Section 3Lesson 2~7 min read
Phrasal Verbs for CELPIP: The Essential 40
Collocations are combinations of words that frequently appear together and sound natural to native speakers. Mastering collocations is crucial for CELPIP as they enhance fluency and coherence, which are key scoring criteria. Phrasal verbs, a type of collocation, are especially useful for the CELPIP test as they are common in everyday English and can make your responses sound more natural and idiomatic.
| # | Phrasal Verb | Meaning | CELPIP Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | break down | to stop functioning | "If my car breaks down, I will have to take the bus to work." |
| 2 | bring up | to mention or introduce a topic | "During the meeting, I plan to bring up the issue of overtime." |
| 3 | call off | to cancel | "We had to call off the picnic because of the rain." |
| 4 | carry on | to continue doing something | "Despite the noise, she carried on with her presentation." |
| 5 | come across | to find or meet by chance | "I came across an old friend while shopping downtown." |
| 6 | come up with | to think of or produce an idea | "I need to come up with a plan for my vacation." |
| 7 | fall apart | to break into pieces | "The project fell apart due to a lack of funding." |
| 8 | figure out | to understand or solve something | "I need to figure out how to use this software before the deadline." |
| 9 | fill out | to complete a form | "Please fill out this application form before the interview." |
| 10 | get along with | to have a good relationship with | "I get along with my coworkers very well." |
| 11 | get over | to recover from | "It took her months to get over the flu." |
| 12 | give up | to stop trying | "He decided to give up smoking for his health." |
| 13 | go over | to review or check carefully | "Let's go over the report before the meeting." |
| 14 | hold on | to wait or pause | "Hold on a moment while I check my schedule." |
| 15 | look after | to take care of | "I have to look after my younger siblings this weekend." |
| 16 | look forward to | to anticipate with pleasure | "I am looking forward to the concert next week." |
| 17 | make up | to invent or create | "She made up an excuse for being late." |
| 18 | pass out | to faint | "He passed out from exhaustion after the marathon." |
| 19 | pick up | to collect or lift | "I'll pick up the groceries on my way home." |
| 20 | put off | to postpone | "We decided to put off the meeting until next week." |
| 21 | run into | to meet unexpectedly | "I ran into my teacher at the supermarket." |
| 22 | set up | to arrange or establish | "We need to set up a meeting with the new client." |
| 23 | show up | to arrive or appear | "He showed up late to the party." |
| 24 | take after | to resemble a family member | "She takes after her mother in her love for music." |
| 25 | take off | to remove or to leave the ground | "The plane took off on time." |
| 26 | take over | to assume control | "She will take over the project after the manager retires." |
| 27 | turn down | to reject or lower the volume | "I had to turn down the job offer because it was too far away." |
| 28 | turn up | to increase the volume or appear | "Can you turn up the music? I love this song!" |
| 29 | work out | to exercise or solve a problem | "I work out at the gym every morning." |
| 30 | back up | to support or make a copy | "Make sure to back up your files regularly." |
| 31 | break into | to enter by force | "Someone tried to break into the house last night." |
| 32 | check out | to examine or leave a hotel | "We need to check out of the hotel by noon." |
| 33 | come down with | to become ill with | "I think I'm coming down with a cold." |
| 34 | cut down on | to reduce | "I'm trying to cut down on sugar." |
| 35 | deal with | to handle or manage | "I have to deal with a lot of emails every day." |
| 36 | drop by | to visit briefly | "I'll drop by your office later to discuss the project." |
| 37 | get by | to manage or survive | "It's hard to get by on a student budget." |
| 38 | give in | to yield or surrender | "After hours of negotiation, he finally gave in." |
| 39 | keep up with | to stay at the same level | "It's hard to keep up with all the new technology." |
| 40 | let down | to disappoint | "I promised not to let down my team." |
Grouped by Usage
For Writing Task 1 Emails
• come up with
• fill out
• set up
• turn down
For Speaking Tasks
• bring up
• call off
• figure out
• look forward to
For Describing Opinions
• make up
• take over
• give up
• deal with
For Everyday Situations
• get along with
• pick up
• run into
• work out
Example Sentences in CELPIP-style Responses
"During the community meeting, I decided to bring up the need for a new playground. Everyone agreed that it was a good idea."
"I was nervous about the job interview, but I managed to get through it successfully."
"After discussing with my family, I decided to turn down the job offer because it required relocating."
"I always look forward to the annual family reunion. It's a great time to catch up with everyone."
💡 Pro Tip: Using phrasal verbs can make your speech and writing sound more natural. However, ensure you understand their meanings and use them in the right context to avoid confusion.
Common Mistakes
• Wrong: I need to make up a decision.
- Right: I need to make a decision.
• Wrong: She called off the lights before leaving.
- Right: She turned off the lights before leaving.
• Wrong: I will take after the project next week.
- Right: I will take over the project next week.
By familiarizing yourself with these phrasal verbs, you can enhance your CELPIP test performance and communicate more effectively in English.
🎯 Key Takeaways
✓Phrasal verbs are a type of collocation that enhance fluency and coherence in the CELPIP test, making responses sound more natural and idiomatic.
✓Understanding the correct usage of phrasal verbs is crucial to avoid common mistakes, such as confusing similar verbs or using them in the wrong context.
✓Phrasal verbs are categorized by their usage in different CELPIP tasks, such as writing emails, speaking tasks, and describing opinions, allowing for targeted practice.
✓Using phrasal verbs effectively can improve both spoken and written responses, but it's important to ensure their meanings are clear and contextually appropriate.
📝 Quick Quiz
1. Which phrasal verb would you use to indicate cancelling a meeting?
2. If someone is recovering from an illness, which phrasal verb describes this process?
3. What is the appropriate phrasal verb to use when you need to create a plan or idea?