Common English Phrasal Verbs Part 2: 30 More for SPM

Why Learn More Phrasal Verbs?

If you’ve already studied the first 50 phrasal verbs, you’ve built a strong foundation. But SPM English passages use a wide range of phrasal verbs, and cloze passages in particular love to test less common ones.

This second set of 30 phrasal verbs is organised by particle — the small word (up, down, out, off, on) that changes the verb’s meaning. Learning this way helps you spot patterns, so you can often guess the meaning of unfamiliar phrasal verbs during the exam.

Phrasal Verbs with “UP”

“Up” often suggests completion, increase, or improvement.

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
Use up	Exhaust a supply completely	We have used up all the printer ink.
Back up	Support; make a copy	Can you back up your argument with evidence?
Cheer up	Become happier; make someone happier	She tried to cheer up her friend after the exam.
Draw up	Prepare a document or plan	The committee drew up a list of rules.
Mix up	Confuse two things	Students often mix up “affect” and “effect.”
Sum up	Summarise	To sum up, preparation is the key to success.

Pattern to Remember

When “up” appears with a verb, think: finishing (use up, sum up), improving (cheer up), or creating (draw up). This helps in cloze passages when you see “up” as one of the options.

Phrasal Verbs with “DOWN”

“Down” often suggests decrease, recording, or stopping.

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
Break down	Stop functioning; analyse into parts	Let me break down the marking scheme for you.
Cut down	Reduce	You should cut down on screen time before exams.
Jot down	Write quickly	Jot down the key points as you read the passage.
Narrow down	Reduce options	I narrowed down my essay topics to three.
Settle down	Become calm; establish a routine	The class finally settled down after recess.
Turn down	Reduce volume; reject	She turned down the scholarship offer.

Pattern to Remember

“Down” with a verb often means reducing (cut down, narrow down, turn down) or recording (jot down, write down). In cloze passages, if the context involves reducing something, “down” is likely the correct particle.

Phrasal Verbs with “OUT”

“Out” often suggests discovering, disappearing, or distributing.

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
Carry out	Complete; execute	Students carried out a survey on reading habits.
Die out	Become extinct	Some traditional crafts are dying out in Malaysia.
Hand out	Distribute	The teacher handed out the worksheets.
Leave out	Omit; exclude	Don’t leave out any content points in directed writing.
Rule out	Eliminate as a possibility	We can rule out option A because it’s grammatically wrong.
Stand out	Be noticeable; be exceptional	Her essay stood out because of its vivid descriptions.

Pattern to Remember

“Out” can mean completing (carry out), removing (leave out, rule out), or distributing (hand out). When you see “out” in a cloze blank, check if the context involves something being spread, removed, or finished.

Phrasal Verbs with “OFF”

“Off” often suggests departure, disconnection, or activation.

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
Call off	Cancel	The sports day was called off due to heavy rain.
Drop off	Decrease; leave someone somewhere	Attendance dropped off in the final week of school.
Pay off	Be worth the effort; repay	All those hours of revision finally paid off.
Put off	Postpone; discourage	Don’t put off your revision until the last week.
Set off	Begin a journey; trigger	We set off early to avoid traffic.
Show off	Display proudly; boast	He likes to show off his vocabulary in essays.

Pattern to Remember

“Off” often means stopping or cancelling (call off, put off), starting (set off), or succeeding (pay off). The contrast between stopping and starting makes “off” phrasal verbs popular in exams — students must rely on context to determine the meaning.

Phrasal Verbs with “ON”

“On” often suggests continuation, dependence, or attachment.

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
Carry on	Continue	Carry on reading while I check the answers.
Count on	Rely on; depend on	You can count on Teacher Daletha for clear explanations.
Hold on	Wait; grip tightly	Hold on — let me re-read that question.
Move on	Progress to the next thing	Once you’ve finished Section A, move on to Section B.
Take on	Accept a challenge; employ	She took on the role of class monitor.
Try on	Test something (clothes, ideas)	He tried on different essay structures before the exam.

Pattern to Remember

“On” typically signals continuing (carry on, move on, hold on) or accepting/depending (count on, take on). In cloze passages testing “on” vs “in” vs “at,” consider whether the context involves continuation — if yes, “on” is usually correct.

Cloze Passage Practice

Try filling in the correct phrasal verb for each blank:

Passage:

The school organised a charity run to raise funds for the new library. The student council (1) _______ a detailed plan two months before the event. However, heavy rain was forecast for the original date, so they had to (2) _______ the event by one week.

On the new date, 300 students (3) _______ early from the school field. Some students who usually (4) _______ during assemblies were surprisingly enthusiastic. By noon, they had (5) _______ all the drinking water, so the canteen vendor (6) _______ extra bottles.

Answer key:

1. drew up (prepare a plan)
2. put off (postpone)
3. set off (begin a journey)
4. show off / drop off (note: context suggests students who usually lose interest — “drop off” works; students who usually boast — “show off” works too)
5. used up (exhausted a supply)
6. handed out (distributed)

How Particles Change Meaning: A Quick Reference

Understanding the core meaning of each particle helps you handle unfamiliar phrasal verbs:

Particle	Core Meanings	Think Of…
Up	Complete, increase, improve	Finishing, rising
Down	Decrease, record, stop	Falling, writing
Out	Discover, disappear, distribute	Spreading, removing
Off	Depart, disconnect, cancel	Separating, leaving
On	Continue, depend, attach	Holding, persisting

This won’t give you the exact meaning every time, but it narrows your options in a cloze passage from four choices to two — and that doubles your odds.

Want to Build Your Vocabulary Systematically?

Phrasal verbs are tested heavily across SPM English papers. At SPMEnglish.com.my, we build vocabulary through contextual learning — not just memorising lists. WhatsApp us to find out how we can expand your vocabulary for SPM.

Related Resources

• 50 Phrasal Verbs Every SPM Student Should Know — Part 1 of this series
• Vocabulary Building for SPM — Systematic vocabulary improvement
• Grammar & Sentence Structure — Build accuracy alongside vocabulary
• Reading & Use of English Program — Complete vocabulary and grammar training