Phrasal verbs are a key part of everyday English. They consist of a verb and a preposition or adverb, creating a new meaning. Learning them can be tricky, but mastering a few common ones will make your English sound more natural. Here are some essential phrasal verbs and how to use them.

1. Turn on / Turn off

• Meaning: To activate or deactivate (usually electronics).
• Example: “Please turn on the lights. It’s too dark in here.”
• Example: “Don’t forget to turn off the TV before leaving.”

2. Pick up

• Meaning: To lift something or collect someone.
• Example: “Can you pick up your clothes from the floor?”
• Example: “I’ll pick you up at 7 PM for the movie.”

3. Look after

• Meaning: To take care of someone or something.
• Example: “She looks after her little brother while their parents are at work.”

4. Put off

• Meaning: To postpone or delay something.
• Example: “They put off the meeting until next week.”

5. Run out of

• Meaning: To have no more of something left.
• Example: “We ran out of milk, so I’ll buy some later.”

6. Give up

• Meaning: To stop trying or quit a habit.
• Example: “He gave up smoking last year.”

7. Find out

• Meaning: To discover information.
• Example: “I just found out that the exam is next Monday!”

8. Take off

• Meaning: To remove clothing or for a plane to leave the ground.
• Example: “Take off your shoes before entering.”
• Example: “The flight will take off in 10 minutes.”

Tips for Learning Phrasal Verbs:

• Practice them in sentences.
• Group them by common verbs (e.g., take off, take on, take up).
• Listen for them in conversations and movies.

Mastering phrasal verbs will boost your fluency and help you sound like a native speaker. Start with these and gradually add more to your vocabulary!