Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
A Sample from 40 Lessons for Professional Learners
This is a sample. The full document runs to 20 phrasal verb groups and 20 idiom groups, 200 expressions in all.
Phrasal Verbs · TAKE
TAKE
"I need you to come take over — I have to leave early."
take over — to assume control or responsibility for something
"When the manager resigned, her deputy had to take over the entire project on short notice."
Q Have you ever had to take over a project or role from someone else? How did you manage it?
"He really takes after his father."
take after — to resemble a family member in appearance or personality
"People always say I take after my mother — same stubborn streak and the same laugh."
Q Do you take after anyone in your family? Does anyone take after you?
"I have to take off right after lunch."
take off — to leave quickly; (of a plane) to leave the ground; to become suddenly successful
"The app took off almost immediately after launch — they had a million users within a week."
Q Has a project, idea, or career of someone you know ever really taken off? What made the difference?
"What did you take away from that presentation?"
take away — to learn or conclude something from an experience
"The main thing I took away from the workshop was that listening is often more important than speaking."
Q What do you hope to take away from learning English — professionally or personally?
"She took up photography last year."
take up — to start a new hobby, activity, or habit
"I've always wanted to take up golf, but I never seem to find the time."
Q Have you taken up any new hobbies or habits in recent years? Would you like to?
- She assumed full responsibility for the department when the director left.→ take over
- He looks and acts just like his grandfather.→ take after
- The idea became hugely popular almost overnight.→ take off
- What lesson or insight did you come away with from that experience?→ take away
- She started doing yoga after her doctor recommended it.→ take up
Phrasal Verbs · PICK
PICK
"I don't care — just pick one out."
pick out — to choose or select something from a group
"It took her forty minutes to pick out a gift — she wanted it to be absolutely perfect."
Q What do you normally pick out first when choosing a restaurant menu?
"I won't be able to pick you up today."
pick up — to collect someone by car; to learn something informally; to improve
"I never formally studied Italian — I just picked it up from living there for two years."
Q Is there a skill or language you've picked up informally, without really studying it?
"I wish he didn't pick on you like that."
pick on — to repeatedly target or bully someone unfairly
"As a kid, the older boys used to pick on anyone who wasn't part of their group."
Q Do you remember anyone being picked on at school? How did it affect them?
"She just picks at it every time I make it."
pick at — to eat very little; to criticize details repeatedly without purpose
"He kept picking at the proposal, pointing out tiny flaws instead of looking at the big picture."
Q Is there a dish you would pick at rather than eat fully? What about it puts you off?
"I think I'm picking up on something here."
pick up on — to notice or become aware of something subtle
"A good teacher picks up on when a student is confused, even if they don't say anything."
Q Has there ever been a time you picked up on something important at work before anyone else noticed?
- She learned the accent simply by living in the country.→ pick up
- He chose the blue tie from the rack.→ pick out
- The manager keeps singling out one team member unfairly.→ pick on
- She only ever eats a few bites of her meal.→ pick at
- She sensed the tension in the room even though nobody said a word.→ pick up on
Phrasal Verbs · LOOK
LOOK
"You should look out for anything suspicious."
look out — to be careful or watch for danger
"Look out for anyone who claims they can make you a quick profit with no risk."
Q What's something people in your industry should look out for?
"She looks after her elderly parents."
look after — to take care of someone or something
"I looked after my neighbor's cat for two weeks while they were on vacation."
Q Have you ever had to look after someone else's child, pet, or responsibility? How was it?
"I really look forward to Fridays."
look forward to — to feel excited or pleased about something that is going to happen
"I'm really looking forward to the summer — we've planned a trip to Greece."
Q What's something you're genuinely looking forward to this year?
"When I look back, I realize how much has changed."
look back — to think about or reflect on the past
"Looking back, I think I made the right decision — even though it was hard at the time."
Q Is there a period of your life you look back on with particular pride or happiness?
"Why don't you just look it up?"
look up — to search for information; (of a situation) to improve
"Things are finally starting to look up — we signed two new clients this month."
Q What's something you've recently looked up? And are things looking up in any area of your life?
- Be careful — that part of the city isn't safe at night.→ look out
- He took care of his sister while their parents were away.→ look after
- She can't wait for the company retreat next month.→ look forward to
- He reflected on his career and felt grateful for the opportunities he'd been given.→ look back
- She searched for the definition online.→ look up
Idioms · Work & Business
Work & Business
"Let's get the ball rolling, shall we?"
get the ball rolling — to begin something; to start a process
"I'll send out the agenda this evening — that should get the ball rolling for tomorrow's meeting."
Q What's the best way to get the ball rolling on a completely new project or idea?
"In a startup, you really wear many hats."
wear many hats — to have several different roles or responsibilities simultaneously
"I wear many hats in this job — I'm the marketing manager, the social media person, and sometimes the IT support too."
Q Do you wear many hats in your current role? What are they?
"She hit the ground running from day one."
hit the ground running — to start something quickly and with full energy and effectiveness
"The new hire hit the ground running — she had already proposed three improvements in her first week."
Q Do you tend to hit the ground running in new roles, or do you prefer to take time settling in?
"We need to think outside the box here."
think outside the box — to think creatively, beyond conventional or obvious solutions
"The usual approach wasn't working, so we had to think outside the box — and the solution turned out to be surprisingly simple."
Q Can you think of a time when you had to think outside the box? What did you come up with?
"Everyone needs to pull their weight."
pull your weight — to do your fair share of work within a team or group
"If one person doesn't pull their weight, the whole team suffers — especially near deadlines."
Q Have you ever worked with someone who wasn't pulling their weight? How did you handle it?
- She arrived on her first day already prepared and full of energy.→ hit the ground running
- He's responsible for sales, marketing, and customer service all at once.→ wears many hats
- Someone needed to start the conversation and get things moving.→ get the ball rolling
- The conventional approach wasn't working — they needed a creative angle.→ think outside the box
- The manager reminded everyone that success depended on each person doing their part.→ pulling their weight
Idioms · Negotiation & Deals
Negotiation & Deals
"I like to get the lay of the land first."
get the lay of the land — to survey and understand a situation before deciding how to act
"Before making any decisions, spend the first month getting the lay of the land — find out who the key players are."
Q When you start a new job or project, how do you get the lay of the land?
"She managed to thread the needle."
thread the needle — to find a careful solution between two competing difficulties
"The negotiator threaded the needle brilliantly — both sides felt they had won."
Q Can you think of a time when you had to thread the needle between two competing demands?
"I'd keep that close to the vest for now."
keep close to the vest — to keep plans or information private; to not reveal your hand
"Before the announcement, the company kept its plans very close to the vest."
Q What kind of information do you keep close to the vest at work?
"Can we meet in the middle on this?"
meet in the middle — to compromise; to find a solution both sides can accept
"Neither side got exactly what they wanted, but we met in the middle and both were satisfied."
Q Is meeting in the middle always fair? Or does it sometimes mean nobody gets what they actually need?
"Now the ball is in your court."
the ball is in your court — it is your turn to take action or make a decision
"I've made our position clear — the ball is in their court now."
Q How do you feel when someone says 'the ball is in your court'? Does it feel like an opportunity or pressure?
- Before committing, he spent time understanding the full situation.→ get the lay of the land
- She found a careful solution that satisfied both competing sides.→ thread the needle
- They didn't share their plans until the deal was fully signed.→ kept close to the vest
- Neither got everything, but both got enough to agree.→ meet in the middle
- She's made her offer — now it's up to the other side to respond.→ the ball is in your court
Idioms · Emotions & Feelings
Emotions & Feelings
"I really get a kick out of teaching."
get a kick out of — to find great enjoyment or excitement in something
"She gets a real kick out of solving complex problems — the harder, the better."
Q What do you genuinely get a kick out of — at work or in your personal life?
"I need to blow off some steam."
blow off steam — to release stress or frustration through activity or talking
"After a really tough week, I blow off steam by going to the gym — nothing else quite does it."
Q How do you blow off steam when you're frustrated or stressed at work?
"Everyone's been really on edge lately."
on edge — feeling nervous, tense, or irritable, often due to stress or anxiety
"The whole office has been on edge since the restructuring announcement."
Q Have you noticed yourself or those around you on edge recently? What caused it?
"She got cold feet at the last minute."
get cold feet — to suddenly become nervous or hesitant about a decision or commitment
"I was all set to quit and start my own business, but I got cold feet and decided to stay."
Q Have you ever gotten cold feet about something — a job change, a big decision, an investment?
"I'm feeling a bit under the weather today."
under the weather — feeling slightly ill or unwell
"I'm feeling a bit under the weather — I might leave early if that's okay with everyone."
Q Do you push through when you feel under the weather, or do you take time off?
- The entire team was tense and anxious after the restructuring announcement.→ on edge
- He was fully committed to the move, then suddenly lost his nerve.→ got cold feet
- She loves the creative side of the job — it gives her real energy.→ gets a kick out of
- He went for a run after work to release the stress from the day.→ blow off steam
- She wasn't quite ill enough to stay home, but she wasn't herself.→ under the weather