When learning English, understanding phrasal verbs is crucial—especially at work. A phrasal verb combines a verb with an adverb or a preposition, and the meaning can change completely depending on context.
In this lesson, you’ll find a practical list of common phrasal verbs for work with clear meanings, examples, and helpful grammar notes (including separable vs. inseparable). You’ll learn common office expressions like burn out, call off, and carry out, and how to use them naturally in workplace communication.
Key Takeaways
List of Common Phrasal Verbs with Work
These phrasal verbs cover every aspect of workplace communication, from project management and deadlines to employee responsibilities and professional meetings. Whether you’re discussing workload, delegating tasks, or planning team activities, these expressions will help you sound more natural and professional.
- Burn out
- Call off
- Carry out
- Draw up
- Fill in for
- Fill out
- Follow up
- Hand in
- Hand over
- Knock off
- Knuckle down
- Lay off
- Run by
- Set up
- Slack off
- Step up
- Take on
- Take over
- Work out
Work Phrasal Verbs with Meaning and Examples
When speaking English in an office environment, these work phrasal verbs help you sound more natural and professional. Each entry includes pronunciation, meaning, an example, and a grammar note so you can use it correctly in real workplace situations.
I need to take a break—I’m about to burn out from all this overtime. We had to call off the meeting because the boss got sick. We need to carry out a market analysis before launching the new product. I’ll draw up a proposal for the new project and send it to the team. Can you fill in for me while I’m on vacation next week?Burn out
Call off
Carry out
Draw up
Fill in for
The first five phrasal verbs focus on workload management, meeting organization, and task completion. These are fundamental when discussing project deadlines, team responsibilities, and document preparation. Understanding these verbs helps you communicate effectively about core workplace activities.
Please fill out the application form and submit it to HR. I need to follow up with the client to see if they are satisfied. Don’t forget to hand in your expense report by the end of the week. The manager handed over the project to the new team leader. Let’s knock off early today and grab a drink after work.Fill out
Follow up
Hand in
Hand over
Knock off
This group covers document submission, client communication, and work handovers. These phrasal verbs are particularly useful when coordinating with colleagues, managing projects, and delegating responsibilities. Notice the difference between “hand in” (submit) and “hand over” (transfer control), which are often confused by learners.
We need to knuckle down and finish this project before the deadline. The company had to lay off several employees due to budget cuts. I’ll run the proposal by the boss before we present it to the client. We need to set up a meeting to discuss the project. Don’t slack off just because it’s Friday afternoon.Knuckle down
Lay off
Run by
Set up
Slack off
These verbs relate to effort management, employment decisions, team approval, and meeting organization. Understanding these expressions helps you communicate about project status, workload distribution, and personnel matters. They’re essential for managers and team leaders who need to discuss responsibilities and expectations clearly.
We need to step up our efforts to meet the deadline. I’m excited to take on this new project and learn new skills. The new CEO will take over the company next month. We need to work out a solution to the customer’s complaint as soon as possible. Can you work out the budget for next quarter before the meeting?Step up
Take on
Take over
Work out
The final group of phrasal verbs covers effort escalation, job acceptance, management succession, and problem-solving. These expressions are especially useful when discussing promotions, career advancement, and project management. Understanding the distinction between “take on” (accepting a task) and “take over” (assuming long-term control) is crucial for expressing career intentions accurately. You might also explore business phrasal verbs for additional professional communication tools.
Dialogue Examples with Phrasal Verbs with Work
The following dialogues show how native speakers naturally use these phrasal verbs when discussing workplace situations. Notice how multiple phrasal verbs combine in realistic office conversations.
- A
- We’re falling behind on the report. Do you think we should ask for more time? Speaker
- B
- Let’s not slack off now. If we knuckle down this afternoon, we can still carry out everything on the checklist. Speaker
- A
- Good point. I’ll set up a quick call with the team and we’ll divide the tasks. Speaker
- B
- Perfect. After that, I’ll work out the budget numbers and you can draw up the final summary. Speaker
- A
- Deal. And once we’re done, we can knock off a bit early.
- A
- I’ll be away tomorrow. Can someone cover my client meeting? Speaker
- B
- Sure—I can fill in for you. Just hand over the key notes and the agenda. Speaker
- A
- Great. Also, can you run the updated proposal by the manager before you send it? Speaker
- B
- Of course. And if they approve, I’ll follow up with the client right after the call. Speaker
- A
- Thanks! Don’t forget to hand in the signed form later—please fill it out carefully. Speaker
- B
- No worries. If anything changes, we can always call off the meeting and reschedule.
Common Mistakes with Work Phrasal Verbs
Professional English requires accuracy with phrasal verbs. Here are the most common mistakes learners make and how to correct them.
❌ Wrong I need to hand in the report it to my boss.
✅ Correct I need to hand the report in to my boss.
Explanation: “Hand in” is separable. The object (the report) can go in the middle, but never add a second object pronoun. Say either “hand the report in” or “hand it in,” but not both. The pronoun must replace the noun, not accompany it.
❌ Wrong She will take over the project at next month.
✅ Correct She will take over the project next month.
Explanation: “Take over” is an inseparable phrasal verb. Do not add “at” before the time expression. Use “take over” + time period directly: “take over next month,” “take over in June,” but never “take over at next month.”
❌ Wrong We need to call off the meeting to the client.
✅ Correct We need to call off the meeting with the client.
Explanation: “Call off” takes the meeting as its object, but the preposition “with” (not “to”) describes who’s involved. When you “call off a meeting with someone,” you’re canceling that specific meeting. “To” would suggest direction or purpose, which is incorrect here.
Key Grammar Notes for Work Phrasal Verbs
Keep learning with more lessons!
If you want to review later, you can download the PDF version of this lesson and practice the examples again.
Understanding work phrasal verbs is enhanced by learning business phrasal verbs for corporate communication, and money phrasal verbs can help with budget and financial discussions. For personal development at work, consider phrasal verbs for problems to discuss challenges and solutions professionally.