Phrasal Verbs Reference

The following table is an alphabetical reference chart of the most commonly used English phrasal verbs with following explanations. You should remember that native speakers of English tend to use phrasal verbs in everyday conversation and generally reserve one-word verbs (i.e. "investigate" instead of "look into") for more formal occasions such as business letters etc.

Please note that all phrasal verbs marked by an asterisk (*) are NON-separable verbs (i.e. the preposition MUST follow the main verb. For example: I called on Dan NOT I called Dan on!). Verbs that are not marked by an asterisk (*) are separable verbs (i.e. the preposition may or may not follow the main verb. For example: I brought the children up OR I brought up the children).
IMPORTANT
Remember that separable phrasal verbs using a pronoun as the object of the verb MUST be separated (I brought them up NOT I brought up them)

A	Ask out	Ask someone to go on a date
B	Bring about	cause
	Bring up	1) rear children 2) mention or introduce a topic
C	Call back	Return a telephone call
	Call in	Ask to come to an official place for a special reason
	Call off	cancel
	Call on*	1) visit 2) ask a student a question in class
	Call up	Call on the telephone
	Catch up (with)*	Reach the same position or level as someone
	Check in*	Register at a hotel
	Check into*	investigate
	Check out	1) borrow a book from a library 2) investigate
	Cheer up	Make (someone) feel happier
	Clean up	Make clean and orderly
	Come across*	Find by chance
	Cross out	Draw a line through
	Cut out	Stop an annoying activity
D	Do over	repeat
	Drop by*	Visit informally
	Drop in (on)*	Visit informally
	Drop off	Leave something/someone somewhere
	Drop out (of)*	Stop going to school or class
F	Figure out	Find the answer by logic
	Fill out	Complete a form
	Find out	Discover information
	Get along (with)*	To have a good relationship with
	Get back (from)	1) return from somewhere 2) receive again
	Get in, get into*	1) enter a car 2) arrive
	Get off*	Leave any vehicle
	Get on*	Enter any vehicle
	Get out of*	1) leave a car 2) avoid some unpleasant activity
	Get over*	Recover from an illness
	Get through*	finish
	Get up*	Arise from bed, a chair etc.
	Give back	Return something to someone
	Give up	Stop doing something
	Go over*	Review or check
	Grow up*	Become an adult
H	Hand in	Submit an assignment
	Hang up	1) Stop a telephone conversation 2) put up clothes on a line or a hook
	Have on	Wear
K	Keep out (of)	Not enter
	Keep up (with)*	Stay at the same position or level
	Kick out (of)	Force (someone) to leave
L	Look after*	Take care of
	Look into*	Investigate
	Look out (for)*	Be careful
	Look over	Review or check
	Look up	Look for information in a reference book
M	Make up	1) invent 2) do past work
N	Name after	Give a baby the name of someone else
P	Pass away*	Die
	Pass out	1) distribute 2) lose consciousness
	Pick out	Select
	Pick up	1) go to get someone 2) take in one's hand
	Point out	Call someone's attention to
	Put away	Remove to an appropriate place
	Put back	Return to original position
	Put off	Postpone
	Put on	Dress
	Put out	Extinguish a cigarette, fire
	Put up with*	Tolerate
R	Run into	Meet by chance
	Run across	Find by chance
	Run out (of)	Finish a supply of something
S	Show up*	Appear, come to
	Shut off	Stop a machine, equipment, light etc.
T	Take after*	Resemble
	Take off	1) remove clothing 2) leave on a trip 3) leave the ground (aeroplane)
	Take out	1) take someone on a date 2) remove
	Take over	Take control
	Take up	Begin a new activity
	Tear down	Demolish, reduce to nothing
	Tear up	Tear into many little pieces
	Think over	Consider
	Throw away	Discard; get rid of
	Throw out	Discard; get rid of
	Throw up	Vomit
	Try on	Put on clothing to see if it fits
	Turn down	Decrease volume
	Turn in	1) submit classwork 2) go to bed
	Turn off	Stop a machine, equipment, light etc.
	Turn on	Start a machine, equipment, light etc.
	Turn out	Extinguish a light
	Turn up	Increase volume or intensity