Phrasal Verbs That Drive Native Speakers Nuts (And How to Use Them Like a Pro)

Let’s get this out of the way: Phrasal verbs are nobody’s best friend.
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Not yours. Not mine. Not even your born-and-raised Canadian project manager’s. They’re slippery, illogical, and—just when you think you’ve got them figured out—they change meaning depending on who’s talking.

And yet, if you want to sound fluent, credible, and actually understand your coworkers, you’ve got to wrangle at least a few of them. Good news: You don’t have to master all 10,000. You just need to learn how to spot the most common (and confusing) ones, use them confidently in business, and laugh at the rest.

Ready to level up your English—without losing your mind? Let’s break down the phrasal verb puzzle once and for all.

1. What’s a Phrasal Verb—and Why Are They So Annoying?

A phrasal verb is a verb + preposition (or adverb) that creates a new meaning. Think:

“take off” (to remove, or for a plane to leave)
“turn down” (to reject or lower)
“bring up” (to mention a topic)

Why are they the worst?

They rarely mean what the literal words say
Many have multiple meanings
Some are super common, others are old-fashioned or regional
Native speakers use them without thinking—and often get them wrong or mix them up themselves!

2. Phrasal Verbs That Trip Up Even the Natives

Here are a few that cause confusion for everyone (examples from real life):

a) “Put off”

Meaning 1: To delay (“Let’s put off the meeting until Thursday”)
Meaning 2: To discourage or disgust (“That tone really puts me off”)
Meaning 3: To distract (“Sorry, I got put off by the noise outside”—not always correct, but you’ll hear it)

Even natives mix up the “delay” and “discourage” meanings.

b) “Run by”

“Can I run this by you?” (to get someone’s opinion or approval)
“He ran by quickly.” (literally moved past someone, less common in business)

Often, non-natives overuse the literal, while natives just assume everyone knows the business meaning.

c) “Take over”

To assume control (“She will take over the project next quarter”)
To invade (“The weeds have taken over my garden!”)
Not “take over” as in to take someone out for lunch (that’s “take out”—see? Painful.)

d) “Break down”

To explain in detail (“Let me break down the results for you”)
To stop working (“My laptop broke down during the call”)
To lose emotional control (“He broke down in tears”)

It’s easy to see why even advanced learners hesitate.

e) “Turn up/Turn down”

“Turn up the volume” (increase)
“Turn up for the meeting” (arrive)
“Turn down an offer” (reject)
“Turn down the heat” (decrease)

Natives get these wrong in emails all the time.

3. The Most Useful (and Abused) Phrasal Verbs in Business

Here’s a cheat sheet for phrasal verbs that are everywhere in North American offices:

“Bring up” (to mention): “Can I bring up a concern about the deadline?”
“Look into” (to investigate): “We’ll look into the issue and get back to you.”
“Figure out” (to solve): “Have you figured out how to fix the bug?”
“Reach out” (to contact): “I’ll reach out to HR this afternoon.”
“Follow up” (to check or remind): “Just following up on last week’s email.”
“Cut back (on)” (to reduce): “We need to cut back on spending.”
“Lay off” (to let go of employees): “The company is laying off 50 people.” (Don’t say “fired” unless you mean it.)

Some of these sound casual, but in business English, they’re considered standard.

4. Why Do Native Speakers Mess These Up?

They’re lazy: It’s easier to say “follow up” than “check on the status of…”
They learn by ear: Most never learn the grammar rules—just what “sounds right.”
They invent new uses: Ever heard, “Circle back with me on this”? It started as business jargon and now means “Let’s check again later.”

If you mess up a phrasal verb, don’t stress. Native speakers do it all the time. The trick is to listen for context—and to clarify if you’re unsure.

5. How to Actually Learn (and Use) Phrasal Verbs at Work

A. Prioritize, Don’t Memorize
Focus on 15–20 that show up constantly in your job. Make a “phrasal verb bank” in your notes or phone.
Whenever you hear a new one in a meeting or email, jot it down—then ask a colleague what it means if you’re unsure.

B. Practice in Sentences, Not Lists
Saying “follow up” alone doesn’t help. Try:

“Can I follow up with you tomorrow?”
“I’ll follow up after I review the document.”
“Let’s follow up during our next check-in.”

C. Ask for Feedback
If you’re unsure, just ask: “Did I use that right?”
Most colleagues (and bosses) appreciate the effort and will happily explain.

D. Laugh at the Chaos
English is messy, and phrasal verbs are the messiest part. Natives use them wrong, create new ones, and forget what their teachers said.

6. Bonus: Phrasal Verbs to Use Sparingly (Or Avoid)

Some phrasal verbs sound casual or even rude, depending on your workplace:

“Blow off” (to ignore): “He blew off the meeting.” (Can sound harsh)
“Slack off” (to be lazy): “She’s slacking off again.” (Not for feedback to a manager!)
“Call off” (to cancel): Fine in meetings, but can sound abrupt in writing.

When in doubt, use a more formal alternative.

7. The Fastest Way to Sound More Fluent? Use Some Phrasal Verbs—Not All

Sprinkle them in, don’t drown in them. Use the ones you’re confident with for credibility, but don’t force the tricky ones just to “sound native.” Clear, direct language always wins.

8. Practice Time: Try These at Work

Pick two from this list and use them today:

“Let’s look into that and get back to the team.”
“Can we cut back on meetings this month?”
“I’ll follow up with the vendor.”
“Did you bring up your concerns in the last meeting?”
“If you need anything, just reach out.”

Feel awkward? Good. It means you’re learning.

9. When to Get Help

If you’re struggling to figure out which phrasal verbs actually matter in your workplace, or if you want real feedback on your emails, calls, or presentations, that’s where coaching comes in.

We work with professionals every day to break down the messy parts of English—especially the stuff you won’t find in any textbook.

Your Action Plan

Start a “Phrasal Verb Bank” for your job.
Use two new ones each week in meetings or emails.
Ask for feedback on your usage.
Laugh when you get one wrong—and try again.
Book a free Accent Success Call if you want fast, specific feedback.

Ready to master the messiest part of English—and sound more local in every conversation?
Book your free Accent Success Call and we’ll help you pick, practice, and perfect the phrasal verbs that actually matter for your success.

👉 Book your free Accent Success Call

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