B2 / FCE Phrasal Verb list

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.