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Working from Home? Learn These Everyday Business English Phrasal Verbs (B1/B2)
- Erin West
- Apr 19
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 9
Working remotely has its perks—and its challenges. In this short story, you’ll hear how one professional manages their day while working from home. You’ll also learn useful Business English phrasal verbs that come up naturally in real work situations.
Let’s dive in!
Step 1.
Listen to Erik describe his typical day working from home. Then, answer the questions below:
Practice these Business English phrasal verbs, download the transcript, and the audio file in Programs:
Step 2.
Choose the correct phrasal verb to complete each sentence:
1.
KEY
I usually _____ _____ on emails first thing in the morning.
A) catch up B) ketchup
CATCH UP ON EMAILS
to read and reply to emails that you missed earlier
I was busy yesterday, so I need to catch up on emails today.
KETCHUP
a red sauce made from tomatoes
Can I have some ketchup for my burger?
The correct answer is A) catch up.
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2.
KEY
After that, I _____ _____ one or two client calls.
A) skip on
B) jump on
SKIP ON - not a correct phrasal verb
SKIP A CALL
to not join a call
I was too busy, so I had to skip a call this morning.
JUMP ON A CALL
to quickly start or join a call
Give me 5 minutes, then I’ll jump on a call with the client.
The correct answer is B) jump on.
3.
KEY
If something urgent _____ _____, I deal with it right away.
A) pops up
B) takes up
POP UP
to appear suddenly or unexpectedly
A message popped up on my screen.
TAKE UP
to use time, space, or energy; start a new activity
This project takes up a lot of my time.
I took up painting during the summer.
The correct answer is A) pops up.
4.
KEY
I try not to _____ ______ anything important, but it happens sometimes.
A) put out
B) put off
PUT OUT
to stop something from burning
The firefighters put out the fire.
PUT OFF
to move something to a later time
I had to put off the meeting until tomorrow.
The correct answer is B) put off.
5.
KEY
By the end of the day, small tasks can really _____ ______.
A) file up
B) pile up
FILE UP - not a natural phrase in English
PILE UP
to grow into a big amount because nothing is done about it
Paperwork can pile up quickly.
The correct answer is B) pile up.
6.
KEY
I'll _____ ______ with my manager if I need feedback or a decision.
A) look up
B) follow up
LOOK UP
to search for information (in a book, dictionary, or online)
I need to look up the meaning of this word.
FOLLOW UP (WITH)
to contact someone again to get a reply, feedback, or update
I’ll follow up with my manager tomorrow about the report.
The correct answer is B) follow up.
7.
KEY
We usually try to _____ ______ by 5p.m., unless something runs over.
A) wrap up
B) rap up
WRAP UP to finish something
Let’s wrap up the meeting by 5 p.m.
RAP UP - not a correct phrasal verb
The correct answer is A) wrap up.
Step 3.
Business English Phrasal Verbs: Worksheet
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