List of 200 Phrasal Verbs (pdf/xls) | B2 First (FCE)

Level: B2

What is a Phrasal Verb?

The picture shows a question mark that asks for b2 phrasal verbs A phrasal verb is the combination of two or three words from different grammatical categories – a verb and a particle, such as an adverb or a preposition – to form a single semantic unit on a lexical or syntactic level. B2 phrasal verbs can be very useful during the FCE exam.

Examples: turn down, run into, sit up

B2 First (FCE) Use of English Part 1: Multiple Choice and Part 2: Open Cloze tasks focus to test your knowledge at phrasal level i.e. collocations like ‘pay attention to’, phrasal verbs: like ‘give up’ and linking phrases like ‘even if’.

Therefore, good knowledge of phrasal verbs will let you take the B2 First (FCE) exam with confidence.

B2 (FCE) Phrasal Verbs: B-C

Below you will find example B2 phrasal verbs formed from verbs starting with the B-C. You should use them if you want your language in the exam to be at a high level:

BE, BREAK

be about to	be on the point of
be after	go after; chase
be against	be opposed to
be away	be absent
be back	return; come back
be in	be at home/in one’s office etc
be in for	be about to experience (usu bad)
be on	be shown in cinemas, theatres etc
be over	be finished
be up to	1) be equal to, 2) depend on
break down	1) (of machinery) stop working, 2) (of a person) lose control of feelings
break in	1) (intr) enter by force, 2) (on) interrupt, 3) (horses etc) train
break into	1) (tr) enter by force, 2) burst into (song, laughter etc)
break off	1) stop temporarily, 2) (tr) end a relationship
break out	1) begin suddenly (war, disease, fire etc), 2) (of) escape from a place
break up	1) (intr) separate; split up, 2) stop for holidays (schools etc)

BRING, CARRY

bring about	cause to happen
bring back	1) recall, 2) reintroduce
bring down	1) cause to fall, 2) reduce prices
bring forward	suggest an idea
bring on	cause, usu sth unpleasant
bring out	publish
bring round	1) help sb regain consciousness, 2) persuade sb to change opinion
bring to	persuade sb to change opinion
bring up	1) raise a child, 2) vomit, 3) introduce a subject, 4) mention
be/get carried away	be/get excited
carry off	do sth successfully
carry on (with)	continue esp despite difficulties
carry out	perform, complete
carry over	postpone
carry through	1) complete despite difficulties, 2) help sb survive during troubled times

COME, CUT

come across	meet/find by chance
come by	obtain
come down with	become ill from
come into	inherit
come off	1) happen, 2) succeed
come out	1) be published, 2) bloom
come round	1) visit casually, 2) regain consciousness, 3) (to + O) be persuaded to change opinion
come to	regain consciousness
come on	come along; hurry up
come through	survive
come up	be mentioned
come up to	equal
come up with	find (an answer, solution etc)
cut across	take a shorter way
cut back (on)	reduce (production)
cut down	reduce length of sth
cut down (on)	reduce amount consumed
cut in/into	interrupt
cut off	disconnect
be cut off	be isolated
cut out	1) leave out; remove, 2) (for) (passive) be suited for
cut up	cut into small pieces

FCE, CAE, CPE

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B2 (FCE) Phrasal Verbs: D-H

Below you will find example B2 phrasal verbs formed from verbs starting with the D-H. You should use them if you want your language in the exam to be at a high level:

DO, FALL

do away with	abolish
do down	speak badly of sb
do in	kill
do out	clean
do up	1) fasten; tie, 2) redecorate
do with	1) need; want, 2) have a connection with
do without	manage to live or continue without
fall back	move back; retreat
fall back on	use sth in the absence of sth else; turn to
fall behind	1) fail to keep up with, 2) be late with payment
fall for	1) be tricked, 2) fall in love with sb
fall in with	accept sb’s plans, ideas
fall off	decrease
fall on	1) attack, 2) eat (food) hungrily
fall out (with)	quarrel
fall through	fail to be completed

GET, GIVE

get about	move around; spread
get sth across	make sth understood
get away (from)	1) escape, 2) leave
get along (with)	have a friendly relationship
get at	1) reach, 2) imply, suggest
get away with sth	avoid being punished for sth
get sb down	depress
get off	1) to avoid punishment, 2) to descend from a bus etc
get on	1) enter a bus etc, 2) manage
get on with	continue, often after interruption
get over	1) return to usual state of health, happiness etc after sth bad, 2) overcome
get (a)round	coax; persuade sb by kindness
get through	1) finish work, 2) reach sb by phone
give away	1) give sth for free, 2) reveal
give off	emit
give back	return
give in	1) surrender, 2) hand in
give out	distribute
give up	1) stop (a habit etc), 2) surrender

GO, HOLD

go about with	keep company with
go ahead	go in front
go back on	break a promise, agreement, etc
go down with	become ill
go for	1) attack, 2) apply for
go in for	enter a competition
go off	1) explode, 2) (of food) go bad
go out	1) be extinguished, 2) mix socially
go over	1) examine details, 2) repeat
go round	be enough for everyone to have a share
hold back	1) hesitate, 2) control, 3) keep a secret
hold on	wait
hold out	1) endure, 2) last
hold up	1) delay, 2) rob (sb or sth)

FCE, CAE, CPE

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B2 (FCE) Phrasal Verbs: K-R

Below you will find example B2 phrasal verbs formed from verbs starting with the K-R. You should use them if you want your language in the exam to be at a high level:

KEEP, LET

keep at sth	continue working on sth
keep away (from)	stay away
keep back	1) stay back, 2) conceal
keep behind	make sb remain after others have left
keep sb/sth down	control
keep (oneself) from	1) prevent from, 2) avoid
keep in with	remain friendly with
keep sb/sth off	(cause) to stay at a distance
keep on	continue
keep up with	stay level with (sb/sth)
let sth down	lengthen a garment
let sb down	disappoint
let sb off	not to punish
let on	reveal a secret
let out	make (a garment) loser, larger etc
let up	lessen, stop gradually

LOOK, MAKE

look after	take care of
look down on	despise (opp. look up to)
look for	search for
look forward to	anticipate
look into	investigate
look on	1) be a spectator, 2) regard; consider
look out (for)	watch out
look over	inspect carefully (sth written)
look through	study carefully (sth written)
look up	1) look for an address, name, etc in the relevant book or list, 2) visit sb after a lapse of time (specially sb living at some distance)
make for	move quickly towards
make up	1) invent (story, poem etc), 2) make an amount complete, 3) compose, 4) reconcile, 5) prepare (by mixing)
make oneself up	put cosmetics on
make up for	compensate for
make out	1) complete; fill in, 2) distinguish, 3) understand

PUT, RUN

put aside	save (usu money)
put away	put in the usual place
put down	1) suppress by force, 2) write down; make a note, 3) attribute to, 4) criticize
put forward	propose
put off	postpone
put on	1) switch on, 2) increase (weight), 3) pretend to be/have
put out	1) extinguish, 2) cause inconvenience
put through	connect by phone
put up	1) offer hospitality, 2) erect, 3) raise prices
put up with	tolerate
run across	meet or find by chance
run after	chase
run away with	steal
run down	1) (of a battery) lose power, 2) (passive) be exhausted, 3) knock down, 4) speak badly of sb
run into	1) meet unexpectedly, 2) collide with
run out of	come to an end
run over	read through quickly; review
run up against	face; encounter
run through	examine quickly; rehearse

FCE, CAE, CPE

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B2 (FCE) Phrasal Verbs: S-W

Below you will find example B2 phrasal verbs formed from verbs starting with the S-W. You should use them if you want your language in the exam to be at a high level:

SEE, SET

see about	deal with; make arrangements for (= see to)
see sb off	go with sb to their point of departure
see sb out	accompany sb to the door/exit of a house/building
see over	inspect (a house, flat etc)
see through sb/sth	not be deceived by sb/sth
see sb through	support sb until the end of a difficult time
see to	1) make arrangements, 2) attend to sth
set about	1) begin to do, 2) attack
set aside	save for a special purpose
set back	1) delay progress of sth, 2) delay an event till a later date, 3) cost (slang)
set out	1) begin a journey, 2) start a course of action with a clear aim in mind
set in	start and seem likely to continue
set on	(cause to) attack
set up	1) start a business, 2) build; erect, 3) establish

STAND, TAKE

stand by	1) remain loyal esp in a difficult situation, 2) watch passively, 3) be ready for action
stand for	1) represent, 2) (usu in questions and negations) tolerate; put up with
stand in for	replace sb temporarily
stand out	be very noticeable, prominent
stand up for	support; defend
stand up to	resist; stay in good condition
be taken aback	be strongly surprised
take after	look like
take sth back	admit that one was wrong in what one said
take down	1) lengthen a garment (let down), 2) seperate into pieces in order to repair or remove, 3) write down
take in	1) give accommodation, 2) deceive
take for	identify sb or sth wrongly
take off	1) remove clothes, 2) copy sb’s speech or manners esp for fun; imitate
take on	1) undertake responsibility, 2) employ
take sb out	take sb to the theatre etc
take over	take control or responsibility
take to	like
take up	begin to do sth a a hobby

TURN, WORK

turn away	1) refuse to let in, 2) refuse to help
turn down	1) reduce volume, power etc (opp: turn up), 2) reject
turn in	go to bed
turn into	convert into
turn off	switch off (opp: turn on)
turn on	switch on
turn out	1) prove to be in the end, 2) force sb to leave, 3) produce
turn to	go to sb for help, advice etc
turn over	go to the next page
turn up	increase the volumn, pressure etc (opp: turn down)
work on	be busy with
work out	1) find by reasoning, 2) turn out successfully
work up	develop