Business English: Phrasal Verbs for Work

Download the PDFs at the end.

Shanghai Baoye Center

Last updated on 4 June, 2025.

In this lesson, we are going to focus on eight phrasal verbs and some collocations you can use to talk about work. 


WHAT IS IMPORTANT IN A JOB? 

New technologies change the way we work. Employers want to know that you can pick up new tasks and that you don't get frustrated when something goes wrong. You need sufficient knowledge and background suitable for the job you do. You should know how much work you can take on and how much time you need to complete a task. 

Teamwork is one of the main requirements when applying for a job. In other words, are you able to work effectively with others? You need to be able to collaborate with your colleagues and support each other. You and your team need to remember that you all work towards a common goal, which means you should be able to split up the work. 

​Employees also need to be able to work independently and resolve any problems as they come up. Problem-solving is an essential skill in the workplace, and this can make a significant difference in your career. The issues you face at work can be simple or more complex. So, being able to come up with solutions is key. While robots can take over more repetitive tasks, people still have to deal with real problems and their causes. 

Regardless of what your job is, you can always pick up new skills. It might take a while to figure out whether you actually enjoy your current job or not. You can experience multiple work environments and learn a lot of practical skills that will help you in the future when thinking about a career change. 

​
VOCABULARY
​

• pick something ↔ up (phrasal verb) - to get information or learn a skill without much effort 
• complete a task | finish a task (collocations) 
• take something ↔ on (phrasal verb) - to accept a job, task, or responsibility; to employ 
• in other words (phrase) - used when saying the same thing in a different way or explaining it 
• work towards a goal (collocation) 
• a common goal (collocation) 
• split something ↔ up (phrasal verb) - to divide something into two or more parts 
• solve a problem | resolve a problem (collocations) also fix a problem (informal) 
• come up (phrasal verb) - to happen unexpectedly; to become available (of a job) 
• come up with something (phrasal verb) - to think of an idea, a plan or a solution 
• take something ↔ over (phrasal verb) - to gain control of a company or have responsibility 
• deal with something (phrasal verb) - to take action to solve a problem, carry out a task 
• figure something ↔ out (phrasal verb) - to find the answer to something; to solve something 
• work environment | working environment (collocations) 
• a career change (collocation) 

READING COMPREHENSION TEST 


Complete the sentences with a phrasal verb from the list below. Use the correct form of the verb. Match each sentence with the appropriate phrasal verb. 

come up, come up with (x2), deal with, figure out, pick up (x2), split up (x2), take on (x2), take over 


       come up - to happen unexpectedly; to become available (of a job) ______________ 
       come up with something - to think of an idea, a plan or a solution ______________ 
       deal with something - to take action to solve a problem, carry out a task ______________ 
       figure something ↔ out - to find the answer to something; to solve sth ______________ 
       pick something ↔ up - to get information, learn a skill without much effort ______________ 
       split something ↔ up - to divide something into two or more parts ______________ 
       take something ↔ on - to accept a job, task, or responsibility; to employ ______________ 
       take something ↔ over - to gain control of a company or have responsibility ______________ 

1. You can ______________ ideas from other creative people. 
2. Is this the best idea you can ______________ ? 
3. I can't ______________ any more work at the moment. 
4. If you want to ______________ new skills, you can take some specialized courses. 
5. When ______________ difficult customers, it is important to give them your full attention. Avoid interrupting them, and remember to show empathy. 
6. You might get requests from other departments to help them by ______________ extra tasks outside of your traditional role. You should better set clear expectations so that you can focus on your actual priorities at work. 
7. The manager suggested ______________ the project into phases. 
8. After analyzing the data, the analyst was able to ______________ the cause of the problem. 
9. When we have a large project, we ______________ into teams to get more done. 
10. During the last meeting, our team ______________ a new idea to increase sales. 
11. I had to turn down that job offer because a better opportunity ______________ . 
12. I ______________ the job after he left. 

MULTIPLE-CHOICE TEST 


Each question provides four options, but only one is correct. Choose the correct phrasal verb that best completes each sentence. 


PHRASAL VERBS FOR WORK QUIZ 

1. By observing experienced colleagues, interns can ______ new skills that will benefit their career growth. 
A. take on 
B. pick up 
C. split up 
D. figure out 

2. Due to his tight schedule, Sebastian knew that he couldn't ______ any additional responsibilities at work. 
A. pick up 
B. come up with 
C. take on 
D. split up 

3. After the former project manager resigned, Charlotte was appointed to ______ his duties. 
A. deal with 
B. pick up 
C. figure out 
D. take over 

4. Our creative team has ______ some fresh ideas for our next product launch. 
A. picked up 
B. come up with 
C. split up 
D. taken over 

5. The project manager decided to __________ the workload among the team for better efficiency. 
A. take on 
B. pick up 
C. split up 
D. take over 

6. A sudden opportunity to work abroad ______, and she decided to take it. 
A. came up 
B. came up with 
C. took on 
D. took over 

7. This is the first time our company has ______ such a large project across multiple departments. 
A. taken over 
B. picked up 
C. figured out 
D. taken on 

8. After reviewing the sales analysis report, we ______ the main reason for the decline in revenue. 
A. took on 
B. split up 
C. figured out 
D. took over 

9. If a customer has a complaint, the best approach is to ______ it promptly. 
A. deal with 
B. come up with 
C. take over 
D. take on 

10. In order to meet the growing demand, the company has to ______ more staff. 
A. pick up 
B. take on 
C. take over 
D. come up with 

11. To successfully manage a team, you must be able to ______ tasks effectively. 
A. split up 
B. take over 
C. pick up 
D. figure out 

12. The company was losing money when we ______ it ______ . 
A. took ... over 
B. picked ... up 
C. took ... on 
D. split ... up 

13. After the acquisition, the new executive director is expected to ______ the acquired company's operations. 
A. pick up 
B. take on 
C. come up with 
D. take over 

14. When you encounter a challenging task in your job, it is crucial to ______ it in a calm and focused manner. 
A. take on 
B. come up with 
C. take over 
D. deal with 

15. To address the client's concerns, we must ______ a practical solution that satisfies all parties. 
A. pick up 
B. deal with 
C. come up with 
D. take over 



Download the PDFs with and without key. 


​
Answers 


Reading Comprehension Test 

come up - to happen unexpectedly; to become available (of a job)    (11) 
come up with something - to think of an idea, a plan or a solution    (2, 10) 
deal with something - to take action to solve a problem, carry out a task    (5) 
figure something ↔ out - to find the answer to something; to solve sth    (8) 
pick something ↔ up - to get information, learn a skill without much effort    (1, 4) 
split something ↔ up - to divide something into two or more parts    (7, 9) 
take something ↔ on - to accept a job, task, or responsibility; to employ    (3, 6) 
take something ↔ over - to gain control of a company or have responsibility    (12) 


1. pick up 
2. come up with 
3. take on 
4. pick up 
5. dealing with 
6. taking on 
7. splitting up 
8. figure out 
9. split up 
10. came up with 
11. came up 
12. took over 


Multiple-choice Test 

Phrasal Verbs for Work Quiz 

1. B pick up 
2. C take on 
3. D take over 
4. B come up with 
5. C split up 
6. A came up 
7. D taken on 
8. C figured out 
9. A deal with 
10. B take on 
11. A split up 
12. A took ... over 
13. D take over 
14. D deal with 
15. C come up with 

​

Other Business English lessons: 
Collocations with Job (Part 1) 
​Collocations with Job (Part 2) 
English Lesson: Jobs and Skills 
Business English: Working in an office 
Business English: Prepositions with WORK 
Business English: How to Talk about Money 
Business English: Collocations with Business 
Business English: How to Talk about Your Job Responsibilities 


​

DOWNLOAD PDF

The PDF files can be accessed via Google Drive.

DO YOU NEED ENGLISH FOR WORK?

Take 40 lessons on topics which include: phone calls, socialising, presentations, meetings, time management, problem-solving, company structure, figures, trends, marketing, selling, and more.

Business English Speaking Course