Particles and Meaning
B1 · IntermediatePhrasal VerbsEat up, find out, carry on — the same particle often carries a similar shade of meaning across many different phrasal verbs.
What you'll learn
- up often adds the meaning 'completely' or 'fully': eat up, use up, finish up, clean up
- out often adds the meaning 'discovering' or 'solving': find out, figure out, work out, sort out
- out can also mean 'disappearing' or 'ending': die out, burn out, run out
- on often adds the meaning 'continuing': carry on, go on, keep on
Particles aren't random
While each phrasal verb ultimately has to be learned individually, many particles carry a recurring shade of meaning across dozens of different verbs. Recognizing these patterns makes new phrasal verbs much easier to guess and remember.
up — completing something fully
Added to many verbs, up suggests doing something completely, to the end, or thoroughly — not just partway.
out — discovering, solving, or disappearing
out has two common senses: discovering or working through something (find out, figure out, sort out, work out), or something fading, ending, or running low (die out, burn out, run out).
on — continuing something
on frequently adds the sense of continuing an action, especially despite difficulty or interruption.
Real English
Watch out
The 'completely' sense uses up, not out — out has its own separate meanings (discovering, disappearing).
find pairs with out for the 'discover' meaning — don't substitute a random particle; recognizing the pattern helps you remember the correct one.
Real life — Solving a mystery
"Did you ever find out who sent that anonymous message?"
"Not yet — I'm still trying to figure it out."
"Let me know if you sort it out. It's such a strange situation."
"I will — I'm not giving up until I work out what's really going on."
Practice
Exercise 1 · Choose the correct meaning
In 'eat up', 'finish up', and 'use up', the particle 'up' usually suggests:
Exercise 2 · Choose the correct meaning
In 'find out', 'figure out', and 'work out', the particle 'out' usually suggests:
Exercise 3 · Choose the correct particle
Which particle usually suggests stopping or disappearance, as in 'die out' and 'burn out'?
Exercise 4 · Choose the correct meaning
In 'carry on' and 'go on', the particle 'on' usually suggests:
Exercise 5 · Choose the correct particle
Please finish ___ your homework before dinner. (complete it fully)
Exercise 6 · Choose the correct particle
It took a while, but we finally figured ___ the problem. (solved it)
Exercise 7 · Choose the correct particle
Please carry ___ with what you were saying. (continue)
Exercise 8 · Choose the correct sentence
Choose the correct sentence, using the completion sense of 'up'.
Exercise 9 · Complete the sentence
Fill in the particle that suggests completion: We need to clean ___ the kitchen before guests arrive.
Exercise 10 · Complete the sentence
Fill in the particle that suggests discovering something: I need to sort ___ what happened.
Exercise 11 · Sort the phrasal verbs into groups
0 / 8 sorted
Quick challenge
Five quick questions to check what stuck.
Question 1 / 5
Score: 0/0
The tradition slowly died ___ over the generations. (disappeared)
You learned
- up often adds the meaning 'completely' or 'fully': eat up, use up, finish up, clean up.
- out often adds the meaning 'discovering/solving' (find out, figure out) or 'disappearing/ending' (die out, run out).
- on often adds the meaning 'continuing': carry on, go on, keep on.
- Recognizing a particle's recurring shade of meaning makes new phrasal verbs much easier to guess and remember.
Related grammar lessons
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