10 Fun Activities to Practice Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are an essential part of natural English, but many learners find them boring or difficult to remember.

The good news is that learning phrasal verbs does not have to be stressful.

When practiced through fun, interactive activities, phrasal verbs become easier to understand, remember, and use confidently in real conversations.

In this article, you will discover 10 fun activities to practice phrasal verbs.

These activities are ideal for classroom teaching, online lessons, group practice, and self-study.

They help learners improve fluency, confidence, and spoken English while enjoying the learning process.

1. Phrasal Verb Charades

Charades is a classic game, and it’s a great way to practice phrasal verbs! Here’s how you can play:

How to play: Write down different phrasal verbs on small pieces of paper (e.g., break down, turn on, get along). One person draws a slip of paper and acts out the phrasal verb without speaking. The other players guess what it is.
Why it helps: Acting out the meaning of the phrasal verb forces you to think about its meaning in a practical context. This can help you remember the verb and how it’s used.

2. Phrasal Verb Bingo

Bingo is another easy and fun game to practice phrasal verbs. It can be adapted to suit any level of learners.

How to play: Create Bingo cards with phrasal verbs in the squares. The teacher or game leader reads out the definitions, and players mark the correct phrasal verb if they have it on their card. The first person to complete a row or column wins.
Why it helps: This game is great for reviewing a large number of phrasal verbs at once. It also encourages learners to focus on the meanings and match them with the correct verb.

3. Storytelling with Phrasal Verbs

Storytelling is a creative way to practice phrasal verbs and improve your ability to use them in context.

How to play: Choose a list of phrasal verbs (around 10-15). Each student has to create a short story using those verbs. For example, they might write a story about a day in the life of a character who wakes up, looks for their keys, turns on the TV, etc.
Why it helps: This activity encourages learners to use phrasal verbs in context, which improves both understanding and memory. Plus, writing stories makes learning feel less like a task and more like a creative challenge!

4. Phrasal Verb Crossword Puzzles

Crossword puzzles are not only fun but also great for vocabulary building.

How to play: Create a crossword puzzle with phrasal verbs in the answers. Write definitions or clues for the phrasal verbs, and let learners solve the puzzle. You can find many online tools to help you create custom crossword puzzles easily.
Why it helps: This activity requires learners to recall phrasal verbs and their meanings. It’s a great way to reinforce what they already know while adding a bit of fun and challenge to their study.

5. Phrasal Verb Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is a dynamic way to practice phrasal verbs while moving around.

How to play: Prepare a list of phrasal verbs and create clues that lead students to different locations around the room or classroom. For example, a clue could be: “Find the place where you turn on the lights.” The student would need to go to the light switch. Each location represents a phrasal verb.
Why it helps: A scavenger hunt keeps learners active while helping them associate phrasal verbs with real-world actions. This can be very effective for visual and kinesthetic learners.

6. Phrasal Verb Role Play

Role-playing is a useful tool for practicing phrasal verbs in conversation.

How to play: Pair up students and give them a set of phrasal verbs to use in a role-play situation. For example, one student might be a waiter, and the other a customer. The waiter could say, “Can I take your order?” and the customer might reply, “I’m trying to decide, I’ll take a minute to think it over.” Students must use the phrasal verbs correctly during the role-play.
Why it helps: Role-playing puts phrasal verbs into practical, conversational contexts. It helps students learn how to use phrasal verbs naturally while improving speaking and listening skills.

7. Phrasal Verb Flashcards

Flashcards are a tried-and-true method for memorizing vocabulary, including phrasal verbs.

How to play: Write a phrasal verb on one side of the card and its meaning or an example sentence on the other. Students can use these flashcards for self-testing or play a memory game with a partner by trying to match the verb to its meaning.
Why it helps: Flashcards encourage active recall, which is one of the most effective ways to memorize vocabulary. This method works well for beginners or those who need to practice new phrasal verbs.

8. Phrasal Verb Matching Game

This activity is a simple but effective way to practice matching phrasal verbs to their meanings.

How to play: Write down phrasal verbs on one set of cards and their definitions on another. Shuffle the cards and ask students to match the phrasal verb with its correct meaning. For extra challenge, you can add example sentences to some cards.
Why it helps: This game helps learners practice both the meaning and usage of phrasal verbs. It’s also a good way to test knowledge in a more active, engaging way.

9. Phrasal Verb Songs

Music is a fun and memorable way to learn new vocabulary.

How to play: Find a song that uses a lot of phrasal verbs (e.g., “Turn On the Lights” by Enrique Iglesias or “Wake Me Up” by Avicii). Play the song for your students and ask them to identify the phrasal verbs as they listen. You can also have them fill in missing words on a lyric sheet that contains phrasal verbs.
Why it helps: Songs help with pronunciation and rhythm. They also make it easier to remember phrasal verbs because the music gives students something to connect the words to. Singing along can also be a fun way to practice.

10. Phrasal Verb Race

This is a fast-paced game that works well for groups and adds a bit of competition to the mix.

How to play: Split students into two teams. One by one, each team member must race to the board to write down the meaning or an example sentence for a given phrasal verb. If they get it right, their team earns a point. If they’re wrong, the other team gets a chance to answer. The team with the most points at the end wins!
Why it helps: This activity adds an element of competition, which can make the learning process more exciting. It encourages quick thinking and helps reinforce phrasal verbs in a fun way.

Conclusion

There are countless ways to practice phrasal verbs while having fun.

From playing games like charades and Bingo to engaging in creative activities like storytelling and role-playing, these exercises will not only make learning more enjoyable but also help you remember the phrasal verbs you learn.

The key to mastering phrasal verbs is practice, and with these 10 activities, you can practice in a way that’s both effective and fun.

Whether you’re learning on your own or with a group, these activities can boost your confidence and help you use phrasal verbs naturally in conversation.

So, get started today and make learning phrasal verbs an enjoyable part of your English journey!