Part 1: The Phrasal Verb List (151-200)
Topic A: Abstract Concepts & Existence
151. Amount to: To be the same as something or to have the same effect.
* Sentence: “His ambitious plans never amounted to anything because he lacked the discipline to execute them.”
152. Boil down to: To have something as the main or most important part.
* Sentence: “The success of any business ultimately boils down to customer satisfaction.”
153. Revolve around: To have something as the main subject or purpose.
* Sentence: “The entire debate revolved around the ethical implications of genetic engineering.”
154. Stem from: To originate from or be caused by.
* Sentence: “Many global conflicts stem from historical grievances and competition for resources.”
155. Consist of: To be made or formed from several parts.
* Sentence: “A healthy lifestyle consists of a balanced diet, regular exercise, and good mental well-being.”
156. Turn into: To become something different.
* Sentence: “What started as a small protest turned into a nationwide movement.”
157. Bring about: To cause something to happen.
* Sentence: “Only a fundamental shift in policy can bring about meaningful environmental change.”
158. Give rise to: To cause something to happen or exist.
* Sentence: “The industrial revolution gave rise to unprecedented urban growth and social change.”
159. Trace back to: To discover the origin of something.
* Sentence: “The tradition can be traced back to ancient cultural practices.”
160. Lie in: To exist or be found in.
* Sentence: “The root of the problem lies in a lack of investment in early childhood education.”
Topic B: Support, Opposition & Influence
161. Prop up: To give support to something that would otherwise fail.
* Sentence: “The government has been propping up inefficient state-owned industries for decades.”
162. Bank on: To depend on something happening.
* Sentence: “The company is banking on its new product to revive its falling profits.”
163. Count on: To rely on someone or something.
* Sentence: “We are counting on international cooperation to tackle climate change.”
164. Prevail upon: To persuade.
* Sentence: “I was eventually prevailed upon to take the leadership role.”
165. Impose on: To force someone to accept something.
* Sentence: “Some argue that tourists should not impose their cultural values on the local population.”
166. Dictate to: To give orders in a forceful way.
* Sentence: “A good leader listens; they do not simply dictate to their team.”
167. Defer to: To yield to someone else’s opinion due to respect or knowledge.
* Sentence: “On technical matters, I usually defer to the experts in that field.”
168. Side with: To support one person or group in an argument.
* Sentence: “In the debate on censorship, I generally side with those who advocate for free speech.”
169. Stand against: To oppose something firmly.
* Sentence: “We must stand against all forms of discrimination and injustice.”
170. Guard against: To take care to prevent something.
* Sentence: “Societies must guard against the erosion of civil liberties.”
Topic C: Change, Development & Progress
171. Phase in: To introduce something gradually.
* Sentence: “The new tax system will be phased in over a three-year period.”
172. Wean off: To make someone gradually stop depending on something.
* Sentence: “The country needs a clear plan to wean its economy off fossil fuels.”
173. Branch out: To start doing something different from your usual activity.
* Sentence: “The successful tech company has started to branch out into the automotive industry.”
174. Scale up: To increase the size or amount of something.
* Sentence: “We have a successful pilot project; now we need to scale it up nationally.”
175. Evolve into: To develop gradually into a different form.
* Sentence: “The internet has evolved into an indispensable tool for modern life.”
176. Pave the way for: To make it easier for something to happen.
* Sentence: “This groundbreaking research paves the way for new treatments for the disease.”
177. Hold back: To prevent something or someone from progressing.
* Sentence: “Outdated infrastructure can hold back a country’s economic development.”
178. Catch on: To become popular or fashionable.
* Sentence: “If renewable energy is to become the norm, it needs to catch on with the general public.”
179. Fall away: To become less or disappear.
* Sentence: “Initial public opposition to the plan gradually fell away as the benefits became clear.”
180. Level off: To stop rising or falling and become steady.
* Sentence: “After a period of rapid growth, the population is expected to level off.”
Topic D: Problem Solving & Analysis
181. Puzzle out: To solve a confusing problem by thinking carefully.
* Sentence: “It took the detectives weeks to puzzle out the meaning of the cryptic message.”
182. Think through: To consider the possible results of something.
* Sentence: “The policy was a disaster because the government failed to think it through properly.”
183. Work out: To develop or calculate something.
* Sentence: “We need to work out the total cost before we can give the project the green light.”
184. Factor in: To include something in your calculations.
* Sentence: “When assessing the project’s viability, we must factor in potential economic downturns.”
185. Allow for: To consider something when making a plan.
* Sentence: “The schedule must allow for unexpected delays due to bad weather.”
186. Get around: To find a way to deal with a problem or avoid it.
* Sentence: “Companies are always looking for new ways to get around import regulations.”
187. Iron out: To resolve minor problems or difficulties.
* Sentence: “We’ve agreed on the main points; we just need to iron out a few details in the contract.”
188. Zero in on: To focus all your attention on one thing.
* Sentence: “To solve this crisis, we need to zero in on the key issue: a lack of funding.”
189. Home in on: To move towards or focus on a target.
* Sentence: “The discussion quickly homed in on the question of accountability.”
190. Pin down: To discover exact details about something.
* Sentence: “It’s difficult to pin down the exact cause of the phenomenon.”
Topic E: Completion & Consequences
191. Wind up: To finally be in a particular place, state, or situation.
* Sentence: “If you don’t plan your career carefully, you could wind up in a dead-end job.”
192. End up: To be in a particular situation or state after a series of events.
* Sentence: “We got hopelessly lost and ended up in a completely different town.”
193. Lead to: To result in.
* Sentence: “Political instability often leads to economic decline.”
194. Result in: To cause a particular situation to happen.
* Sentence: “The new safety measures resulted in a significant drop in workplace accidents.”
195. Culminate in: To have the final, highest, or best result.
* Sentence: “Years of research culminated in the development of a life-saving vaccine.”
196. Account for: To be the reason for something.
* Sentence: “Tourism accounts for a significant portion of the country’s GDP.”
197. Add up to: To result in something.
* Sentence: “The evidence all adds up to a clear case of corporate negligence.”
198. Make for: To cause a particular situation or result.
* Sentence: “Constant political bickering does not make for good governance.”
199. Spell out: To explain something in a very clear and simple way.
* Sentence: “The contract clearly spells out the responsibilities of all parties involved.”
200. Dispose of: To get rid of something.
* Sentence: “We need to find safe and sustainable ways to dispose of nuclear waste.”
Part 2: Your Active Learning Workshop
Activity 1: The “Root Cause” Analysis
Instructions: Match the phrasal verb on the left with the most logical “root cause” or “main point” on the right.
| Phrasal Verb | Root Cause / Main Point |
|---|---|
| 1. Stem from | A) The final, most important factor. |
| 2. Boil down to | B) The central theme or focus. |
| 3. Revolve around | C) The origin or source. |
| 4. Lie in | D) The fundamental basis or location of a problem. |
| 5. Account for | E) To be the reason or explanation for. |
Answer Key: 1-C, 2-A, 3-B, 4-D, 5-E
Activity 2: The Writing Task 2 Integration
Instructions: Read this IELTS Writing Task 2 essay prompt. Then, complete the sample body paragraph using the phrasal verbs provided.
Prompt: Some people believe that the government should fund and promote artistic projects like paintings and sculptures in public places. Others think this is a waste of public money. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Sample Body Paragraph (Supporting the Arts):
“Proponents of public art funding argue that it is a vital investment in society’s cultural capital. They contend that such projects (1) pave the way for a more vibrant and intellectually stimulating urban environment. Furthermore, public art often (2) revolves around community identity and shared history, which can strengthen social cohesion. While the initial cost can be high, the benefits to tourism and local pride (3) amount to a significant long-term return on investment. Therefore, the value of art cannot simply (4) boil down to its immediate financial cost.”
Answer Key:
(1) pave the way for, (2) revolves around, (3) amount to, (4) boil down to
Activity 3: The Hypothetical Scenario
Instructions: Answer the following complex, hypothetical IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions, aiming to use at least two of the suggested phrasal verbs in your response.
- “What might the long-term consequences be if a country fails to wean its economy off a single natural resource?” (Use:
wind up,lead to,hold back) - “How should a government approach phasing in a controversial but necessary policy, such as raising the retirement age?” (Use:
prevail upon,factor in,guard against) - “If artificial intelligence continues to advance, what ethical dilemmas might this give rise to?” (Use:
revolve around,boil down to,impose on)
- Example for Question 1: “If a country fails to diversify, it could wind up in a very vulnerable position. This over-reliance would hold back innovation in other sectors and lead to economic crisis if the resource’s price falls.”
Activity 4: The Mastery Synthesis
Instructions: This is your final challenge. Write a single, coherent paragraph on one of the topics below. Your goal is to seamlessly integrate at least five phrasal verbs from any of the four posts, with a focus on using the abstract ones from this final list. This demonstrates true vocabulary range and control.
- Topic 1: The most significant challenge facing your country in the next 20 years.
- Topic 2: The role of ethics in technological development.
- Topic 3: What defines a successful society.
- Example for Topic 2: “The role of ethics in technology boils down to one key principle: responsibility. As we phase in new AI systems, we must guard against biases that could be imposed on users. The public debate often revolves around dystopian fears, but the real challenge lies in creating robust regulatory frameworks. If we fail, we could wind up with technologies that harm societal well-being rather than paving the way for a better future.”