The 10 Phrasal Verbs
carry on
To continue doing something, especially despite a difficulty.
"Despite the rain, they decided to carry on with the outdoor event."
carry out
To execute, perform, or complete a task, plan, or instruction.
"The technician carried out the inspection in under an hour."
carry over
To transfer something (a balance, habit, or item) from one period or context to the next.
"Any unused vacation days will be carried over to the next year."
get carried away
To do something to excess; to lose control of your emotions or enthusiasm.
"I got a little carried away decorating — there are now forty plants in the living room."
carry off
To succeed in doing something difficult or impressive; to win a prize or award.
"She carried off the regional baking competition in her very first year."
carry through
To complete a task or plan despite difficulties; to help someone get through a tough time.
"Her determination carried her through the most difficult months."
carry back
To transport something to a previous location; (figurative) to evoke a strong memory of the past.
"The smell of freshly baked bread always carries her back to her grandmother's kitchen."
carry forward
To transfer something to the next stage or period; to continue developing an idea or legacy.
"She carried forward her grandmother's name and values into the next generation."
carry around
To have or transport something with you at all times.
"He carries around a small notebook to write down ideas wherever he goes."
carry weight
To be influential, important, or credible — to have authority or significance.
"Her opinion carries a lot of weight on the committee — everyone listens."
Common Mistake: carry on vs carry out
carry on = continue (intransitive, no object required):
✓ "Carry on!" = Keep going! Continue!
✓ "She carried on despite the setbacks." = She continued.
carry out = execute or perform a specific task (transitive, always needs an object):
✓ "She carried out the plan." = She executed it.
✓ "Carry out the inspection." = Perform/complete the inspection.
✗ "She carried on the plan." → WRONG. Plans are carried out, not carried on.
✗ "Carry out!" → Cannot stand alone as a command. Use "carry on" to encourage someone to continue.
Reading Passage
The Bakery of Doña Marta
Lucía had always carried around her grandmother's recipe book. It lived in the bottom of her bag — worn, flour-dusted, and irreplaceable. Doña Marta had run the family bakery in Guácimo, Limón Province, for over forty years, and when she passed away, Lucía faced a choice: sell the property, or keep the dream alive.
She chose to carry on the bakery. It wasn't easy. The oven needed repairs, the suppliers had changed, and some customers doubted a young woman could manage it alone. But Lucía carried out every recipe exactly as Doña Marta had written it — not a pinch of salt more, not a minute less in the oven.
Some mornings, the smell of cinnamon bread would carry her back to childhood — to those early Saturdays when Doña Marta would wake her at 5 a.m. to help shape the rolls. Those memories kept her going. She was careful not to get carried away with expansion ideas — a second location, a catering business, a national brand. There would be time for that later. For now, she focused on quality.
The old recipes carried over beautifully into the new specialty menu she created for local hotels. Lucía carried forward the family name — "Panadería Marta" — and added her own modern touches without losing the original soul.
In her second year, she entered a regional baking competition in San José. Nobody from Limón Province had ever won. Lucía carried off first place with Doña Marta's cassava bread. Back in Guácimo, the whole town celebrated.
Today, Lucía's reputation carries weight throughout the province. Other bakery owners ask her advice. Young bakers visit to learn. And it was the love for one woman's recipes that carried Lucía through every hard moment — and every beautiful one.