The phrasal verbs that come up again and again in B2 First Reading, Use of English, Writing and Speaking, with meanings and exam-style examples.
Phrasal verbs appear throughout every paper of Cambridge B2 First (FCE): as distractor options in Use of English, in reading texts, and as a natural marker of range in Speaking and Writing. Examiners specifically notice when a candidate uses phrasal verbs naturally rather than relying only on single-word alternatives.
This list focuses on the phrasal verbs most relevant to B2-level topics: work, study, relationships, opinions and everyday problem-solving. For the full grammar rules behind separable and inseparable phrasal verbs, see our complete Phrasal Verbs grammar guide, and for a broader everyday list, see our 50 Most Common Phrasal Verbs.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| bring about | to cause something to happen | The new policy brought about significant change. |
| carry out | to perform or complete a task | Researchers carried out a detailed study. |
| come up with | to think of an idea or plan | She came up with a brilliant solution. |
| cut down on | to reduce | I'm trying to cut down on sugar. |
| deal with | to handle a situation | The team dealt with the complaint quickly. |
| end up | to eventually reach a situation | He ended up working abroad. |
| get across | to communicate an idea clearly | She struggled to get her point across. |
| give in | to finally agree or surrender | After hours of arguing, he gave in. |
| go through | to experience something difficult; or to examine in detail | She went through a difficult period. / Let's go through the report together. |
| hold back | to hesitate or restrain oneself | He held back from saying what he really thought. |
| keep up with | to stay at the same pace or level | It's hard to keep up with the news. |
| look up to | to admire and respect someone | She's always looked up to her older sister. |
| make up for | to compensate for something | He worked overtime to make up for the delay. |
| point out | to draw attention to something | The teacher pointed out a mistake in my essay. |
| put up with | to tolerate | I don't know how she puts up with the noise. |
| rely on | to depend on | You can rely on her to finish on time. |
| rule out | to eliminate a possibility | Doctors ruled out a serious illness. |
| set out | to begin a task with a clear aim; or to state clearly | She set out to become a doctor. / The report sets out our plans. |
| stand out | to be noticeably different or impressive | Her application really stood out. |
| take on | to accept a responsibility or challenge | He took on extra work this month. |
| turn out | to happen in a particular way, often unexpectedly | The trip turned out better than expected. |
| work out | to calculate; to exercise; or to succeed | We worked out a fair solution. / Things worked out fine in the end. |
| bring up | to mention a topic; or to raise a child | She brought up a valid concern in the meeting. |
| come across | to seem or appear a certain way; or to find by chance | He came across as very confident. / I came across this article online. |
| fall behind | to fail to keep up (with work, payments) | He fell behind with his coursework. |
| go over | to review or check something | Let's go over your answers before submitting. |
| look into | to investigate | The committee agreed to look into the issue. |
| put off | to postpone | She kept putting off the decision. |
| take up | to start a new hobby or activity; or to occupy time/space | He recently took up painting. / The project took up most of my week. |
| break down | to stop functioning; or to divide into parts | The system broke down under pressure. / Let's break down the task into steps. |
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