A Busy Day at Home: Learn English Phrasal Verbs for Home Chores Through Stories
Updated: Sep 24
Do you find English phrasal verbs tricky to remember? Don’t worry!
Today, we have a fun and easy story that will help you master phrasal verbs for home chores. Whether you’re cleaning up your room or inviting friends over, you’ll discover useful verbs like clean up, put away, wipe down, and more!
This short story is perfect for Pre-Intermediate and above learners, especially adult ESL students who want to boost their English skills in everyday situations.
📚 Related Post:
📌 Phrasal Verb Tip!
🧠 Many phrasal verbs are idiomatic, which means: You can’t always guess the meaning from the words. That’s why the best way to learn them is:
✔️ In real context
✔️ Through stories
✔️ With lots of practice
Are you ready to learn Phrasal Verbs while having fun?
Let’s dive into A Busy Day at Home!
📚English Phrasal Verbs for Home Chores With Story
It was a Saturday morning, and Emily decided it was time to clean up her apartment. She put away the dishes from the sink and wiped down the kitchen counters.
Then she picked up her clothes from the floor and hung them up in the wardrobe.
While vacuuming the living room, she accidentally knocked over a vase. “Oh no! I’ll need to clean it up,” she said. She swept up the broken pieces and threw them away.
After the cleaning, Emily felt tired, so she decided to lie down on the sofa for a short rest. Suddenly, her phone rang.
It was her friend Lisa. “Hey, I’m coming over!” Lisa said.
Emily quickly got up and put on her favourite outfit. She looked for her keys and found them under a cushion.
Just as Lisa arrived, Emily opened up the door with a smile.
They spent the afternoon hanging out, catching up on the latest news, and enjoying a clean and cosy home.
Want to learn more?
📌 Key Phrasal Verbs:
clean up | to make a place tidy |
put away | to put something in its proper place |
wipe down | to clean a surface |
pick up | to lift or collect things from a surface |
hang up | to place clothes on a hanger |
knock over | to accidentally hit something so it falls |
sweep up | to collect dirt or pieces with a broom |
throw away | to dispose of something |
lie down | to recline or rest |
get up | to rise from sitting or lying |
put on | to dress in clothes |
look for | to search for something |
open up | to open something |
hang out | to spend time relaxing |
catch up | to exchange news with someone |
Phrasal verbs are very common in everyday English — especially in speaking. They help you sound more natural and fluent.
Love the story?
🎥 Watch the video ⬇️ with voice narration for listening & pronunciation practice
📝 Comprehension Quiz (for video + worksheet)
1️⃣ What did Emily decide to do in the morning?
2️⃣ What did she knock over?
3️⃣ Where did she find her keys?
4️⃣ What did Emily and Lisa do in the afternoon?
🔑 Answers
1️⃣ Clean up her apartment.
2️⃣ A vase.
3️⃣ Under a cushion.
4️⃣ Hung out and caught up.
🗣️ Join the conversation!
Comment below ⬇️:
✏️ Which phrasal verb from today’s story is your favourite? 💬
💬 Discussion Topics: Home, Chores & Everyday Life
Use these questions after reading or listening to the story. Try to answer in complete sentences and use some of the phrasal verbs from the story.
🧹 1. Cleaning at Home
How often do you clean up your home?
Which household chores do you enjoy? Which do you dislike?
What do you usually put away after cooking?
How often do you wipe down your kitchen counters?
Do you usually clean a little every day or do you have a big cleaning day?
Useful language:
I usually… / I tend to… / I don't mind… / I can't stand…
👗 2. Clothes & Organisation
Do you usually pick up your clothes immediately if they are on the floor?
Where do you put away your clothes?
Do you hang up most of your clothes, or do you fold them?
What's one thing in your home that you always forget to put away?
Are you an organised person, or do you sometimes leave things lying around?
Challenge: Try to use pick up, put away, hang up in your answers.
☕ 3. Your Perfect Saturday
Imagine you have a completely free Saturday.
What would you do?
Would you:
clean up your home?
lie down and relax?
put on your favourite clothes?
hang out with friends?
catch up on TV shows or reading?
💬 Discuss:
My perfect Saturday would start with…................................................
✏️ Share your answers in the comments below ⬇️
🏠 4. Guests Are Coming!
Imagine your friend calls and says:
“I'm coming over in 30 minutes!” 😱
What would you do first?
What would you pick up?
What would you put away?
What would you wipe down?
Would you quickly put on something nicer?
Would you hide anything? 😄
Speaking challenge:
Tell your partner what you would do in the next 30 minutes.
🛋️ 5. Relaxing at Home
After a busy day, how do you like to relax?
Do you lie down and watch TV?
Do you read, listen to music or watch YouTube?
Do you prefer staying home or hanging out with friends?
Who do you enjoy catching up with?
What's your favourite cosy activity?
🔑 6. Where Is It?!
Emily couldn't find her keys.
Have you ever spent ages looking for something that was right in front of you?
Discuss:
What were you looking for?
Where did you eventually find it?
How did you feel?
What things do you often look for?
💬 Useful expressions:
“I couldn't find it anywhere!”
“I looked everywhere.”
“It was right under my nose!”
😂 7. The Most Annoying Household Accident
Emily knocked over a vase.
Have you ever accidentally:
knocked over a drink?
broken something?
spilled food?
dropped your phone?
made a mess while cleaning?
Tell your story!
Story starter:
“One day, I was cleaning/cooking when suddenly…”
Try to use knock over, clean up, sweep up or throw away.
👯 8. Chores With Friends or Family
Discuss how household chores are shared where you live.
Who usually does the cooking?
Who cleans the bathroom?
Who takes out the rubbish?
Who does the washing-up?
Do you think household chores should be shared equally?
What's one chore you wouldn't mind doing?
What's one chore you'd happily never do again?
🌿 9. A Clean & Cosy Home
At the end of the story, Emily and Lisa enjoy a clean and cosy home.
What makes a home feel cosy to you?
Choose 3:
☐ candles
☐ plants
☐ soft blankets
☐ flowers
☐ music
☐ books
☐ a clean kitchen
☐ nice lighting
☐ fresh sheets
☐ your favourite food
Then explain your choices.
For me, a cosy home is a place where…
🗣️ 10. Phrasal Verb Challenge
Tell a short story using at least 5 of these phrasal verbs:
clean up · put away · pick up · hang up · put on · look for · lie down ·
get up · hang out · catch up
⭐ Example situation:
“You've had a very busy day and finally get home.”
What happens next?
🌟 Optional Self-Study Reflection
Think about your own home.
What are 3 things you need to clean up, put away or pick up today?
Write 3 sentences using today's phrasal verbs.
I need to __________.
I should __________.
Before I go to bed, I'll __________.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions - English Phrasal Verbs for Home Chores
What are Phrasal verbs?
Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb + a particle such as up, away, down, or over. Together, they often have a meaning that is different from the main verb alone.
For example:
clean = make something free from dirt
clean up = make a place or area tidy
put = place something somewhere
put away = return something to its proper place
Phrasal verbs are very common in everyday English, so learning them can help you sound more natural in conversations.
What are some common English phrasal verbs for housework?
Here are some useful phrasal verbs for talking about cleaning and household chores:
clean up – make a place tidy
put away – return something to its proper place
wipe down – clean a surface
pick up – lift or collect something
hang up – place clothes on a hanger
sweep up – collect dirt or small pieces with a broom
throw away – put something in the rubbish
Example:
I need to clean up the kitchen and put away the dishes.
What is the difference between "clean" and "clean up"?
Clean means to remove dirt or make something clean.
I clean the bathroom every Saturday.
Clean up often means to make a place tidy or deal with a mess.
We had a party last night, so I need to clean up the living room.
Both are common, but clean up is especially useful when talking about making a messy place tidy.
Pick up means to lift or collect something.
Please pick up your clothes from the floor.
Put away means to return something to its proper place.
Please put away your clothes after you fold them.
You can use both in the same situation:
Pick up your clothes and put them away.
What is the difference between "pick up" and "put away"?
What does "wipe down" mean?
Wipe down means to clean a surface by wiping it, usually with a cloth or something similar.
I wiped down the kitchen counters after cooking.
You can wipe down tables, counters, shelves, windowsills and other surfaces.
What is the difference between "sweep up" and "clean up"?
Sweep up specifically means to use a broom to collect dirt, dust or small pieces from the floor.
She swept up the broken glass.
Clean up has a broader meaning and can include putting things away, wiping surfaces or removing a mess.
I need to clean up the kitchen.
What does "hang up" mean when talking about clothes?
When talking about clothes, hang up means to put clothes on a hanger.
I hung up my new dress in the wardrobe.
Notice the past tense:
hang → hung
She hangs up her coat every day.
She hung up her coat yesterday.
What does "hang out" mean?
Hang out means to spend time relaxing or socialising, usually in an informal way.
I like to hang out with my friends at the weekend.
It does not mean physically hanging something.
Compare:
Hang up your coat. 👗
Let's hang out this evening. ☕️
What does "catch up" mean?
Catch up can have several meanings, but when talking about friends, it means to spend time talking and finding out what has happened in each other's lives.
I met an old friend for coffee and we caught up.
You can also say:
It was lovely to catch up with Lisa.
This is a very useful phrasal verb for everyday conversations.
What is the difference between "lie down" and "lay down"?
This can be confusing!
Lie down = move your body into a horizontal position.
I'm tired. I'm going to lie down for a while.
Lay something down = put or place something somewhere.
She laid the book down on the table.
For everyday English, remember:
I lie down.
I lay something down.
Why are Phrasal verbs important for English learners?
Phrasal verbs are extremely common in everyday spoken English. Native speakers often use them in informal conversations instead of more formal one-word verbs.
For example:
Put away your clothes.
instead of:
Return your clothes to their proper place.
Learning common phrasal verbs in stories and real-life situations can make them easier to remember and use naturally.
How can I practise Phrasal verbs at home?
Try connecting each phrasal verb to something you actually do.
For example, while cleaning your home, say the actions aloud:
“I'm wiping down the table.”
“I'm putting away the dishes.”
“I need to pick up these clothes.
“Now I'll throw away this rubbish.”
You can also keep a small phrasal verb diary and write 3 sentences about your day using new expressions.
The more you use phrasal verbs in real-life situations, the easier they become to remember.
What is the difference between "clean" and "clean up"?
Clean means to remove dirt or make something clean.
I clean the bathroom every Saturday.
Clean up often means to make a place tidy or deal with a mess.
We had a party last night, so I need to clean up the living room.
Both are common, but clean up is especially useful when talking about making a messy place tidy.
What is the difference between "pick up" and "put away"?
Pick up means to lift or collect something.
Please pick up your clothes from the floor.
Put away means to return something to its proper place.
Please put away your clothes after you fold them.
You can use both in the same situation:
Pick up your clothes and put them away.
What does "wipe down" mean?
Wipe down means to clean a surface by wiping it, usually with a cloth or something similar.
I wiped down the kitchen counters after cooking.
You can wipe down tables, counters, shelves, windowsills and other surfaces.
What is the difference between "sweep up" and "clean up"?
Sweep up specifically means to use a broom to collect dirt, dust or small pieces from the floor.
She swept up the broken glass.
Clean up has a broader meaning and can include putting things away, wiping surfaces or removing a mess.
I need to clean up the kitchen.
What does "hang up" mean when talking about clothes?
When talking about clothes, hang up means to put clothes on a hanger.
I hung up my new dress in the wardrobe.
Notice the past tense:
hang → hung
She hangs up her coat every day.
She hung up her coat yesterday.
What does "hang out" mean?
Hang out means to spend time relaxing or socialising, usually in an informal way.
I like to hang out with my friends at the weekend.
It does not mean physically hanging something.
Compare:
Hang up your coat. 👗
Let's hang out this evening. ☕️
What does "catch up" mean?
Catch up can have several meanings, but when talking about friends, it means to spend time talking and finding out what has happened in each other's lives.
I met an old friend for coffee and we caught up.
You can also say:
It was lovely to catch up with Lisa.
This is a very useful phrasal verb for everyday conversations.
What is the difference between "lie down" and "lay down"?
This can be confusing!
Lie down = move your body into a horizontal position.
I'm tired. I'm going to lie down for a while.
Lay something down = put or place something somewhere.
She laid the book down on the table.
For everyday English, remember:
I lie down.
I lay something down.
Why are Phrasal verbs important for English learners?
Phrasal verbs are extremely common in everyday spoken English. Native speakers often use them in informal conversations instead of more formal one-word verbs.
For example:
Put away your clothes.
instead of:
Return your clothes to their proper place.
Learning common phrasal verbs in stories and real-life situations can make them easier to remember and use naturally.
How can I practise Phrasal verbs at home?
Try connecting each phrasal verb to something you actually do.
For example, while cleaning your home, say the actions aloud:
“I'm wiping down the table.”
“I'm putting away the dishes.”
“I need to pick up these clothes.”
“Now I'll throw away this rubbish.”
You can also keep a small phrasal verb diary and write 3 sentences about your day using new expressions.
The more you use phrasal verbs in real-life situations, the easier they become to remember.
🔗 Continue Learning
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