Learning phrasal verbs doesn’t have to be boring!
At The English Diary, we believe stories make language stick. So, here’s a short, funny story packed with 10 useful everyday phrasal verbs — explained with real-life examples you can actually use.
The Day Everything Went Wrong
Last Saturday, my friend Sarah had big plans. She wanted to check out a new art exhibit in the city, meet an old friend, and then wind down with dinner at her favorite café. But life had other ideas!
Sarah ran out of cereal that morning, which wouldn’t have been a big deal — except she also ran out of time. She had accidentally turned off her alarm instead of snoozing it and ended up oversleeping. In a rush she had to rush out of the house without breakfast, barely making it to the train station.
At the exhibit, things started to look up until she realized she’d left behind her wallet at home. With no money and no cards, she had to call up her friend to lend her some cash. While waiting, she bumped into an old lady, which made things even more awkward. To make matters worse, her friend never showed up — she had come down with the flu and forgotten to text Sarah.
Tired and defeated, Sarah decided to head back home. But on her way, she found a quiet little bookstore tucked away down the street. She stepped inside, browsed for a while, and ended up spending an hour there, completely forgetting about her disastrous day.
Phrasal Verbs Explained
Here’s a quick breakdown of the 10 phrasal verbs from Sarah’s eventful day — with an extra example for each to help you remember them!
Check out — to look at or explore something new
Example: You should check out the new café down the street.
Wind down — to relax after stress or excitement.
Example: After his final exams, John went to the beach to wind down with the sound of waves and a good book.
Run out of — to have none left
Example: I was halfway through baking cookies when I realized I’d run out of sugar — total disaster!
Turn off — to deactivate a device
Example: He accidentally turned off his alarm instead of snoozing it — and missed his flight.
Rush out — to leave in a hurry
Example: She rushed out of the meeting when she saw five missed calls from home — her cat had gotten stuck on the roof again!
Look up — to improve or get better
Example: Things were finally starting to look up for him when he landed a job at his dream company.
Leave behind — to forget or not bring something
Example: He reached the airport check-in counter and realized he’d left behind his passport — classic vacation fail.
Call up — to phone someone
Example: When she couldn’t find her way to Tokyo, she called up her brother for help — he navigated her from 6,000 miles away.
Bump into — to meet by chance
Example: I bumped into my primary school teacher at the mall — and she still remembered my name!
Come down with — to become sick with something
Example: She came down with a nasty cold the night before her wedding — talk about terrible timing!
Final Tip for English Learners
Phrasal verbs can feel tricky at first — but when you see them in a real story, they’re much easier to remember! Try writing your own short story using some of these verbs. The more you use them, the faster they’ll become part of your everyday English.
Which phrasal verb is your favorite? Have you ever had a day like Sarah’s? Share your sentences or stories in the comments below — I’d love to read them!
If you enjoyed this lesson, don’t forget to explore more learning tips and real-life English at The English Diary. Let’s master English naturally, one story at a time!
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