One of the fastest ways to sound like a fluent English speaker is to learn phrasal verbs. These are combinations of verbs + prepositions or adverbs (e.g., look after, take off, get along) that native speakers use all the time.

At My Planet English, we focus on teaching the most useful phrasal verbs for daily conversations, work, and exams. Mastering these can improve your speaking, listening, and reading comprehension instantly.

1. Look After

Meaning: to take care of someone or something.

• I look after my little brother when my parents are busy.
  Tip: Use it for children, pets, or responsibilities.

2. Get Along

Meaning: to have a good relationship with someone.

• I really get along with my classmates.
  Tip: Commonly used in social and workplace contexts.

3. Take Off

Meaning: to remove something or for planes to leave the ground.

• Please take off your shoes before entering.

• The plane took off at 7 a.m.
  Tip: Context matters — both literal and figurative meanings.

4. Break Down

Meaning: to stop working (machines) or to become emotionally upset.

• My car broke down on the way to work.

• She broke down when she heard the news.

5. Give Up

Meaning: to stop trying or quit.

• Don’t give up on learning English!
  Tip: Very common in motivational contexts.

6. Come Across

Meaning: to find or meet by chance.

• I came across an interesting article online today.
  Tip: Often used in reading or storytelling.

7. Run Out Of

Meaning: to finish a supply of something.

• We ran out of milk, so I need to buy some.

8. Look Forward To

Meaning: to feel excited about a future event.

• I look forward to our meeting next week.
  Tip: Always followed by a verb + -ing or a noun.

9. Pick Up

Meaning: to collect someone/something or to learn.

• I will pick up my friend from the airport.

• She picked up a lot of Spanish while traveling.

10. Set Up

Meaning: to arrange or prepare something.

• We set up the classroom for the workshop.

How to Learn Phrasal Verbs Effectively

• Practice in context: Make sentences with each phrasal verb.

• Group similar verbs: e.g., take off, take on, take up.

• Listen and repeat: Watch native speakers use them in movies or podcasts.

• Review regularly: Use flashcards or a vocabulary notebook to keep them fresh.

✅ At My Planet English, we make phrasal verbs easy to understand, remember, and use. Learning just a few per week can dramatically improve your fluency and natural-sounding English.