How to Use English Phrasal Verbs Naturally (Without Sounding Like a Textbook) 💬

Intermediate Level | February 22, 2026

Read the article aloud on your own or repeat each paragraph after your tutor.

Why Phrasal Verbs Matter in Real English

If you’ve ever said something like, “I will continue this task,” and your coworker said, “Oh, you mean you’ll carry on?”—welcome to the wild world of phrasal verbs. They’re everywhere in real English, especially at work, and they can make your speech sound more natural fast.

Today, you’ll learn a simple way to use phrasal verbs naturally in everyday professional conversations.

What a Phrasal Verb Is

A phrasal verb is a verb + a small word (like up, out, on, off, in) that creates a new meaning. For example, set up doesn’t mean “put something on top of a set.” It usually means “arrange” or “prepare.” The good news? You don’t need to memorize 500 of them. You just need a simple strategy.

How to Use Phrasal Verbs Naturally at Work

1) Start with the Ones You Actually Use

First, focus on phrasal verbs that show up in your daily professional life. If you work in an office, you’ll hear things like follow up, check in, hand in, and take on all the time. The easiest way to learn them is to notice when they appear in emails, meetings, and Slack messages—and then reuse them.

2) Learn Them as Chunks (Not Single Words)

Second, learn phrasal verbs in chunks, not as single words. Don’t learn “follow.” Learn follow up. Don’t learn “bring.” Learn bring up. Your brain remembers phrases better when they feel like one unit, like a button you can push in conversation.

3) Watch the Grammar: Objects and Word Order

Third, pay attention to what comes after the phrasal verb. Some need an object (set up a meeting), and some don’t (log in). Some can split (turn the report in / turn in the report), and some can’t (look after the client, not look the client after). If this part feels annoying… yes. English is sometimes a prank.

The “Upgrade” Trick for Instant Natural English

Swap Formal Verbs for Phrasal Verbs

Fourth, practice with a simple “upgrade” trick. Take a formal sentence you already use and swap in a phrasal verb:

Formal: “I will contact you again tomorrow.”
Natural: “I’ll follow up tomorrow.”

Small change, big improvement.

How to Practice Without Sounding Forced

Pick a Few Per Week and Reuse Them

Fifth, don’t force it. If you use a phrasal verb that feels unnatural for you, it’ll sound like you copied it five minutes ago (because you did). Pick 2–3 phrasal verbs each week, use them in real conversations, and let them become automatic.

Know When to Sound More Formal

One more tip: phrasal verbs can make you sound friendly and direct, but they can also sound casual. In very formal writing, you might choose “investigate” instead of “look into.” In conversation and everyday emails, “look into” is usually perfect.

Final Reminder

If you want to sound more natural in English, phrasal verbs are one of the fastest shortcuts. To use phrasal verbs naturally, start small, repeat often, and let real-life usage teach you the meaning.

Vocabulary List

Phrasal verb (noun) — A verb + particle (like up/out/on) that creates a new meaning.
Example: “Follow up” is a common phrasal verb in business emails.
Follow up (phrasal verb) — To contact someone again to continue or check progress.
Example: I’ll follow up tomorrow with the updated file.
Bring up (phrasal verb) — To mention a topic.
Example: She brought up a good point about the deadline.
Look into (phrasal verb) — To investigate or examine something.
Example: I’ll look into the error and get back to you.
Set up (phrasal verb) — To arrange or organize something.
Example: Can we set up a quick call this afternoon?
Check in (phrasal verb) — To contact someone briefly for an update.
Example: Let’s check in next week to review the plan.
Run into (phrasal verb) — To meet by chance or encounter a problem.
Example: We ran into a small issue during testing.
Carry on (phrasal verb) — To continue.
Example: Let’s carry on and finish this section first.
Figure out (phrasal verb) — To understand or solve something.
Example: I finally figured out why the report wasn’t saving.
Wrap up (phrasal verb) — To finish or complete something.
Example: Let’s wrap up this meeting with the next steps.

5 Questions About the Article

What is a phrasal verb?
Why is it better to learn phrasal verbs in “chunks”?
What is the “upgrade” trick described in the article?
What is one reason phrasal verbs can feel difficult?
When might you choose a more formal verb instead of a phrasal verb?

5 Open-Ended Discussion Questions

Which phrasal verbs do you hear most often at your job?
When do you feel comfortable using phrasal verbs, and when do you avoid them?
What’s one formal sentence you often use that you could “upgrade” with a phrasal verb?
Do phrasal verbs feel easier in speaking or writing for you? Why?
How could you build a weekly habit to practice 2–3 new phrasal verbs?

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