Contents
Phrasal verbs are extremely common in everyday English. They are formed by combining a verb with one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs), and their meanings often differ significantly from the meanings of the individual words.
In this lesson, you will learn the most useful phrasal verbs with WORK, their meanings, grammar patterns, and real-life examples. Understanding these expressions will help you sound more natural in both professional settings and casual conversations.
List of Common Phrasal Verbs with WORK
- work on
- work out
- work over
- work someone out
- work something out
- work something off
- work through
- work up
Phrasal Verbs with WORK: Meaning and Examples
Work on
🔊 Pronunciation: /wɜːrk ɒn/
📖 Meaning 1: To develop, improve, or spend time making something better
📝 Example: He spent hours working on his car.
📖 Meaning 2: To try to influence someone’s opinion or behavior
📝 Example: My mom is working on my dad to let us go on the trip.
💡 Grammar Note:
- Type: Transitive
- Structure: Inseparable
🔄 Synonyms: Improve, Develop, Influence
Work out
🔊 Pronunciation: /wɜːrk aʊt/
📖 Meaning 1: To calculate or find an answer through thinking
📝 Example: Can you work out the total cost?
📖 Meaning 2: To understand a situation or problem
📝 Example: I can’t work out how this machine works.
📖 Meaning 3: To find and remove small problems
📝 Example: The developers are working out the bugs in the software.
📖 Meaning 4: To develop successfully or end well
📝 Example: Everything worked out in the end.
📖 Meaning 5: To do physical exercise
📝 Example: She works out at the gym every morning.
💡 Grammar Note:
- Type: Meaning 1,2,3: Transitive – Meaning 4,5: Intransitive
- Structure: Separable
🔄 Synonyms: Solve, Exercise, Succeed
Work over
🔊 Pronunciation: /wɜːrk ˈəʊvər/
📖 Meaning 1: To examine or review something carefully
📝 Example: The editor worked over the report before publishing.
📖 Meaning 2: To attack someone violently
📝 Example: He was badly worked over during the robbery.
💡 Grammar Note:
- Type: Transitive
- Structure: Separable
🔄 Synonyms: Examine, Assault
Work someone out
🔊 Pronunciation: /wɜːrk ˈsʌmwʌn aʊt/
📖 Meaning: To understand someone’s personality or behavior
📝 Example: I can’t work him out; he’s very unpredictable.
💡 Grammar Note:
- Type: Transitive
- Object: Person
- Structure: Separable
🔄 Synonyms: Understand, Figure out
Work something out
🔊 Pronunciation: /wɜːrk ˈsʌmθɪŋ aʊt/
📖 Meaning 1: To understand an idea or concept
📝 Example: She finally worked out the answer.
📖 Meaning 2: To resolve a problem through discussion
📝 Example: We need to work out a solution together.
💡 Grammar Note:
- Type: Transitive
- Object: Thing / Idea
- Structure: Separable
🔄 Synonyms: Solve, Resolve
Work something off
🔊 Pronunciation: /wɜːrk ɒf/
📖 Meaning: To get rid of something (stress, calories, anger) through activity
📝 Example: She goes jogging to work off stress.
💡 Grammar Note:
- Type: Transitive
- Structure: Separable
🔄 Synonyms: Reduce, Burn off
Work through
🔊 Pronunciation: /wɜːrk θruː/
📖 Meaning: To deal with a problem step by step
📝 Example: They are working through their differences.
💡 Grammar Note:
- Type: Transitive
- Structure: Inseparable
🔄 Synonyms: Deal with, Overcome
Work up
🔊 Pronunciation: /wɜːrk ʌp/
📖 Meaning 1: To build or increase something gradually
📝 Example: He worked up the courage to speak.
📖 Meaning 2: To create or prepare something
📝 Example: She worked up a detailed proposal.
💡 Grammar Note:
- Type: Transitive
- Structure: Separable
🔄 Synonyms: Build, Create
Dialogue Examples with Phrasal Verbs with WORK
Dialogue 1
A: I can’t work out why this report doesn’t make sense.
B: Let’s work through it together.
A: Good idea. I’ve been working on it all morning.
Dialogue 2
A: You look stressed today.
B: Yeah, I think I need to work off some stress at the gym.
A: That usually helps. Things always work out in the end.
Exercises with Answers
Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks
(work out, work on, work off, work through)
- I need to ______ a solution before the meeting.
- She goes jogging to ______ stress.
- They are still ______ the details of the plan.
- He is ______ a new project at work.
Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer
- I can’t (work out / work off) how this machine works.
- She wants to (work on / work off) her presentation tonight.
- Let’s (work through / work out) these problems one by one.
- Everything will (work out / work on) eventually.
Answer Key
Exercise 1
- work out
- work off
- working through
- working on
Exercise 2
- work out
- work on
- work through
- work out
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is “work out” always transitive?
No. It can be both transitive and intransitive, depending on the meaning.
What is the difference between “work someone out” and “work something out”?
The first refers to understanding a person, while the second refers to solving or understanding a problem or idea.
Conclusion
Mastering phrasal verbs with WORK will significantly improve your fluency and confidence in English. These expressions appear frequently in daily conversation, business communication, and written English.
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👉 Learn more related lessons, such as phrasal verbs with TAKE and phrasal verbs with KEEP.