Phrasal Verbs in Formal Writing: Academic and Professional English Guide

Are phrasal verbs allowed in formal writing? Many English learners believe they should avoid them completely, especially in essays, reports and professional emails. However, this is not entirely true.

Some phrasal verbs are too informal for formal writing, but others are perfectly acceptable in academic and professional English. In fact, many formal phrasal verbs appear regularly in reports, research papers, business documents and Cambridge C1 Advanced writing tasks.

The key is not to avoid phrasal verbs altogether. The key is to choose the right ones.

In this lesson, you will learn which phrasal verbs are suitable for formal writing, which ones are better avoided, and how to use them naturally in academic and professional contexts.

Are Phrasal Verbs Formal or Informal?

Phrasal verbs are often associated with spoken English, everyday conversation and informal writing. For example:

• put up with
• get over
• sort out
• come up with
• figure out

These are useful in conversation, but they may sound too casual in a formal essay or report.

However, not all phrasal verbs are informal. Some are neutral or formal and are commonly used in academic and professional English.

Compare:

Informal:

The company needs to sort out the problem quickly.

More formal:

The company needs to resolve the problem quickly.

But also:

Formal and natural:

The study points out several important limitations.

Here, points out is completely acceptable in formal writing.

Common Phrasal Verbs Suitable for Formal Writing

Below are useful phrasal verbs and multi-word verbs that are often used in formal, academic and professional English.

1. Carry out

Meaning: to perform, conduct or complete a task, study, investigation or experiment

• The researchers carried out a detailed analysis of the data.
• The company carried out an internal review of its safety procedures.

Common combinations:

• carry out research
• carry out a study
• carry out an investigation
• carry out an analysis
• carry out a review

2. Set out

Meaning: to explain, describe or present something clearly and systematically

• The report sets out the main causes of the problem.
• In the introduction, the writer sets out the purpose of the study.

Useful in: reports, proposals, essays and formal emails.

3. Account for

Meaning: to explain the reason for something; to form a particular part of a total amount

• Several factors may account for the decline in sales.
• Transport costs account for a significant proportion of the budget.

Exam tip: This is a very useful phrase for Cambridge C1 essays and reports because it helps you explain causes clearly.

4. Bring about

Meaning: to cause something to happen

• The new policy may bring about significant changes in the education system.
• The reforms are expected to bring about long-term improvements.

More formal alternative: You can also use lead to, result in or give rise to, depending on the sentence.

5. Point out

Meaning: to mention, highlight or draw attention to something important

• The author points out that the current system has several weaknesses.
• The report points out the need for further investment.

Good phrase for essays: It is important to point out that…

6. Draw on

Meaning: to use knowledge, experience, evidence or information

• The essay draws on several recent studies.
• The report draws on data collected over a ten-year period.

Common combinations:

• draw on experience
• draw on research
• draw on evidence
• draw on data

7. Build on

Meaning: to use something as a basis for further development

• Future research should build on these findings.
• The new strategy builds on the success of previous campaigns.

This is especially useful in academic writing when discussing research, development or progress.

8. Refer to

Meaning: to mention or direct attention to something

• The term “digital literacy” refers to the ability to use technology effectively.
• This section refers to the results presented in Table 2.

Useful phrase: As mentioned above, this refers to…

9. Relate to

Meaning: to be connected with something

• The findings relate to a wider discussion about social inequality.
• The second part of the report relates to staff training.

10. Stem from

Meaning: to be caused by something

• The problem stems from a lack of communication.
• The disagreement appears to stem from different interpretations of the rules.

Why it is useful: This phrase sounds more formal than comes from when discussing causes.

11. Result in

Meaning: to cause a particular outcome

• Poor planning may result in unnecessary delays.
• The changes resulted in improved efficiency.

Common in academic writing: X results in Y is a clear way to show cause and effect.

12. Lead to

Meaning: to cause or produce a result

• Regular practice can lead to greater fluency.
• Increased screen time may lead to reduced concentration.

Note: Lead to is slightly more general than result in, but both are useful in formal writing.

13. Rely on

Meaning: to depend on something or someone

• Many students rely on online resources when preparing for exams.
• The success of the project relies on effective communication.

14. Depend on

Meaning: to be affected or determined by something

• The outcome depends on several economic factors.
• The effectiveness of the method depends on how it is applied.

15. Focus on

Meaning: to give attention to a particular subject or issue

• This essay focuses on the effects of technology on education.
• The report focuses on three main areas of concern.

Very useful opening sentence: This essay will focus on…

16. Be based on

Meaning: to use something as the foundation or source

• The conclusions are based on extensive research.
• The film is based on a true story.

17. Be associated with

Meaning: to be connected with something

• High levels of stress are often associated with poor sleep.
• The condition is associated with several risk factors.

This phrase is common in academic and scientific writing.

18. Comply with

Meaning: to follow rules, laws or requirements

• All employees must comply with health and safety regulations.
• The company failed to comply with environmental standards.

Useful in: business, legal and professional writing.

19. Adhere to

Meaning: to follow a rule, principle or standard strictly

• Researchers must adhere to ethical guidelines.
• Students are expected to adhere to the rules of academic honesty.

Note: Adhere to is more formal than stick to.

20. Rule out

Meaning: to exclude something as impossible or unsuitable

• The results do not rule out the possibility of further changes.
• Several explanations can be ruled out.

This is useful when discussing evidence, possibilities and conclusions.

Formal Phrasal Verbs in Example Sentences

Here are some longer examples showing how these phrasal verbs can be used in formal writing.

Essay example:

This essay will focus on the impact of social media on young people’s communication skills. It will draw on recent research and point out both the advantages and disadvantages of digital communication.

Report example:

The report sets out the main causes of staff dissatisfaction and accounts for the increase in employee turnover over the past year.

Professional email example:

Following our meeting, we will carry out a full review of the current procedure and look into the concerns raised by the team.

C1 Advanced writing example:

Although online learning has brought about greater flexibility, it has also resulted in new challenges related to motivation, concentration and social interaction.

Phrasal Verbs to Avoid in Formal Writing

Some phrasal verbs are common in everyday English but too informal for academic or professional writing.

put up with	tolerate
sort out	resolve
come up with	propose / develop
figure out	determine / understand
find out	discover / establish
get over	recover from / overcome
put off	postpone
talk about	discuss
go up	increase
go down	decrease
carry on	continue
bring up	raise / mention
cut down on	reduce
look at	examine / consider
get rid of	eliminate / remove

Informal vs Formal Examples

1. Sort out → resolve

Too informal:

• The government must sort out the housing problem.

More formal:

• The government must resolve the housing problem.

2. Come up with → develop / propose

Too informal:

• Researchers need to come up with a better solution.

More formal:

• Researchers need to develop a more effective solution.

3. Figure out → determine

Too informal:

• The study tried to figure out why students were struggling.

More formal:

• The study attempted to determine why students were struggling.

4. Get rid of → eliminate

Too informal:

• The new system may get rid of unnecessary delays.

More formal:

• The new system may eliminate unnecessary delays.

5. Go up / go down → increase / decrease

Too informal:

• Prices have gone up significantly.

More formal:

• Prices have increased significantly.

Too informal:

• The number of applicants went down last year.

More formal:

• The number of applicants decreased last year.

When Can You Use Phrasal Verbs in Formal Writing?

You can use phrasal verbs in formal writing when they are:

• clear and precise
• common in academic or professional contexts
• not too conversational
• appropriate for the tone of the text

For example, these are generally acceptable:

• carry out research
• account for changes
• point out limitations
• draw on evidence
• build on previous findings
• comply with regulations
• adhere to guidelines
• result in improvement

These sound natural in formal writing because they are widely used in academic, professional and official contexts.

A Useful Rule for Learners

When deciding whether to use a phrasal verb in formal writing, ask yourself this question:

Would I expect to see this phrase in a report, essay, academic article or professional email?

If the answer is yes, it is probably suitable.

If it sounds like something you would say to a friend over coffee, it may be too informal.

English is polite like that. It brings a tie to a meeting, but it does not wear one to the beach.

Cambridge Exam Tip: B2 First and C1 Advanced

In Cambridge writing tasks, register is extremely important. This means you must choose vocabulary that matches the task.

In B2 First, you may need to write an essay, article, email, letter or report. Some tasks allow a more neutral or semi-formal tone, but essays and reports usually need more formal vocabulary.

In C1 Advanced, you are expected to show a wider range of vocabulary and better control of style. Using suitable formal phrasal verbs can help your writing sound more natural and sophisticated.

Compare:

Simple:

• This essay talks about the effects of technology.

Better:

• This essay focuses on the effects of technology.

Simple:

• The study found out why people changed their habits.

Better:

• The study attempted to determine why people changed their habits.

Natural and formal:

• The study also points out that social factors may account for these changes.

Common Mistakes with Formal Phrasal Verbs

1. Using informal phrasal verbs in academic essays

Avoid sentences like:

• This essay will talk about pollution.
• We need to sort out this issue.
• Scientists are trying to figure out the answer.

Use more formal alternatives:

• This essay will discuss pollution.
• This issue needs to be resolved.
• Scientists are trying to determine the answer.

2. Overusing phrasal verbs

Even formal phrasal verbs should not be used in every sentence. Good formal writing needs variety.

Instead of writing:

• The report sets out the problem, points out the causes, looks into the effects and comes up with solutions.

Write:

• The report sets out the problem, examines its causes and proposes several possible solutions.

3. Choosing old-fashioned phrases

Some formal phrasal verbs exist, but they sound old-fashioned today.

For example:

• permit of
• enter upon
• enlarge upon
• provide against

These may appear in legal, historical or highly formal texts, but they are not usually the best choice for modern learners.

Instead, use clearer alternatives:

permit of	allow / allow for
enter upon	begin / start
enlarge upon	expand on / discuss in more detail
provide against	protect against / guard against

Clear writing is usually better than unnecessarily complicated writing.

Practice Exercise 1: Choose the More Formal Option

Choose the better option for formal writing.

1. The study tried to figure out / determine the main cause of the problem.
2. The report sets out / chats about the key recommendations.
3. The new policy may bring about / mess up significant changes.
4. The researchers carried out / did up a detailed investigation.
5. The results point out / go on about several important limitations.
6. The company must comply with / put up with national regulations.
7. The essay focuses on / gets into the advantages of online learning.
8. These problems may stem from / come off poor communication.
9. The argument relies on / hangs around strong evidence.
10. The changes resulted in / ended up with better working conditions.

Answer Key: 1. determine, 2. sets out, 3. bring about, 4. carried out, 5. point out, 6. comply with, 7. focuses on, 8. stem from, 9. relies on, 10. resulted in

Download Phrasal Verbs to Use in Formal Writing Practice Worksheet in PDF here

Final Thought

Phrasal verbs in formal writing are not always wrong. The important thing is to choose phrases that match the tone of academic, professional or exam writing. Formal phrasal verbs such as carry out, account for, point out, draw on and adhere to can make your English sound natural, precise and confident. However, informal phrasal verbs such as sort out, come up with and figure out are usually better replaced with more formal alternatives in essays and reports.

Related posts:

100 Formal and Informal Noun Pairs 

50 Formal and Informal Verb Pairs 

Prepositional Phrases for Formal Writing

How to Write an Essay for CAE 

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FAQ

Can you use phrasal verbs in formal writing?

Yes, you can use phrasal verbs in formal writing, but you need to choose them carefully. Some phrasal verbs, such as carry out, account for, point out and adhere to, are common in academic and professional English.

Which phrasal verbs should I avoid in formal essays?

Avoid very informal phrasal verbs such as sort out, put up with, come up with, figure out, get rid of and go up. In formal writing, use alternatives such as resolve, tolerate, develop, determine, eliminate and increase.

Are phrasal verbs acceptable in Cambridge C1 Advanced writing?

Yes, phrasal verbs are acceptable in Cambridge C1 Advanced writing if they match the register of the task. Formal or neutral phrasal verbs can show good vocabulary range, but informal ones may make your writing sound too conversational.

What are the best phrasal verbs for academic writing?

Some of the most useful phrasal verbs for academic writing include carry out, set out, account for, point out, draw on, build on, stem from, result in and focus on.

Is it better to use one-word verbs instead of phrasal verbs?

Not always. Sometimes a one-word verb is more formal, such as resolve instead of sort out. However, some phrasal verbs are already formal or neutral, such as carry out research or account for changes. The best choice depends on the context.