How can I practice Business English phrasal verbs effectively?

Use interactive quizzes, short dialogues, and real examples. Practice filling in blanks, matching meanings, and writing your own sentences with the target verbs.

Are phrasal verbs appropriate in professional emails?

Yes. Phrases like set up a call, look into an issue, follow up on a task, and push back a deadline are common and sound natural in business emails.

Where can I learn more Business English vocabulary for work?

Read guides on essential Business English vocabulary for work and try business idioms and phrasal verb quizzes to reinforce what you learn.

Business English Phrasal Verbs for Work: Show Up, Set Up, Kick Off, Push Back, Look Into, Turn In (with Quiz)

Q: What are the most common Business English phrasal verbs?

Some of the most common Business English phrasal verbs are show up, set up, kick off, push back, look into, and turn in. These appear frequently in meetings, emails, and day-to-day office talk.

Q: How do phrasal verbs help in Business English communication?

They make your English sound natural, clear, and professional. Using phrasal verbs helps you express ideas concisely in meetings, emails, and presentations.

Q: What does “push back” mean in Business English?

Push back means to delay or postpone something to a later time. Example: They pushed back the deadline to next week.

Q: What does “kick off” mean in meetings?

Kick off means to start a meeting, event, or project. Example: The meeting kicks off at 9 a.m.

Q: Which phrasal verb means to investigate a problem?

Look into means to examine or investigate something carefully. Example: The manager will look into the issue and follow up.

Q: What does “turn in” mean at work?

Turn in means to submit something, such as a report, assignment, or resignation letter. Example: I have to turn in my expense report by Friday.

Q: How can I sound more natural in Business English?

Use common phrasal verbs and everyday expressions. For example, say push back the deadline instead of delay the deadline when the context is informal or conversational.

Erin West
23 hours ago
5 min read

Updated: 7 hours ago

Business English phrasal verbs quiz image for workplace English: woman holding coffee; question She always ____ late on Mondays with options brings up, comes up with, shows up, makes up; Real Business English branding.

At work, the phrasal verbs you use can make a big difference. In real meetings and emails, they help you sound clear, polite, and confident without trying too hard. In this lesson, you’ll practice common Business English phrasal verbs so you can use them to talk about schedules, plans, and everyday problems with your team.

Today’s Challenge

It is Monday morning. Your team is waiting to start the meeting. One teammate is late again, and the manager is not happy.

She always _____ late on Mondays.

A) brings up

B) comes up with

C) shows up

D) makes up

Choose the correct option. Then scroll to see the answer and quick examples.

Did you get it right? Now let’s look at the definitions and some examples.

What does "bring up" mean?

BRING UP

phrasal verb

to start talking about a subject

She brought up the new project in the meeting.
Don’t bring up politics at dinner.
He brought up an interesting question.

What does "come up with" mean?

COME UP WITH

phrasal verb

to think of an idea, plan, or answer

She came up with a great idea for the presentation.
He came up with a smart way to save money.
Can you come up with a better solution?

What does "show up" mean?

SHOW UP

phrasal verb

to arrive at a place where people are waiting for you

He showed up ten minutes late.
She always shows up early for work.
Only five people showed up to the event.

What does "make up" mean?

MAKE UP

phrasal verb

to invent a story, explanation, or excuse that is not true

He made up a story about being sick.
She made up an excuse for missing class.
Don’t make up lies — just tell the truth.

That's right! The correct answer is C) shows up.

Learn More Business English Phrasal Verbs for Work

Two colleagues at the office brainstorming with sticky notes on a glass wall, illustrating teamwork and learning Business English phrasal verbs for work.

Now that you’ve tried the first quiz, let’s keep going. The next activities will help you practice more common Business English phrasal verbs and test how well you know them in real work situations.

Choose the correct phrasal verb to complete each sentence.

- Can you _____ the projector for the meeting, please?

- Sure, I’ll do it right now.

A) pick up

B) run over

C) cut down D) set up

DEFINITION AND EXAMPLES

SET UP

phrasal verb

to prepare or arrange equipment, furniture, or a system so that it is ready to be used; to arrange an event or a meeting

The IT team will set up your new computer this afternoon.
Let’s set up the chairs and tables for tomorrow’s workshop.
She set up a call so we could go over the numbers.

That's right! The correct answer is D) set up.

- Did you _____ that report?

- Yeah, I did it this morning.

A) turn in B) give out C) hang up D) break into

DEFINITION AND EXAMPLES

TURN IN

phrasal verb

to give something you have completed (like homework, a report, or an assignment) to your teacher, manager, or another person in authority

I have to turn in my expense report by Friday.
Did you turn in your homework yet?
She turned in her resignation letter this morning.

That's right! The correct answer is A) turn in.

Minecraft character with a pickaxe, vibrant colors, in front of a server rack. Text: Ryzen, 7 Days Free, Godlike Minecraft Hosting.

- We need to _____ the steps for the product launch.

- True, we should get everything organized.

A) lay off B) set aside C) take up D) map out

DEFINITION AND EXAMPLES

MAP OUT

phrasal verb

to plan something carefully and in detail before doing it

Let’s map out the agenda before we send the meeting invite.
We need to map out our budget for the next quarter.
They sat down and mapped out a strategy for entering the new market.

That's right! The correct answer is D) map out.

Want to learn more? Read our guide to Essential Business English Phrases for Managers to Lead and Motivate Teams or try the Business Idioms Quiz.

- The client reported a problem with the invoice.

- Okay, I’ll _____ and get back to you.

A) hand it in

B) look into it

C) fill it out

D) hold it off

DEFINITION AND EXAMPLES

LOOK INTO

phrasal verb

to examine a situation, problem, or question carefully in order to understand it or find information about

The manager said she would look into the delay with the shipment.
We should look into different options before signing the contract.
The company is looking into new ways to cut costs.

That's right! The correct answer is B) look into.

- Is the deadline still Friday?

- No, they’ve _____ to next week.

A) turned it in B) called it out C) carried it out D) pushed it back

DEFINITION AND EXAMPLES

PUSH BACK

phrasal verb

to move something to a later time

They pushed back the product launch by two weeks.
Can we push it back until after lunch?
The call got pushed back because the client is traveling.

That's right! The correct answer is D) pushed it back.

- What time does the meeting _____?

- At 9 sharp, so don’t be late.

A) put off

B) wrap up

C) kick off

D) call off

DEFINITION AND EXAMPLES

KICK OFF

phrasal verb

to start a meeting, event, or project; for a meeting, event, game, or activity to start

The meeting kicks off at 9.
Let’s kick off with quick updates from each team.
The campaign kicks off next month.

That's right! The correct answer is C) kick off.

Want more practice? Check out Essential Business English Vocabulary for Work.

Business English quiz image with a stack of papers on a filing cabinet. The question asks: “There’s still a _____ of orders from last week.” Options: A) backdrop, B) backlash, C) backtrack, D) backlog. Correct answer: backlog. RealBusinessEnglish.com branding shown.

Want to go further? Explore more practice programs designed for real work situations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Business English Phrasal Verbs

What are the most common Business English phrasal verbs?

Some of the most common Business English phrasal verbs are show up, set up, kick off, push back, look into, and turn in. These verbs are used every day in offices, meetings, and emails.

How can phrasal verbs help in Business English communication?

Phrasal verbs make your English sound natural, clear, and professional. They are often used in meetings, emails, and presentations, so learning them helps you communicate with colleagues and clients more effectively.

What does “push back” mean in Business English?

Push back means to delay or postpone something to a later time.

Example: They pushed back the deadline to next week.

What does “kick off” mean in meetings?

Kick off means to start a meeting, event, or project.

Example: The meeting kicks off at 9 a.m.

How can I practice Business English phrasal verbs?

The best way is through interactive quizzes, real-life examples, and short dialogues. Try filling in the blanks, matching exercises, and using phrasal verbs in your own sentences.

Which phrasal verb means “to investigate a problem”?

The phrasal verb look into means to investigate or examine something carefully. Example: The manager said she would look into the issue.

What does “turn in” mean at work?

Turn in means to submit something, like a report, assignment, or resignation letter.

Example: I have to turn in my expense report by Friday.

How can I sound more natural in Business English?

Use phrasal verbs and common expressions instead of only formal vocabulary. For example, instead of saying delay the deadline, you can say push back the deadline.

Are phrasal verbs used in professional emails?

Yes. Phrasal verbs like set up a call, look into an issue, or follow up on a task are common in business emails. They make your writing sound clear and professional.

Where can I learn more Business English vocabulary?

You can find more practice in our article Master Business English Phrasal Verbs with 'Out': Reach Out, Single Out, Rule Out & More and try our Quick Quizzes.

This article is brought to you by RealBusinessEnglish.com, where learning Business English is practical, professional, and just the right amount of fun.