Phrasal verbs: learning and education

This FREE ESL worksheet is about phrasal verbs related to learning and education. There are plenty of activities so that students can see the phrasal verbs in context and practise them speaking. You can also check out the worksheet “Idioms: learning and education”.

The first 8 phrasal verbs (e.g. pick up, take in, drop out, sink in) are introduced through a short dialogue between 2 friends. After matching the phrasal verbs to their definitions, students complete 4 sentences with their own ideas and share them with a partner. 

Next, students learn the rest of the phrasal verbs (e.g. swot up, work through, soak up, brush up on) by matching pairs of sentences with similar meanings. After that students complete 5 statements with the correct phrasal verb and discuss the statements in pairs or small groups. 

To further practise the phrasal verbs, students complete a text about language-learning tips with the correct phrasal verbs.

Finally, students are given 4 situations, and for each one, they are tasked with brainstorming solutions using suitable learning-related phrasal verbs.

You can use the conversation cards to review these phrasal verbs and for further speaking practice.

This lesson will work well in combination will lessons about learning, education, the educational system, learning styles, and language learning.