Switch these 10 Formal Verbs to ➡10 PHRASAL Verbs

Oh no, my car just stopped working. I hope that  the mechanic can make a repair or else I might  

need to cancel all of my weekend plans. Did you  understand what I just said? You probably did,  

but you know what? Native English speakers don't  really use these types of verbs. Instead, you'll  

be more likely to hear this, oh no, my car broke  down. I hope that the mechanic can fix it up,  

or else I might need to call off all of my weekend  plans. So what's the difference? Stop working,  

break down, make a repair, fix it up,  cancel, to call off. Well, here we have  

a somewhat formal verb changed into a phrasal  verb. This is what native English speakers do  

all the time. We prefer to use phrasal verbs in  daily conversation. If they seem tricky to you,  

well never fear. Today. I am here to help you. Today, you are going to learn how to swap 10  

formal verbs for 10 phrasal verbs that are  more commonly used in daily conversation.  

And if you love or hate phrasal verbs, I  have some exciting news. I always want to  

make English enjoyable and understandable for  you, but I know that a lot of my students are  

overwhelmed when it comes to learning phrasal  verbs and that's understandable. There are over  

2000 phrasal verbs in English. So how in the world  are you supposed to know which ones to use, how to  

use them, and is it even possible to remember all  of these phrasal verbs? Well, starting next week,  

my brand new 30 day phrasal verb challenge will  be opening. I am sure you will love it and level  

up your phrasal verb skills. I'll tell you more  about it next week. If you want to be one of the  

first people to know about the 30-day phrasal verb  challenge and any special discounts that apply,  

my biggest recommendation is for you to  download the free PDF from today's lesson. 

This PDF includes all of the formal phrasal  verbs, how to switch them to phrasal verbs,  

sample sentences, ideas, and also you will be  signed up to my newsletter where you will receive  

all of the first discounts and announcements about  the 30-day phrasal verb challenge. You can click  

on the link in the description to download  this free PDF worksheet today. All right,  

let's get started with the first swap. Swapping  a formal verb for a phrasal verb. Number one, the  

truck was so old that I was afraid it was going  to stop working while I was driving it. It's okay,  

but it could be better. The truck was so old that  I was worried it was going to break down while I  

was driving it. Here we're making the swap between  to stop working or sometimes you might hear to  

stop functioning, which is even more formal,  and the beautiful phrasal verb to break down. 

The motor stopped functioning, so we had to  call the repair man. It's okay. Or the motor  

broke down, so we had to call the repair man.  Beautiful. Number two. As soon as I complete  

this task, I can relax and watch a movie.  It's okay. As soon as I finish up this task,  

I can relax and watch a movie. Wonderful. Here  our swap is between the words to complete and  

to finish up. You could say I completed the  first draft of the book I'm writing. It's okay,  

but even better is I finished up the first draft  of the book I'm writing. Great. Number three,  

we bought a new house, but we need to make some  repairs before we move in. We bought a new house,  

but we need to fix it up before we move in. Yes, here the swap is between the somewhat  

formal phrase to make some repairs and the  beautiful phrasal verb to fix it up. After  

the storm came through, we needed to make a repair  to our chicken coop. After the storm came through,  

we needed to fix up our chicken coop. It  just tore the roof right off. Number four,  

I need to finalize the details for the party  before next weekend. I need to wrap up the details  

for the party before next weekend. Yes. Here  we're swapping the more formal verb to finalize  

for the daily phrasal verb to wrap up something.  Let's take a look at another example. Before we  

finalize this meeting, is there anything that you  want to add? It's okay. Or you could say Before  

we wrap up this meeting, is there anything that  you want to add? This is probably in a workplace  

situation, but phrasal verbs are often used. In fact, they're used all the time in workplace  

situations, so don't fear using phrasal verbs  at work or even informal situations. The only  

time when I would recommend potentially using  the more formal expression is if you are doing  

some academic writing. If you're doing something  very specific, making a scientific academic paper,  

okay, you should try to use the highest  language possible. But for most of us in  

daily conversation, all of these phrasal verbs  will be the perfect choice. Number five, the  

couple canceled the big fancy wedding that they  had planned. Or you could say the couple called  

off the big fancy wedding that they had planned.  Here we're swapping, canceled for called off. 

Or you could say they had to cancel the baseball  game because of the rain. Or even better,  

they had to call off the baseball game because  of the rain. Great. Number six. Work has been  

so stressful lately. I really need to take a  vacation. It's okay to say take a vacation, but  

how could you level this up? You could say work  has been so stressful lately. I really need to get  

away. Beautiful. To get away here, we're swapping  to take a vacation for to get away. I would love  

to take a vacation to the mountains this summer,  or I would love to get away to the mountains this  

summer. Yes. Number seven, I need to confirm with  my sister, but I think we're having Christmas  

at her house this year. To confirm, it's okay. But you could say, I need to check with my sister,  

I think we're having Christmas at her house this  year here. We're making the swap between the more  

formal verb to confirm something and the lovely  phrasal verb to check with. Here we're talking  

about to check with someone. Let's take a look at  another example. I'll confirm with my husband, but  

I think we can go hiking with you next weekend.  Now, this sounds very formal, especially for just  

going hiking. Instead, it is much more common to  say, I'll check with my husband, but I think we  

can go hiking with you next weekend. To check with  is great to use here. Number eight, don't mention  

politics to my uncle unless you want to hear him  talk for hours. To mention is okay, but it's even  

more common to say Don't bring up politics to my  uncle unless you want to hear him talk for hours.  

Here we're swapping to mention for to bring up. Let's take a look at another example. I didn't  

want to mention this in front of the kids, but  I bought a big chocolate cake for dessert. Okay,  

you don't want to mention it, but what  could you say instead? You might say this,  

I didn't want to bring it up in front of the kids,  but I bought a big chocolate cake for dessert.  

Yum. Number nine. I guess I should stop trying  to become a rock star because I can't even sing.  

Okay, you could use stop here, but  you could also use the phrasal verb,  

I guess I should give up on being a rockstar.  I can't even sing. Here we're swapping to stop  

for it to give up on. This phrasal verb, to give  up on implies that you had some kind of hope  

and now you are stopping that hope. Let's take a  look at another example. My mom stopped growing a  

garden because she just kept killing the plants.  Here you can get the idea that my mom had some  

kind of hope. Oh, I hope the plants will grow. And  then when they all died, boom, her hope stopped. 

So we could use this phrasal verb. My mom gave up  on growing a garden because she just kept killing  

all of her plants. What a shame. And finally,  number 10, sorry, I missed the meeting. Can  

someone tell me what I missed? Okay, tell me  what I missed. That's okay, but you could level  

it up and say, sorry, I missed the meeting. Can  someone fill me in? Oh, this is so beautiful,  

this phrasal verb to fill someone in we can use  instead of tell me what happened while I was gone,  

to tell me something. This phrasal verb, as you  can imagine, is used a lot in the workplace and  

even in school. If you miss a meeting, if you miss  a day of school, you might say this, can you tell  

me what the history teacher said today in class? Or can you fill me in on what the history teacher  

said today in class? You want to know the  details that you missed while you were gone.  

Great phrasal verb. So now that you have leveled  up your English skills and will be swapping these  

formal verbs for phrasal verbs, don't forget  to download the free PDF worksheet where you  

will see all of the formal verbs, phrasal verbs,  sample sentences, and I have something special for  

you today. There is a quiz at the bottom of the  PDF to test if you really learned all of these  

phrasal verbs. You can click on the link in the  description to download that free PDF today. And  

when you download the free PDF, you will be one  of the first people to find out about the 30-day  

phrasal verb challenge plus a big discount  that will be available next week. So I hope  

to see you next Friday for a new lesson here on my  YouTube channel about phrasal verbs. I'm excited  

to share it with you. I'll see you there. Bye. But wait, do you want more? I recommend watching  

this video next where you will learn 30  phrasal verbs for your nighttime routine,  

including some important phrasal verbs  to level up your vocabulary and talk  

about going to sleep without saying the word  sleep. Well, I'll see you there to learn more.