B2 First phrasal verbs are verbs followed by one or two particles (up, out, on, off…) that together have their own meaning: give means to hand something to someone, but give up means to stop trying. This guide has more than 80 of them, grouped into the 7 topics that come up most in the exam, each with its meaning, an example and exercises like the ones in Reading and Use of English.
Practise phrasal verbs with exam-style questions
10 questions per topic, like the ones in Reading and Use of English. After each answer you see the right one and what it means, and at the end you can get the full list as a PDF.
What a phrasal verb is and where it appears in B2 First
A phrasal verb is a verb plus a particle (an adverb or a preposition). You can’t always work out the meaning from the separate words, which is why they are hard: take up doesn’t mean “take upwards”, it means “start a new hobby”.
You will find them in three places in the exam. In Reading and Use of English Part 1 (multiple-choice cloze) you choose between four very similar options, such as fall behind, catch up or give up. In Part 2 (open cloze) the gap is sometimes just the particle: The cyclist slowed down, allowing the others to ____ up (catch). And in Writing and Speaking, using a few of them well makes your English sound more natural.
Sport & Hobbies phrasal verbs
Useful for Speaking, because talking about your free time is one of the typical Part 1 questions, and for Reading texts about sport and leisure.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| bulk up | to gain muscle mass | He followed a strict diet to bulk up before the new season. |
| catch up (with) | to reach the same level as other people by making an extra effort | I missed two practices, so I need to train extra hard this week to catch up with the rest of the team. |
| cheer on | to shout encouragement to someone in a race, game or competition | Hundreds of fans came to the match to cheer on the local football team. |
| cool down | to do gentle exercise or stretches after physical activity so your body can recover | Don’t forget to cool down with some easy stretches after your workout. |
| fall behind | to fail to keep up with other people’s speed or progress | If you skip too many rehearsals, you’ll fall behind and struggle on performance night. |
| give up | to stop trying; to admit defeat | The workout was tough, but she refused to give up until she had finished the full set. |
| join in | to take part in an activity that other people are already doing | We’re playing a quick game of basketball after class. Come and join in if you’re free. |
| kick out | to force someone to leave a team, group or place | The midfielder was kicked out of the team because he missed numerous practice sessions. |
| put on (weight) | to gain weight | I put on a few kilos over Christmas, so I’ve taken up running again to lose them. |
| stay in | to stay at home instead of going out | I’m going to stay in tonight and rest because I’ve had a very stressful week. |
| take up | to start doing a new activity or hobby | He decided to take up swimming to improve his fitness and reduce stress. |
| try out for | to compete for a place in a team or event | She’s going to try out for the school chess team because she’s very strategic and logical. |
| turn up (for) | to arrive at an event, often when people are not sure you will come | Only half of the volunteers turned up for the forest clean-up, so we had to work longer. |
| warm up | to stretch and do gentle exercise to get your body ready for more intense activity | The coach asked us to warm up for ten minutes before starting our drills. |
| wear out | to make someone very tired; to use something so much that it gets damaged | I’m feeling rather worn out this week because I’ve worked more than 45 hours. |
| work out | to do exercise; to find the answer to a problem | I usually work out at the gym three times a week before work. |
You can switch topic inside the exercise. If you prefer to practise on paper, get the full list as a PDF: it has every topic, two exercises per topic and the answers.
Technology phrasal verbs
They come up in texts about the internet, social media and working with computers, which are very common topics in Reading and Writing.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| back up | to make a copy of your digital files to protect them | Make sure you back up your files before updating the software, in case you lose everything. |
| click on | to select a button, link or icon by pressing it with the mouse or your finger | You need to click on the ‘Submit’ button to finish your registration. |
| fade in | to appear gradually (a sound or an image) | The film begins as the music fades in and the title appears on the screen. |
| fade out | to disappear gradually (a sound or an image) | The song slowly fades out at the end of the track. |
| log in / log on | to enter a website or system with your username and password | You must log in to your account before you can see your messages. |
| log off / log out | to leave a website or system by signing out of your account | Don’t forget to log out when you finish using a computer in the public library. |
| plug in | to connect a device to the electricity supply | You need to plug in the charger before your laptop battery dies. |
| print off / print out | to make a paper copy of a digital document | Can you print out four copies of the report before the meeting? |
| set up | to prepare a device or app so it is ready to use; to start a business | It took me an hour to set up my new watch. |
| type in | to write information into a form or document using a keyboard | Type in your password and press Enter. |
| wipe off | to remove dirt or liquid from a surface with a cloth | Wipe the fingerprints off your screen with a soft, dry cloth. |
Food & Drink phrasal verbs
Handy for describing habits, restaurants and trips, both in Speaking and in a Writing review.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| agree with | to be good for your body or health (opposite: disagree with) | I’ve found that gluten doesn’t agree with me. |
| cut (sth) into | to cut something into smaller pieces | Next, cut the apples into small pieces and add them to the rest of the ingredients. |
| dip (sth) in | to put food quickly into a sauce or liquid | I’ve never liked dipping my chips in ketchup. |
| eat in | to eat at home instead of in a restaurant | We try to eat in as much as possible during the week. |
| fill up (on) | to eat so much of something that you feel full | Don’t fill up on bread. There’s a lot more food coming. |
| gobble down | to eat something very quickly | No need to gobble everything down like that. We still have plenty of time. |
| order in | to have food delivered to your home | I’m not feeling well tonight, so I think I’ll order something in. |
| pick at | to eat only small amounts of food slowly, because you are not hungry | I was so tired that I just sat there, picking at my breakfast. |
| put on (weight) | to gain weight | I’ve put on a few kilos after my trip to Greece. |
| slice up | to cut something into thin pieces | Don’t forget to slice the carrots up before adding them to the soup. |
Environment & Sustainability phrasal verbs
The environment is one of the topics that comes up most often in Writing essays and Reading texts.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| break down | to decompose naturally | Organic matter breaks down easily in the environment. |
| build up | to increase gradually | Greenhouse gases are building up in the atmosphere. |
| cut down (on) | to reduce the amount of something you do or use | We need to cut down on the amount of single-use plastic we buy. |
| deal with | to take action to solve a problem | It’s high time governments dealt with serious environmental issues. |
| die out | to stop existing; to disappear completely | Scientists are worried that many species will die out in the next few decades. |
| end up | to finally be in a place or situation | Most plastic ends up in the ocean. |
| melt away | to disappear because of heat | Due to climate change, the glaciers are slowly melting away and sea levels are rising. |
| pick up | to collect things from the ground | After the storm, volunteers picked up litter from the beach. |
| protect (sth) against | to keep something safe from harm | It’s our duty to protect our planet against the effects of climate change. |
| run out of | to use all of something so that there is none left | The planet will soon run out of some non-renewable resources. |
| sort out | to separate things into groups | Households should sort out their rubbish before recycling it. |
| throw away | to get rid of something you no longer want | We throw away far too much food every year. |
| use up | to use all of something | At this rate, we’re going to use up most of the planet’s non-renewable resources. |
| warm up | to become warmer | Many regions are warming up faster than we realise. |
| wash away | to remove or carry something away with water | The rain washed all our footprints away. |
Studies & Education phrasal verbs
You will need them to talk about your studies in Speaking and to understand texts about education.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| look up | to search for information in a book or online | If you don’t know a word, you can look it up in the dictionary. |
| catch up (on) | to do work you missed so you reach the same level as everyone else | After missing a week of classes, I had to work hard to catch up on everything. |
| fall behind | to fail to do something fast enough or on time | She fell behind in maths after being ill for two weeks. |
| hand in | to give a piece of work to the person in charge | All essays must be handed in by Friday. |
| hand out | to give something to each person in a group | The teacher handed out copies of the worksheet before the lesson began. |
| drop out (of) | to leave school or a course before finishing it | He dropped out of university after his first year. |
| read up on | to read a lot about a topic to learn about it | I need to read up on climate change before writing my report. |
| take in | to understand and remember something | There was so much new material in the lecture that I couldn’t take it all in. |
| take up | to start studying or doing something new | She’s decided to take up French next semester. |
| go over | to check or study something again carefully | Let’s go over the answers together before the test. |
Work & Business phrasal verbs
Common in formal emails, articles and texts about companies, and in Speaking when you talk about future plans.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| branch out (into) | to start doing something new, in addition to what you already do | The company decided to branch out into Asia. |
| come up with | to think of an idea or a solution, especially under pressure | The team had to stay up late to come up with a counteroffer. |
| draw up | to prepare a document or plan in detail | The manager will draw up a new contract for you. |
| drop by / stop by | to make a short, informal visit | Please drop by my office on your way out. |
| fill in for (sb) | to do someone else’s job while they are away | Jane is ill today. Would you mind filling in for her? |
| follow up (on) | to take further action on something, for example by contacting someone again | Could you follow up on my email before the end of the day? |
| lay (sb) off | to end someone’s employment because there is not enough work | Unfortunately, the company had to lay off more than 40 employees last month. |
| run (sth) by (sb) | to tell someone about an idea to get their opinion | I’ll run this by my manager first and get back to you. |
| sell out | to sell all of something, so there is none left | All the new merchandise sold out in minutes. |
| step down | to leave an important job or position | The CEO had to step down in the middle of the crisis. |
Travel & Festivals phrasal verbs
Travel, festivals and traditions often come up in Speaking and in Writing articles and reviews.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| carry on | to continue doing something | Despite the rain, we carried on with the hike. |
| check in | to arrive and register at a hotel or airport | Let’s check in and drop our bags before heading downtown. |
| check out | to leave a hotel after paying the bill | Don’t forget to pay the city tax before checking out of the hotel. |
| dress up | to wear smart clothes, or clothes for a special occasion | No need to dress up for the party. Everyone will be wearing casual clothes. |
| fit in | to feel comfortable and accepted in a new place or group | The culture was so different that it was hard to fit in at first. |
| get away | to escape from a place or situation | I’d recommend taking a shortcut to get away from the crowds of tourists. |
| get by | to manage with what you have, for example a little of a language | I can get by with basic Spanish. |
| hand down | to pass traditions or objects to the next generation | These customs are handed down from generation to generation. |
| look around | to walk around a place to see what is there | Feel free to look around the room before joining your tour group again. |
| miss out (on) | to lose the chance to do or enjoy something | I travel a lot, so I never miss out on the airline’s cheap fares. |
| set off | to start a journey | We should set off early if we want to get to the airport on time. |
| settle down | to start living a quieter, more stable life in one place | After years of travelling, Jane finally decided to settle down in Melbourne. |
| settle in | to start to feel comfortable in a new place | After a long flight, I like to settle in and relax at the hotel before going out. |
| show (sb) around | to act as a guide and show someone the interesting places | My friend from Poland is in town. I’ll show her around tomorrow. |
| stop over | to stay somewhere for a short time on the way to another place | We’ll stop over in Doha before continuing to Singapore. |
| take in | to visit or see places of interest | We took in several museums and a concert during our weekend in Vienna. |
| take part in | to participate in an activity or event | When I travel, I always try to take part in local festivals. |
How to learn phrasal verbs for the exam
- One topic a day. Read the whole table, out loud if you can, and focus on the example more than on the definition.
- Cover the meaning column and say what each one means. Go over the ones you got wrong again the next day.
- Practise with exam-style questions, like the ones in this guide: the exam doesn’t ask you for definitions, it asks you to choose the one that fits the sentence.
- Write your own sentence with the three you find hardest, about something that really happens to you. It is what helps most to remember them.
- Use them in Speaking and Writing, but only the ones you know well: one used correctly is worth more than three forced ones.
Check if you are already at B2 level
Phrasal verbs are only one part of the exam. The level test is free and in a few minutes it gives you an estimate of your level and the Cambridge exam that suits you.
B2 First phrasal verbs FAQ
What is a phrasal verb?
It is a verb followed by one or two particles (up, out, on, off…) that together have their own meaning. For example, give means to hand something to someone, but give up means to stop trying.
How many phrasal verbs do I need for B2 First?
Cambridge doesn’t publish an official list. The practical approach is to know the most common ones from the topics that come up most in the exam, like the ones in this guide, and to be able to use them in context.
Which part of B2 First tests phrasal verbs?
Mostly Parts 1 and 2 of Reading and Use of English. They also help you in Writing and Speaking, because they make your English sound more natural.
Is there a B2 phrasal verbs list in PDF?
Yes. You can get it free on this page: we email it to you with the 7 topics, the meaning of each phrasal verb, examples, two exercises per topic and the answers.
Conclusion: a few, by topic and in context
For B2 First you don’t need to know hundreds of phrasal verbs. It pays off more to know the ones from the topics that come up most, understand what each particle adds and practise them in sentences like the ones in the exam. If you want to know how you are doing in the other skills, the next step is the level test.
