Phrasal Verbs are a great tool for developing a natural sounding English. Native speakers have a strong preference for using them in casual conversation. If you want to start, why not start at home?

Phrasal Verbs for Cleaning

Throw away

• Meaning: Put something into the trash can
• Example: He wanted to throw away the cup, but he couldn’t find a trash can.

Take out / Put out (the trash)

• Meaning: Take the garbage from the house to outside
• Example: I’ll take out the trash tomorrow morning.

Pick up

• Meaning: Remove something from the floor
• Example: Please pick up your toys from the floor.  The room is a mess

Put away

• Meaning: Put items into their proper place (a drawer, cabinet, etc…)
• Example: Please put away your toys.

Hang up (clothes, laundry, decorations)

• Meaning: Put your clothes on a hanger to hang in the closet
• Example: We hang up our clothes  in the closet.

Clean up/ tidy up

• Meaning: Remove the dirt, stains & unwanted material
• Example: We spent all Saturday morning cleaning up.

Mop up, Sweep up, Wipe up

• Meaning: Use a something (mop, broom, towel or sponge) to remove a mess from the floor.
• Example: I am the one who has to mop up after the mess you made!

Finish up (homework, chores, meal)

• Meaning:  to complete something
• Example:  You need to finish up your homework before you can watch TV

Phrasal Verbs for Affecting the Mood

Turn on / Switch on

• Meaning: Give (lamp/TV) power, to start
• Example: Do you want me to turn the lamp on?

Turn off / Switch off

• Meaning: Cause the power of (lamp/tv) to stop
• Example: It’s too noisy. Turn off the TV please!!

Put on (music, movie)

• Meaning: Turn on the radio or some music
• Example: Do you mind if I put some music on?

Put on (coffee, tea, kettle)

• Meaning: Put (the pot/kettle/etc…) on the stove
• Example: I’ll put the kettle on for tea.

Put up

• Meaning: to hang / Attach (a picture, or other object) to the wall
• Example: I will put up this picture by the fireplace.

Take down

• Meaning: Remove (a picture or object) from the wall
• Example: She made us take down all the pictures.

Miscellaneous

Stock up

• Meaning: Buy a lot of something (food, drink, etc) to fill the refrigerator or pantry.
• Example: We need to stock up the freezer
• Example: They stocked up on pasta because it was on sale.

Put in

• Meaning: Add something to a room
• Example:  We want to put in some extra cabinets in the kitchen