Learn English Phrasal Verbs:In the Gym
This pack is for talking about training, skipping a session, and the small admin around a gym: signing up, filling in a form, handing something in.
Not sure when the object goes in the middle? Read separable and inseparable phrasal verbs.
sign up for
join a class or course
She decided to sign up for yoga classes.
She decided to enrol in yoga classes.
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get out of
avoid
He tried to get out of his workout by pretending he was busy.
He tried to avoid his workout by pretending he was busy.
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get into
start doing
She wants to get into kickboxing after seeing her friend’s progress.
She wants to start doing kickboxing after seeing her friend’s progress.
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hear of
know that someone exists
Have you heard of this fitness guru before?
Did you know this fitness guru existed before?
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come across
find by chance
I came across a great deal on gym memberships online.
I found a great deal on gym memberships online by chance.
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work out
exercise
They work out every evening to stay fit.
They exercise every evening to stay fit.
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fill in
complete
Don’t forget to fill in the fitness questionnaire.
Don’t forget to complete the fitness questionnaire.
Fill in a form is British. Americans more often say fill out.
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put on
gain (weight)
He put on some weight during the holidays.
He gained some weight during the holidays.
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blow up
make bigger
Could you blow up the schedule poster for the gym wall?
Could you enlarge the schedule poster for the gym wall?
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pop in / pop into
visit briefly
She decided to pop into the gym to check out the new equipment.
She decided to visit the gym briefly to check out the new equipment.
Pop in stands alone: I will pop in later. Before a place, use into, written as one word: pop into the gym.
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hand in
submit work or a form
Remember to hand in your application form before the deadline.
Remember to submit your application form before the deadline.
Hand your essay in or hand it in. Never hand in it.
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All 11 in the gym phrasal verbs at a glance
Separable means the object can sit in the middle, and a pronoun has to. Inseparable means it never can. No object means the verb does not take one. Full explanation here.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| sign up for | join a class or course | Inseparable |
| get out of | avoid | Inseparable |
| get into | start doing | Inseparable |
| hear of | know that someone exists | Inseparable |
| come across | find by chance | Inseparable |
| work out | exercise | No object |
| fill in | complete | Separable |
| put on | gain (weight) | Separable |
| blow up | make bigger | Separable |
| pop in / pop into | visit briefly | Pattern varies, informal |
| hand in | submit work or a form | Separable |
About this set
Work out here means exercise, not solve a maths problem. That other meaning lives in the school and office sets.
A few verbs are about starting or avoiding a habit (get into, get out of), which is how people actually talk about fitness.
Usage notes
- work out. Intransitive for exercise: I work out three times a week. In other topics the same verb can mean solve or calculate.
- put on. Separable. Put on weight means gain weight. Put on a jumper is a different, more literal use.
- get out of. Here it means avoid doing something: get out of going to the gym. Stress and context separate it from leaving a building.
- sign up for. Inseparable as a three-word verb. Sign up for the class, not sign the class up for. To register someone else, the person goes after sign: sign your son up for the class.
Mistakes to avoid
Incorrect: I signed up the gym last week.
Correct: I signed up for the gym last week.
Sign up for needs the for before whatever you joined.
Incorrect: He has put on since Christmas.
Correct: He has put on weight since Christmas.
Put on in this sense needs an object, and the sentence is unfinished without it.
Incorrect: I am trying to get out from training tonight.
Correct: I am trying to get out of training tonight.
Get out of is the three-word verb for avoiding something.
Incorrect: Please fill in it before your first session.
Correct: Please fill it in before your first session.
Fill in is separable, so the pronoun goes in the middle.
Common questions
Does work out always mean exercise?
In this set, yes. Elsewhere work out can mean solve (a problem) or calculate (a cost). If there is no gym or training in the sentence, check the other meaning.
What does put on mean at the gym?
Here it is put on weight, meaning gain weight. It is separable: he put weight on / put it on. It is not the same as put on clothes from the shopping set.