What Are Phrasal Verbs?
A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a preposition or adverb (or both) that creates a meaning different from the original verb. For example, "bring up" does not mean physically bringing something upward — it means to raise a topic in discussion. Similarly, "call off" does not involve calling anyone — it means to cancel.
Phrasal verbs are the backbone of natural, fluent English. Native speakers use them constantly in workplace communication, and mastering them is the difference between sounding textbook-correct and sounding professionally fluent. This guide covers 50 business English phrasal verbs organised by workplace context, with real examples that Indian professionals in IT, BPO, and corporate roles will immediately recognise.
Why This Matters for Your Career
Research shows that native English speakers use phrasal verbs in over 80% of informal workplace communication. If you only use formal single-word verbs (postpone instead of put off, investigate instead of look into), you will sound correct but unnatural. Learning these 50 phrasal verbs will make your workplace English sound more confident and fluent.
Why Business Phrasal Verbs Matter
Indian professionals often learn formal English vocabulary but miss the phrasal verbs that make workplace conversations flow naturally. Here is why they matter:
- Meetings and calls: Your manager says "Let us wrap up" — not "Let us conclude." If you do not know "wrap up," you might miss the cue that the meeting is ending.
- Emails: A client writes "I will get back to you by Friday." Understanding this instantly (without pausing to decode it) keeps you productive.
- Interviews: Using phrasal verbs naturally in job interviews signals that your English is fluent, not rehearsed.
- Team communication: In agile teams with international colleagues, phrasal verbs dominate stand-ups, retrospectives, and Slack messages.
Phrasal Verbs for Meetings (1-10)
Meetings are where phrasal verbs appear most frequently. Here are 10 you will hear in virtually every workplace meeting:
10 Meeting Phrasal Verbs
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1. Bring up — to raise a topic or issue for discussion
Example: "I want to bring up the client feedback we received yesterday."
Common mistake: Do not say "bring up about." Say "bring up the issue," not "bring up about the issue." -
2. Follow up — to check on progress or take further action after initial contact
Example: "Can you follow up with the design team on the mockups?"
Common mistake: "Follow up" takes "with" (a person) or "on" (a topic). Do not say "follow up to someone." -
3. Wrap up — to finish or conclude
Example: "Let us wrap up this meeting — we have covered all the agenda items."
Common mistake: Do not confuse with "wind up," which can also mean to end but has a more informal (sometimes annoyed) tone. -
4. Go over — to review or examine something carefully
Example: "Let us go over the quarterly numbers before presenting to leadership."
Common mistake: Do not say "go through over." Use either "go over" or "go through" — both mean review. -
5. Run through — to quickly review or rehearse
Example: "Can we run through the presentation once before the client call?"
Common mistake: "Run through" implies speed. Use "go over" for a more careful, detailed review. -
6. Point out — to draw attention to something
Example: "I would like to point out that the deadline has been moved to next Friday."
Common mistake: Do not use "point out" to criticise someone publicly. It should highlight facts, not blame. -
7. Come up with — to think of or produce an idea or plan
Example: "The marketing team came up with a brilliant campaign for the product launch."
Common mistake: Do not drop "with." It is always "come up with," never just "come up" when talking about ideas. -
8. Kick off — to start or begin (especially a project or meeting)
Example: "We will kick off the sprint planning at 10 AM sharp."
Common mistake: "Kick off" is slightly informal. In very formal settings, use "commence" or "begin." -
9. Weigh in — to offer an opinion or contribute to a discussion
Example: "Priya, would you like to weigh in on this proposal?"
Common mistake: Do not confuse with "weigh up" (to consider pros and cons). "Weigh in" means to give your opinion. -
10. Touch on — to briefly mention or discuss
Example: "I just want to touch on the budget situation before we close."
Common mistake: "Touch on" implies brevity. If you plan a full discussion, say "discuss" or "go over" instead.
Phrasal Verbs for Emails (11-20)
Email is the primary communication channel in Indian corporate life. These phrasal verbs appear in almost every professional inbox:
10 Email Phrasal Verbs
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11. Get back to — to reply or respond to someone later
Example: "Let me check with the team and get back to you by end of day."
Common mistake: Do not say "revert back." In standard English, "get back to" is the correct phrasal verb for replying. "Revert" means to return to a previous state. -
12. Reach out — to make contact with someone
Example: "I will reach out to the vendor about the delayed shipment."
Common mistake: "Reach out" takes "to." Do not say "reach out with someone" — say "reach out to someone." -
13. Fill in — to provide information or details; also to substitute for someone
Example: "Can you fill me in on what was discussed in the morning meeting?"
Common mistake: "Fill in" (inform someone) vs. "fill out" (complete a form). These are different — do not mix them up. -
14. Send out — to distribute or dispatch to multiple people
Example: "I will send out the meeting minutes to all stakeholders by 5 PM."
Common mistake: Use "send out" for distribution to groups. Use "send" for a single recipient. -
15. Look into — to investigate or examine
Example: "We are looking into the server downtime issue and will update you shortly."
Common mistake: Do not say "look into about." Say "look into the matter," not "look into about the matter." -
16. Pass on — to forward information or transfer to someone else
Example: "I will pass on your feedback to the development team."
Common mistake: "Pass on" can also mean to decline ("I will pass on the offer"). Context determines the meaning. -
17. Copy in — to include someone in an email chain (CC)
Example: "Please copy in the project manager on all client communications."
Common mistake: Do not say "keep in CC" (Indian English). The standard phrase is "copy in" or "CC." -
18. Draw up — to prepare or draft a document
Example: "I will draw up a proposal and share it by Thursday."
Common mistake: "Draw up" is for creating documents, contracts, or plans — not for physical drawing. -
19. Run by — to share an idea to get someone's opinion
Example: "Let me run this idea by my manager before we commit to it."
Common mistake: It is "run something by someone," not "run something to someone." -
20. Sign off on — to give formal approval
Example: "The director needs to sign off on the budget before we proceed."
Common mistake: "Sign off" alone means to end communication (e.g., ending an email). "Sign off on" means to approve something.
Indian English Alert: "Revert Back"
One of the most common mistakes Indian professionals make is using "revert back" to mean "reply." In standard English, "revert" means to return to a previous state — not to reply. The correct phrasal verb is "get back to": "I will get back to you tomorrow." This single correction can significantly improve how your emails are perceived by international colleagues.
Phrasal Verbs for Projects (21-30)
Project management — whether in IT, consulting, or operations — has its own set of essential phrasal verbs:
10 Project Phrasal Verbs
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21. Carry out — to perform or execute a task
Example: "The QA team will carry out regression testing before the release."
Common mistake: Do not confuse with "carry on" (to continue). "Carry out" means execute; "carry on" means keep going. -
22. Hand over — to transfer responsibility or control
Example: "I will hand over the project documentation to the new team lead."
Common mistake: In Indian offices, people often say "handover" as a noun ("do the handover"). As a verb, it is two words: "hand over." -
23. Set up — to arrange, establish, or configure
Example: "Can you set up a meeting with the client for next week?"
Common mistake: "Set up" (verb, two words) vs. "setup" (noun, one word). "Set up the system" but "the system setup is complete." -
24. Break down — to divide into smaller parts; also, to stop working
Example: "Let us break down this user story into smaller tasks."
Common mistake: Context matters. "Break down the requirements" (divide) vs. "the server broke down" (failed). -
25. Roll out — to launch or deploy gradually
Example: "We will roll out the new feature to 10% of users first."
Common mistake: "Roll out" implies a phased or gradual launch. For an instant full launch, use "launch" or "release." -
26. Scale up — to increase in size, capacity, or scope
Example: "We need to scale up the infrastructure before the Diwali sale."
Common mistake: Do not confuse "scale up" (increase) with "scale down" (decrease) or "scale back" (reduce scope). -
27. Sign up — to register or enrol
Example: "Fifteen employees have signed up for the agile certification programme."
Common mistake: "Sign up for" (register) vs. "sign in to" (log in). These are different actions. -
28. Phase out — to gradually stop using or doing something
Example: "We are phasing out the legacy system over the next two quarters."
Common mistake: "Phase out" is gradual. For an immediate stop, use "discontinue" or "shut down." -
29. Iron out — to resolve problems or smooth out issues
Example: "We need to iron out the integration issues before the demo."
Common mistake: "Iron out" is slightly informal. In a formal document, use "resolve" instead. -
30. Pencil in — to tentatively schedule something
Example: "Let me pencil in a review meeting for next Wednesday — I will confirm later."
Common mistake: "Pencil in" implies the schedule is not final. Do not use it when the meeting is confirmed.
Phrasal Verbs for Negotiations (31-40)
Whether you are negotiating salaries, contracts, or project timelines, these phrasal verbs are essential:
10 Negotiation Phrasal Verbs
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31. Back down — to withdraw from a position or demand
Example: "The vendor refused to back down on the pricing despite our objections."
Common mistake: "Back down" implies giving up under pressure. Do not confuse with "step down" (resign from a position). -
32. Come across — to seem or appear; also, to find unexpectedly
Example: "She comes across as very confident during negotiations."
Common mistake: "Come across as" (seem like) vs. "come across" (find by chance). "I came across an interesting article" vs. "He comes across as friendly." -
33. Work out — to find a solution; to calculate; to succeed
Example: "Let us work out a payment schedule that suits both parties."
Common mistake: "Work out" has many meanings. In business, it usually means resolve/calculate. Context is everything. -
34. Turn down — to reject or refuse
Example: "We had to turn down the offer because the terms were not favourable."
Common mistake: "Turn down" is softer than "reject." Use it in professional contexts where you want to sound diplomatic. -
35. Fall through — to fail to happen or be completed
Example: "The partnership deal fell through at the last minute due to regulatory issues."
Common mistake: "Fall through" means failure. Do not confuse with "follow through" (complete something you committed to). -
36. Hold off — to delay or wait before doing something
Example: "Let us hold off on signing the contract until we review the revised terms."
Common mistake: "Hold off" means to delay deliberately. "Hold up" means to cause a delay. Different meanings. -
37. Lay out — to explain or present clearly
Example: "The CFO laid out the financial projections for the next fiscal year."
Common mistake: "Lay out" means to present information clearly, not physically laying something on a table (though it can mean that too). -
38. Talk over — to discuss something in detail
Example: "Can we talk over the contract terms before I sign?"
Common mistake: "Talk over" (discuss) vs. "talk over someone" (interrupt someone). Very different meanings. -
39. Give in — to yield or surrender in a negotiation
Example: "After three rounds of discussion, the client gave in to our pricing."
Common mistake: "Give in" (yield) vs. "give up" (stop trying). "Give in" means you accept the other side's position. -
40. Settle on — to agree on or decide after discussion
Example: "After much deliberation, both teams settled on a March deadline."
Common mistake: "Settle on" (decide) vs. "settle for" (accept something less than ideal). "Settle on" is neutral; "settle for" implies compromise.
Phrasal Verbs for General Office (41-50)
These phrasal verbs come up in everyday office life — from managing workload to handling changes:
10 General Office Phrasal Verbs
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41. Call off — to cancel
Example: "The town hall has been called off due to the CEO's travel schedule."
Common mistake: Do not say "call off the meeting from the calendar." Just say "call off the meeting" or "cancel the meeting." -
42. Put off — to postpone or delay
Example: "We have to put off the product demo until the bugs are fixed."
Common mistake: "Put off" (postpone) vs. "put off" (discourage or repel). "The delay put off the client" means the client was annoyed, not that something was postponed. -
43. Take on — to accept or undertake (a task, role, or challenge)
Example: "She took on the role of scrum master in addition to her development work."
Common mistake: Do not overuse "take on" for routine tasks. It implies accepting something significant or challenging. -
44. Catch up — to update yourself on what you missed; to meet informally
Example: "I was on leave last week — can we catch up on what I missed?"
Common mistake: "Catch up on" (get updated on work) vs. "catch up with" (meet someone). Both are common in offices. -
45. Step down — to resign from a position or role
Example: "The project lead stepped down, and we need to find a replacement."
Common mistake: "Step down" (voluntarily resign) vs. "stand down" (be asked to leave). "Step down" is always voluntary. -
46. Figure out — to solve, understand, or find a way
Example: "We need to figure out why the API is returning errors in production."
Common mistake: Do not say "figure out about." Say "figure out the problem," not "figure out about the problem." -
47. Cut back — to reduce spending, staff, or activities
Example: "The company is cutting back on travel expenses this quarter."
Common mistake: "Cut back on" (reduce) vs. "cut off" (completely stop or disconnect). "Cut back" is partial; "cut off" is complete. -
48. Bring in — to introduce or recruit
Example: "We are bringing in a consultant to audit our security practices."
Common mistake: "Bring in" (recruit/introduce) vs. "bring on" (also recruit, but more informal). Both work in business contexts. -
49. Log in / Log out — to sign in or out of a system
Example: "Make sure you log out of the VPN when you finish for the day."
Common mistake: "Log in to" (not "log into"). "Log in to the system" is the standard form. Also, "login" (noun/adjective) vs. "log in" (verb). -
50. Opt in / Opt out — to choose to participate or not participate
Example: "Employees can opt in to the new health insurance plan during open enrolment."
Common mistake: "Opt in" means you choose to join. "Opt out" means you choose to leave. These are opposite actions.
Quick Reference Table
Use this table for a fast look-up of all 50 business phrasal verbs:
| # | Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bring up | Raise a topic | Meetings |
| 2 | Follow up | Check on progress | Meetings |
| 3 | Wrap up | Finish / conclude | Meetings |
| 4 | Go over | Review carefully | Meetings |
| 5 | Run through | Quickly review | Meetings |
| 6 | Point out | Draw attention to | Meetings |
| 7 | Come up with | Think of an idea | Meetings |
| 8 | Kick off | Start / begin | Meetings |
| 9 | Weigh in | Offer an opinion | Meetings |
| 10 | Touch on | Briefly mention | Meetings |
| 11 | Get back to | Reply later | Emails |
| 12 | Reach out | Make contact | Emails |
| 13 | Fill in | Provide information | Emails |
| 14 | Send out | Distribute | Emails |
| 15 | Look into | Investigate | Emails |
| 16 | Pass on | Forward information | Emails |
| 17 | Copy in | Include in email (CC) | Emails |
| 18 | Draw up | Draft a document | Emails |
| 19 | Run by | Get someone's opinion | Emails |
| 20 | Sign off on | Give formal approval | Emails |
| 21 | Carry out | Execute a task | Projects |
| 22 | Hand over | Transfer responsibility | Projects |
| 23 | Set up | Arrange / configure | Projects |
| 24 | Break down | Divide into parts | Projects |
| 25 | Roll out | Launch gradually | Projects |
| 26 | Scale up | Increase capacity | Projects |
| 27 | Sign up | Register / enrol | Projects |
| 28 | Phase out | Gradually discontinue | Projects |
| 29 | Iron out | Resolve issues | Projects |
| 30 | Pencil in | Tentatively schedule | Projects |
| 31 | Back down | Withdraw a position | Negotiations |
| 32 | Come across | Seem / appear | Negotiations |
| 33 | Work out | Find a solution | Negotiations |
| 34 | Turn down | Reject / refuse | Negotiations |
| 35 | Fall through | Fail to happen | Negotiations |
| 36 | Hold off | Delay deliberately | Negotiations |
| 37 | Lay out | Present clearly | Negotiations |
| 38 | Talk over | Discuss in detail | Negotiations |
| 39 | Give in | Yield / surrender | Negotiations |
| 40 | Settle on | Agree / decide | Negotiations |
| 41 | Call off | Cancel | General Office |
| 42 | Put off | Postpone | General Office |
| 43 | Take on | Accept a task / role | General Office |
| 44 | Catch up | Get updated | General Office |
| 45 | Step down | Resign | General Office |
| 46 | Figure out | Solve / understand | General Office |
| 47 | Cut back | Reduce | General Office |
| 48 | Bring in | Recruit / introduce | General Office |
| 49 | Log in / Log out | Sign in / out | General Office |
| 50 | Opt in / Opt out | Choose to join / leave | General Office |
Common Indian English Mistakes with Phrasal Verbs
Indian professionals make specific, predictable mistakes with phrasal verbs. Fixing these will immediately improve your professional communication:
Top 7 Mistakes to Fix Today
- "Please revert back" → Say "Please get back to me" — "Revert" does not mean reply in standard English.
- "Do the needful" → Say "Please take care of this" or "Please handle this" — "Do the needful" is outdated Indian English.
- "Kindly do the same" → Say "Please carry out the same steps" or be specific about what "the same" refers to.
- "I will follow up to you" → Say "I will follow up with you" — The preposition is "with" for people.
- "Bring up about the issue" → Say "Bring up the issue" — No extra "about" needed.
- "Prepone the meeting" → Say "Move the meeting up" or "bring the meeting forward" — "Prepone" is not standard English.
- "Keep in CC" → Say "Copy in" or "CC" — "Keep in CC" is Indian English, not used internationally.
These mistakes are so widespread in Indian corporate communication that fixing even three or four of them will make your emails and speech noticeably more polished. For more on professional workplace communication, explore our workplace English guides.
TalkDrill is built by Softechinfra, an IT services company that understands the communication challenges Indian tech professionals face every day. These phrasal verb corrections come directly from patterns we observe in real corporate communication.
Practise Business Phrasal Verbs
Reading a list of phrasal verbs is useful, but you will only internalise them through practice. The gap between knowing a phrasal verb and using it naturally in a meeting or email is bridged by repeated, contextual practice.
Try this exercise: pick five phrasal verbs from this list and use them in your emails and conversations today. Tomorrow, pick five more. Within two weeks, all 50 will feel natural.
For structured practice, TalkDrill's AI conversation partners simulate real workplace scenarios — meetings, client calls, and email drafting — where you can use these phrasal verbs in context and get instant feedback on your usage.
Practise Phrasal Verbs in Real Workplace Scenarios
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