look into', 'postpone' instead of 'put off'. In IELTS Speaking, phrasal verbs are natural and appropriate — using them correctly demonstrates a good vocabulary range. In Task 1, avoid casual verbs like 'went up' — use 'increased' or 'rose'.
What are the most important phrasal verbs for everyday conversation?
Focus on: pick up (collect; learn informally), hang on (wait), turn up (arrive unexpectedly), wear out (exhaust; become worn), catch up (reach the same level), work out (calculate; exercise; result successfully), calm down (become less agitated), sort out (solve or organise), and cheer up (become happier). Learning these in context through films and podcasts is most effective.