50+ Common Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking and Writing

In IELTS Speaking and Writing, Lexical Resource is one of the four key assessment criteria. It measures how well you can use a wide range of vocabulary to express ideas accurately and naturally.

So, how can you boost your score in the Lexical Resource criterion?

In this article, I will compile and share 50+ common phrasal verbs for IELTS Speaking and Writing to help you expand your vocabulary and express your ideas more effectively.

50+ Common Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking and Writing

Phrasal Verbs related to Education

Phrasal Verbs	Meaning	Example
to catch on	to understand, especially after a long time	It took me a while to catch on, but once the teacher explained the concept again, it finally made sense.
to drop out of	to stop going to school before finishing the course of instruction	A growing number of teenagers drop out of school because they need to support their families.
to fall behind something	to fail to do something fast enough or on time	Students who lack self-discipline often fall behind in their coursework when studying online.
to find out	to get information about something because you want to know more about it, or to learn a fact or piece of information for the first time	I found out that I learn more effectively when I take short breaks between study sessions
to go over something	to study or explain something	Before the exam, I usually go over my notes to make sure I haven’t missed anything important.
to scrape through	to succeed in something but with a lot of difficulty	He managed to scrape through his final exams.
to mug (something) up	to study a subject quickly before taking an exam	He spent the afternoon mugging up a few facts about ancient Egypt.
to read up (on/about) something	to spend time reading in order to find out information about something	I had to read up on the topic of climate change before writing my essay.
to brush up (on) something	to improve your knowledge of something already learned but partly forgotten	I brushed up on my grammar rules before taking the IELTS test.
to copy (something) out	if you copy out a piece of writing, you write it out again on a piece of paper	In primary school, we were often asked to copy out entire paragraphs to improve handwriting.
to jot (something) down	to write something quickly on a piece of paper so that you remember it	During lectures, I always jot down key ideas so I can review them later.
to reel (something) off	to say a long list of things quickly and without stopping	Some candidates can reel off advanced vocabulary, but they struggle to use it naturally.
to sail through (something)	to succeed very easily in something, especially a test	With enough practice tests, many students can sail through the IELTS Listening section.
to learn something by heart	to learn something in such as way that you can repeat it from memory	In some education systems, students are required to learn long texts by heart instead of developing critical thinking.
to know something from something	to know the difference between two things and therefore be able to recognize either, used especially to mean that you have a good knowledge and understanding of a particular subject	You can easily tell that experienced teachers know effective methods from ineffective ones.
to steep (something/someone) in something	if something or someone is steeped in something, they are completely surrounded by or involved in it, or know a lot about it	Students who are steeped in a bilingual environment tend to acquire languages more naturally.
to bone up	to learn as much as you can about something for a special reason	Many students bone up on exam materials just a few days before the test.
to sit under someone	to receive teaching from someone	During my undergraduate program, I had the chance to sit under a professor who specialised in educational psychology.

Phrasal Verbs related to Social Media

Phrasal Verbs	Meaning	Example
to call (someone) back	to phone someone again, or to phone someone who called you earlier	If the connection is unstable, I usually hang up and call the person back on another app.
to log on	to start using a computer system or program by giving a password	You have to log on to the platform to access the full range of online learning materials.
to hang up	to end a phone conversation	When conversations get heated online, some people simply hang up or leave the call without resolving the issue.
to keep up (with someone/something)	to do whatever is necessary to stay level or equal with someone or something	It’s increasingly difficult to keep up with social media trends because they change almost every day.
to scroll through	to move text or images on a screen up or down to view a different part of the content, such as a webpage, document, or social media feed	Many young people spend hours scrolling through their feeds without realising how much time has passed.
to get the message across	to make someone understand	Short-form videos are an effective way for organisations to get their message across to a wider audience.
to break the ice	to make people who have not met before feel more relaxed with each other	ending a light-hearted meme is sometimes a good way to break the ice when starting a conversation online.
to dish out (something)	to give something, or to tell something such as information or your opinions	Some influencers dish out advice on mental health even though they lack professional training.
to tune in	to watch or listen to a particular television or radio programme or station	Millions of viewers tune in to livestreams every night, especially during sales events
to talk down to someone	to speak to someone in a simple way, as if the person cannot understand things as well as you can	Online debates often become toxic when users talk down to others who hold different views.
to be/get/keep in touch	to communicate or continue to communicate with someone by using a phone or writing to them	Social networks allow people to keep in touch with friends abroad at almost no cost.
to talk something over	to discuss a problem or situation with someone, often to find out their opinion or to get advice before making a decision about it	Before posting any public statement, companies usually talk things over with their communication teams.

Phrasal Verbs related to Technology

Phrasal Verbs	Meaning	Example
to break down	if a machine or vehicle breaks down, it stops working	My laptop broke down right before an online meeting, which shows how dependent we are on technology.
to key in	to put information into a computer, phone, or other machine using a keyboard or touchscreen	Users are required to key in their personal information before accessing the service.
to boot up	when a computer boots (up), it becomes ready for use by getting the necessary information into its memory, and when you boot (up) a computer, you cause it to do this	It takes quite a while for my old computer to boot up, so I usually switch it on in advance.
to back (something) up	to make an extra copy of computer information	It’s essential to back up important files regularly to avoid losing data during system failures.
to go down	if a computer system goes down, it stops working	When the website went down, thousands of customers were unable to complete their purchases.
to shut (something) down	if a computer or other machine shuts down or someone shuts it down, it stops operating	The company decided to shut down its outdated server to improve security.
to set (something) up	to formally establish a new company, organization, system, way of working, etc.	Many schools have set up digital platforms to support remote learning.
to test (something) out	to test something, especially a theory or an idea, to find out how it works in a practical situation or how people react to it	Before launching the app, developers need to test it out to identify any bugs.
to put through	to connect a person using a phone to the person they want to speak to	When I called customer support, the receptionist put me through to the technical team.
to plug (something) in	to connect a piece of electrical equipment to another piece of electrical equipment or to the main electricity supply	The device won’t work unless you plug it in properly.
to come up with	to suggest or think of an idea or plan	Tech companies must come up with innovative ideas to stay competitive in such a fast-moving industry.
to carry (something) out	to do or complete something, especially that you have said you would do or that you have been told to do	Researchers are carrying out a study on how artificial intelligence affects workplace productivity.

Phrasal Verbs related to Sports

Phrasal Verbs	Meaning	Example
to kick off	to begin, to start	The match kicked off at 7 p.m., but fans arrived hours earlier to build up the atmosphere.
to play off	to play a game, in a team sport, to decide which side will win	Two teams had to play off to decide who would qualify for the final round.
to work out	to exercise in order to improve the strength or appearance of your body	I usually work out three times a week because regular exercise helps me stay focused and productive.
to give in	to accept that you have been defeated and agree to stop competing or fighting	Even when the score was against them, the team refused to give in and kept pushing until the last minute.
to pull ahead	to start to do well or to do better than someone else	The home team pulled ahead in the second half thanks to a brilliant counter-attack.
to join in	to become involved in an activity with other people	Even beginners are encouraged to join in community sports events to promote an active lifestyle.
to burn something off/up	to use or get rid of energy or fat by doing a lot of physical exercise	Many people exercise in the morning to burn off the extra calories they consumed the night before.
to work something off	if you work off an unpleasant feeling, you get rid of it by doing something energetic	I usually go for a run to work off stress after a long day at university.
to warm up	to prepare yourself for a physical activity by doing some gentle exercises and stretches	Athletes must warm up properly to reduce the risk of injuries during training.
to cool down	to continue to exercise gently to prevent injury after you have done more difficult exercises	After intense workouts, it’s essential to cool down to help your muscles recover.

Phrasal Verbs related to Relationship

Phrasal Verbs	Meaning	Example
to come across something/someone	to find something or someone by chance	I came across an old friend from high school last week, and it was great catching up after so many years.
to count on somebody	to be confident that you can depend on someone	You can always count on close family members when you need emotional support.
to fall for someone	to suddenly have strong romantic feelings about someone	Many people fall for someone because of their personality rather than their appearance.
to fall out	to have an argument or disagreement that ends a relationship	We used to be really close, but we fell out over a misunderstanding and haven’t spoken since.
to back somebody up	to support or help someone	During group projects, it’s important to have teammates who back you up when challenges arise.
to go out to someone	if your thoughts or sympathies go out to someone in a difficult or sad situation, you think of that person and feel sorry for them	Our deepest sympathies go out to her husband and children.
to get along with someone	to like someone and be friendly to them	I get along with most of my classmates because we share similar interests.
to look after someone/something	to take care of or be in charge of someone or something	In many cultures, adult children are expected to look after their parents when they get older.
to strike up (something)	to start to play or sing something	It’s easy to strike up a conversation with new people when you’re in a relaxed environment.
to bring someone around	to make someone become conscious again after being unconscious	At first, my friend disagreed with the idea, but after we talked it through, I managed to bring him around.

Common Phrasal Verb Structures

Phrasal verbs are formed by combining a verb with a preposition or an adverb, creating a new meaning. Mastering these structures helps you sound more natural and flexible in both IELTS Speaking and IELTS Writing.

Below are the three basic phrasal verb structures you need to know.

Structure #1: Verb + Preposition

For example:

• concentrate on (focus on)
• agree with (share the same opinion)
• suffer from (experience, be affected by)

Structure #2: Verb + Adverb

This structure includes a verb followed by an adverb such as up, off, down, back, along, etc. These phrasal verbs often describe actions and are very common in IELTS Speaking due to their natural and conversational tone.

For example:

• look up (search for information)
• put off (delay, postpone)
• break down (stop working, collapse)

Structure #3: Verb + Adverb + Preposition

This type is longer but appears frequently in IELTS tests. These phrasal verbs often express emotions, plans, or relationships between ideas.

For example:

• run out of (use up, have none left)
• look forward to (anticipate with pleasure)
• catch up with (reach the same level as)

The IELTS Notes’ Tips: How to Remember and Use Phrasal Verbs Effectively

In addition to the common IELTS vocabulary topics, I has also compiled a full set of ideas and vocabulary – including phrasal verbs, word groups, and collocations – for IELTS Writing Task 2 across 10 major topics. You can explore them all here. 👇

Conclusion

I hope this list of phrasal verbs gives you more confidence when expressing ideas naturally in both IELTS Speaking and Writing.

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