33 Common Phrasal Verbs Starting with T | Learn English

33 Common Phrasal Verbs Starting with T

Published on: June 4, 2026 | English-learning resource for T-initial phrasal verbs.

Phrasal verbs starting with T are very common in everyday English. Below you will find 33 common phrasal verbs starting with T, each with a short example sentence in English.

1. Take off – remove; leave the ground (airplane); become popular
   Example: He took off his coat.
2. Take on – accept a job or responsibility
   Example: She took on a new project.
3. Take over – assume control
   Example: The manager took over the meeting.
4. Take up – start a hobby; occupy space or time
   Example: He took up swimming last year.
5. Talk back – answer rudely
   Example: Children shouldn’t talk back to their parents.
6. Talk over – discuss
   Example: Let’s talk over the problem.
7. Talk into – persuade someone to do something
   Example: She talked him into joining the trip.
8. Talk out of – persuade someone not to do something
   Example: They talked him out of quitting.
9. Turn on – activate; excite
   Example: Please turn on the light.
10. Turn off – deactivate; disgust
    Example: Turn off the TV before you leave.
11. Turn up – appear; increase volume
    Example: My keys turned up in the drawer.
12. Turn down – reject; decrease volume
    Example: He turned down the job offer.
13. Turn into – change into
    Example: The caterpillar turned into a butterfly.
14. Turn out – result; end in a certain way
    Example: The party turned out great.
15. Try on – test clothing by wearing it
    Example: I tried on the shirt before buying it.
16. Take apart – separate into pieces
    Example: He took apart the old machine.
17. Take after – resemble (usually a parent)
    Example: She takes after her mother.
18. Talk at – talk to someone without listening
    Example: He just talked at me, not with me.
19. Talk through – explain in detail
    Example: Let me talk through the plan with you.
20. Team up with – join with someone
    Example: They teamed up with a local company.
21. Tell off – criticize angrily
    Example: The teacher told him off for being late.
22. Think about – consider
    Example: I’m thinking about moving.
23. Think of – have an idea; consider
    Example: What do you think of this plan?
24. Think over – consider carefully
    Example: I’ll think over your offer.
25. Think through – consider all parts of something
    Example: You need to think this through.
26. Top up – fill to the maximum
    Example: I topped up my phone card.
27. Track down – find after searching
    Example: She tracked down the old book.
28. Trade in – exchange for something newer
    Example: He traded in his old car.
29. Travel abroad – go to another country
    Example: They traveled abroad last summer.
30. Tear up – destroy by tearing; start crying
    Example: She tore up the letter.
31. Test out – try to see if it works
    Example: We tested out the new software.
32. Throw away – discard
    Example: Don’t throw away these papers.
33. Throw out – eject; discard
    Example: The neighbors threw out old furniture.