30 Phrasal Verbs Every Professional Needs for Business Meetings (Formal & Informal)

By Cristina, Business English Trainer & Founder of Easy English with Cristina – With 20 years of teaching experience, I’ve seen many professionals struggle with phrasal verbs—that’s why I have come up with this technique that help you to learn them in English business communication context. In this guide, I’ll share 30 critical phrasal verbs for meetings and small talk, plus actionable tips to learn them effectively.

Why Phrasal Verbs Are Key for Business English

Phrasal verbs (e.g., bring up, step in, put off) are the backbone of natural English an d by that I mean speaking fluently. But memorizing phrasal verbs on their own won’t work. Here’s my proven method:

1. Learn in Context: Tie phrasal verbs to real-world scenarios (e.g., meetings, emails).
2. Avoid Overload: Focus on 5-10 at a time.
3. Practice Application: Use them in role-plays or writing exercises.

“Context is everything. Memorizing lists is a big NO—learn them in settings you encounter daily.” — Cristina

15 Phrasal Verbs for Small Talk (With Examples)

Scenario: Networking over coffee with clients.

1. Call in
   • Meaning: Ask to do something.
   • Example: “I was called in by my boss to handle the project.”
2. Catch up
   • Meaning: Complete pending tasks.
   • Example: “I need to catch up with my emails before the meeting.”
3. Put in
   • Meaning: Contribute effort or time.
   • Example: “We’re putting in extra hours to meet the deadline.”
4. Give up
   • Meaning: Abandon or stop trying.
   • Example: “They won’t give up their demands easily.”
5. Give in
   • Meaning: Surrender or yield to pressure.
   • Example: “We shouldn’t give in to bully tactics during negotiations.”
6. Pick up
   • Meaning: Receive or understand.
   • Example: “Do you think they picked up the message I sent?”
7. Get back to
   • Meaning: Reply or respond later.
   • Example: “I’ll need to get back to you on that after checking the details.”
8. Work out
   • Meaning: Agree or find a solution.
   • Example: “Can we work something out that benefits both parties?”
9. Step in
   • Meaning: Take someone’s place or intervene.
   • Example: “I agreed to step in for my boss during the presentation.”
10. Run by
    • Meaning: Tell or inform someone for feedback.
    • Example: “You need to run this by the client before finalizing the proposal.”
11. Set up
    • Meaning: Arrange or organize.
    • Example: “Who set this up? The meeting room looks perfect.”
12. Put in a good word
    • Meaning: Say something positive about someone.
    • Example: “My colleague said they would put in a good word for me with the manager.”
13. Stick up for
    • Meaning: Support or defend someone.
    • Example: “That team always sticks up for each other during tough times.”
14. Turn to
    • Meaning: Seek help or advice from someone.
    • Example: “I don’t know who to turn to for help with this issue.”
15. Count on
    • Meaning: Depend or rely on someone.
    • Example: “You can always count on me to deliver the report on time.”

Pro Tip: Practice these phrasal verbs in real-life scenarios, like casual conversations or mock meetings, to make them stick!

Pro Tip: Use these to sound natural in casual chats. Practice with colleagues!

15 Phrasal Verbs for Formal Meetings (With Examples)

Scenario: A conference call or boardroom discussion.

1. Put off
   • Meaning: Postpone.
   • Example: “Let’s put off the meeting until Monday.”
2. Bring forward
   • Meaning: Schedule earlier.
   • Example: “Can we bring forward the deadline?”
3. Look into
   • Meaning: Investigate.
   • Example: “We’ll look into the budget issue.”
4. Come up
   • Meaning: Happen or arise unexpectedly.
   • Example: “Something urgent has come up, so we’ll need to reschedule.”
5. Put in
   • Meaning: Schedule or add to a diary.
   • Example: “I’ve put in the meeting for 3 PM in your calendar.”
6. Call off
   • Meaning: Cancel.
   • Example: “We had to call off the meeting due to unforeseen circumstances.”
7. Deal with
   • Meaning: Manage or handle.
   • Example: “We need to deal with this issue before it escalates.”
8. Weigh up
   • Meaning: Consider carefully.
   • Example: “Let’s weigh up the pros and cons before making a decision.”
9. Join in
   • Meaning: Participate.
   • Example: “Feel free to join in the discussion if you have any ideas.”
10. Note down
    • Meaning: Write for future reference.
    • Example: “Please note down the key points from today’s meeting.”
11. Step in
    • Meaning: Interrupt or take over.
    • Example: “I had to step in when the discussion went off track.”
12. Cut in
    • Meaning: Interrupt abruptly.
    • Example: “I had to cut in because the conversation was going in circles.”
13. Go on
    • Meaning: Continue without stopping.
    • Example: “He kept going on about the same topic for 20 minutes.”
14. Rabbit on
    • Meaning: Talk excessively about something unimportant.
    • Example: “She kept rabbiting on about her weekend plans during the meeting.”
15. Press on
    • Meaning: Continue with determination.
    • Example: “Let’s press on with the agenda to stay on schedule.”

Pro Tip: Use these phrasal verbs to sound more natural and professional in formal meetings. Practice them in context to build confidence!

How to Remember Phrasal Verbs: 3 Strategies

1. Group by Theme: Organize by use-case (e.g., “negotiation,” “problem-solving”).
2. Role-Play: Simulate meetings with a language partner.
3. Flashcards: Add example sentences, not just definitions.

Final Tips from Cristina

• Avoid Overloading: Master 2-3 phrasal verbs weekly.
• Listen Actively: Note how colleagues use them in calls.
• Stay Consistent: Revisit your notes often!

Need More Help? Explore tailored Business English courses at Easy English with Cristina.

By structuring phrasal verbs into relatable scenarios and emphasizing contextual learning, this guide helps professionals communicate confidently. Bookmark this resource and share it with your network! 🔗