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Back to Speak English With Vanessa

Work & Business

Switch these 10 Formal Verbs to ➡10 PHRASAL Verbs

Switch these 10 ❌formal verbs ➡ 10 ✅PHRASAL verbs in daily English conversation.

Read the full lesson summary

Vanessa shows ten common phrasal verbs that can replace more formal verbs in everyday conversation. Her opening example contrasts “make a repair” and “cancel plans” with “break down,” “fix it up,” and “call off.” The point is not that formal verbs are wrong: they are useful in writing and precise contexts, while many phrasal verbs sound more natural in casual speech and at work. The expressions are not always interchangeable, so learners should notice their object patterns and meanings.

For a machine or vehicle that stops working, use “break down.” To repair or improve a house or object, “fix it up” is an informal alternative to “make some repairs.” “Finish up” can replace “complete” for a task, while “wrap up” can mean bring a meeting, task, or set of details to an end. “Call off” means cancel an event or plan, as when rain causes a baseball game to be cancelled. In each case, the phrasal verb gives a conversational option, but the formal verb remains correct.

“Get away” can mean take a break or go somewhere for a vacation: “get away to the mountains.” “Check with someone” means ask or confirm with that person before deciding. “Bring up” means mention or introduce a topic, especially in conversation. “Give up on” means stop believing in or pursuing a goal after losing hope; it often suggests that someone had tried or hoped before. “Fill someone in” means give them the information or details they missed. With a pronoun, place it between “fill” and “in,” as in “fill me in.”

The lesson also emphasizes context. Phrasal verbs are common in workplace conversations as well as informal situations, while more formal vocabulary may suit academic or technical writing. It is useful to recognize both the plain verb and its conversational alternative. Learn the whole phrase with a natural example, and pay attention to whether the phrasal verb takes an object, can be separated, or uses a preposition such as “with” or “on.”

The practical goal is to expand options, not replace every formal verb mechanically. Choose the version that fits the audience and sentence. These ten expressions can make everyday conversation sound more natural while helping learners understand fast speech at work, school, or with friends.

S2.1
Speak English With VanessaAmerican English11:13

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Transcript

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Select an expression for its meaning · 0:00

Contrasting formal and conversational verbs

Oh no, my car just stopped working. I hope that the mechanic can make a repair or else I might need to cancel all of my weekend plans. Did you understand what I just said? You probably did, but you know what? Native English speakers don't really use these types of verbs. Instead, you'll be more likely to hear this, oh no, my car broke down. I hope that the mechanic can , or else I might need to all of my weekend plans. So what's the difference? Stop working, , make a repair, fix it up, cancel, to call off. Well, here we have

Try it: Choose three formal verbs and their phrasal-verb alternatives from this lesson. Write a sentence for each alternative and label the context where it sounds natural.

Phrase cheat sheet

All phrases at a glance

Review each expression, hear it, save it, or jump to where it appears in the video.

11 phrases

break down

Contrasting formal and conversational verbs · expression

Stop working because of a mechanical or technical problem.

Tone and use: Common and conversational. Use it for a car, machine, or system that suddenly stops functioning.

May not fit: For a person, break down can mean become emotionally overwhelmed, so context matters.

Example“Our old washing machine broke down during the cycle.”

fix it up

Contrasting formal and conversational verbs · expression

Repair or improve something, often enough to make it usable or attractive.

Tone and use: Informal and practical. Use it for repairs or improvements to a house, object, or vehicle.

May not fit: It can mean decorate or improve as well as repair; explain the intended change if needed.

Example“They fixed up the old bicycle before giving it to their daughter.”

call off

Contrasting formal and conversational verbs · expression

Cancel a planned event or activity.

Tone and use: Common and conversational. Use it when a scheduled event will not take place.

May not fit: It is transitive: name what is cancelled, as in “call off the game.”

Example“The organizers called off the picnic because of heavy rain.”

in daily conversation

Introducing the phrasal-verb pattern · expression

In ordinary spoken interactions.

Tone and use: Neutral and explanatory. Use it to distinguish everyday speech from formal or academic language.

May not fit: A phrase may be common in conversation without being suitable in every situation.

Example“People often shorten this expression in daily conversation.”

finish up

Repairing a house or object · expression

Complete the final part of a task or activity.

Tone and use: Informal and common. Use it when you are nearly done and want to complete what remains.

May not fit: It is casual; “complete” may suit a formal report better.

Example“I’ll finish up this email and then join the call.”

wrap up

Finishing details or a meeting · expression

Finish or bring a task, meeting, or discussion to an end.

Tone and use: Conversational and common in workplaces. Use it when ending a meeting or completing the final details.

May not fit: It is casual; “finalize” may fit a formal document better.

Example“Let’s wrap up the meeting with one last question.”

get away

Taking a vacation or short trip · expression

Take a vacation or leave your usual routine for a short time.

Tone and use: Informal and common. Use it when talking about taking a break or travelling somewhere.

May not fit: It can also mean escape; context clarifies whether the trip is a holiday.

Example“We hope to get away to the coast for a few days.”

check with

Checking a plan with another person · expression

Ask or confirm something with a person before making a decision.

Tone and use: Neutral and conversational. Use it when another person needs to approve or confirm the plan.

May not fit: Check with a person; check on something usually means find out its condition or progress.

Example“I’ll check with my manager before booking the room.”

bring up

Mentioning a topic in conversation · expression

Mention or introduce a subject for discussion.

Tone and use: Common and conversational. Use it when raising a topic, question, or concern.

May not fit: It can also mean raise a child or vomit in other contexts; the object and context matter.

Example“She brought up the travel budget during the meeting.”

give up on

Giving up on a goal · expression

Stop pursuing or believing in someone or something after losing hope or confidence.

Tone and use: Conversational and emotionally meaningful. Use it when describing a goal or effort someone has stopped trying to achieve.

May not fit: It often suggests a previous hope or effort; it is different from simply giving something away.

Example“He gave up on learning guitar too soon and later decided to try again.”

fill me in

Catching up after missing information · expression

Give me the information or details I missed.

Tone and use: Informal and common at work or school. Use it when you were absent or do not know what happened.

May not fit: With a pronoun, say “fill me in,” not “fill in me.”

Example“I missed the first half of the class—could you fill me in?”

Knowledge check

Practice the phrases you heard

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What it means · “break down”

What happened if a car broke down?