Phrasal Verbs for the Workplace
The everyday work verbs that textbooks don’t always teach you
From Sourov’s world: Working at Star Casino in Sydney, my supervisor spoke in a language I didn’t expect. She’d say: “Sourov, can you look into that complaint from table nine? And follow up with the VIP in the private room. We need to sort out the staffing issue before the dinner rush.” Three sentences, three phrasal verbs — all essential. I had to learn them fast or fall behind. These are the real verbs of the workplace.
📚 Word Focus
A phrasal verb = verb + particle (preposition or adverb). The meaning is often completely different from the base verb. Some are separable (the object can go between verb and particle), some are inseparable (the object must come after).
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Separable? |
|---|---|---|
| look into | investigate, find out more about | ❌ No |
| follow up | check on something done earlier | ✅ Yes |
| sort out | solve, organise, fix a problem | ✅ Yes |
| take on | accept new work or responsibility | ✅ Yes |
| hand over | transfer a task or responsibility to someone else | ✅ Yes |
CCQ: If I “look into” something, am I looking at it briefly? ❌ No — I’m investigating it carefully. Can I say “look the problem into”? ❌ No — look into is inseparable. The object always comes AFTER.
💡 Examples in Context
- I’ll look into the complaint straightaway. (inseparable — object after)
- Can you follow up the VIP request? / follow it up? ✅ (separable — both work)
- We need to sort out the rota before Friday. ✅
- She’s decided to take on two extra shifts this month.
- I’ll hand over the keys to you at the end of my shift.
✏️ Quick Check
Fill in the correct phrasal verb from this lesson:
- The manager asked me to ________ the noise complaint from room 14.
- Don’t forget to ________ with the client after you send the proposal.
- We really need to ________ the confusion about the lunch bookings.
- Are you sure you want to ________ a third project right now?
- I’ll ________ my responsibilities to Maria when I go on leave.
Show answers ▼
- look into
- follow up
- sort out
- take on
- hand over
🗣️ Try It Yourself
Think about your own workplace (or studies). Write a short email or message to a colleague using at least two phrasal verbs from this lesson. For example: “Hi, I’ve looked into the scheduling issue and I’ll sort it out by Thursday. Could you follow up with the client in the meantime?”
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