Numbers 21 to 70.
Log in to tick lessons off as you go.
Figure outNo. 21 most common
Find the answer to a problem
“The police couldn't FIGURE OUT how the burglars had got into the warehouse.”
Sit downNo. 22 most common
To take a seat. Help someone to sit.
“a) I was feeling faint, so I had to SIT DOWN for a while to recover. b) The nurse SAT me DOWN in a chair.”
Get upNo. 23 most common
Get out of bed
“I GET UP at seven o'clock on weekdays, but lie in till noon at the weekend.”
Take outNo. 24 most common
Borrow a library book
“I TOOK OUT all the books I needed for my essay from the library.”
Come onNo. 25 most common
Encouragement
“COME ON; don't give up now when you're so close to finishing.”
Go downNo. 26 most common
Decrease, get smaller
“The price of scanners has GONE DOWN recently.”
Show upNo. 27 most common
Attend something or arrive somewhere
“Very few SHOWED UP at the meeting.”
Take offNo. 28 most common
Make great progress
“The software house really TOOK OFF when they produced the latest version of their DTP package.”
Work outNo. 29 most common
End nicely
“Things were going wrong for them but fortunately it all WORKED OUT in the end.”
Stand upNo. 30 most common
Move from a sitting or lying down to a vertical position
“Everybody STOOD UP when the judge entered the court.”
Come downNo. 31 most common
Rain
“Just look at the rain COMING DOWN!”
Go aheadNo. 32 most common
Proceed
“The construction of the bypass WENT AHEAD despite the protests from environmentalists.”
Go upNo. 33 most common
Rise or climb
“The price of petrol has GONE UP sharply because of the increase in duty in the Government's budget.”
Look backNo. 34 most common
Think about the past
“Old people often LOOK BACK on over their lives.”
Wake upNo. 35 most common
Stop sleeping
“I WOKE UP at half past six this morning.”
Carry outNo. 36 most common
Perform a task
“The government is CARRYING OUT test on growing genetically modified crops.”
Take overNo. 37 most common
To assume control.
“A Hong Kong bank TOOK OVER the bank to enter the British market.”
Hold upNo. 38 most common
To delay.
“I was HELD UP by the terrible traffic and arrived half an hour late for my appointment.”
Pull outNo. 39 most common
Start moving (train)
“The train was PULLING OUT when I got there.”
Turn aroundNo. 40 most common
Make something successful or profitable that has been doing badly
“They are hoping to TURN the company AROUND with the launch of the new products.”
Take upNo. 41 most common
Fill or occupy time or space
“An awful lot of my time at work is TAKEN UP with pointless bureaucracy nowadays.”
Put upNo. 43 most common
Allow someone to stay at your house for a night or a few days.
“She PUT me UP for the night because I'd missed the last bus and there were no night buses running.Increase prices, taxes, duties, etc.”
Bring backNo. 44 most common
Cause someone to remember
“Visiting my old school BROUGHT BACK memories of when I was a pupil there.”
Bring upNo. 45 most common
Mention. Raise a topic for discussion.
“They didn't BRING the subject UP at the meeting.”
Look outNo. 46 most common
To be careful
“LOOK OUT; you're going to drop that!”
Bring inNo. 47 most common
Earn
“The job BRINGS IN two thousand dollars a month.”
Open upNo. 48 most common
Start to talk freely about something
“She hates to OPEN UP and discuss her feelings.”
Check outNo. 49 most common
Pay the bill when leaving a hotel
“She CHECKED OUT and took a cab to the airport.”
Move onNo. 50 most common
Change the subject or your job
“She MOVED ON to another company where the salary was considerably better.”
Put outNo. 51 most common
Broadcast
“Several charities PUT OUT an appeal on TV for money for the victims of the flooding in Mozambique.”
Catch upNo. 53 most common
Get work, etc, up to date.
“I was ill for a fortnight and now I've got to CATCH UP on the work I missed.”
Go inNo. 54 most common
Go to hospital for treatment, surgery, etc.
“He WENT IN for a triple bypass operation two days ago.”
Break downNo. 55 most common
End negotiations unsuccessfully
“The talks between management and the unions BROKE DOWN acrimoniously.Start crying; become very emotional.”
Get offNo. 56 most common
Escape punishment
“He GOT OFF on a technicality and left the court a free man.Leave a vehicle.”
Keep upNo. 57 most common
Not let someone go to bed
“First I phoned you and left a message that you should phone me; then you phoned and I was out, so you left a message; then.! How long can we KEEP this UP without ever speaking to each other directly?”
Put downNo. 58 most common
Kill an animal because it's old, ill, etc.
“He had his dog PUT DOWN because it was in a lot of pain from its tumours.Stop holding (but withdraw support gently)”
Reach outNo. 59 most common
Stretch your arm to get something
“I REACHED OUT and caught the ball.”
Go offNo. 60 most common
Explode (bomb), start ringing (alarm)
“The fire alarm WENT OFF because someone was smoking in the toilets.”
Cut offNo. 61 most common
To disconnect; To interrupt or stop something.
“The telephone's been CUT OFF because we didn't pay the bill.”
Pull upNo. 63 most common
Slow and stop a car
“The cab PULLED UP outside my house and I got out.”
Set outNo. 64 most common
Display, show
“The figures are SET OUT in the council's annual report.”
Clean upNo. 65 most common
Tidy and clean
“CLEAN this bedroom UP; it's a disgrace.”
Shut downNo. 66 most common
Close a business, shop, etc.
“The shop SHUT DOWN when the out-of-town supermarket opened.”
Turn overNo. 67 most common
Give to the authorities
“The court ordered the company to TURN OVER their financial records.”
Slow downNo. 68 most common
Reduce speed
“The car SLOWED DOWN when they saw the police.”
Wind upNo. 69 most common
Close a company because it's unprofitable
“The company was WOUND UP when the creditors demanded payment.”
Turn upNo. 70 most common
To appear
“She didn't TURN UP for class today.Increase volume, temperature, etc.”
Order: PHaVE List, Garnier and Schmitt (2015), counted from real English.