27 Three-Part Phrasal Verbs in English: Meanings, Examples and Grammar

Three-part phrasal verbs in English can seem a little tricky at first, but they are extremely useful in real conversation and writing. In this lesson, you will learn 27 common three-part phrasal verbs with meanings, natural example sentences, and a simple grammar explanation to help you use them correctly.

They are extremely useful in everyday English, and many of them are very common in both speaking and writing. In this lesson, you will learn 27 three-part phrasal verbs with clear meanings and natural example sentences.

Let’s go through them one by one.

1. Check up on

Meaning: to find out what someone is doing, especially to make sure they are safe or behaving properly.

Examples:

Mum used to check up on us before going to bed.
The manager called to check up on the new employee and see how she was getting on.

2. Catch up with

Meaning: to talk to someone after not seeing them for some time and exchange news.

Examples:

It was lovely to catch up with Emma after so many years.
We need to meet for coffee soon and catch up with each other properly.

3. Come down with

Meaning: to become ill with an illness.

Examples:

I think I’m coming down with a cold.
Jake came down with the flu just before his exam.

4. Come up with

Meaning: to think of an idea, answer, or plan.

Examples:

We need to come up with a better solution.
She came up with a brilliant idea for the school project.

5. Cut down on

Meaning: to reduce the amount of something.

Examples:

I’m trying to cut down on sugar.
You should cut down on screen time before bed.

6. Drop out of

Meaning: to leave a course, school, competition, or activity before finishing it.

Examples:

He dropped out of university in his second year.
One of the runners dropped out of the marathon because of an injury.

7. Feel up to

Meaning: to have enough energy or strength to do something.

Examples:

I don’t feel up to going out tonight.
Granny wasn’t feeling up to having visitors.

8. Fit in with

Meaning: to match, suit, or belong well with someone or something.

Examples:

Your plans fit in with ours perfectly.
He found it difficult to fit in with his new classmates at first.

9. Get along with

Meaning: to have a friendly relationship with someone.

Examples:

Do you get along with your neighbours?
She gets along well with everyone in the office.

10. Get away with

Meaning: to avoid punishment for doing something wrong.

Examples:

He lied again, but this time he didn’t get away with it.
I can’t believe they broke the rules and got away with it.

11. Get on with

Meaning: to have a good relationship with someone.

Examples:

I get on very well with my sister-in-law.
Sam has never really got on with his older brother.

12. Get rid of

Meaning: to throw something away or remove something you no longer want or need.

Examples:

I need to get rid of these old magazines.
We finally got rid of the broken sofa.

13. Get round to

Meaning: to finally find time to do something.

Examples:

I’ll get round to answering those emails tomorrow.
She never got round to painting the spare room.

14. Go in for

Meaning: to take part in an activity, competition, or exam.

Examples:

He’s going in for the tennis tournament this year.
Are you going in for the Cambridge exam in June?

15. Go through with

Meaning: to do something you had planned or promised to do, especially when it is difficult.

Examples:

She was nervous, but she went through with the interview.
They had doubts about the wedding, but they still went through with it.

16. Grow out of

Meaning: to stop doing, liking, or believing something as you become older or more mature.

Examples:

Most children grow out of sleeping with the light on.
She grew out of her fear of dogs in her teens.

17. Keep up with

Meaning: to stay at the same level or speed as someone or something.

Examples:

It’s hard to keep up with all the latest technology.
I had to walk quickly to keep up with the rest of the group.

18. Live up to

Meaning: to be as good as expected or promised.

Examples:

The film really lived up to the reviews.
The hotel didn’t quite live up to our expectations.

19. Look down on

Meaning: to think you are better than someone else.

Examples:

Nobody should look down on people for making mistakes in English.
He started looking down on his old friends after becoming successful.

20. Look forward to

Meaning: to feel excited about something that is going to happen.

Examples:

I’m looking forward to the holidays.
We’re all looking forward to seeing you next week.

21. Look up to

Meaning: to admire and respect someone.

Examples:

Many young players look up to her.
I’ve always looked up to my grandfather.

22. Own up to

Meaning: to admit that you have done something wrong.

Examples:

Nobody wanted to own up to breaking the vase.
He eventually owned up to his mistake.

23. Put up with

Meaning: to tolerate something unpleasant.

Examples:

I don’t know how you put up with all that noise.
She won’t put up with rude behaviour.

24. Run out of

Meaning: to use all of something so that none is left.

Examples:

We’ve run out of milk.
I hope there’s a petrol station nearby — we’re running out of petrol.

25. Stand up for

Meaning: to defend or support someone or something.

Examples:

You should always stand up for yourself.
She stood up for her friend when others were criticising him.

26. Think back on

Meaning: to remember something from the past.

Examples:

I often think back on my school days.
When I think back on that summer, I still smile.

27. Walk out on

Meaning: to leave someone or something suddenly and unfairly.

Examples:

He walked out on his family when the children were still young.
You can’t just walk out on the team halfway through the project.

A useful grammar note

Most three-part phrasal verbs end in a preposition, and that matters.

Because a preposition is followed by a noun or an -ing form, we say:

The boy owned up to breaking the window.
I’m looking forward to seeing you.
She doesn’t feel up to working today.

Not:

owned up to break the window
looking forward to see you
feel up to work today

Are three-part phrasal verbs separable?

Usually, no. Most of them are inseparable, which means you cannot move the object into the middle.

Correct:

She came up with a clever idea.

Incorrect:

She came up a clever idea with.

That is the sort of thing English loves to do: make life difficult first, elegant later.

Final thought

Three-part phrasal verbs may look a little long, but many of them are very common and very useful. The best way to learn them is not by memorising dry lists, but by seeing them in clear examples and then using them in your own speaking and writing.

Choose five from this lesson and try to write your own sentences with them today. That is how they stop being strangers and start becoming yours.

Three-Part Phrasal Verbs in English Exercise Worksheet in PDF

FAQ

What is a three-part phrasal verb?
A three-part phrasal verb is made up of a verb and two particles, such as put up with or look forward to.

Are three-part phrasal verbs common in English?
Yes, many three-part phrasal verbs are very common in everyday spoken and written English.

Are three-part phrasal verbs separable?
Most three-part phrasal verbs are inseparable, which means the object cannot go in the middle.

Why is there often an -ing form after them?
Many three-part phrasal verbs end with a preposition, and prepositions are followed by a noun or an -ing form.

Phrasal Verbs with DO

Separable and Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Verbs followed by -ING

50 Foreign Words in English

60 Idiomatic Phrases about Places

Visit our bookshop for more