What are some of the most useful phrasal verbs for everyday life?

Expression 1: ‘Chin up mate’

What does it mean? To keep going when life is a little hard.

Where do you use it? A friend says to you. I know it’s been hard this week, ‘chin up’, it will get better. Here, it is used to console someone.

Expression 2: ‘Arsenal are bottling it again this year’

What does it mean? To lose your nerve or fail when the going gets tough, or you are under pressure.

Where do you use it? You are watching Arsenal; they have a 10+ point lead in the league table, and they lose points easily in the dying moments against weaker opposition that they are expected to win. Arsenal are ‘bottling it’ again, or ‘have bottled it’ today.

Here, it is used as an insult by opposition fans or the media, who love to criticise a team that is doing well, and instead of supporting them, pile pressure on them.

Other examples include: He tends to ‘bottle up’ his emotions. Here, it is used to talk about not letting go of your emotions.

Expression 3: ‘Crack on’

What does it mean? To get going with things, keep going or finish a task.

Where do you use it? You are at work, and you went for a long lunch. You say to your colleague, ‘We’d better crack on, we have a lot to do today,’ or, ‘let’s crack on with the meeting.’

Similar to: ‘Get moving’, ‘Get stuck in’, ‘push ahead’

Expression 4: ‘Sort out’

What does it mean? To arrange, organise, take care of, or fix something.

Where do you use it? I need to ‘sort out’ my bike, it’s got a dodgy tyre. I need to sort out my travel plans for this year.

Other examples include: ‘Don’t worry, I’ll sort it out, similar to I’ll take care of it. The office needs a good ‘sort out’ and I sorted out all the plans for the wedding, you will love it.

Expression 5: ‘Pop out/into/to’ & ‘run out’

What does it mean? To leave sharply, usually for a short period & the latter to use up, finish or have nothing left.

Where do you use it? I just need to ‘pop to‘ Tesco to ‘pick up‘ some milk, we’ve ‘run out‘.