Phrasal verbs are an integral part of the English language, especially in informal and conversational contexts. They consist of a verb combined with a preposition or adverb (sometimes both), which often gives the verb a new meaning. Mastering phrasal verbs is crucial for IELTS success, as they appear in all sections—Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening. This guide covers 100+ essential phrasal verbs that will enhance your IELTS vocabulary and help you express ideas more naturally.
Why Are Phrasal Verbs Important for IELTS?
Phrasal verbs can help you:
Improve fluency and naturalness in Speaking.
Understand key points in Listening and Reading.
Use more advanced, idiomatic language in Writing.
Phrasal Verbs for IELTS 2024: 100+ Essential Phrasal Verbs to Boost Your Score
Common Phrasal Verbs in Everyday English
Bring up – Mention a topic. Example: She always brings up her health problems in conversations.
Call off – Cancel. Example: The meeting was called off due to bad weather.
Come across – Find something by chance. Example: I came across an interesting article while reading the news.
Drop off – Leave something or someone at a specific place. Example: Can you drop me off at the station?
Figure out – Understand or solve something. Example: It took me hours to figure out the solution to the problem.
Get along with – Have a good relationship with. Example: I get along with my colleagues really well.
Give up – Stop doing something. Example: He gave up smoking last year.
Look after – Take care of. Example: She looks after her younger brother every day.
Run into – Meet someone unexpectedly. Example: I ran into an old friend at the supermarket.
Turn down – Refuse or reject. Example: She turned down the job offer.
Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking
Bring out – Emphasize or highlight. Example: His speech really brought out the importance of education.
Catch up – Reach the same level or standard. Example: I need to catch up on my reading before the exam.
Come up with – Think of an idea or solution. Example: He came up with a great idea for the project.
Keep up with – Stay updated. Example: It’s hard to keep up with all the latest technology trends.
Let down – Disappoint someone. Example: I didn’t mean to let you down, but I couldn’t finish the task on time.
Make up for – Compensate for something. Example: I’ll work extra hours to make up for the time I lost.
Set up – Establish or organize something. Example: They set up a new company last year.
Take after – Resemble a family member. Example: She takes after her mother in terms of personality.
Work out – Exercise or solve a problem. Example: I work out at the gym every morning.
Wrap up – Finish something. Example: Let’s wrap up this meeting and go home.
Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Writing
Account for – Explain or justify. Example: The differences in performance can be accounted for by varying teaching methods.
Break down – Analyze or separate into parts. Example: Let’s break down the data to better understand the results.
Carry out – Conduct or perform. Example: The research was carried out over a period of two years.
Come down to – Essentially be about. Example: The decision comes down to how much we are willing to invest.
Cut down on – Reduce. Example: We need to cut down on expenses to stay within budget.
Go over – Review or examine. Example: Before submitting your essay, go over it to check for mistakes.
Lay out – Present in detail. Example: The report lays out the findings of the study clearly.
Point out – Indicate or highlight. Example: He pointed out the key issues that need to be addressed.
Sum up – Conclude or summarize. Example: To sum up, it is clear that climate change requires urgent action.
Turn out – Result in a particular way. Example: The experiment turned out to be a success.
Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Listening
Back up – Support or reinforce. Example: Can you back up your argument with evidence?
Call on – Ask someone to speak. Example: The professor called on her to answer the question.
Cut off – Interrupt or stop. Example: His speech was cut off by the fire alarm.
Get across – Communicate or explain clearly. Example: It’s important to get your ideas across in the interview.
Go off – Stop working (electronics) or make a loud noise. Example: The alarm went off at 6 AM this morning.
Look into – Investigate or examine. Example: The company is looking into the complaints from customers.
Pass out – Faint. Example: He passed out during the presentation due to stress.
Run out of – Use up or deplete. Example: We’ve run out of paper for the printer.
Take over – Assume control or responsibility. Example: I’ll take over the project while you’re on leave.
Wind up – End or conclude. Example: We need to wind up this discussion soon.
Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Reading
Break into – Enter forcefully or suddenly. Example: The company has broken into new markets this year.
Call for – Require or demand. Example: The situation calls for immediate action.
Come across – Seem or appear in a particular way. Example: He comes across as very confident during the interview.
Go through – Experience or endure. Example: She went through a lot during the financial crisis.
Look over – Quickly review or examine. Example: I need to look over these documents before the meeting.
Put off – Delay or postpone. Example: We decided to put off the event until next week.
Run through – Go over something briefly or quickly. Example: Let’s run through the plan once more before the presentation.
Stand out – Be noticeable or remarkable. Example: Her achievements really stand out among the rest.
Take up – Begin a new activity or discuss something. Example: He took up cycling last year for exercise.
Turn up – Appear or arrive. Example: She turned up late for the meeting.
Phrasal verbs are vital for expressing yourself naturally in English, and they can significantly enhance your IELTS performance. Whether you’re aiming to improve your speaking, writing, listening, or reading skills, incorporating these phrasal verbs into your practice will help you communicate more fluently and accurately.
Make sure to practice these phrasal verbs in context, as using them correctly can be tricky. With consistent use, you’ll become more confident and be well-prepared for the IELTS exam in 2024.
