Particle guide
Phrasal verbs with up
The particle up starts from one core idea — upward motion. Sink In groups its verbs by the recurring ways that idea plays out, so verbs that look unrelated line up into patterns.
163 phrasal verbs · 23 meaning groups
Take the up quizUpward
A person or thing moves from a lower place or position to a higher one.
Usual verb + particle uses
The verb keeps its normal meaning. The particle adds its usual direction or relation.
climb up
Ascend by gripping or stepping
“He climbed up the ladder to fix the roof.”
“They climbed up the hill path.”
jump up
Spring upward into the air
“The child jumped up to catch the ball.”
“The cat jumped up onto the chair.”
lift up
Raise something with force
“Lift up your suitcase onto the rack.”
“Lift up the corner of the rug.”
sit up
Move to a seated upright position
“Maya sat up in bed when morning light reached the room.”
“The child sat up on the mat.”
Increase
More of something is higher. Quantity, intensity and speed all rise.
Trouble
Something normal is disturbed. Feelings, systems, machines, or behavior become noisy, troubled, or out of control.
Resistance
Someone does not accept pressure, unfair treatment, or authority. They speak or act against it.
Making Better
Something is made neater, better-looking, more impressive, or more appealing.
Getting Ready
People or conditions get ready before the main action begins.
Support
A person or thing receives help so they do not fall, fail, or lose something important. It can also mean accepting a burden.
Finishing
Filling to the top. Reaching the upper limit means finishing.
Appearance
A person, thing, signal, idea, or truth becomes present, visible, active, or known.
Attention
A person becomes alert and gives full attention to something.
Realization
A person starts to understand an important or unpleasant truth. Someone else may cause this change.
Threat and Harm
A person is threatened, attacked, or forced by violence.
Sink In — iOS & Android
Practice the up patterns in Sink In
The app turns each meaning group into short review cards: recognition, particle cloze, meaning-to-particle recall, and schema matching.
- Learn the pattern behind dozens of verbs at once — not one-off translations.
- Spaced repetition (SM-2) brings each meaning back right before you forget.
- Four practice modes train recall and discrimination, not just recognition.
