17 Phrasal Verbs to Express Ideas

17 Phrasal Verbs to Express Ideas in English

When English speakers talk about ideas, opinions, plans, and solutions, they often rely on phrasal verbs rather than long or formal expressions. This is especially true in meetings, discussions, presentations, and academic writing. If you want your English to sound more natural, fluent, and flexible, these phrasal verbs are essential. In this lesson, you’ll learn 17 common phrasal verbs used to express ideas, with clear meanings and natural example sentences. These are particularly useful for B2 First and C1 Advanced exams, as well as real-life communication.

Bring about

Meaning: to cause something to happen.

Community action helped bring about real improvements in local infrastructure.
The new policy brought about significant changes in the education system.
The campaign aims to bring about social change.

Bring up

Meaning: to mention or introduce a topic.

She brought up an important issue during the meeting.
I wanted to bring up our travel plans, but the timing didn’t feel right.
He brought up a point that no one had considered before.

Carry out

Meaning: to perform or complete a task or plan.

The researchers carried out a detailed study.
The company carried out the instructions exactly as requested.
The experiment was carried out successfully.

Come across

Meaning: to find or discover something by chance.

I came across an interesting article while doing research.
She came across a brilliant idea in an old notebook.
We came across some useful data unexpectedly.

Come up with

Meaning: to think of or produce an idea or solution.

He came up with a creative solution to the problem.
We need to come up with a clear plan by Friday.
She came up with an excellent argument in the discussion.

Get across

Meaning: to communicate an idea successfully.

The speaker managed to get his message across clearly.
It’s important to get your ideas across in a simple way.
She struggled to get across what she really meant.

Get on with

Meaning: to continue doing something.

Let’s get on with the next point on the agenda.
After a short break, they got on with the discussion.
Despite the noise, she got on with her work.

Figure out

Meaning: to understand or solve something.

It took me a while to figure out the problem.
She finally figured out how the system works.
We need to figure out what went wrong.

Look into

Meaning: to investigate or examine something.

The committee will look into the issue further.
We are looking into possible solutions.
The police promised to look into the matter.

Point out

Meaning: to draw attention to something.

The teacher pointed out several key mistakes.
She was quick to point out the advantages of the plan.
He pointed out an important detail in the report.

Put forward

Meaning: to suggest or propose an idea.

She put forward a new strategy for the project.
Several proposals were put forward during the meeting.
He put forward an interesting argument.

Set out

Meaning: to explain something clearly and in detail.

The report sets out the main objectives of the project.
The professor set out his theory step by step.
The contract sets out the terms and conditions.

Sum up

Meaning: to summarise the main points.

She summed up the discussion in a few sentences.
Let me sum up what we’ve decided so far.
He was asked to sum up the key arguments.

Take into account

Meaning: to consider something carefully.

You should take into account all possible outcomes.
We need to take into account the budget limitations.
The final decision took everyone’s opinion into account.

Think over

Meaning: to consider something carefully before deciding.

Take some time to think over the proposal.
He thought over his options before responding.
I’ll think it over and let you know tomorrow.

Think up

Meaning: to invent or create an idea.

She thought up a clever solution to the problem.
The team had to think up a new concept.
He thought up an original approach.

Work out

Meaning: to find a solution or reach a conclusion.

We finally worked out a plan everyone agreed on.
She worked out the answer after several attempts.
They worked out how to improve efficiency.

Exam & Usage Tip (B2–C1)

These phrasal verbs are extremely common in:

Speaking tasks (explaining ideas clearly)
Writing tasks (essays, reports, proposals)
Use of English exercises

Using them naturally shows range, control, and confidence — exactly what examiners are looking for.

Final thought

If you can put forward ideas, get them across clearly, and sum them up effectively, your English will sound far more natural — and far more convincing.

17 Phrasal Verbs to Express Ideas

Published by My Lingua Academy on 5 Feb 20255 Feb 2025