B1 Phrasal verbs 2: Exercises and explanation
Learn more common phrasal verbs like put off, carry on, and turn out.
- check_circleI can understand common phrasal verbs like put off, carry on, and turn out.
- check_circleI can use give up and look forward to correctly in conversation.
Discover
Meet today's English in a real situation — no rules yet. Read it once and try to guess the pattern in the words in bold. Underlined words open a short definition.
A Change of Plans
Sarah and Tom are organizing a surprise party for their friend, Mark. They meet at a coffee shop to discuss the details.
Sarah: So, how are the plans for Mark’s party going? We can’t put off buying the decorations any longer. The party is this weekend!
Tom: I know, I know. I was planning to go yesterday, but my boss asked me to carry on working late to finish a report. It was quite exhausting.
Sarah: Oh, that’s a shame. Well, it turned out that I had some free time this morning, so I bought the balloons and a banner.
Tom: That’s a relief! Thanks, Sarah. Have you heard from Mark’s sister? Is she coming?
Sarah: She said she is really looking forward to it, but she might arrive a bit late. Her train schedule is quite unpredictable.
Tom: No problem. As long as she makes it! I was worried she might give up trying to come if the trains were delayed.
Sarah: Not a chance. She wouldn’t miss it. By the way, have you ordered the cake?
Tom: Yes! I ordered a chocolate cake. It’s supposed to be delicious.
Sarah: Perfect. I think everything is going to turn out great. Mark will be so surprised!
Learn
Now the rules behind what you just saw — explained simply, with examples. Underlined words open a short definition — hover on desktop, tap on a phone.
Phrasal Verbs (Part 2)
Welcome to the second part of our phrasal verbs series for B1! In this lesson, we will focus on more common phrasal verbs that are essential for everyday conversation, such as put off, carry on, and turn out.
What are Phrasal Verbs?
As a quick reminder, a phrasal verb is a verb combined with a preposition or an adverb (or both) that creates a meaning different from the original verb.
1. Put off
To put off means to delay doing something or to postpone it.
We had to put off the meeting until next week because the manager was sick.
2. Carry on
To carry on simply means to continue doing something.
Please, carry on with your work while I answer this phone call.
“Carry on” is very commonly used in British English, especially in the phrase “Keep calm and carry on.”
3. Turn out
To turn out means to happen in a particular way or to have a particular result, especially an unexpected one. It can also mean to be discovered to be something.
The weather looked terrible this morning, but it turned out to be a beautiful day!
It turned out that we had known each other for years but never realized it.
Be careful! “Turn out” can also mean to turn off a light, as in “Please turn out the lights when you leave.” Pay attention to the context!
4. Give up
To give up means to stop doing something that you do regularly, or to stop trying to do something because it’s too difficult.
I decided to give up eating sweets to improve my health.
The math problem was so hard that I finally gave up.
5. Look forward to
To look forward to means to feel pleased and excited about something that is going to happen.
I’m really looking forward to my holiday next month.
Remember to always use a noun or a verb ending in “-ing” (gerund) after “look forward to”. (e.g., I look forward to hearing from you).
Let’s look at another useful word. When you put off something important for too long, it’s often because it feels overwhelming.
- Put off: Postpone or delay.
- Carry on: Continue.
- Turn out: Have a particular result, often unexpected.
- Give up: Stop doing or trying something.
- Look forward to: Be excited about something in the future.
Practice
Try it yourself. You'll see right away whether you got it right, plus a short explanation of why.
Use It
Now make the language yours in a real task. Use the prompt below — the editor keeps a simple word count, and nothing is saved or graded.
Before you finish — be honest. Can you do these now?