10 Pretty Useful Phrasal Verbs In PSLE English Paper 1
| Number | Phrasal Verb | Typical Usage |
| 1 | break out | When Sue heard the noise, she broke out in cold sweat. Sue broke out in a rash after eating those mushrooms. |
| 2 | back away | When Tim spotted the snake at the corridor, he backed away (retreated) in fear. |
| 3 | broke down | Mrs. Tan was inconsolable as she broke down (cried) on hearing the news of the accident. |
| 4 | calm down | It took Mr. Seng several minutes to calm down (steady himself) after he saw the accident. |
| 5 | get over | It has been weeks but Alize has not gotten over (put it behind her) the dismal results she had for her recent examinations. |
| 6 | look forward to | Sally is looking forward to (eagerly anticipating) her birthday that is in two days’ time. |
| 7 | pass out | Several runners passed out (fainted) near the finish line due to the scorching heat. |
| 8 | put up | The salesgirl had no choice but to put up with (tolerate) the customer’s unreasonable behaviour. |
| 9 | wear out | Max was worn out (very tired) after all that running on the field. |
| 10 | turn down | Robert tried to turn down (refuse) his friend’s offer of a cigarette. |
A former educator, Teacher Chin has more than a decade of experience in teaching English from Primary Two to Primary Six in local primary schools. He is also a veteran in marking PSLE English Paper 1 and 2. When he is not entangled in linguistics at work, he can be found playing badminton doubles and trying to learn new digital tools such as Blender.
About the Author
