Planning a visit—or even a move—to the United Kingdom? Within a day of landing, you’re almost guaranteed to hear at least one of these everyday British English phrasal verbs.
In this lesson I’m going to walk you through eight of the most common—and most useful—phrasal verbs in British English.
Let’s get started!
1. Wake up
One of the first expressions you learn in English.
Meaning: to stop sleeping.
Examples:
🗣 “I usually wake up at 7 a.m.”
🗣 “Wake up, mate!” (Great to say to a sleepy classmate.)
2. Take off
Primary meaning: to remove clothing.
🗣 “It was hot in the office so I took off my jumper.”
But it gets more interesting:
Planes take off – 🗣 “Our flight took off late because of the bad weather.”
Success takes off – 🗣 “Her Instagram profile really took off after one of her videos went viral.”
3. Put on
Used for dressing – 🗣 “I put on my shoes and ran out the door.”
But also very British:
For TV or music – 🗣 “Shall we put on a documentary?”
To perform – 🗣 “He put on a show for his mates.”
So whether it’s clothes, telly, or a mini performance—you can “put it on”!
4. Run out
Meaning: when something finishes or is used up.
🗣 “We’ve run out of milk.”
🗣 “They ran out of petrol on the motorway.”
🗣 “I ran out of time.”
It’s a phrase you'll hear often in British homes—especially when the tea supplies are low!
5. Turn on
Meaning: to activate a device.
🗣 “Can you turn on the lights?”
🗣 “I turned on the oven to preheat it.”
Perfect for all things electronic.
6. Turn up
First meaning: increase (especially volume).
🗣 “Turn it up—I love this song!”
Second meaning: arrive, often unexpectedly.
🗣 “He turned up at my flat without even texting me.”
🗣 “Only a few people turned up to the meeting.”
7. Hold on
Meaning: wait for a moment.
🗣 “Hold on a sec, I’m just finishing this.”
🗣 “Can you hold on while I grab my keys?”
Very handy in daily conversations and phone calls.
8. Sort out
Meaning: to organise, fix, or deal with something.
🗣 “I need to sort out my wardrobe—it’s a disaster.”
🗣 “Don’t worry, I’ll sort it out.”
🗣 “We’ve got to sort out our holiday plans.”
Extremely British. Incredibly useful.
These eight phrasal verbs are not only essential for navigating British English—they're also part of everyday life in the UK. From putting on a show to running out of milk, using these naturally will make your English sound more fluent and authentic.
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