Phrasal verbs practice by theme, 10 verbs at a time
Lists of 200 phrasal verbs in alphabetical order do not stick. Natives use "put off", "sort out" and "run into" all the time, and they change meaning with context. This prompt has your todo.is agent teach phrasal verbs in small themed sets, show whether they split, quiz you in real sentences and recycle the ones you forget.
The prompt
- Help me learn English phrasal verbs. My level is [YOUR LEVEL] and I mostly need them for [CONTEXT]. Each week, pick 10 common phrasal verbs on one theme (for example work, relationships, travel, problems). On Monday at [TIME], send the set: meaning, 2 natural example sentences, whether the verb is separable ("turn it off") or not ("look after her"), and a more formal synonym. Tuesday to Thursday, send a 5-question quiz: gap-fills, choose the right particle, and one sentence I write myself. Correct me and explain. On Friday, send a short story or dialogue using all 10, as text and a voice note. Bring back any verb I got wrong in later weeks. Start with: [FIRST THEME].
What to change
- [YOUR LEVEL]: E.g. "B1" or "B2, I understand them but never use them".
- [CONTEXT]: E.g. "work meetings and emails", "watching series", "living in the UK", "IELTS Speaking".
- [TIME]: E.g. "7:30".
- [FIRST THEME]: E.g. "work", "problems and solutions", "relationships". Or "your choice".
Example result
- Week 1: phrasal verbs for work
- Level B1+ · context: meetings and emails
- This week's 10
- • set up (separable): to arrange or organise. "Can you set up a call with the supplier?" / "Let's set it up for Monday." Formal: arrange
- • put off (separable): to delay. "We've put the launch off until June." Formal: postpone
- • follow up (not separable; "follow up on" + object): to check or continue. "I'll follow up on the invoice tomorrow." Formal: pursue
- • sort out (separable): to fix or organise. "IT sorted my laptop out in ten minutes." Formal: resolve
- • take on (separable): to accept work or hire. "We're taking on two new developers." Formal: hire / accept
- • run into (not separable): to meet a problem. "We ran into some delays at customs." Formal: encounter
- • come up with (not separable): to think of an idea. "She came up with a cheaper option." Formal: devise
- • carry on (not separable): to continue. "Carry on, I'll join in a minute." Formal: continue
- • fill in (separable): to complete a form; or to replace someone. "Please fill in the form." / "Can you fill in for Ana on Friday?"
- • get back to (not separable): to reply later. "I'll get back to you by Thursday." Formal: respond
- Separable tip
- With a pronoun, separable verbs must split: "put it off", never "put off it".
- Tuesday quiz
- • 1. Can we ___ the meeting ___ until next week? (delay)
- • 2. I'll ___ ___ ___ you after I check with my manager.
- • 3. We ___ ___ a problem with the payment system.
- • 4. Which is correct? a) Please fill it in. b) Please fill in it.
- • 5. Write one sentence about your own job with "take on".
- Answers
- • 1. put / off
- • 2. get back to
- • 3. ran into
- • 4. a) Please fill it in.
- • 5. Example: "My team is taking on a new client next month."
- Friday preview
- A one-minute office dialogue between Priya and her manager using all 10 verbs, as text and voice note.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your level, context, time and first theme.
- Send it to your todo.is agent on WhatsApp or Telegram to receive the weekly set and the quizzes.
- Answer each quiz by message; write your own sentences about your life, not textbook ones.
- Ask for a new theme at any time, or "a printable PDF of this week’s verbs" to stick on your desk.
Tips for a better result
- Learn the particle meanings: "up" often means complete (fill up, eat up), "off" often means stop or away (switch off, set off). It makes new verbs easier to guess.
- Use each new verb in a real message the same day, such as an email or a chat with a colleague.
- Know the formal synonym too. Phrasal verbs fit speech and emails; formal reports often prefer "postpone" to "put off".
- Ask your agent to mark phrasal verbs in an article or episode you like and quiz you on them.
phrasal verbs practice: FAQ
- How many phrasal verbs do I need to know? There are thousands, but a few hundred cover most everyday use. Learning the most common ones well, in context, is more useful than memorising long lists.
- How do I know if a phrasal verb is separable? You often cannot tell from the form, so learn it with each verb. Dictionaries mark it, and the weekly sets here always tell you, with examples using a pronoun.
- Are phrasal verbs too informal for IELTS writing? Common ones are fine in most IELTS essays, such as "carry out research" or "set up a business". Avoid very casual ones like "mess up" in formal writing.
- Can I learn them from my favourite series? Yes. Attach a short episode clip or paste the subtitles, and your agent picks out the phrasal verbs and makes a quiz from them.
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