30+ Useful English Phrasal Verbs with BE

Looking for phrasal verbs with BE? Here you’ll get phrasal verbs with “be” plus their meaning and examples.

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Phrasal Verbs with BE

List of Phrasal Verbs with BE

1. Be after

Try to find or get

E.g. The police are after him because of the theft.

2. Be along

Arrive

E.g. The next bus should be along in the next quarter of an hour or so.

3. Be away

Be elsewhere; on holiday, etc.

E.g. She’s away on business for three weeks.

4. Be cut out for

Be suitable, have the necessary qualities

E.g. She’s not cut out for this kind of work.

5. Be cut up

Be upset

E.g. He was very cut up about coming second as he thought he deserved to win.

6. Be down

Be depressed

E.g. He’s been down since his partner left him.

7. Be down

Be reduced or less

E.g. The firm’s profits are down by ten percent this quarter.

8. Be down on

Have negative feelings toward someone

E.g. After the argument, James is down on his boss.

9. Be down with

Be ill

E.g. I didn’t go to work because I was down with the flu.

10. Be fed up

Be bored, upset or sick of something

E.g. I am fed up of his complaints.

11. Be in

Be at home or at work

E.g. They are never in; I always get their answerphone.

12. Be in

Be submitted, arrive

E.g. The application form must be in by 3 p.m on Friday.

13. Be in on

Be involved in

E.g. Susan was the only one who wasn’t in on the plan.

14. Be not on

Be unacceptable

E.g. The way he’s behaving is just not on.

15. Be off

Be bad (of food)

E.g. This yoghurt must be off; it smells foul.

16. Be off

Depart, leave

E.g. I’m off home; it’s five o’clock.

17. Be on

Be functioning (of machines)

E.g. The computer is on.

18. Be on

Take place

E.g. The show is on for the next three months.

19. Be on

Take medication or drugs, especially when they affect the person badly

E.g. He is on anti-depressants and has become very difficult to please.

20. Be on

Be at the top of one’s game, performing very well

E.g. He is really on right now- three goals in five minutes!

21. Be on about

Mean, try to say

E.g. I couldn’t understand what he was on about- it made no sense.

22. Be onto

Pursue, be aware of someone’s true nature

E.g. He’s being very careful because he thinks the police are onto him.

23. Be out

Be absent from a place

E.g. She is out on a visit for the day with her family.

24. Be out of

Have no more left

E.g. We’re out of coffee so I’ll have to go and get some.

25. Be out to

Attempt

E.g. She is out to get him sacked because she hates him.

26. Be snowed under

Have too much work

E.g. I am completely snowed under at work because it’s the end of the tax year.

27. Be taken aback

Be shocked or surprised

E.g. I was taken aback when I saw him because he’s lost all his hair.

28. Be taken with

Like something

E.g. I was very taken with the performance – it was superb.

29. Be up

Be out of bed

E.g. He’s not up yet.

30. Be up

Have increased or risen

E.g. The company’s profits are up by fifteen percent.

31. Be up

When the time for something finishes or expires

E.g. Time’s up, please finish your drinks and leave.

32. Be up for

Be enthusiastic about an upcoming event

E.g. Are you up for the climb of Mt. Blanc?

33. Be up to

Be good enough

E.g. He’s not up to the job; get someone else.

34. Be up to

Doing something naughty or wrong

E.g. What are those kids up to?

Phrasal Verbs with BE

Phrasal Verbs with BE | Image