Calvin and I take you through our real life morning routine trying to use as many English phrasal verbs as possible! We hope you find this video and post useful.

Today, we’re diving deep into something every English learner knows can feel a little overwhelming—phrasal verbs! But don’t worry, we’re going to break them down together and show you real-life examples that come straight from our own morning routines.

So, grab your coffee (or tea!) and let’s get into it. This post is packed with practical explanations, lots of real-life examples, and some unique ways to remember and master phrasal verbs—especially those that pop up when you wake up and start your day.

Table of Contents

1. What Are Phrasal Verbs?
2. Why Do Phrasal Verbs Matter?
3. Our Morning Routine: Phrasal Verbs in Action
4. Breakdown: Phrasal Verbs and Their Meanings
5. Example Sentences: Phrasal Verbs Used Right
6. Tips for Learning Phrasal Verbs
7. Practice Time: Share Your Routine!
8. More Resources for Phrasal Verbs

What Are Phrasal Verbs?

Before we jump into the action, let’s clarify what a phrasal verb actually is. A phrasal verb is a phrase (usually a verb + a small word called a “particle” like up, out, in, on, off, etc.) that changes the meaning of the original verb.

For example:

• wake up = to stop sleeping
• get up = to get out of bed

See? The meaning changes with just a little addition!

“We don’t learn phrasal verbs in the US. I didn’t even know what a phrasal verb meant.”
— Camille

Don’t feel stressed if they seem confusing at first, because even native speakers learn them naturally, not through memorizing a big list.

Why Do Phrasal Verbs Matter?

Phrasal verbs are everywhere in daily spoken English, especially American English! They’re essential for understanding movies, conversations, TV shows, and even when following a simple recipe.

Often, textbooks don’t teach you these the way you’ll hear them in real life. That’s why we’re focusing not just on what phrasal verbs mean, but how we use them naturally every day.

Our Morning Routine: Phrasal Verbs in Action

Let’s walk you through (yep! another phrasal verb) a typical morning with us, Camille and Calvin, step by step. Each part of our routine is loaded with practical phrasal verbs you can start using right away.

We’ll explain each one, so you see how it fits into real life.

1. Wake Up

Every morning, I wake up. That means I stop sleeping. Sometimes I wake up earlier, sometimes a bit later. It’s different every day!

Did you know?
Some people use alarms to wake up, but I prefer the sun—nature’s alarm clock!

Phrasal verb: wake up
Meaning: Stop sleeping
Example: “I woke up at 6:30 this morning.”

2. Get Up

After waking up, I get up. This time, I actually leave the bed.

Phrasal verb: get up
Meaning: To rise from bed
Example: “After lying in bed for a few minutes, I got up to start my day.”

3. Turn Off (the Alarm)

If you use an alarm, you probably need to turn off your alarm. That means you stop the alarm from ringing.

Phrasal verb: turn off
Meaning: Stop (something) from working
Example: “I turned off my alarm at 7:00.”

4. Stretch Out

I like to stretch out on the bed for a bit. This means I move my body to loosen up.

“It’s always good to stretch out. Yes.” – Calvin

Phrasal verb: stretch out
Meaning: Loosen up your body; extend your bodyExample: “I stretch out before doing any exercise.”

5. Head To (the Kitchen)

Next, I head to the kitchen. That’s just another way of saying “go to.”

Phrasal verb: head to
Meaning: Go to a place
Example: “I headed to the kitchen to make breakfast.”

6. Pour Out

First thing: water! I pour out a big glass of water, meaning I put water from the bottle into my glass.

Phrasal verb: pour out
Meaning: Put liquid into a container
Example: “I poured out some water to drink.”

7. Drink Up

Then, I drink up my water. Just another way to say I finish my drink.

Phrasal verb: drink up
Meaning: Finish drinking (all of it)
Example: “I drank up my coffee before leaving the house.”

8. Heat Up

It’s time to heat up water for my coffee!

Phrasal verb: heat up
Meaning: Make something warmer or hot
Example: “I heat up water for my tea every morning.”

9. Set Up

Next, I set up my Aeropress (my favorite way to make coffee). That means I get everything ready.

Phrasal verb: set up
Meaning: Prepare or arrange
Example: “I set up the coffee maker before brewing my coffee.”

10. Whip Up

I whip up my coffee quickly—this means I make it fast. This phrase is often used with making food or drinks.

Phrasal verb: whip up
Meaning: Make (food or drink) quickly
Example: “I whipped up a quick breakfast this morning.”

11. Sit Down

Time to sit down with my coffee and relax.

Phrasal verb: sit down
Meaning: Move from standing to sitting
Example: “Let’s sit down and enjoy breakfast.”

12. Open Up

I like to open up my journal and my Bible.

Phrasal verb: open up
Meaning: Open something fully
Example: “I opened up my laptop to start working.”

13. Write Down

I often write down my thoughts in my journal. This helps me start the day with a clear mind.

Phrasal verb: write down
Meaning: Write on paper
Example: “I wrote down my goals for today.”

14. Take Time Out

I like to take time out to reflect and practice gratitude. That means I pause for a moment from my usual tasks.

Phrasal verb: take time out
Meaning: Pause or stop an activity
Example: “I take time out during the day to relax.”

15. Follow Along

When I open my Bible app, I follow along with the audio.

Phrasal verb: follow along
Meaning: Do or read at the same time as someone else
Example: “I followed along with the video instructions.”

16. Wake Up (the Kids!)

Around this time, our kids usually wake up and come to us for hugs and cuddles. Then, they run off to play!

17. Go Out/Head Out

The kids go out to the playroom or head out of the sun room.

Phrasal verb: go out / head out
Meaning: Leave a room or area
Example: “The kids go out to play every morning.”

18. Help Out

Sometimes, we have to help out the kids with breakfast or other things.

Phrasal verb: help out
Meaning: Assist someone
Example: “I helped out my sister with her homework.”

19. Whip Up (Breakfast)

Time to whip up some oatmeal for breakfast! If you remember, “whip up” means to make food quickly.

20. Put On

After breakfast, we put on different clothes to get ready for the day.

Phrasal verb: put on
Meaning: Place clothes on your body
Example: “I put on my jacket before going outside.”

21. Work Out

I like to work out in the morning. That’s right—exercise really wakes me up!

Phrasal verb: work out
Meaning: Exercise
Example: “I work out three times a week.”

(Visual idea: Someone doing exercises, stretching, or jogging in the morning sunset.)

22. Cool Down

After exercising, I cool down to lower my heart rate and relax.

Phrasal verb: cool down
Meaning: Relax after exercise
Example: “Don’t forget to cool down after your run.”

23. Hop In (the Shower)

Now it’s time to hop in the shower!

Phrasal verb: hop in
Meaning: Get into quickly
Example: “I hopped in the shower after my workout.”

24. Dry Off

After showering, I dry off—remove water from my body with a towel.

Phrasal verb: dry off
Meaning: Remove water after getting wet
Example: “I dried off and got dressed.”

25. Put On (Clothes and Shoes)

Again, now I put on clothes for the day and sometimes put on my shoes.

26. Hop On (the Bike)

Some mornings, I hop on my bike and go for a ride!

Phrasal verb: hop on
Meaning: Get onto (bike, vehicle, etc.) quickly
Example: “I hopped on my bike and rode to the park.”

27. Tidy Up & Clean Up

Before school, we like to tidy up and clean up the kitchen—put everything away and do dishes.

Phrasal verb: tidy up / clean up
Meaning: Make a place neat / Clean a space
Example: “Let’s tidy up before we leave.”

“We like to put everything away, which means to put it back in its place.“
— Camille

28. Pack Up

Our kids are awesome and pack up their own backpacks!

Phrasal verb: pack up
Meaning: Put things into a bag
Example: “I packed up my lunch and books before heading to work.”

29. Make (Lunches)

The kids make their own lunches—super cool, right?

30. Head Out / Head Out the Door

Everyone heads out the door (“leave the house”) and we drive to school.

31. Drop Off (the Kids)

We drop off the kids at two different schools. “Drop off” means we take them to school and leave them there.

Phrasal verb: drop off
Meaning: Take and leave someone somewhere
Example: “I dropped off my brother at the station.”

32. Get Out (of the House)

We’re thankful for the fresh air when we can get out of the house after a busy morning.

33. Head Back

After dropping the kids off, we head back home to work.

Phrasal verb: head back
Meaning: Return to a place
Example: “After shopping, I head back home.”

34. Get On With (the Day)

Once at home, we get on with our work.

Phrasal verb: get on with
Meaning: Start or continue doing something
Example: “After breakfast, I get on with washing the dishes.”

35. Look At (Your To-Do List)

I look at my to-do list and plan my tasks.

36. Get Done

I try to see what I need to get done (finish or complete).

Phrasal verb: get done
Meaning: Finish tasks
Example: “There’s a lot to get done today.”

Breakdown: English Morning Routine Phrasal Verbs and Their Meanings

Let’s make this even easier! Here’s a table with all the main phrasal verbs from our morning and what they really mean:

Example Sentences: English Phrasal Verbs Used Right

To really understand phrasal verbs, it helps to see them in action. Here are a few more real-life examples:

• Wake up: “I usually wake up before my alarm goes off.”
• Get up: “It’s hard to get up on cold mornings!”
• Turn off: “I forgot to turn off the stove.”
• Head to: “Let’s head to the park after breakfast.”
• Whip up: “I can whip up pancakes in five minutes.”
• Put on: “Don’t forget to put on sunscreen.”
• Work out: “He works out at the gym every day.”
• Drop off: “Mom will drop off my lunch at school.”

Tips for Learning English Phrasal Verbs

Learning phrasal verbs doesn’t have to be boring or scary. Here’s what we suggest after years of teaching (and learning ourselves!):

1. Learn by Topic

It’s easier to remember phrasal verbs when they’re tied to a topic like morning routine, school, cooking, or work.

2. Hear & Use Them in Context

Reading example sentences and hearing them in conversations (like in our videos) helps you remember them better.

3. Create Your Own Sentences

Nothing beats practicing! Try writing your morning routine using as many phrasal verbs as you can. It’s okay to start with just a few!

4. Repeat & Review

Go back and re-read or re-watch resources. Repetition helps you remember.

5. Make Mistakes—That’s How You Learn!

We’ll give you feedback if you share your sentences in the comments.

Practice Time: Share Your Routine!

Here’s a challenge for you! Think about your morning. Write out 2–5 sentences describing it, using as many phrasal verbs from our list as you can. Share your routine in the comments. Here’s an example to get you started:

Every morning, I wake up at 7 am. I get up and head to the kitchen. I pour out some juice and whip up a quick breakfast. Before leaving, I tidy up the table and pack up my bag. Then, I head out the door.

Ready for yours? We’d love to give you feedback!

More Resources for Phrasal Verbs

If you liked this lesson and want to learn more, we’ve got you covered:

• Phrasal Verbs Book on Amazon (If you get the book, you can sign up for our course for free!)
• 21-Day Phrasal Verb Course: Over 210 phrasal verbs, bite-sized lessons, and lifetime access. Learn at your pace!

Don’t rush—just 5 or 10 phrasal verbs a day can make a huge difference.

Learning phrasal verbs will make your English sound more natural and help you understand native speakers better. Remember, you probably use more phrasal verbs than you realize, just by chatting about your daily life.

Bonus English tips for this post:

• Watch the video above and read this post again.
• Write down new phrasal verbs and practice them.
• Keep it up. Before you know it, these phrasal verbs will feel as natural as “good morning.”

“The important thing is to just practice using them. Use them in your daily speech and they’ll become more familiar and you’ll use them without even thinking.”
— Camille

So, get on with your day and keep practicing! We’ll see you soon for more videos, blog posts, and lots more English-learning adventures. Thanks for your support and for being part of our awesome learning community.