Lesson

Phrasal verbs 8 - up (2)

Up particle part 2

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

Phrasal verbs with "up" (part 2)

This lesson continues your study of phrasal verbs that use the particle "up." These verbs combine a verb + up and often change the basic meaning of the verb. This part focuses on phrasal verbs related to speed, progress, completion, and appearance.

  • "Up" can indicate completion (wrap up), increase in speed or intensity (speed up), or reaching a level (catch up).
  • Some phrasal verbs describe unexpected appearances (show up, turn up) or final outcomes (end up).
  • Most are separable with noun objects; pronoun objects must go between the verb and "up".

Table

Common "up" Phrasal Verbs (Part 2)

Phrasal verb Meaning Example
catch up (with) to reach the same level; to meet someone after time apart I need to catch up on my emails after the holiday.
keep up (with) to maintain the same pace or level as others It's hard to keep up with all the industry changes.
show up to arrive or appear (often unexpectedly) He didn't show up for the 9 AM meeting.
end up to finally be in a situation or place We ended up postponing the launch by two weeks.
turn up to appear unexpectedly; to increase volume/intensity The missing documents turned up in the archive.
speed up to go faster; to accelerate a process We need to speed up the approval process.
back up to make a copy of data; to support someone Always back up your files before updating the system.
wrap up to finish or conclude something Let's wrap up this meeting and summarize the action items.

Tip

Key rule: separable vs inseparable

Most "up" phrasal verbs in this lesson are separable, but some behave differently depending on context.

  • Separable (speed up, back up, wrap up): You can say "speed up the process" or "speed the process up". With pronouns: "speed it up".
  • Intransitive uses (show up, end up, turn up): These often have no direct object — "He showed up late."
  • With prepositions (catch up with, keep up with): The preposition phrase follows the particle — "catch up with the team".

When a phrasal verb takes a preposition (catch up WITH), keep the whole phrase together.

Example

Examples in context

I need to catch up with my colleagues after the conference.

The client didn't show up for the scheduled call.

We ended up hiring an external consultant for the project.

Please back up all critical files before the server maintenance.

Tip

Common mistakes with "up" phrasal verbs

Watch out for errors that can change meaning or make sentences ungrammatical.

  • Placing pronoun objects after the particle (wrong: "back up it") instead of between verb and particle (correct: "back it up").
  • Confusing similar phrasal verbs: "catch up" (reach the same level) vs "catch on" (understand).
  • Forgetting required prepositions: "catch up WITH someone" not just "catch up someone".
  • Using transitive phrasal verbs intransitively or vice versa: "show up" rarely takes a direct object.

Pay attention to whether the phrasal verb needs an object and what preposition follows it.

Quiz

Choose the correct sentence:

Hint: Remember where pronouns go with separable phrasal verbs.

Quiz

Complete: Let's _____ this meeting and move to the next topic.

Hint: Think of a phrasal verb meaning "finish" or "conclude".

Quiz

Which sentence correctly uses "end up"?

Hint: Think about what typically follows "end up" to describe a result.

Key Points

Vocabulary

catch up

phrasal verb CEFR B1 //kætʃ ʌp//

to reach the same level or standard; to meet someone after time apart

I need to catch up on the project updates.

Vocabulary

keep up

phrasal verb CEFR B1 //kiːp ʌp//

to maintain the same pace or level as others

It's difficult to keep up with changing regulations.

Vocabulary

show up

phrasal verb CEFR B1 //ʃoʊ ʌp//

to arrive or appear, often unexpectedly

Half the team didn't show up for the morning standup.

Vocabulary

end up

phrasal verb CEFR B1 //ɛnd ʌp//

to finally be in a situation or place, often unexpectedly

We ended up working late to meet the deadline.

Vocabulary

turn up

phrasal verb CEFR B1 //tɜːrn ʌp//

to appear unexpectedly; to increase volume or intensity

The missing invoice finally turned up in the archives.

Vocabulary

speed up

phrasal verb CEFR B1 //spiːd ʌp//

to go faster; to accelerate a process

Can we speed up the review process?

Vocabulary

back up

phrasal verb CEFR B1 //bæk ʌp//

to make a copy of data; to support someone

Remember to back up your work before closing.

Vocabulary

wrap up

phrasal verb CEFR B2 //ræp ʌp//

to finish or conclude something

Let's wrap up the discussion and assign action items.