English Phrasal Verb Flashcards: Meaning & Word Order
54 English flashcards on 24 everyday phrasal-verb senses: meanings in context, sentence completion, and noun or pronoun word order.
About this deck
Practice 24 everyday English multi-word verb senses with 54 short flashcards. Each sense has an original sentence for meaning recall and a separate task that asks you to complete a sentence or rewrite it with a pronoun. Six grammar cards explain the object patterns behind those tasks. The deck is for learners who can already read short English explanations.
Begin with separable verbs for home routines, then use them in study and planning contexts. Next come verbs that need no object, inseparable combinations, and three-part expressions. Meaning and usage cards for the same expression are separated by at least three other cards. Read the sentence, say the answer, then reveal the back and compare. For meaning cards, an equivalent explanation is enough; completion cues and rewrite instructions narrow the intended productive answer.
The set covers turn off, pick up (collect a passenger), put away, put on, throw away, take off (remove clothing), write down, hand in, call off, look up (consult a reference), put off, fill in, wake up, break down (a machine), show up, get up, look after, run into (meet by chance), get over (an illness), look for, run out of, put up with, catch up with (reach someone ahead), and look forward to.
“Phrasal verbs” is used here in the broad learner sense: it includes particle verbs, prepositional verbs such as look after, and three-part combinations such as put up with. Object rules apply to the chosen meaning and construction. Cards distinguish noun placement from personal-pronoun placement, and include the -ing form after look forward to.
This is a focused practice set, not a frequency ranking or a complete English course. It does not cover every sense, unrestricted synonym recall, translations, audio, pronunciation, or every possible reverse prompt. Those directions need different cues or media; the selected tasks focus on meaning and usable word order. It is not aligned to a specific exam or CEFR level.
The questions, answers, examples, sequence, metadata, and cover were independently created with AI assistance. Common language facts were checked against the open English multi-word verb overview and individual Wiktionary entries; no dictionary definitions, example sentences, textbook exercises, examination questions, or competitor cards were copied. The original text and generated cover are released under CC0 1.0 to the extent applicable rights exist; reference-source text remains under its own licenses. This is an independent resource, unaffiliated with any dictionary, school, or examination provider.
Cards in this deck
Card 1
Question
What does separable mean for a two-part English verb with a short noun object?
Answer
The noun can go between the verb and particle or after both.
Learn this pattern for the particular meaning you are using.
Card 2
Question
What does “turn off” mean here?
“Maya turned off the desk fan before the call.”
Answer
She stopped the fan from running.
Card 3
Question
What does “pick up” mean here?
“The driver picked up Leila at the west entrance.”
Answer
The driver collected Leila to give her a ride.
Card 4
Question
What does “put away” mean here?
“After lunch, I put away the clean plates.”
Answer
I returned the plates to the place where we keep them.
Card 5
Question
What does “put on” mean here?
“Nora put on her raincoat before leaving.”
Answer
Nora dressed herself in her raincoat.
Card 6
Question
Where does an unstressed personal pronoun object go with a separable English phrasal verb?
Answer
Between the verb and its particle.
The pattern is verb + me/you/him/her/it/us/them + particle.
Card 7
Question
What does “throw away” mean here?
“I threw away the torn envelope after saving the letter.”
Answer
I discarded the envelope because I no longer needed it.
Card 8
Question
What does “take off” mean here?
“I took off my wet gloves in the hallway.”
Answer
I removed the gloves I was wearing.
Card 9
Question
Rewrite with it: “Please turn off the desk fan.”
Answer
Please turn it off.
The personal pronoun goes between turn and off.
Card 10
Question
Rewrite with them: “I put away the clean plates.”
Answer
I put them away.
The pronoun goes between put and away.
Card 11
Question
Complete with a phrasal verb based on pick: “Can you ___ me ___ at the ferry terminal?” (Collect me by car.)
Answer
pick me up
“Can you pick me up at the ferry terminal?” The pronoun belongs between pick and up.
Card 12
Question
Complete with a phrasal verb based on put: “It is cold outside. Please ___ your coat.”
Answer
put on
“It is cold outside. Please put on your coat.” With a noun, “put your coat on” is also grammatical.
Card 13
Question
Rewrite with it: “Please throw away the torn envelope.”
Answer
Please throw it away.
The personal pronoun goes before away.
Card 14
Question
Complete with a phrasal verb based on take: “Your boots are muddy. Please ___ them ___ before entering.”
Answer
take them off
“Please take them off before entering.” The pronoun goes between take and off.
Card 15
Question
What does “write down” mean here?
“We wrote down the locker number in a notebook.”
Answer
We made a written record of the locker number.
Card 16
Question
What does “hand in” mean here?
“Each student handed in a signed permission slip.”
Answer
Each student submitted the slip to the person collecting it.
Card 17
Question
What does “call off” mean here?
“The organizers called off the outdoor concert because of lightning.”
Answer
They canceled the concert; it would not go ahead as planned.
Card 18
Question
What does “look up” mean here?
“Sam looked up the word in an online dictionary.”
Answer
Sam checked a reference source for information about the word.
Card 19
Question
Can you assume every meaning of an English multi-word verb has the same object pattern?
Answer
No. Learn the meaning and the object pattern together.
A combination may take an object in one use and need none in another.
Card 20
Question
What does “put off” mean here?
“We put off the roof inspection until next week.”
Answer
We delayed the inspection to a later time.
Card 21
Question
What does “fill in” mean here?
“Please fill in the registration form before the workshop.”
Answer
Please add the requested details to the form.
Fill in is common in British English; fill out is also used, especially in American English.
Card 22
Question
Complete with a phrasal verb based on write: “Please ___ the gate code so we do not forget it.”
Answer
write down
“Please write down the gate code so we do not forget it.” “Write out” also fits if you mean writing the code in full. With a noun, “write the gate code down” is also grammatical.
Card 23
Question
Rewrite with it: “I must hand in my assignment today.”
Answer
I must hand it in today.
The pronoun goes between hand and in.
Card 24
Question
Complete with a phrasal verb based on call: “The venue is unsafe. We must ___ the concert.” (Cancel it.)
Answer
call off
“We must call off the concert.” With a noun, “call the concert off” is also grammatical.
Card 25
Question
Rewrite with it: “I will look up the address.”
Answer
I will look it up.
In this information-search sense, look up is separable.
Card 26
Question
Rewrite with it: “Please fill in the registration form.”
Answer
Please fill it in.
“Please fill it out” is also valid if you choose the alternative expression fill out; this rewrite keeps fill in.
Card 27
Question
Complete with a phrasal verb based on put: “We cannot inspect the roof today. We will ___ the inspection until Friday.”
Answer
put off
“We will put off the inspection until Friday.” “Put back” is also a valid answer here. With a noun, “put the inspection off” is also grammatical.
Card 28
Question
What does intransitive mean when a dictionary labels an English verb use?
Answer
That use takes no direct object.
Time and place phrases can still follow it; they are not direct objects.
Card 29
Question
What does “wake up” mean here?
“I woke up at six but stayed in bed for a while.”
Answer
I stopped sleeping at six. I did not necessarily leave the bed then.
Card 30
Question
What does “break down” mean here?
“Our washing machine broke down halfway through the cycle.”
Answer
The washing machine stopped working because of a fault.
Card 31
Question
What does “show up” mean here?
“Only three people showed up for the early meeting.”
Answer
Only three people arrived or attended.
Card 32
Question
What does “get up” mean here?
“I was awake at six, but I got up at half past six.”
Answer
I left my bed at half past six.
Card 33
Question
Complete with a phrasal verb based on wake: “I usually ___ at six, then lie in bed for ten minutes.”
Answer
wake up
“I usually wake up at six, then lie in bed for ten minutes.” No object is needed in this use.
Card 34
Question
Complete with a phrasal verb based on break: “Poor maintenance can cause the lift to ___.” (Stop working.)
Answer
break down
“Poor maintenance can cause the lift to break down.” The machine is the subject; this use needs no object.
Card 35
Question
Complete with a phrasal verb based on show: “Please ___ before the rehearsal starts.” (Arrive.)
Answer
show up
“Please show up before the rehearsal starts.” No object is needed in this use.
Card 36
Question
Complete with a phrasal verb based on get: “I am already awake, but I do not want to ___ yet.” (Leave bed.)
Answer
get up
“I am already awake, but I do not want to get up yet.” Being awake and leaving bed are different actions.
Card 37
Question
In an ordinary statement with an inseparable verb + preposition combination, where does its object go?
Answer
After the preposition, whether the object is a noun or a pronoun.
Do not move that object between the verb and preposition.
Card 38
Question
What does “look after” mean here?
“My neighbor looks after our cat when we travel.”
Answer
My neighbor takes care of the cat.
Card 39
Question
What does “run into” mean here?
“I ran into an old classmate at the bakery and we chatted.”
Answer
I met the classmate by chance.
Here it means an unexpected meeting, not a physical collision.
Card 40
Question
What does “get over” mean here?
“It took Amir a week to get over his cold.”
Answer
Amir needed a week to recover from the cold.
Card 41
Question
What does “look for” mean here?
“I am looking for the key I dropped near the bench.”
Answer
I am trying to find the missing key.
Card 42
Question
Rewrite with her: “We look after our young niece on Mondays.”
Answer
We look after her on Mondays.
The object stays after the word after; do not put her between look and after.
Card 43
Question
Complete with a phrasal verb based on run: “I did not expect to ___ my old classmate at the bakery.” (Meet by chance.)
Answer
run into
“I did not expect to run into my old classmate at the bakery.” “Run across” is also a valid answer here. With a pronoun, say “run into her.”
Card 44
Question
Rewrite with it: “I hope to get over this cold soon.”
Answer
I hope to get over it soon.
In the recovery sense, the object stays after over.
Card 45
Question
Rewrite with them: “We are looking for our keys.”
Answer
We are looking for them.
The object stays after for.
Card 46
Question
After look forward to, which form of a following verb is needed?
Answer
The -ing form.
For example: “I look forward to visiting the island.” To is a preposition here, not an infinitive marker.
Card 47
Question
What does “run out of” mean here?
“The printer stopped because we ran out of paper.”
Answer
We had no paper left to use.
Card 48
Question
What does “put up with” mean here?
“I can put up with the noise for one afternoon.”
Answer
I can tolerate the noise even though I find it annoying.
Card 49
Question
What does “catch up with” mean here?
“Mina walked faster to catch up with the rest of the group.”
Answer
Mina tried to reach the people who were ahead of her.
Card 50
Question
What does “look forward to” mean here?
“We are looking forward to our weekend at the lake.”
Answer
We feel pleased and excited about the coming weekend.
Card 51
Question
Complete with a three-word expression based on run: “We need more envelopes before we ___ them.” (Have none left.)
Answer
run out of
“We need more envelopes before we run out of them.” The object comes after of.
Card 52
Question
Rewrite with it: “I cannot put up with this noise.”
Answer
I cannot put up with it.
The object follows with; keep put up with together in this sentence.
Card 53
Question
Complete with a three-word expression based on catch: “They are walking ahead. Hurry so we can ___ them.”
Answer
catch up with
“Hurry so we can catch up with them.” This means reaching them, not exchanging news. Catch up to is also correct here.
Card 54
Question
Complete with a three-word expression based on look: “I ___ seeing you on Saturday.” (I am happy about the planned visit; use the simple present.)
Answer
look forward to
“I look forward to seeing you on Saturday.” Here to is a preposition, so the following verb takes the -ing form.
54 cards
English Phrasal Verb Flashcards: Meaning & Word Order
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