Phrasal Verbs with Example Sentences

1. Ask out: invitar a salir

- I asked my neighbour out for dinner last night.
- Would you like to ask Sarah out for a movie this weekend?
- She was too shy to ask her crush out on a date.

2. Beat up: golpear, apalear

- The bullies beat up the younger student after school.
- The boxer beat up his opponent in the third round.
- The gang members beat up the shopkeeper during the robbery.

3. Blow up: explotar, hacer estallar

- The terrorists blew up the government building with a car bomb.
- The science experiment blew up and caused a mess in the lab.
- The angry customer blew up at the staff member over the poor service.

4. Break down: averiarse descomponerse

- My car broke down on the motorway and I had to call for a tow truck.
- The peace talks broke down after the two sides could not reach an agreement.
- The old computer system finally broke down and needs to be replaced.

5. Break up: romper, separarse

- The celebrity couple broke up after dating for two years.
- The band decided to break up after their last tour.
- The teacher had to break up the fight between the students in the hallway.

6. Bring up: mencionar, sacar a colación

- The politician brought up the issue of healthcare reform in his speech.
- The therapist encouraged the patient to bring up any concerns or worries.
- The teacher brought up the importance of studying for the upcoming exam.

7. Call off: cancelar, suspender

- The football match was called off due to heavy rain.
- The company had to call off the annual picnic because of a storm.
- The wedding was called off at the last minute due to family disagreements.

8. Carry on: continuar, seguir adelante

- Despite the setback, the team carried on and eventually won the championship.
- The speaker carried on with her presentation even when the microphone stopped working.
- The volunteers carried on with their charity work throughout the pandemic.

9. Catch up: ponerse al día, alcanzar

- I need to catch up on my reading over the weekend.
- The student had to catch up on the lessons she missed while she was sick.
- Let's catch up over coffee and discuss our plans for the summer.

10. Dress up: vestirse elegantemente

- The children dressed up as their favourite superheroes for the costume party.
- The couple dressed up in their finest clothes for the gala event.
- She always dresses up nicely for work, even on casual Fridays.

11. Drop off: dejar, dejar caer

- I'll drop off the package at the post office on my way to work.
- Can you drop off the kids at their grandparents' house on your way home?
- The delivery driver dropped off the parcel at the front door.

12. Drop out: abandonar, dejar de asistir

- The student decided to drop out of university to pursue a career in music.
- Many young people drop out of school due to financial difficulties.
- The candidate dropped out of the election race after a scandal.

13. Eat out: comer fuera de la casa

- We eat out at a different restaurant every Friday night.
- The busy family often eats out on weekdays to save time.
- Eating out is a treat for the children, as we usually cook at home.

14. Fall over: caerse, desplomarse

- The toddler fell over while learning to walk and started crying.
- The icy pavement caused the pedestrian to fall over and injure their ankle.
- The clumsy waiter fell over and spilled the drinks on the customers.

15. Fill in: rellenar, completar

- Please fill in the application form with your personal details.
- The teacher asked the students to fill in the missing words in the worksheet.
- The receptionist helped the patient fill in the medical history form.

16. Find out: averiguar, descubrir

- I need to find out the opening hours of the library before I go.
- The detective is working hard to find out who committed the crime.
- The curious child kept asking questions to find out more about dinosaurs.

17. Get down: bajar, descender

- The cat got down from the tree after the firefighters arrived.
- The dancer got down on the dance floor and showed off her moves.
- The worker had to get down on his knees to fix the plumbing issue.

18. Let (subject) down: defraudar, decepcionar

- The team let their coach down by losing the important match.
- The student let her parents down by failing the final exam.
- The politician let his supporters down by breaking his campaign promises.

19. Get over: superar, recuperarse de

- It took her a long time to get over the loss of her beloved pet.
- The athlete had to get over his injury before he could return to the game.
- The heartbroken man eventually got over his ex-girlfriend and moved on.

20. Give in: ceder, rendirse

- The stubborn child finally gave in and agreed to eat his vegetables.
- The negotiators gave in to the demands of the protesters to end the standoff.
- The tired hiker gave in to the temptation to rest for a while.

21. Give up: renunciar, abandonar

- The marathon runner was exhausted but refused to give up and crossed the finish line.
- The struggling student gave up on her dream of becoming a doctor.
- The addict had to give up smoking in order to improve his health.

22. Grow up: crecer, madurar

- The young boy grew up to become a successful businessman.
- She grew up in a small town but always dreamed of living in the city.
- The siblings grew up together and remained close as adults.

23. Go through: pasar por, atravesar

- The couple had to go through a difficult divorce process.
- The job applicant had to go through several rounds of interviews.
- The patient had to go through a series of medical tests to diagnose the illness.

24. Hang on: esperar, aguantar

- Hang on, I need to take this call.
- The climber had to hang on to the rock face to avoid falling.
- Hang on a minute, I'll be with you as soon as I finish this task.

25. Heat up: calentar, recalentar

- The chef heated up the leftover soup for the customer.
- The political situation in the region is starting to heat up again.
- The oven heated up quickly, so the cookies were ready in no time.

26. Hold on: agarrar, sujetar

- Hold on, I'm trying to find the information you requested.
- The passenger held on to the handrail as the bus went around a sharp turn.
- The patient was asked to hold on while the nurse prepared the injection.
27. Hurry up: darse prisa, apresurarse
- Hurry up, or we'll miss the train!
- The children hurried up to finish their homework before bedtime.
- The impatient customer hurried up the cashier to speed up the checkout process.

28. Keep on: continuar, seguir

- The determined runner kept on going despite the pain in her legs.
- The teacher encouraged the students to keep on practicing their language skills.
- The musician kept on performing even after the microphone stopped working.

29. Look after: cuidar, atender

- The grandparents look after their grandchildren while the parents are at work.
- The pet sitter will look after the dog while the family is on vacation.
- The nurse looked after the elderly patient with great care and attention.

30. Look forward to: esperar con ilusión, tener ganas de

- I'm really looking forward to the summer holidays.
- The students looked forward to the school trip to the museum.
- The couple looked forward to their wedding day with excitement and anticipation.

31. Make up: reconciliarse, inventar

- The couple made up after their argument and reconciled.
- The student had to make up the missed assignment to pass the course.
- The makeup artist made up the actress for her role in the film.

32. Pick up: recoger, levantar

- I'll pick up the dry cleaning on my way home from work.
- The teacher picked up the books that the student had dropped.
- The rideshare driver picked up the passenger at the designated location.

33. Put on: ponerse, colocarse

- The athlete put on his running shoes before the race.
- The child put on her favourite dress for the birthday party.
- The actor put on a convincing performance in the play.

34. Show off: presumir, hacer alarde

- The talented musician showed off his skills during the concert.
- The young athlete showed off his impressive gymnastics routine.
- The fashion designer showed off her latest collection at the runway show.

Story in past tense: A Rollercoaster of Experiences

It was a typical day for Sarah as she asked out her long-time crush, James, to dinner. However, their plans took an unexpected turn when James' car broke down right outside Sarah's house. Determined to help, Sarah called out a mechanic and offered
James a cup of tea, but to her dismay, they had run out of milk.

While Sarah hurried out to the shop to pick up some more, the mechanic arrived and got on with fixing James' car. When Sarah returned, she was shocked to find that James had already left, and her little sister, whom she had been looking after, was
locked inside the house. Feeling let down, Sarah rushed back home, only to find her sister safe and sound.

Determined to make the most of the situation, Sarah decided to call up her old friend Mark, whom she had caught up with earlier that day. To her surprise, Mark had recently started his own business and offered Sarah a job. Excited by the prospect, Sarah
eagerly accepted, finally feeling like she was getting over the day's earlier setbacks. As she got ready to start her new role, Sarah couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing that she had grown up and overcome the challenges
that had threatened to blow up her plans.

Story in present tense: A Day in the Life

It's a busy morning for Emma as she asks out her coworker, Tom, for a quick lunch. However, their plans are quickly disrupted when Tom's car breaks down on the way to the restaurant. Determined to help, Emma calls out a mechanic and offers Tom a
ride, but he insists on waiting for the repair.

While Tom hangs on for the mechanic, Emma hurries off to the office, where she finds her boss has brought up the idea of a big project. Eager to impress, Emma quickly fills in the necessary paperwork and gets to work, determined to carry on and show off
her skills.

As the day goes on, Emma finds herself caught up in a whirlwind of activity. She has to pick up some important documents from a client, and then rush to drop off a package at the post office before it closes. Despite the hectic pace, Emma keeps on going,
knowing that she's growing up and taking on more responsibility. By the end of the day, she's feeling a sense of accomplishment, even if she didn't get to eat out with Tom as planned.

Story in future tense: A Future Full of Possibilities

As the sun rises on a new day, Emma looks forward to asking out her long-time crush, Tom, for a romantic dinner. She's been planning this for weeks and can't wait to see how it all plays out. However, her excitement is quickly dampened when she finds
out that Tom's car has broken down, and he's struggling to get it fixed.

Determined to help, Emma calls out a mechanic and offers to pick Tom up, but he insists on staying with the car. Feeling a bit let down, Emma decides to carry on with her day, knowing that she'll have to catch up with Tom later. As she heads to the office,
she can't help but think about how much she's grown up since her last relationship broke up.

Once at work, Emma is surprised to find that her boss has brought up the idea of a big project that could really help her career. Eager to show off her skills, Emma hurries to fill in the necessary paperwork and get started. As she works, she can't help but
feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing that she's finally getting over the setbacks of the past and looking forward to a bright future.

Story with phrasal verbs: A Tale of Resilience and Growth

Sarah had always dreamed of becoming a professional dancer, but her confidence took a hit when she was beat up by a group of bullies in high school. Despite the setback, she refused to give up on her passion and decided to carry on with her dance
training. With each graceful move, she showed off her talent and determination to the world.

As Sarah grew up, she faced many challenges that threatened to break her down, but she held on to her dreams tightly. One day, she received an invitation to audition for a prestigious dance company. Excited but nervous, she decided to dress up in her
best outfit and give it her all. The audition went well, but Sarah couldn't shake off the fear of being let down once again.

After weeks of waiting, Sarah finally found out that she had been accepted into the dance company. Overwhelmed with joy, she realized that she had not only gotten over her past traumas but had also grown stronger because of them. With a renewed
sense of purpose, Sarah looked forward to a future filled with opportunities to inspire others and make up for lost time.

Used to: comparing things past, present and future

10 sentences using "used to" to compare things in the past in British English:

1. I used to enjoy going to the cinema every weekend, but nowadays I prefer watching films at home.

2. She used to be a keen runner, but since she had children, she doesn't have as much time to exercise.

3. Back in the day, we used to have family dinners every Sunday, but now everyone is so busy with their own schedules.

4. The high street used to be bustling with shops and restaurants, but many of them have closed down over the years.

5. When I was younger, I used to be able to stay up late without feeling tired the next day, but as I've gotten older, I need more sleep.

6. Our old house used to have a beautiful garden, but the new owners haven't maintained it as well.

7. I used to be able to eat anything without gaining weight, but now I have to be more careful about my diet.

8. The weather used to be more predictable, but with climate change, the seasons seem to be more unpredictable these days.

9. Our local library used to have a wide selection of books, but now they've had to cut back on their collection due to budget cuts.

10. When I was a student, I used to spend hours in the library studying, but now I prefer to work from home or in coffee shops.

10 sentences using "used to" to compare things in the present in British English:

1. I used to enjoy going to the cinema every weekend, but these days I prefer watching films at home.

2. She used to be a keen runner, but since she had children, she doesn't have as much time to exercise anymore.

3. Back in the day, we used to have family dinners every Sunday, but now everyone is so busy with their own schedules.

4. The high street used to be bustling with shops and restaurants, but many of them have closed down over the years, leaving it rather quiet.

5. When I was younger, I used to be able to stay up late without feeling tired the next day, but as I've gotten older, I need more sleep these days.

6. Our old house used to have a beautiful garden, but the new owners haven't maintained it as well, and it's looking a bit neglected.

7. I used to be able to eat anything without gaining weight, but now I have to be more careful about my diet to stay in shape.

8. The weather used to be more predictable, but with climate change, the seasons seem to be more unpredictable these days.

9. Our local library used to have a wide selection of books, but now they've had to cut back on their collection due to budget cuts, so the choice is more limited.

10. When I was a student, I used to spend hours in the library studying, but now I prefer to work from home or in coffee shops, as it's more convenient.

10 sentences using "used to" to compare things in the future in British English:
1. I used to think that I would be a successful businessman by now, but it seems that my career has taken a different path.

2. She used to believe that she would be a famous artist, but now she's considering a different career path.

3. Back in the day, we used to think that we would be able to retire early, but with the current economic climate, it's unlikely.

4. The high street used to be bustling with shops and restaurants, but many of them have closed down over the years, leaving it rather quiet.

5. When I was younger, I used to think that I would be able to stay up late without feeling tired the next day, but as I've gotten older, I need more sleep.

6. Our old house used to have a beautiful garden, but the new owners haven't maintained it as well, and it's looking a bit neglected.

7. I used to be able to eat anything without gaining weight, but now I have to be more careful about my diet to stay in shape.

8. The weather used to be more predictable, but with climate change, the seasons seem to be more unpredictable these days.

9. Our local library used to have a wide selection of books, but now they've had to cut back on their collection due to budget cuts, so the choice is more limited.

10. When I was a student, I used to spend hours in the library studying, but now I prefer to work from home or in coffee shops, as it's more convenient.

10 sentences using "used to" to compare things in British English:

1. I used to enjoy going to the cinema every weekend, but these days I prefer watching films at home.

2. She used to be a keen runner, but since she had children, she doesn't have as much time to exercise anymore.

3. Back in the day, we used to have family dinners every Sunday, but now everyone is so busy with their own schedules.

4. The high street used to be bustling with shops and restaurants, but many of them have closed down over the years, leaving it rather quiet.

5. When I was younger, I used to be able to stay up late without feeling tired the next day, but as I've gotten older, I need more sleep these days.

6. Our old house used to have a beautiful garden, but the new owners haven't maintained it as well, and it's looking a bit neglected.

7. I used to be able to eat anything without gaining weight, but now I have to be more careful about my diet to stay in shape.

8. The weather used to be more predictable, but with climate change, the seasons seem to be more unpredictable these days.

9. Our local library used to have a wide selection of books, but now they've had to cut back on their collection due to budget cuts, so the choice is more limited.

10. When I was a student, I used to spend hours in the library studying, but now I prefer to work from home or in coffee shops, as it's more convenient.

Story with used to, use to: Reminiscing the Past

Growing up, I used to love spending my summers at my grandparents' farm. As a child, I used to wake up early to the sound of the rooster crowing and the smell of my grandmother's freshly baked bread. I used to spend hours exploring the vast fields,
chasing after the chickens, and helping my grandfather tend to the vegetable garden.

Those were simpler times, when life seemed to move at a slower pace. I used to look forward to the annual family barbecues, where we would all gather around the table and share stories of the past. My grandparents used to regale us with tales of their
own childhood, and I would listen with rapt attention, imagining what it must have been like to grow up in a different era.

Nowadays, things are quite different. I no longer have the luxury of spending my summers on the farm, as I've grown up and taken on the responsibilities of adulthood. I used to be able to visit my grandparents more often, but as they've grown older, their
health has declined, and it's become more difficult for me to make the trip. Still, I cherish the memories of those carefree days and the lessons I learned from my grandparents. I know that I'll always carry a piece of that farm in my heart, a reminder of a
simpler time when life used to be a little bit slower and a little bit sweeter.

The correct structure is "used to" instead of "use to". Here is the correct usage structure of "used to":

- Affirmative form: Subject + used to + infinitive verb

- Example: She used to play the piano when she was younger.

- Negative form: Subject + did not (didn't) + use to + infinitive verb

- Example: They didn't use to eat spicy food, but now they love it.

- Interrogative form: Did + subject + use to + infinitive verb?

- Example: Did you use to live in the countryside when you were a child?