IELTS Phrasal Verbs

Cards · 53

Bring about (bring about change / reform)

Governments must implement stricter regulations to bring about meaningful change in environmental conservation.

Carry out (carry out research / an experiment)

Academics need sufficient funding to carry out research into renewable energy alternatives.

Come up with (come up with a solution / plan)

Urban planners need to come up with innovative solutions to tackle severe traffic congestion.

Cut down on (cut down on emissions / spending)

Many citizens are trying to cut down on single-use plastics to protect marine ecosystems.

Fall behind (fall behind with studies / work)

Students who lack self-discipline often fall behind with their coursework during remote learning.

Get rid of (get rid of outdated policies / waste)

Municipalities should get rid of obsolete waste management practices and adopt recycling initiatives.

Look down on (look down on blue-collar jobs)

Society should not look down on vocational trades, as they are vital for economic stability.

Look forward to (look forward to retirement / holidays)

After intense semesters, I always look forward to unwinding with my family in the countryside.

Put off (put off an important decision / task)

Young people tend to put off career planning until they graduate, which can induce stress.

Run out of (run out of natural resources / time)

If we continue overconsuming fossil fuels, our planet will eventually run out of non-renewable resources.

Set up (set up a business / an initiative)

Aspiring entrepreneurs are often eager to set up eco-friendly businesses that serve the community.

Turn down (turn down an offer / application)

I decided to turn down that lucrative job offer because it lacked a healthy work-life balance.

Wear off (wear off effects / novelty)

Once the initial excitement of living abroad wears off, culture shock usually sets in.

Account for (account for the disparity / majority)

Demographic shifts largely account for the increased demand for specialized healthcare services.

Break down (break down cultural barriers / data)

International exchange programs help break down cultural barriers among young people.

Bring up (bring up children / a topic)

It is increasingly challenging to bring up children in an era dominated by digital distractions.

Call off (call off an event / strike)

Due to unprecedented storms, the organizers had to call off the international marathon.

Catch up with (catch up with global standards / peers)

Developing countries are striving to catch up with advanced economies in technological innovation.

Cope with (cope with stress / rapid changes)

Mindfulness exercises have proven indispensable for individuals struggling to cope with high-pressure careers.

Drop out of (drop out of university / competition)

Financial hardship forces many promising students to drop out of higher education prematurely.

Face up to (face up to reality / the consequences)

Global leaders must face up to the devastating reality of accelerated climate change.

Figure out (figure out an issue / the truth)

It took months of trial and error to figure out how to streamline our distribution process.

Give up (give up a sedentary lifestyle / habits)

Medical experts urge sedentary adults to give up inactive habits and embrace daily exercise.

Hold back (hold back economic progress / tears)

Severe corruption continues to hold back economic progress in many resource-rich nations.

Keep up with (keep up with technological trends)

Traditional retailers struggle to keep up with rapid shifts toward e-commerce and digital payments.

Look into (look into a complaint / matters)

The local council promised to look into the rising levels of noise pollution downtown.

Make up for (make up for lost time / deficits)

Investing heavily in green infrastructure can make up for decades of environmental neglect.

Opt out of (opt out of an agreement / scheme)

Employees should have the autonomy to opt out of non-essential weekend training seminars.

Phase out (phase out fossil fuels / subsidies)

Several nations plan to phase out petrol-driven vehicles over the next two decades.

Point out (point out flaws / discrepancies)

Critics frequently point out flaws in standardized testing that fail to measure true intellect.

Put forward (put forward a proposal / hypothesis)

Environmentalists have put forward ambitious proposals to restore urban green spaces.

Put up with (put up with noise / poor conditions)

Commuters should not have to put up with frequent transit delays during peak hours.

Rely on (rely on public transport / subsidies)

Rural communities heavily rely on affordable bus networks to reach healthcare centers.

Result in (result in severe damage / success)

Neglecting workplace safety regulations can result in catastrophic injuries for laborers.

Rule out (rule out possibilities / alternatives)

Investigators could not rule out human error as the root cause of the system failure.

Scale back (scale back production / operations)

Due to supply shortages, the manufacturing plant had to scale back its daily output.

Settle down (settle down in a city / after chaos)

After years of globetrotting, many professionals prefer to settle down in a quiet suburb.

Stand out (stand out from the crowd / rivals)

A unique blend of technical and soft skills enables graduates to stand out from the crowd.

Stem from (stem from misunderstanding / inequality)

Much of the current social friction stems from widening economic inequality.

Take after (take after parents / mentors)

I tend to take after my mother in terms of resilience and dedication to lifelong learning.

Take on (take on responsibilities / challenges)

Senior executives must be willing to take on additional accountability during a crisis.

Take over (take over a business / leadership)

Automation threatens to take over routine administrative tasks across numerous sectors.

Turn out (turn out to be effective / true)

The new flexible working scheme turned out to be far more productive than anticipated.

Weigh up (weigh up the pros and cons)

Before relocating abroad, one must carefully weigh up the advantages and drawbacks.

Wipe out (wipe out biodiversity / debt)

Deforestation threatens to wipe out entire indigenous ecosystems within a single generation.

Work out (work out a compromise / solution)

Diplomats must work out a viable compromise to ensure lasting cross-border peace.

Back down (back down from a confrontation / stance)

Neither political faction was willing to back down, leading to a prolonged legislative stalemate.

Bring in (bring in revenue / new legislation)

The tourism sector continues to bring in essential revenue for local coastal economies.

Clamp down on (clamp down on tax evasion / crime)

Authorities are pledging to clamp down on digital piracy through stricter cybersecurity measures.

Clear up (clear up misunderstandings / pollution)

Effective cross-cultural communication helps clear up misconceptions between diverse communities.

Come across (come across as confident / knowledgeable)

In an interview, candidates who come across as authentic invariably leave a lasting impression.

Draw on (draw on personal experience / data)

Public speakers often draw on their own life struggles to inspire and connect with listeners.

End up (end up in debt / abroad)

Without sound financial literacy, young adults may end up accumulating significant debt.