You're in a meeting, and someone says, "Let's follow up on that next week." Or a colleague asks, "Could you look into the budget?" Understanding these two-word verbs isn't just about vocabulary—it's about staying in the conversation. Phrasal verbs are everywhere in business English.
I've seen learners freeze when they hear them. But here's the truth: you don't need to memorize hundreds. Start with the ones that appear most often in emails, calls, and chats. Below are 10 essential business phrasal verbs that will make you sound natural and confident at work.
1. Follow up
To take further action after a meeting, email, or event.
"After the interview, I'll follow up with a thank-you note."
Use it when you need to remind someone or continue a discussion. It shows you're proactive.
2. Look into
To investigate or research something.
"The marketing team will look into why our ad clicks dropped last month."
This is your go-to verb for any problem you need to examine.
3. Carry out
To perform a task or plan.
"We need to carry out the customer survey by Friday."
It's more formal than "do" and fits perfectly in project updates.
4. Come up with
To think of an idea, solution, or plan.
"Can you come up with three new product features by tomorrow?"
This phrase is the heart of brainstorming sessions.
5. Put off
To postpone or delay.
"Let's put off the decision until we have more data."
Use it when you want to delay something without sounding negative.
6. Get back (to someone)
To respond to someone later.
"I'll check the numbers and get back to you this afternoon."
Simple, polite, and incredibly common in professional communication.
7. Run out of
To exhaust a supply.
"We've run out of copies of the report. I'll print more."
Works for time, money, or materials: "We're running out of budget for Q3."
8. Take over
To assume responsibility for a task or role.
"Maria will take over the client account while I'm on leave."
It implies a smooth handoff, not a takeover.
9. Break down
To explain or analyze something in detail.
"Could you break down the quarterly costs by department?"
Perfect for clarifying complex information.
10. Go over
To review or check something.
"Let's go over the agenda before the presentation."
It's the verb you use for every last-minute review.
A quick way to group them
Not all of these verbs fit one category, but grouping them by usage helps you remember.
follow up
get back to
go over
look into
come up with
break down
carry out
put off
take over
run out of
This little cheat sheet can be saved as a screenshot or printed—it's all you need to start using these verbs correctly.
One more tip: context is everything
Phrasal verbs change meaning with different objects. For example, break down can also mean "stop working" (a machine). But in business, it's almost always "explain in detail." Don't try to learn every meaning at once. Focus on the context you use most: emails, meetings, project updates.
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