Which phrasal verbs should you learn? There are hundreds, but here are five of the most common and most useful ones.

Deal with
For example:

Julie: Look at all this mess in the kitchen!
John: Dont worry Ill deal with it as soon as Ive finished my lunch.

'Deal with' means 'take the necessary action'.

Here are some more examples:

Ill deal with the washing-up later.
Could you deal with this report now?
After Id dealt with the bathroom, I started cleaning the living room.

Grammar:

'Deal with' can't be separated. We can't say 'deal it with' or 'deal the problem with'.
Deal with needs an object. We can't say 'I'll deal with'. We need to say 'I'll deal with it / the problem'

Come across
For example:
Julie: Hi John, how are you?

John: Great! I just came across 40 in my winter coat!
Julie: Fantastic coffees on you!

Come across means find something you werent looking for.

Here are some more examples:

I came across some money in the street.
She came across some old photographs when she was cleaning the attic.
We came across the perfect present for Li while we were shopping.

Grammar:

Come across can't be separated. We can't say 'come it across' or 'come the money across'
Come across needs an object. We can't say I came across, instead we need 'I came across it / the money'

Get on with
For example:

Julie: I really need a new job! This one is so boring, and although I get on with my colleagues, I dont get on very well with my boss.

Get on with means have a friendly relationship with someone.

Here are some more examples:

I get on really well with my sisters.
She doesnt get on with her mother-in-law.
We get on very well, even though we dont see each other very often.

Grammar:

Get on with can't be separated. We can't say I get on Julie with or I get on her with.
We can put the word 'well' in the middle to make get on with stronger. We can say I get on with my brother or I get on well with my brother.
Get on with needs an object. We can't say I get on with. We need to say I get on with him / my brother'.
We can drop the 'with' when we have two people as the subject. So, we can say either: I get on well with my sister or my sister and I get on well.

Look after

Julie: Could you look after my suitcase for a second? I just need to buy a bottle of water.
Li: Sure, no problem.

Look after means be responsible for, take care of.
Here are some more examples

My mother looks after my cat when Im on holiday.
I look after my daughter in the mornings, and she goes to nursery school in the afternoons.
Would you look after this client, please John?

Grammar:
Look after can't be separated. We can't say look him after, instead we need look after him.
Look after needs an object. We can't say I'll look after, but instead we need I'll look after him / it / the umbrella.

Pick up

Julie: Hello? Is that Lucy?
Lucy: Hi Julie, where are you?
Julie: Im still on the train. We should arrive in about half an hour.
Lucy: No problem. Ill come and pick you up at the station.

Pick up means go somewhere to get someone or something, collect.
Here are some more examples:

Ill pick you up at 8pm at your house, and we can go to the party together.
David is picking up his friend at the airport he should be back soon.
My mother used to pick me up after school.

Grammar:

Pick up can be separated. We can say 'I'll pick John up or I'll pick up John or I'll pick him up but, (strangely) we can't say I'll pick up him.
Pick up needs an object. We cant say Ill pick up, instead we need Ill pick him up, or Ill pick up John.

Download your free phrasal verbs e-book with exercises for these verbs as well as more useful phrasal verbs. Go to: http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com