The 10 Phrasal Verbs
check in
To register at a hotel, airport, or event; to contact someone to confirm arrival or status.
"Guests are asked to check in at the front desk before 3 p.m."
check out
To leave a hotel formally; to look at or investigate something interesting; to pay and leave a shop.
"You need to check out before noon, or there will be an extra charge."
check up on
To monitor or investigate someone's progress, behavior, or health.
"The manager always checks up on new employees during the first month."
check off
To mark an item as done or complete on a list.
"She checked off each task as the team finished it."
check over
To examine or review something carefully to make sure it is correct or in good condition.
"Can you check this report over before I send it to the director?"
check in on
To visit or contact someone briefly to see how they are doing (with warmth or care).
"I like to check in on my elderly neighbor every few days."
check into
To investigate or look into something; to formally register at a named hotel or facility.
"We need to check into these complaints — they seem serious."
check out of
To formally leave and pay at a hotel or accommodation (always names the specific place).
"They checked out of the hotel at 7 a.m. to catch the early bus."
check through
To examine a set of items one by one; to send luggage all the way to a final destination.
"Security checked through all the bags before the event started."
check back
To return to verify, follow up, or get an update after some time has passed.
"We don't have the results yet — please check back tomorrow morning."
Common Mistake: check in vs check into
check in is intransitive — use it when no specific destination is named:
✓ "The guests checked in smoothly." (We know they registered — no need to name the hotel.)
check into is inseparable — it always needs a specific object (a place OR a topic to investigate):
✓ "They checked into the Arenal Hotel." (registered at that specific hotel)
✓ "She checked into the complaint." (investigated it)
✗ "They checked in the Arenal Hotel." → This sounds like they registered the hotel itself, not themselves!
Rule: name the hotel/place? → use check into. No name needed? → use check in.
Reading Passage
A Busy Night at Hotel Arenal
Rebeca had worked at Hotel Arenal Vista for four years, but Friday nights never got easier. A tour group of forty Canadians was arriving before dinner, and she had exactly three hours to make sure everything was ready.
She started by walking every floor and checking over each room — pillows, towels, air conditioning, welcome card. Everything had to be perfect. Back at the front desk, she checked off each completed room on her master list as the housekeeping team reported in.
At 6:15 p.m., the buses arrived and the group began to check in. It was organized chaos — but Rebeca stayed calm. Security quietly checked through all the bags in the lobby. Rebeca took a moment to check in on the VIP couple in Suite 12 — they had arrived early and she wanted to make sure they were comfortable.
Around 8 p.m., a guest approached the desk looking unhappy. He had found a broken lamp in his bathroom. Rebeca thanked him for telling her and promised to check into the matter immediately. She sent maintenance up within five minutes.
After dinner, a guest checked back with Rebeca about a wake-up call for 4 a.m. She noted it and double-confirmed. She also used a quiet moment to check out the new digital breakfast menu that would launch next week — she had to make sure there were no errors.
The next morning, the group checked out of the hotel quietly and efficiently. By 8 a.m., the lobby was empty. Rebeca sat down with a coffee and took a breath. Another Friday done. "Always check up on the details," her mentor used to say, "because the details are what guests remember."