35 Phrasal Verbs and Their One-Word Alternatives

Phrasal verbs are an essential part of English. Native speakers use them constantly in conversations, emails, films, news reports and everyday writing. Expressions such as put off, look into and carry out often sound more natural than their one-word alternatives, particularly in informal situations. In this lesson, you will learn 35 phrasal verbs and their formal one-word alternatives, with definitions, natural examples and notes explaining important differences in usage.

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Are Phrasal Verbs Always Informal?

No. Although some phrasal verbs are mainly conversational, many are neutral and regularly appear in formal English.

For example:

• The researchers carried out a detailed investigation.
• The report sets out the principal recommendations.
• Several participants pointed out a weakness in the proposal.

These sentences would not be inappropriate in an academic or professional context.

Moreover, a one-word alternative is not automatically better. Sometimes it sounds unnecessarily formal, old-fashioned or unnatural. Compare:

• Please put out your cigarette.
• Please extinguish your cigarette.

The second sentence is more formal, but the first would sound more natural in many everyday situations.

The important skill is not replacing every phrasal verb. It is understanding the available choices and selecting the expression that fits the context.

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Phrasal Verbs and Their One-Word Alternatives

1. Add up → calculate

Add up means to find the total of several numbers. Its more formal alternative is calculate.

• We need to add up all our expenses.
• We need to calculate our total expenditure.

Usage note: Add up can also mean that something seems logical: His explanation doesn’t add up. In that context, calculate cannot replace it.

2. Back up → support

To back up an opinion, statement or claim means to provide evidence that supports it.

• The figures back up her argument.
• The figures support her argument.

Usage note: Back up can also mean to make a copy of computer data or move a vehicle backwards. The alternative support applies only when evidence confirms an idea or claim.

3. Blow up → explode

When a bomb, vehicle or building blows up, it explodes.

• The device blew up shortly after midnight.
• The device exploded shortly after midnight.

Usage note: Blow up can also mean to enlarge a photograph or become angry, so context is essential.

4. Break down → fail

If a machine or system breaks down, it stops functioning properly. In formal contexts, we can sometimes use fail.

• The heating system broke down during the night.
• The heating system failed during the night.

Usage note: Break down has several additional meanings, including losing emotional control and dividing something into smaller parts.

5. Bring about → cause

To bring about something means to make it happen, particularly a change or result.

• The new legislation brought about significant changes.
• The new legislation caused significant changes.

Usage note: Both forms are acceptable in formal writing. Bring about often suggests a deliberate process leading to a result.

6. Bring up → mention

To bring up a subject means to introduce it into a conversation or discussion.

• Joanna brought up the funding problem during the meeting.
• Joanna mentioned the funding problem during the meeting.

Usage note: Bring up can also mean to raise and care for a child.

7. Butt in → interrupt

To butt in means to interrupt a conversation, usually rudely.

• He continually butted in while I was explaining the problem.
• He continually interrupted me while I was explaining the problem.

Usage note: Butt in is informal and often expresses annoyance. Interrupt is more neutral.

8. Call off → cancel

To call off an event or activity means to cancel it.

• The organisers called off the match because of the storm.
• The organisers cancelled the match because of the storm.

Usage note: Both expressions are common, but cancel is generally more appropriate in official announcements.

9. Carry out → conduct

To carry out an investigation, experiment or study means to perform or complete it.

• The university carried out a study of working habits.
• The university conducted a study of working habits.

Usage note: Carry out is not particularly informal. It is widely used in reports and academic writing alongside conduct and perform.

10. Catch up with → reach

To catch up with someone means to reach the same position after being behind them.

• Sofia walked faster to catch up with the group.
• Sofia walked faster until she reached the group.

Usage note: Catch up with can also mean to meet someone and exchange news: Let’s meet for coffee and catch up. In that sense, reach is not an alternative.

11. Close down → cease operations

If a company, factory or organisation closes down, it permanently or temporarily stops operating.

• The factory closed down because of financial difficulties.
• The factory ceased operations because of financial difficulties.

Usage note: Close down is common in both spoken and written English. Cease operations is considerably more formal.

12. Come up → arise

When a problem, question or issue comes up, it appears or requires attention.

• Several unexpected problems came up during the discussion.
• Several unexpected problems arose during the discussion.

Usage note: Arise works particularly well with words such as problem, difficulty, question, need and opportunity.

13. Count on → rely on

To count on someone or something means to trust them or depend on them.

• You can count on Daniel to keep his promise.
• You can rely on Daniel to keep his promise.

Usage note: Both are common, but count on is slightly more conversational.

14. Cut down on → reduce

To cut down on something means to use, eat or do less of it.

• We need to cut down on unnecessary spending.
• We need to reduce unnecessary expenditure.

Usage note: Cut down on must be followed by a noun or gerund: cut down on sugar; cut down on travelling.

15. Cut off → disconnect

To cut off a service means to disconnect or stop its supply.

• The electricity was cut off because the bill had not been paid.
• The electricity supply was disconnected because the bill had not been paid.

Usage note: Cut someone off can also mean to interrupt them while they are speaking or to prevent them from reaching a place.

16. Fall through → fail

If an arrangement, deal or plan falls through, it fails to happen or be completed.

• The agreement fell through at the last minute.
• The agreement failed at the last minute.

Usage note: We normally use fall through for plans, arrangements, negotiations and deals—not for people or physical objects.

17. Fill in → complete

To fill in a form means to write the required information in the spaces provided.

• Please fill in the application form before Friday.
• Please complete the application form before Friday.

Usage note: In British English, we normally fill in a form. In American English, fill out a form is more common.

18. Find out → discover

To find out something means to obtain or discover information.

• The researchers wanted to find out why participation had declined.
• The researchers wanted to discover why participation had declined.

Usage note: Discover may suggest finding something new or previously unknown, while find out is more general and conversational.

19. Get across → communicate

To get an idea across means to communicate it successfully so that other people understand it.

• The speaker struggled to get her main point across.
• The speaker struggled to communicate her main point.

Usage note: We usually use the structure get something across or get something across to someone.

20. Go against → contradict

When information goes against a belief, claim or expectation, it contradicts it.

• These findings go against the original hypothesis.
• These findings contradict the original hypothesis.

Usage note: The best alternative depends on context. Go against a proposal may mean oppose it, while go against the evidence may mean contradict it.

21. Go ahead with → proceed with

To go ahead with a plan means to begin or continue doing it.

• The council decided to go ahead with the redevelopment project.
• The council decided to proceed with the redevelopment project.

Usage note: Proceed with is more likely to appear in formal announcements and professional correspondence.

22. Go into → examine

To go into a subject means to discuss or examine it carefully and in detail.

• The report goes into the causes of the decline in detail.
• The report examines the causes of the decline in detail.

Usage note: Depending on the context, possible alternatives include examine, analyse, discuss and investigate.

23. Go through → review

To go through a document or piece of work means to examine it carefully.

• Sandra went through her essay before submitting it.
• Sandra reviewed her essay before submitting it.

Usage note: Go through has several meanings, including experiencing a difficult situation and using all of something.

24. Give away → donate

To give something away means to give it to another person without receiving payment.

• The family gave away their old furniture.
• The family donated their old furniture to a local charity.

Usage note: Donate is suitable when something is given to a person, organisation or cause. Give away can also mean to reveal a secret.

25. Leave out → omit

To leave something out means not to include it.

• The summary left out several important details.
• The summary omitted several important details.

Usage note: Leave someone out often means to exclude that person from an activity or group.

26. Look after → care for

To look after someone means to take care of them.

• The nurses look after patients recovering from surgery.
• The nurses care for patients recovering from surgery.

Usage note: Both expressions are natural. Care for may sound slightly more formal or professional in healthcare contexts.

27. Look into → investigate

To look into a problem or situation means to examine it in order to discover the facts.

• The authorities promised to look into the allegations.
• The authorities promised to investigate the allegations.

Usage note: Investigate is more formal and usually suggests a systematic examination.

28. Make up → constitute

To make up a proportion or part of something means to constitute it.

• International students make up 20 per cent of the university’s population.
• International students constitute 20 per cent of the university’s population.

Usage note: Make up has several other meanings, including inventing a story, becoming friends again and applying cosmetics.

29. Point out → indicate

To point something out means to draw attention to it.

• The report points out several weaknesses in the current system.
• The report indicates several weaknesses in the current system.

Usage note: These alternatives are not always identical. Point out usually involves deliberately drawing attention to something, whereas indicate may simply show that something exists or is true.

30. Put forward → propose

To put forward an idea, argument or plan means to present it for consideration.

• The committee put forward several possible solutions.
• The committee proposed several possible solutions.

Usage note: Put forward is perfectly acceptable in formal speech and writing. Propose is more concise.

31. Put off → postpone

To put off an event or activity means to arrange for it to happen later.

• The organisers put off the conference until October.
• The organisers postponed the conference until October.

Usage note: Put someone off has a different meaning: it can make someone dislike something or discourage them from doing it.

32. Put up with → tolerate

To put up with something unpleasant means to accept it without complaining or taking action.

• Residents should not have to put up with excessive noise.
• Residents should not have to tolerate excessive noise.

Usage note: Put up with is more conversational, while tolerate is suitable for formal complaints and reports.

33. Set out → outline

To set out information, aims or arguments means to present them clearly and systematically.

• The document sets out the organisation’s principal objectives.
• The document outlines the organisation’s principal objectives.

Usage note: Both expressions are widely used in formal writing.

34. Set up → establish

To set up a company, organisation or system means to create it.

• They set up the company after the Second World War.
• They established the company after the Second World War.

Usage note: Set up is common in both conversation and business English. Establish is more formal.

35. Turn up → arrive

To turn up at a place means to arrive, often unexpectedly or later than expected.

• He turned up half an hour late for the interview.
• He arrived half an hour late for the interview.

Usage note: Turn up can also mean to increase the volume, temperature or power of a device.

Why This Matters for C1 Advanced

If you are preparing for C1 Advanced (CAE), you need to understand vocabulary in context rather than learn isolated lists of synonyms.

Phrasal verbs and one-word alternatives can be particularly useful in the following parts of the exam:

• Reading and Use of English Part 1: choosing the word or expression that forms the correct collocation and fits the context
• Reading and Use of English Part 2: completing expressions and phrasal verbs with the correct particles
• Reading and Use of English Part 4: expressing the same meaning with different grammatical and lexical structures
• Writing: selecting vocabulary that is appropriate for an essay, report, proposal, review or email

Remember that words with similar dictionary definitions are not necessarily interchangeable. You must also consider grammar, collocation, register and the precise meaning required by the sentence.

Download Phrasal Verbs and Their One-word Alternatives Practice Worksheet in PDF here

Practise C1 Advanced Use of English

Learning individual phrasal verbs is useful, but success in the C1 Advanced Reading and Use of English paper requires much more than memorising vocabulary lists. You need to recognise collocations, fixed expressions, grammatical patterns, word families and different ways of expressing the same idea.

The C1 Advanced Use of English Complete Collection contains five focused practice books:

• 300 C1 Advanced Multiple-Choice Cloze Questions
• 300 C1 Advanced Open Cloze Questions
• 300 C1 Advanced Word Formation Questions
• 300 C1 Advanced Key Word Transformations Questions
• C1 Advanced Use of English Practice Tests

Together, the books provide hundreds of exam-style questions to help you improve your accuracy, expand your vocabulary and prepare confidently for Parts 1–4 of the Reading and Use of English paper.

Explore the C1 Advanced Use of English Complete Collection →