22 Important Phrasal Verbs A-Z

Here are 20 phrasal verbs that are commonly used in spoken American English:

Act up: to behave badly, misbehave, to not function properly (engine).                              Examples: One of my students was acting up today. I need to talk to her parents.               My car’s engine is acting up. I need to go to a mechanic. 

Break down: I think my car will break down soon; the engine is acting up.  

Break down: 

Example: This sentence is difficult to understand. Can you break it down please?

Break down: to lose control of your emotions when in a state of distress. 

            Example: I broke down in tears when I heard of the passing of my aunt.

Call off: to cancel an event or meeting.                                                                                 Example: They had to call off the wedding because of Covid-19.

Drop off: to leave someone or something at a specific location. Examples: Can you drop me off at the corner, please? They dropped off the package at my neighbor’s door.
 

End up: to reach or come to a place, condition, or situation that was not planned or expected. Examples: He didn’t want to end up like his father. She ended up a rich woman. He kept getting into trouble until he ended up in jail. 
 

Fit in: to try to be accepted by a group of people or seen as “one of them.”  Example: After they moved to California, Paula had trouble fitting in with the new students in the new school.
 

Get by =  to manage to do something with great difficulty.
 

Hold on = wait for a moment
 

Jot down 
 

Keep up
 

Lay off
 

Move out
 

Put off = postpone something 
 

Rip off
 

Show up
 

Turn down (a contract / job offer)
 

Work out = be successful 
 

Zone out = zone out for a bit and then say thank you for 20K followers