Phrasal Verbs: The Quiet Band 7 Divider in IELTS Writing

Phrasal verbs are the hidden fault line between a Band 6.5 and a Band 7 essay. Examiners see students reach for informal phrases like 'get across' or 'bring up', hoping to sound fluent. But in IELTS Writing Task 2, register matters more than range. Using the wrong phrasal verb can make your argument sound conversational or vague, quietly bleeding marks from your Lexical Resource and Task Response scores.

Three Ways Phrasal Verbs Bleed Marks

1. Using conversational phrasal verbs ('put up with', 'come up with') in formal essays.
2. Forgetting to clarify the meaning, especially with idiomatic or double-meaning phrasal verbs.
3. Overusing phrasal verbs instead of more precise single-word verbs ('increase' instead of 'go up').

The Three-Filter Framework for Phrasal Verbs

1. Is it formal enough? (Would you see it in an academic article?)
2. Does it add precision or is there a clearer single-word verb?
3. Can the reader easily understand it in context?

Some phrasal verbs are perfectly appropriate for IELTS Writing Task 2. 'Carry out' (as in 'carry out research'), 'result in', and 'point out' are used in academic writing worldwide. These are safe choices that show range without sacrificing tone. But 'put up with' or 'run into' sound casual and should be replaced by formal equivalents like 'tolerate' or 'encounter'.

Band 7-Ready Phrasal Verbs (and When to Use Them)

• 'Carry out' (to conduct): 'Researchers carried out a survey of 5,000 participants.'
• 'Result in' (to cause): 'This policy may result in lower unemployment rates.'
• 'Point out' (to highlight): 'Many experts point out the risks of this approach.'