Phrasal Verbs with “Write”

Phrasal Verbs with “Write”

Hello, dear English learners! If you’re studying for the Cambridge B2 First (FCE) or C1 Advanced (CAE) exam, mastering phrasal verbs is essential for sounding natural and fluent. Today, we’ll look at some common and useful phrasal verbs with “write” — along with clear explanations and plenty of examples to help you remember them.

Write down

Meaning: to record information on paper or digitally.

• Please write down your answers on the exam sheet.
• I always write down my ideas before I forget them.
• Did you write down her phone number?

Tip: Common in both spoken and written English — essential for note-taking!

Write up

Meaning: to produce a finished or formal version of something (notes, reports, essays).

• The journalist wrote up the interview for tomorrow’s newspaper.
• After the meeting, she wrote up her notes neatly.
• You’ll have to write up the experiment for your science class.

Tip: Often used in academic or professional contexts.

Write out

Meaning: to write something completely or neatly, usually by hand.

• He wrote out the invitation cards by hand.
• Please write out each answer in full sentences.
• The doctor wrote out a prescription for me.

Tip: Focuses on the act of writing everything fully or carefully.

Write in

Meaning: to add information or to contact someone by letter or email.

• Don’t forget to write in your name at the top of the form.
• Many viewers wrote in to complain about the TV show.
• You can write in your suggestions for the next competition.

Tip: Can mean both “fill in” and “send a written message.”

Write off

Meaning 1: (informal) to consider something or someone as a failure or not worth attention.

• After one bad performance, you can’t write him off.
• The project was written off as a waste of money.

Meaning 2: (business/finance) to cancel a debt or loss.

• The bank wrote off several unpaid loans.
• They wrote off the damage as an unavoidable cost.

Tip: Common in business English and idiomatic speech.

Write off (something)

Meaning: to destroy a vehicle in an accident (make it unrepairable).

• My car was written off after the crash.
• Luckily, no one was injured, but the car was completely written off.

Tip: Typical British English usage related to insurance or accidents.

Write back

Meaning: to reply to someone’s letter, email, or message.

• She promised to write back as soon as possible.
• Thank you for your email — I’ll write back later today.
• He wrote back to his old teacher after many years.

Tip: Common in personal and formal correspondence.

Write into

Meaning: to include something as part of a story, contract, or rule.

• The director wrote a new scene into the script.
• The condition was written into the agreement.
• They wrote more humour into the TV series this season.

Tip: Common in creative writing and legal contexts.

Phrasal verbs with write are extremely useful in academic, professional, and everyday English. Make it a habit to use them in context — whether you’re writing up your notes, writing back to a friend, or writing off a bad day!

Do the quiz to perfect your knowledge:

Phrasal Verbs with “Write”

If you really want to learn English but don’t know how to do it and where to start, don’t hesitate to contact us. Book an online English lesson with one of our certified and experienced English teachers and take a test and consultation! Tap the banner to learn more!