Phrasal Verbs with DOWN Exercises

The particle down is used in many phrasal verbs to express decrease, reduction, or downward movement. For example, sit down means to take a seat, slow down means to reduce speed, and turn down can mean to reduce volume or to refuse an offer. These phrasal verbs are very common in everyday English and appear in conversations about routines, feelings, and decisions. Learning them helps you express yourself more naturally in both spoken and written English.

The particle down can also suggest recording or stopping: write down means to make a note of something, and break down can mean a machine stops working or a person starts crying from strong emotion. Many phrasal verbs with down are separable: "Write the address down" or "Write down the address," but with a pronoun: "Write it down." Some, like break down, are inseparable when they mean a machine failing. Notice that "break down" has very different meanings depending on context — this is typical of phrasal verbs and why practising them in complete sentences is so important. Cambridge B1 and B2 exams regularly test phrasal verbs with down.