These are phrasal verbs that typically come up at B2 / FCE level
Cambridge B2 First (FCE) exam. There is no single “official” exhaustive list from Cambridge English, as phrasal verbs are part of broader vocabulary expectations at B2 level (tested in Use of English, Reading, Writing, and Speaking). However, preparation materials, exam handbooks, and reliable sources (like Cambridge resources, Flo-Joe, and exam prep sites) highlight these as essential.I’ve grouped them by the main verb for easier study, included meanings, and provided example sentences. Focus on separable/inseparable rules and common contexts.Phrasal Verbs with ASK
- ask after → enquire about someone’s health/well-being
She asked after your family. - ask out → invite someone on a date
He asked her out to dinner.
Phrasal Verbs with BE
- be about to → be on the verge of doing something
The train is about to leave. - be away → be absent (e.g., on holiday)
She’s away on business. - be back → return
I’ll be back in an hour. - be down to → be caused by / be the responsibility of
It’s down to you to decide. - be off → (food) no longer fresh; cancel/go bad
The milk is off. / The meeting is off. - be on → be scheduled/shown (e.g., TV, stage)
What’s on at the cinema? - be out → be away from home; (light/fire) extinguished
He’s out at the moment. - be over → finish/end
The exam is finally over. - be up to → be capable of; doing (often mischief)
What are you up to? / It’s up to you.
Phrasal Verbs with BREAK
- break down → (car/machine) stop working; fail (talks)
The car broke down on the highway. - break in → enter by force; interrupt
Thieves broke in last night. - break into → enter by force
They broke into the house. - break off → end a relationship
She broke off the engagement. - break out → escape; start suddenly (war, fire)
War broke out in 1939. - break up → end a relationship; disperse
The couple broke up after years together.
Phrasal Verbs with BRING
- bring about → cause to happen
The changes brought about improvements. - bring back → return something; reintroduce
Bring back the book tomorrow. - bring forward → move to an earlier time
The meeting was brought forward. - bring in → introduce (law/rule)
New regulations were brought in. - bring on → cause (illness)
Stress brought on his headache. - bring out → publish/release; reveal
They brought out a new edition. - bring up → raise a child; mention
She brought up two children alone.
Phrasal Verbs with CALL
- call back → return a phone call
I’ll call you back later. - call off → cancel
The match was called off due to rain. - call on → visit; ask to speak
We called on friends yesterday.
Phrasal Verbs with CARRY
- carry on → continue
Carry on with your work. - carry out → perform/conduct
They carried out the experiment.
Phrasal Verbs with COME
- come across → find by chance; seem
I came across an old photo. - come along → arrive/progress
How’s the project coming along? - come back → return
She’s coming back next week. - come down with → become ill with
He’s come down with the flu. - come forward → offer help/information
Witnesses came forward. - come from → originate from
She comes from Spain. - come into → inherit
He came into a fortune. - come out → be published; reveal (truth)
The book comes out next month. - come round → visit; recover consciousness
Come round for dinner. - come up → arise (problem); be mentioned
A problem came up. - come up with → think of (idea)
She came up with a solution.
Phrasal Verbs with CUT
- cut down → reduce
Cut down on sugar. - cut off → disconnect; isolate
The phone was cut off. - cut out → remove; stop (engine)
Cut out the bad parts.
Phrasal Verbs with DO
- do away with → abolish
They did away with the rule. - do up → fasten; renovate
Do up your shoes. / They’re doing up the house.
Phrasal Verbs with FALL
- fall apart → break into pieces; collapse emotionally
The book is falling apart. - fall behind → lag/progress slowly
He’s falling behind in class. - fall out → argue and stop being friends
They fell out over money.
Phrasal Verbs with GET
- get across → communicate successfully
I couldn’t get my point across. - get along/on (with) → have a good relationship
She gets along with everyone. - get away → escape; go on holiday
The thief got away. - get away with → avoid punishment
He got away with cheating. - get back → return; recover
Get back home safely. - get by → manage financially
We get by on a small salary. - get in → enter (car, building)
Get in the car. - get off → leave (bus/train); escape punishment
Get off at the next stop. - get on → board (bus/train); progress
How are you getting on? - get out → leave/exit; become known
Get out of the house! - get over → recover from (illness/emotion)
She got over the breakup. - get rid of → dispose of
Get rid of old clothes. - get round to → finally do something
I’ll get round to it. - get through → finish; pass (exam); contact by phone
I got through the book. - get together → meet socially
Let’s get together soon. - get up → rise from bed
I get up early.
Phrasal Verbs with GIVE
- give away → donate; reveal secret
He gave away the ending. - give back → return
Give back my book. - give in → surrender/yield
She gave in to temptation. - give off → emit (smell/light)
The flower gives off a strong scent. - give out → distribute; stop working
Hand out the papers. - give up → stop trying/habit
Give up smoking.
Phrasal Verbs with GO
- go ahead → proceed
Go ahead with the plan. - go away → leave; disappear
The pain went away. - go back → return
Go back to school. - go by → pass (time); judge by
Time goes by quickly. - go down → decrease; be received (well/badly)
Prices went down. - go for → choose; attack
I’ll go for the blue one. - go in for → enter competition; like
She goes in for sports. - go off → explode; ring (alarm); go bad (food)
The bomb went off. - go on → continue; happen
Go on talking. / What’s going on? - go out → leave home socially; stop burning
We’re going out tonight. - go over → review; be received
Go over your notes. - go through → experience; examine
She went through a tough time. - go up → increase; rise
Prices are going up.
Phrasal Verbs with HAND
- hand in → submit (work)
Hand in your homework. - hand out → distribute
The teacher handed out tests.
Phrasal Verbs with HOLD
- hold back → prevent/restrain
Hold back the tears. - hold on → wait (phone)
Hold on a minute. - hold up → delay; rob
Traffic held us up.
Phrasal Verbs with KEEP
- keep away → stay away
Keep away from fire. - keep down → control (costs/noise)
Keep the noise down. - keep off → avoid (topic); not touch
Keep off the grass. - keep on → continue
Keep on trying. - keep up → maintain speed; stay informed
Keep up the good work.
Phrasal Verbs with LET
- let down → disappoint
Don’t let me down. - let in → allow entry
Let the dog in. - let off → excuse punishment
He was let off with a warning.
Phrasal Verbs with LOOK
- look after → take care of
Look after the baby. - look ahead → think about future
Look ahead to next year. - look back → remember past
Looking back, I regret it. - look down on → despise
She looks down on poor people. - look for → search for
I’m looking for my keys. - look forward to → be excited about
I look forward to seeing you. - look into → investigate
We’ll look into the matter. - look out → be careful
Look out! There’s a car! - look over → examine quickly
Look over the report. - look round → visit/tour
We looked round the museum. - look up → search in dictionary; improve
Look up the word. / Things are looking up. - look up to → admire
I look up to my teacher.
Phrasal Verbs with MAKE
- make for → head towards
They made for the exit. - make out → see clearly; pretend
I can’t make out the writing. - make up → invent; reconcile
She made up a story. / They made up after the fight. - make up for → compensate
This makes up for the delay.
Phrasal Verbs with PASS
- pass away → die
He passed away peacefully. - pass out → faint
She passed out from the heat.
Phrasal Verbs with PAY
- pay back → return money
I’ll pay you back tomorrow. - pay off → (debts) clear; be successful
Hard work pays off.
Phrasal Verbs with PICK
- pick out → choose/select
Pick out a dress. - pick up → collect; learn informally; improve
Pick up the kids from school.
Phrasal Verbs with PUT
- put away → tidy/store
Put away your toys. - put back → return to place; delay
Put the book back. - put down → criticize; suppress (rebellion)
Don’t put yourself down. - put forward → suggest
He put forward a proposal. - put off → postpone; discourage
The meeting was put off. - put on → dress in; gain (weight); pretend
Put on your coat. - put out → extinguish (fire); inconvenience
Put out the light. - put through → connect (phone)
Put me through to the manager. - put up → accommodate; raise (price)
They put us up for the night. - put up with → tolerate
I can’t put up with the noise.
Phrasal Verbs with RUN
- run away → escape
The dog ran away. - run into → meet by chance; encounter (problems)
I ran into an old friend. - run out (of) → have no more
We’ve run out of milk. - run over → hit with vehicle; review quickly
The car ran over the cat.
Phrasal Verbs with SET
- set off → start a journey; cause to explode
We set off early. - set out → begin journey; arrange
They set out their plans. - set up → establish
Set up a new company.
Phrasal Verbs with TAKE
- take after → resemble (family)
She takes after her mother. - take away → remove; subtract
Take away the plates. - take back → return; retract (statement)
I take back what I said. - take down → write notes; dismantle
Take down the address. - take in → deceive; understand; provide shelter
He was taken in by the scam. - take off → (plane) leave ground; remove clothes; become successful
The plane took off. / Take off your shoes. - take on → employ; accept challenge
They took on new staff. - take out → remove; invite out
Take out the rubbish. - take over → assume control
She took over the company. - take up → start (hobby); occupy space/time
Take up golf.
Phrasal Verbs with TURN
- turn down → reject; reduce volume
She turned down the job offer. - turn into → transform into
The frog turned into a prince. - turn off → switch off; disgust
Turn off the lights. - turn on → switch on; excite
Turn on the TV. - turn out → result; attend
It turned out well. - turn up → arrive; increase volume
He turned up late.
Phrasal Verbs with WORK
work out → solve; exercise; result
Things worked out in the end. / Work out at the gym.