Joy English
Joy English

B2 Vocabulary

B2Phrasal verbs15 min

Phrasal verbs for work and study

Learn phrasal verbs that are common at work and university, such as carry out, fall behind, come up with and take on.

In meetings, lectures and emails, people often use phrasal verbs instead of more formal single words. For example, a colleague is more likely to say they will look into a problem than investigate it. Understanding these verbs, and where the object goes, will help you sound natural at work and in your studies.

carry outphrasal verb
do or complete a task, test or piece of researchThe team carried out a survey of 2,000 students.
come up withphrasal verb
think of an idea, plan or solutionWe need to come up with a better name for the project.
figure outphrasal verb
understand something or find the answer after thinkingIt took me an hour to figure out how the new software works.
fall behindphrasal verb
fail to do work as quickly as planned or as other peopleAfter missing two weeks of lectures, Tomás fell behind with his reading.
catch upphrasal verb
do work you did not do earlier, or reach the same level as othersI'm staying in this weekend to catch up on my assignments.
hand inphrasal verb
give a piece of work to a teacher or the person in chargeAll essays must be handed in by 5 p.m. on Thursday.
look intophrasal verb
investigate or examine a problemThe manager promised to look into the delay.
put offphrasal verb
delay doing something until a later timeStop putting off your report and start writing!
take onphrasal verb
accept a new job, task or responsibilitySofia has taken on too much work this term.
go overphrasal verb
check or review something carefullyLet's go over the main points before the meeting.
drop outphrasal verb
leave a course or school before finishing itHe dropped out of the course after the first term.
set upphrasal verb
start or arrange something, such as a group, system or meetingRavi set up a study group for first-year students.

Exercise 1 of 2

Choose the phrasal verb

Choose the best answer.

  1. If you keep _____ your revision, you'll run out of time before the exam.

  2. What does come up with mean?

  3. The researchers _____ a series of experiments over six months.

  4. Please _____ your reports by Friday so that I can mark them at the weekend.

  5. I was ill for a week and _____ with my coursework.

  6. Choose the correct sentence.

  7. The IT department is _____ why the system keeps crashing.

  8. She decided to _____ an extra project because she wanted more experience.

0 of 8 answered

Exercise 2 of 2

Complete with a phrasal verb

Type the phrasal verb in the correct form. Use each one once. Use: catch up, come up with, drop out, figure out, go over, set up, take on.

  1. Halfway through the first year, Kwame decided to of the course and look for a job.

  2. It took me ages to the answer to the last puzzle, but I finally got it.

  3. The day before the exam, the teacher all the key topics with the class one more time.

  4. I missed Monday's lecture, so I need to on the notes this evening.

  5. Last week our team a brilliant idea for the science fair: a solar-powered fan.

  6. Ravi has a meeting with his tutor for Thursday at three.

  7. Don't more work than you can manage, or you'll be exhausted by the end of term.

0 of 7 answered

Source

Original lesson by Joy English.

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