50 common English phrasal verbs is a free PDF for readers of this blog.
I've gathered together fifty frequently used English phrasal verbs from my blog, and put them in this handy PDF with over 300 example sentences showing how these phrasal verbs are used in everyday conversation.
Some phrasal verb definitions and examples have the opportunity for you to practise using them in your own sentences, and at the end of the PDF are twenty gap-fill exercises for more practice.
Download your free copy here.
I hope it's useful 
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I’m a qualified teacher with an ESOL subject specialism, and I teach English for speakers of other languages, face-to-face and online. I have an MEd in Applied Linguistics, and an MA in Online and Distance Education. One of my goals is to develop a site for English language learners based on the 'pay what you can' for-profit business model, i.e. based on people’s ability to pay. I’ll be embarking on this on the soon-to-be-launched Botanical Linguist site. This Online English Lessons site will continue to offer free lessons and resources and to be free of advertising. For more information please see my About page and my manifesto.
Latest posts by Angela Boothroyd (see all)
- Phrasal verb: stop over - May 7, 2013
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- Phrasal verb: splash out - April 22, 2013
A really useful PDF Angela, thanks for sharing
Sarah Arrow recently posted..Implementing your blogging plan for success #blogging
Thanks, Sarah
That’s brilliant, Angela. Thanks so much. Very useful not only for E2L speakers but also for us writers….!
Suzan St Maur recently posted..Grammar: if you’re going to get it wrong, get it REALLY wrong…
Thank you, Suze
I knew I should have got you to cast your eye over it and proofread it for me – I discovered a mistake on the PDF yesterday and had to quickly take it down and correct it
Angela, this is a fabulous list. And all I can say is “I’m so glad I learned English as a child.” Really, we have some of the oddest idiomatic expressions!
Mary C. Weaver, CSCS recently posted..How badly do you want it?
Hi Mary,
Thank you
I was writing about the phrasal verb ‘butter up’ yesterday and it struck me that it’s really a very odd expression and such a difficult one to explain. The best explanation I could come up with was to liken it to ‘soften up’ which has a very similar meaning and which is roughly what happens when we put butter on something – but I feel it’s not a very satisfactory explanation!
Then again, the reason I love phrasal verbs is because of their idiomatic element – even though this is the very reason that learners find them hard to learn and use.
Angela Boothroyd recently posted..Phrasal verb: butter up
Hi Angela
What I really like about the information in this download is that you keep things contextually neat. For example when I reached “look/ looking up” I thought “Oh, what about ‘look/ looking up to’ ” and then realised you were totally right to stop it where you did and that it would have been confusing to have gone off on a tangent like that.
I think that’s a great skill: to know when not to overload the student!
Linda Mattacks recently posted..What drives YOU?
Hi Linda,
Thank you
There were many more examples I could have included but because this PDF is only meant to demonstrate 50 of the most commonly used phrasal verbs, I did indeed have to resist the temptation to include all examples of each phrasal verb 
I’m writing another PDF so that’ll give me the opportunity to expand on those I’ve already included.
Angela Boothroyd recently posted..Phrasal verb: grapple with (something)
Hi Angela,
I think your 50 common English phrasal verbs PDF is an an excellent resource! Thank you so much for your hardwork in putting this together and sharing your expertise with us. I am sure it will help many.
Anita recently posted..The Green-winged orchid
Thank you very much, Anita
Angela Boothroyd recently posted..Phrasal verb: marry into
Hi Angela,
there is no words to express my thanks for this amazing resource. it would be a great asset to the English learners like me.
Thank you very much, Basheer Mohammed
A very useful document… Thank you for this chance.
I’m studying English, and on September I should retake for the 6th times my English exam at university. (C1 level – 3rd year)… so it’s a good help for prepare it as well as I can.
Best wishes…
Hi Daniela,
Thank you!
I’m glad to hear it’s useful. Lots of luck with your exam 
Hi Angela, Can i use this pdf for teaching my students?
Hi Madhu,
Yes, of course
I’d be grateful if you could either acknowledge its source in some way or leave the copyright details intact at the bottom of the pages – I don’t mind which – but apart from that, please feel free to use it in any way you choose 
I hope it’s useful.
Thank you very much angela. I think this PDF will be very useful to me. Thanks for sharing!
seaker recently posted..Classification of tenses in English language
Hello, and thank you
I hope it’s useful.
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