200 Phrasal Verbs for IELTS by Topic — Meanings, Examples & Study Tips
Learn 200 phrasal verbs for IELTS preparation: clear meanings, IELTS-style sample sentences, and practical tips to use them in IELTS Speaking and Writing Test.
This collection of 200 phrasal verbs is built for IELTS preparation. Each phrasal verb includes a clear meaning and an IELTS-style sample sentence so you can see how native speakers use these verbs in everyday and exam contexts. Whether you want to improve your IELTS Speaking fluency or make your Writing more natural, this phrasal verbs list gives you practical vocabulary you can study, practise, and use with confidence.
Why these phrasal verbs matter for IELTS
Phrasal verbs appear frequently in spoken English and in everyday writing, and examiners reward natural, accurate language. Using the right phrasal verb at the right time can boost fluency and band descriptors like lexical resource and coherence. At the same time, knowing formal equivalents helps you choose the correct register for IELTS Academic Writing Task 2, where more formal verbs are often preferred.
Phrasal Verbs for IELTS by Topic
Below you can find phrasal verbs by topic. Each table shows: Phrasal verb | Meaning | IELTS-style sample sentence. Use the Topic or theme you’re studying and practise those phrasal verbs in Speaking and Writing examples.
Phrasal Verbs for the Education & Study Topic
Phrasal verbs for education help you talk about learning, research, assignments and study routines. Practice these when discussing classroom experiences, university life, and research projects so your answers sound natural and relevant to IELTS topics about learning and schooling.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | IELTS-style sample sentence |
|---|---|---|
| carry out | perform (research) | Researchers carried out a study on sleep patterns. |
| fill in | complete (a form) / replace temporarily | Please fill in the online application. |
| hand in | submit (homework) / deliver | Hand in your essay by Friday. |
| hand out | distribute | The teacher handed out the exam papers. |
| write down | record on paper | Write down key dates and facts. |
| write up | create a final written report | Write up your lab results neatly. |
| brush up on | review / improve | Brush up on grammar before the test. |
| go over | review / examine | Go over your answers before submitting. |
| run through | practice / review quickly | Run through your presentation once more. |
| check up on | investigate / ensure well-being | Check up on your study partners regularly. |
| catch up | reach same level / get updated | She needs to catch up after missing classes. |
| keep up | maintain the same level | She kept up with the reading schedule. |
| sit down | take a seat / discuss seriously | Sit down and draft your plan. |
| think through | consider all aspects | Think through the implications before deciding. |
| tie up | secure / finish work / busy someone | Tie up loose ends before submission. |
| put together | assemble / compile | Put together a study timetable for exams. |
| pile up | accumulate | Unfinished assignments started to pile up. |
| hand back | return graded work / return something to someone | The teacher handed back the essays with comments. |
| zero in on | focus closely on | Zero in on the main idea of the passage. |
| brush up on | review / improve | Brush up on grammar before the test. |
Phrasal Verbs for the Work, Career & Business Topic
This set covers verbs used in offices, companies and economic contexts — from hiring and restructuring to launching projects. Use them in Speaking Part 1/3 answers and in opinion essays about the economy, jobs or business trends.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | IELTS-style sample sentence |
|---|---|---|
| set up | establish / start | They set up a community library. |
| take over | assume control | A new manager took over the project. |
| step down | resign / leave a position | The principal stepped down last month. |
| lay off | stop employing / produce less | The factory had to lay off workers. |
| bring in | introduce (a law) / earn | The new law will bring in stricter rules. |
| bring about | cause / create change | New policies can bring about social improvements. |
| bail out | help financially / escape | The government bailed out the company to save jobs. |
| lay out | explain / show / spend money | Lay out your argument clearly. |
| put forward | suggest / offer for consideration | Put forward your proposal in the meeting. |
| back up | support / make a copy | Back up important files regularly. |
| close down | shut permanently | Many small shops closed down last year. |
| cut back (on) | reduce (spending / time) | The company cut back on advertising. |
| speed up | increase speed / pace | You may need to speed up to finish in time. |
| slow down | reduce speed / pace | Slow down and read the question carefully. |
Money & Finance
Money-related phrasal verbs let you describe borrowing, saving, costs and scams concisely.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | IELTS-style sample sentence |
|---|---|---|
| pay back | return money / revenge | He paid back the loan within a year. |
| set aside | save / keep for later | Set aside time each day for practice. |
| bank on | rely on / expect | You can bank on reliable study habits. |
| rip off | cheat / overcharge / plagiarize | Beware of services that rip off students. |
| count up | add numbers / total | Count up the scores to check accuracy. |
| zero out | reduce to zero / clear balance | They tried to zero out errors in the data. |
| fall back on | use as a last resort | Private savings can fall back on for emergencies. |
Environment & Society / Policy
Use these verbs when you discuss environmental problems, community projects or government policies. They help you describe actions, causes and effects clearly in both speaking and writing.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | IELTS-style sample sentence |
|---|---|---|
| cut down (on) | reduce | People should cut down on single-use plastic. |
| get rid of | remove / dispose | Communities should get rid of harmful waste. |
| bring in | introduce (a law) / earn | The new law will bring in stricter rules. |
| deal with | handle / address | The council must deal with traffic congestion. |
| bring about | cause / create change | New policies can bring about social improvements. |
| put up with | tolerate / endure | You should not have to put up with bullying. |
| give away | donate / reveal | They gave away old textbooks to charity. |
| chip in | contribute / help financially | Everyone chipped in to buy study materials. |
Health & Wellbeing
Health phrasal verbs let you talk about illness, recovery, habits and fitness. They are handy for personal experience stories in IELTS Speaking Part 2 and for IELTS essays on public health.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | IELTS-style sample sentence |
|---|---|---|
| come down with | become ill with | He came down with a cold before the exam. |
| get over | recover from | He got over his exam anxiety with practice. |
| nod off | fall asleep unintentionally | He nodded off during the long lecture. |
| pass out | faint / distribute | Several students passed out from heat. |
| wake up | stop sleeping / become alert | Wake up early to review vocabulary. |
| warm up | prepare / get ready | Warm up your voice before the speaking test. |
| work out | find a solution / exercise | They worked out a compromise. |
| cut out | remove / stop (habit) | Cut out filler words in speaking. |
| give up | stop doing a habit | Many people give up smoking after support. |
Technology, Media & Study Tools
These verbs relate to gadgets, online study and media use. They’re useful when describing study routines, problems with tech, or the pros and cons of digital learning in essays and speaking answers.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | IELTS-style sample sentence |
|---|---|---|
| turn on | start a machine / make interested | Turn on the computer to complete the task. |
| turn off | stop a machine / make uninterested | Turn off the notifications during study. |
| back up | support / make a copy | Back up important files regularly. |
| key in | enter data | Key in the survey results carefully. |
| check out | leave hotel / examine | Check out the library’s new resources. |
| put through | connect by phone / complete | I’ll put you through to the admissions office. |
| call up | telephone / summon | Call up the admissions office for clarification. |
Travel & Transport
Travel verbs help you explain movement, accommodation and commuting. Use them in travel-related IELTS Speaking cue cards, lifestyle questions, and tasks that involve city planning or transport policy.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | IELTS-style sample sentence |
|---|---|---|
| check in | register at hotel / airport | Please check in at least two hours before departure. |
| check out | leave hotel / examine | Check out the library’s new resources. |
| drop off | deliver / fall asleep | I dropped off the form at the office. |
| pick up | learn / collect / improve | He picked up Spanish while living abroad. |
| move in | start living in a place | They moved in near the university last month. |
| move out | leave a place to live elsewhere | After graduation he moved out to find work. |
| get away | escape / take a short holiday | They got away for a weekend break. |
| see off | say goodbye at departure | We saw her off at the airport. |
| head for | move toward / direction | The city is heading for major development. |
| run over | hit with a vehicle / review quickly | Run over your notes before the test. |
Relationships & Social Life
This group helps you describe friendships, family dynamics, arguments and social behaviour. They’re particularly useful in IELTS Speaking Part 2 when telling personal stories or giving examples.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | IELTS-style sample sentence |
|---|---|---|
| get along (with) | have a good relationship | Students got along well during group work. |
| hang out | spend time socially | They hung out at the campus café. |
| bring up | mention / introduce a topic | He brought up education reform in the meeting. |
| break up | end a relationship / disperse | The class broke up at 4 pm. |
| make up | invent / compensate / compose | She made up an example to explain the idea. |
| let down | disappoint | His absence let the team down. |
| own up to | confess / admit | She owned up to copying the notes. |
| show off | display to attract attention | Don’t show off irrelevant facts in the exam. |
Communication, Opinion & Presenting
These verbs make it easier to describe how ideas are shared, debated and presented. Use them to frame arguments, summarise opinions and introduce examples in essays and speaking tasks.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | IELTS-style sample sentence |
|---|---|---|
| point out | draw attention to | Critics point out the limitations of the study. |
| get across | communicate clearly | Try to get your point across in the essay. |
| put forward | suggest / offer for consideration | Put forward your proposal in the meeting. |
| talk over | discuss | Talk over your ideas with a partner. |
| call on | visit / ask someone to speak | The teacher called on a student to answer. |
| sum up | summarize | Sum up the main points in one paragraph. |
| single out | choose one for special attention | The tutor singled out several weak areas. |
| write up | create a final written report | Write up your lab results neatly. |
Daily Activities & Household
Everyday phrasal verbs are great for daily routine descriptions in IELTS Speaking Part 1 and for informal writing answers. They help your answers sound closer to natural conversational English.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | IELTS-style sample sentence |
|---|---|---|
| put away | store / put in the correct place | Please put away your books after class. |
| put on | wear / produce (a show) / gain weight | She put on a jacket before going out. |
| dress up | wear smart clothes / decorate | They dressed up for the graduation ceremony. |
| do up | fasten / repair / decorate | Do up your CV before applying. |
| fill up | make full | Fill up the application form completely. |
| throw away | discard | Throw away irrelevant information. |
| drop by | visit informally | I might drop by the library later. |
| pick out | choose / select | Pick out three sources for your essay. |
Problems, Troubleshooting & Project Risks
Use these verbs to describe setbacks, failures and how issues are resolved. It is valuable when discussing work projects, community plans or any problem–solution essay.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | IELTS-style sample sentence |
|---|---|---|
| break down | stop working / analyze | The car broke down on the motorway. |
| fall apart | break into pieces / lose control | The plan fell apart under pressure. |
| fall through | fail to happen | The project fell through due to funding cuts. |
| iron out | resolve problems | They ironed out the issues before submission. |
| hold up | delay / rob / continue functioning | An accident held up traffic for hours. |
| cut off | disconnect / stop supply | The storm cut off electricity for hours. |
| run into | meet by chance / encounter a problem | I ran into an old friend at the library. |
| deal with | handle / address | The council must deal with traffic congestion. |
| rule out | exclude / declare impossible | We cannot rule out alternative explanations. |
Emotions, Behaviour & Mental States
These phrasal verbs let you express feelings, reactions and mental states more naturally. They are useful in personal storytelling and when explaining causes and effects of behaviour.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | IELTS-style sample sentence |
|---|---|---|
| give in | stop resisting / surrender | He gave in to peer pressure reluctantly. |
| give out | distribute / stop working | The teacher gave out the questionnaires. |
| hold in | suppress feelings | Try not to hold in your ideas during discussion. |
| zone out | lose concentration | Don’t zone out during the listening test. |
| face up to | accept and deal with | Students must face up to constructive criticism. |
| get through | succeed in completing / communicate | She got through the exam with confidence. |
| get ahead | succeed / make progress | Continuous study helps students get ahead. |
Time, Planning & Organisation
These verbs help you describe schedules, priorities and time management — valuable topics for essays on efficiency, study routines or workplace productivity.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | IELTS-style sample sentence |
|---|---|---|
| set out | begin a journey / aim to do something | She set out to improve her writing skills. |
| set aside | save / keep for later | Set aside time each day for practice. |
| put off | postpone | Don’t put off studying until the last week. |
| stick to | continue with / adhere to | Stick to the plan during the exam. |
| keep to | follow (a schedule) / adhere | Keep to the word limit in essays. |
| speed up | increase speed / pace | You may need to speed up to finish in time. |
| wrap up | finish / conclude | Wrap up your answer with a clear summary. |
| take up | begin (a hobby) / occupy (time) | She took up volunteering last year. |
Legal, Authority & Decision-making
This set contains verbs used in official, legal and decision contexts. They help you discuss policy changes, leadership decisions and governance in both speaking and formal writing.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | IELTS-style sample sentence |
|---|---|---|
| call off | cancel | They called off the match because of rain. |
| call up | telephone / summon | Call up the admissions office for clarification. |
| bring in | introduce (a law) / earn | The new law will bring in stricter rules. |
| take over | assume control | A new manager took over the project. |
| land on | decide on / choose | They landed on a suitable research topic. |
| weigh up | consider advantages and disadvantages | Weigh up the pros and cons before choosing a topic. |
| rule out | exclude / declare impossible | We cannot rule out alternative explanations. |
Please Notes about overlaps
Some phrasal verbs naturally fit more than one theme (for example set up = business or study; put forward = study or work). I placed each verb where it will most help your IELTS Exam Preparation.
How to use this 200 phrasal verb list (simple step-by-step):
- Start with 20–30 verbs and learn meaning + one sample sentence for each.
- Practice those verbs in short speaking answers (30–60 seconds) and a short paragraph (3–5 sentences).
- Add 5–10 new verbs every few days and recycle older ones with spaced repetition.
- For IELTS Writing Task 2, learn a formal synonym for each phrasal verb so you can switch registers when needed.
- Record yourself using 6–8 verbs in a cue-card style answer and check for natural use and pronunciation.
IELTS Quick study tips (practical, exam-focused):
- Group practice by Topic or theme (education, work, health) so you can recall vocabulary during topic-specific questions.
- Use each phrasal verb in a speaking response, then rewrite the same idea in formal language for writing practice.
- Make short flashcards: verb | meaning | sample sentence | formal synonym.
- Don’t overuse — naturalness beats quantity. Aim for accurate, varied use.