Mastering Phrasal Verbs with "Down" in English
- James Bowers III
- Sep 3, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 3
Today's blog post is going to teach you 13 of the most common phrasal verbs with "down."
Do you know these?
Come down
Get down
Knock down
Put down
Slow down
Write down
Break down
Calm down
Come down with
Cut down
Fall down
Let down
Take down
For anyone who wants to speak fluently, dealing with phrasal verbs can feel like a difficult puzzle that you will never finish, but with a little help, you can... And when you do, your English will be beautiful. In this blog post, we'll take a look at some very useful and practical phrasal verbs with the word "down" and of course, see some examples.
1. Come down
Meaning: To go somewhere lower from a higher place.
Example:
I saw a squirrel come down from the tree and run across the yard.
I told my daughter to not run when she comes down the stairs.
I was coming down the mountain when I saw a bear.
When my mom finishes cooking dinner, she yells for me to come down (from upstairs) and eat with her.
2. Get down
Meaning: To quickly lower yourself (usually to protect yourself).
Example:
The bank robber told everyone to get down on the floor.
When I saw a bat flying, I got down, very low to the ground so it wont hit me.
When we saw the dangerous killer on the street, we got down behind the bushes to hide.
3. Knock down
Meaning: To make something or someone fall to the ground.
Example:
The strong wind knocked down the old fence in the backyard.
When me and my mom were going for a walk, a big dog jumped on her and knocked her down.
The boxer knocked the man down with one punch.
The earthquake knocked the building down.
4. Put down
Meaning: To put something on the ground or on the table.
Example:
Could you please put down that heavy box over there?
Put your pencils down, the test is over.
When I saw the robber in my house, I told him to put down my jewelry and leave.
When I got home, I put my bag down on the floor and took a nap.
5. Slow down
Meaning: To go slower.
Example:
The sign ahead says "Slow down," so let's make sure to drive at a safer speed.
The teacher was explaining too fast so I asked her to slow down.
I was running at school and the principle told me to slow down.
6. Write down
Meaning: To write something on paper.
Example:
During the lecture, I made sure to write down all the important points the professor mentioned.
Before I go shopping, I write down a shopping list so that I don't forget anything.
Before you enter the hotel, you have to write down your name, phone number, address, and today's date.
7. Break down
Meaning: When something stops working or breaks.
Example:
Unfortunately, my car broke down on the way to work this morning.
My mom's sewing machine broke down, so I bought her a new one for her birthday.
Last week my refrigerator broke down, so now I only have warm Coca-Cola.
8. Calm down
Meaning: To become less angry or excited.
Example:
Take a deep breath and try to calm down before you react to the situation.
When me and my brother were arguing, my mom told us to stop and calm down.
when a friend is crying, I always try to calm them down by giving them a snack and asking if they want to talk about it.
9. Come down with
Meaning: To become ill with something (usually a cold, other illnesses sound strange with this phrase).
Example:
I think I might be coming down with a cold because I've been sneezing all day.
usually I never get sick, but yesterday I started to come down with a cold, so I am taking the day off work.
10. Cut down on
Meaning: To reduce the amount of something being used or consumed (usually money or food and drinks).
Example:
We need to cut down on our expenses to save money for our vacation.
we need to cut down on how much junk food we eat, we need to get healthier.
My dad is trying to cut down on coffee, today he had 8 cups of coffee before lunch.
11. Fall down
Meaning: To fall to the ground.
Example:
Be careful on those wet stairs you might slip and fall down.
My sister fell down at the park and hurt her knee.
I fell down when I was hiking the mountain and I broke my ankle
12. Let down
Meaning: To disappoint someone.
Example:
I don't want to let my team down, so I'll do my best to complete the project on time.
My brother is really smart and reliable, he never lets me down when I need his help.
Amy let her friend down when she didn't come to her birthday party, they are best friends.
13. Take down
Meaning: To remove something from social media, or to remove a physical item like a poster or a sign.
Example:
After the event, we'll take down the banners and decorations.
Please take down that picture that you posted on Facebook, I don't want anyone to know I was at the party
Before I move out of my apartment, I need to take down my pictures and posters.
Remember, learning phrasal verbs is fun right?!
Try using these phrasal verbs to write your own short story, that is a great practice that will turn these into active vocabulary so that you can use them comfortably in real life.
Great job learning today! Come back and read more blog posts so you can sound more like a native.
Bye for now!