Phrasal Verbs in practice

Job Interview Questions Using Phrasal Verbs

1. Personal & Professional Growth

Can you tell us about a time when you had to go against a company policy or suggestion to achieve a better result?
What is one goal that you are currently going for, and how do you plan to achieve it?
Have you ever had to put up with a difficult coworker or situation at work? How did you handle it?
Describe a time when you came up with an innovative idea that helped your company.

2. Problem-Solving & Adaptability

Tell me about a time when you had to get through a particularly challenging work project.
How do you handle setbacks when a plan or project gets put off unexpectedly?
Can you share an example of when you had to look over a document or report carefully to catch errors?
Have you ever had to go over a procedure with a team to ensure everyone understood it?

3. Leadership & Teamwork

How do you ensure that your colleagues or employees get along well in the workplace?
Describe a time when you had to call on a team member for help with a project.
Have you ever had to let someone in on confidential information at work? How did you ensure professionalism?
Tell us about a time when you had to look up to a mentor or senior colleague for guidance.

4. Handling Change & Deadlines

Can you give an example of when you had to take on new responsibilities at short notice?
Tell me about a time when you had to take down detailed notes or feedback in a meeting.
Have you ever had to put off a personal commitment due to urgent work demands?
How do you handle situations where tasks get called off or rescheduled suddenly?

5. Customer Service & Communication

Tell me about a time when you had to come across a difficult customer and how you handled the situation.
Describe a situation where you had to get by with limited resources at work.
Have you ever had to call back a client to clarify information?
How do you ensure that you get through to someone when there is a miscommunication?

6. Initiative & Decision-Making

Tell us about a time when you decided to go ahead with a risky decision that paid off.
Describe a moment when you had to let someone down by delivering bad news. How did you handle it?
Have you ever had to take out an unnecessary step in a process to improve efficiency?
Tell me about a time when you had to look forward to a major career change or promotion.

Sample Answer for One Question:

Question: Tell me about a time when you had to come up with an innovative idea that helped your company.

Answer: At my previous job, we were struggling with customer response times. I came up with an automated chatbot system that helped filter common queries before reaching human support. This reduced response times by 40% and increased customer satisfaction. My manager praised the initiative, and the system was later expanded company-wide.

Here is a structured list of the phrasal verbs organized by meaning, along with two example sentences for each—one in the simple present and another in the simple past, present perfect, or future, depending on common usage.

1. Movement & Physical Actions

take off (remove or leave)

She takes off her jacket when she gets home. (Simple Present)
The plane took off an hour ago. (Simple Past)

take out (remove or bring outside)

He takes out the trash every morning. (Simple Present)
I took out some money from the ATM yesterday. (Simple Past)

put on (wear or apply)

She puts on makeup before work. (Simple Present)
He put on a jacket because it was cold. (Simple Past)

put down (place on a surface)

He puts down his phone when talking to people. (Simple Present)
She put down her bag on the table. (Simple Past)

get in (enter)

I get in the car and fasten my seatbelt. (Simple Present)
They got in the house before it started raining. (Simple Past)

2. Relationships & Social Interactions

get along (have a good relationship)

They get along well at work. (Simple Present)
We got along better after our talk. (Simple Past)

look up to (admire)

Many students look up to their teachers. (Simple Present)
I have always looked up to my grandfather. (Present Perfect)

come between (cause problems between people)

I never let work come between me and my family. (Simple Present)
His lies came between us, and we stopped talking. (Simple Past)

let down (disappoint)

I never want to let down my friends. (Simple Present)
She felt let down when he forgot her birthday. (Past Perfect Passive)

3. Decisions & Reactions

go against (oppose)

He always goes against the rules. (Simple Present)
The team went against the manager’s decision. (Simple Past)

call off (cancel)

They call off meetings if no one is available. (Simple Present)
The match was called off due to bad weather. (Past Passive)

put off (postpone)

She puts off doing her homework. (Simple Present)
I have put off my dentist appointment three times. (Present Perfect)

4. Work & Effort

come up with (invent or create)

She comes up with great ideas. (Simple Present)
We came up with a new strategy last week. (Simple Past)

go over (review)

The teacher goes over the lesson before the test. (Simple Present)
We went over our notes before the meeting. (Simple Past)

look over (check)

I look over my emails every morning. (Simple Present)
She has looked over the contract carefully. (Present Perfect)

5. Health & Recovery

come down with (get sick)

He comes down with a cold every winter. (Simple Present)
She came down with the flu last week. (Simple Past)

get over (recover from illness or difficulty)

It takes time to get over a breakup. (Simple Present)
She got over her illness quickly. (Simple Past)

6. Handling Situations & Challenges

put up with (tolerate)

She puts up with noisy neighbors. (Simple Present)
He has put up with this job for years. (Present Perfect)

get through (survive or complete something difficult)

We get through tough times together. (Simple Present)
They got through the exam successfully. (Simple Past)

go for (try to achieve something)

She goes for the best opportunities. (Simple Present)
He has always gone for his dreams. (Present Perfect)

7. Learning & Discoveries

come across (find by chance)

I come across interesting articles online. (Simple Present)
He came across an old photo album. (Simple Past)

let in on (share a secret)

She lets me in on her plans. (Simple Present)
He was let in on the surprise. (Past Passive)

call on (ask someone to speak)

The teacher calls on students to answer. (Simple Present)
She called on me during the presentation. (Simple Past)

8. Future Plans & Expectations

look forward to (be excited about something in the future)

I look forward to my vacation. (Simple Present)
She is looking forward to her birthday. (Present Continuous for Future)

go ahead (proceed)

The manager goes ahead with new projects. (Simple Present)
They will go ahead with the plan next month. (Future Simple)

call back (return a call)

She calls back customers when she is free. (Simple Present)
I will call you back in an hour. (Future Simple)

Here’s an expanded version of the phrasal verbs, including additional examples and explanations, followed by a short dialogue between two characters using some of these verbs in a natural conversation.

Expanded Phrasal Verbs with More Examples

1. Movement & Physical Actions

take off (remove or leave quickly)

She takes off her shoes when she gets home. (Simple Present)
The plane took off an hour ago. (Simple Past)
He will take off early from work tomorrow. (Future Simple)

take out (remove or extract)

He takes out his keys before unlocking the door. (Simple Present)
She took out a loan to buy a car. (Simple Past)
I have taken out a new insurance policy. (Present Perfect)

put on (wear or apply)

She puts on sunscreen before going outside. (Simple Present)
He put on his jacket because it was cold. (Simple Past)
We will put on a play at school next month. (Future Simple)

2. Relationships & Social Interactions

get along (have a good relationship)

They get along well despite their differences. (Simple Present)
We got along better after discussing our issues. (Simple Past)
I have never gotten along with my cousin. (Present Perfect)

look up to (admire)

Many employees look up to their manager. (Simple Present)
As a child, I looked up to my older brother. (Simple Past)
She has always looked up to her grandmother. (Present Perfect)

3. Handling Situations & Challenges

put up with (tolerate)

She puts up with loud neighbors every night. (Simple Present)
I have put up with this terrible job for too long. (Present Perfect)
He couldn’t put up with the stress, so he quit. (Past Modal)

get through (survive or complete something difficult)

We get through tough times by staying positive. (Simple Present)
They got through the storm safely. (Simple Past)
I will get through this challenge with hard work. (Future Simple)

Short Dialogue Using Phrasal Verbs

Characters: Jake and Lisa
Context: Lisa is stressed about work, and Jake gives her advice.

Lisa: Ugh, I can’t put up with my boss anymore. He always puts off important meetings, and then we have to work overtime!

Jake: I get it. You should go for a new job. You have the skills!

Lisa: Maybe… but I don’t know where to start.

Jake: Well, I came across a great job listing yesterday. I’ll send it to you.

Lisa: Thanks, Jake. You always know how to help me get through stressful situations.

Jake: No problem. And don’t forget, I look up to you! You’re amazing at what you do.

Lisa: That means a lot. Maybe I’ll take off early today and update my résumé.

Here are job interview questions that naturally incorporate some of the best phrasal verbs for a professional setting. These questions help assess the candidate’s ability to communicate effectively using common business and workplace expressions.

Job Interview Questions Using Phrasal Verbs