phrasal verbs

Boil down: Refers to reducing a liquid (like a balsamic glaze or a thin sauce) over high heat to thicken it and concentrate the flavor.
Cook down: Typically used for solid foods that lose volume as they soften, such as &quot;cooking down&quot; a large bag of fresh spinach or a pot of tomatoes.
Simmer down: While it can mean to lower the heat, it is most often used as an idiom meaning to &quot;calm down&quot; after an argument. In the kitchen, a chef might say &quot;let the sauce simmer down&quot; to indicate a gentle reduction over low heat after boiling.

Phrasal verbs: The key to natural English conversation

Phrasal verbs are the “glue” of spoken English. They consist of a base verb combined with a particle (a preposition or adverb), creating a completely new meaning. While you could say “extinguish the fire,” a native speaker is much more likely to say “put out the fire.”

Because they are so common in everyday speech and informal writing, mastering phrasal verbs is essential for reaching an advanced level of fluency. Our guides simplify these complex structures by grouping them into logical categories and providing real-world examples.

Explore our resources to learn:

Common phrasal verbs for daily life (e.g., get up, break down, look after).

Sentence structure rules: When can you “separate” the verb from the particle?

Thematic lists: Phrasal verbs for business, travel, and relationships.

Start browsing our articles below to stop memorizing lists and start using phrasal verbs naturally.