Phrasal verbs with carry: Common meanings, example sentences and how to use them correctly

A phrasal verb with carry combines carry with a particle such as on, out, off or over, and the phrase usually means something other than physically holding and moving an object. Carry on means to continue, carry out means to perform or complete a task, and get carried away describes becoming too excited. Because the particle changes the meaning, learners need to study each phrase with an example, and they should keep carry on and carry out separate, because they are often confused.

This article explains the common phrasal verbs with carry, their meanings and example sentences, the word order rules for objects, the difference between similar verbs such as carry over and carry forward, and typical mistakes, followed by exercises with answers.

What phrasal verbs with carry are and how the particle changes the meaning

The basic meaning of carry when it is used on its own

On its own, carry means to hold something and take it from one place to another (She carried the box upstairs). It can also mean to have something with you (I usually carry a pen) or to transmit something (Mosquitoes carry diseases).

How a phrasal verb with carry is formed

A phrasal verb with carry is made of carry plus a particle, and the particle changes the meaning.

Examples: carry + on = continue. carry + out = perform or complete. carry + off = succeed in something difficult.

The forms of carry: Carried as the past tense and participle

Carry is a regular verb whose spelling changes in the past: carry, carried, carried. Use carries for the third person singular present and carrying for the -ing form.

Examples: She carries a bag. They carried out the plan. The plan was carried out. Do not write “carryed.”

Common phrasal verbs with carry: A quick reference table

Carry on: Continuing and behaving noisily

Carry on meaning to continue doing something

Carry on is a very frequent phrasal verb with carry. It can be followed by with and a noun, or by a verb in the -ing form.

Examples: Please carry on with your work. She carried on talking even though nobody listened. Carry on, please.

Carry on meaning to behave in an excited or noisy way

In informal British English, carry on can describe behavior that is loud or excessive: Stop carrying on and sit down.

Carry-on as a noun for hand luggage on a plane

The noun carry-on is written with a hyphen. It describes a small bag that a passenger can take into the cabin of a plane: Her carry-on fits under the seat. The verb phrase carry on has no hyphen.

Carry out: Performing, completing and obeying

Carry out meaning to perform or complete a task

Carry out is a common phrasal verb in school, work and science, and it is used with nouns such as experiment, survey, test, plan, repair and investigation.

Examples: The team carried out a survey of two thousand people. The repairs will be carried out next week.

Carry out meaning to obey or fulfil

Examples: The soldiers carried out the orders. He carried out his promise.

Carry on compared with carry out

Do not use carry on with experiment, survey or test when you mean to perform it. Use carry out instead.

Carry off: Succeeding in difficult tasks and winning prizes

Carry off meaning to succeed in something difficult

Carry off means to succeed in doing something that is difficult or risky, often involving style or confidence.

Examples: It was a challenging speech, but she carried it off well. He can carry off a bright jacket.

Carry off meaning to win a prize or an award

Example: The film carried off three awards at the festival.

Carry over and carry forward: Transferring things to a later time

Carry over: Transferring or continuing something later

Carry over means to transfer something to a later period, or to continue something from one situation into another.

Examples: Employees can carry over a few unused vacation days. Her habit of working late carried over into her new job.

Carry forward: Moving an amount to the next period

Carry forward is common in accounting and business. It means to transfer an amount to the next period or stage.

Examples: The company carried forward a loss from last year. The plan was carried forward into the next quarter.

Carry over compared with carry forward

The two phrases have similar meanings, and in many situations they can be exchanged. Carry forward is more typical of financial and formal contexts, while carry over is often used for holidays, habits and everyday situations.

Carry through, carry away and carry around: Other useful verbs

Carry through: Completing a task or helping someone survive

Carry through means to complete something that you started, or to help someone survive a difficult time.

Examples: She carried the reform through despite strong opposition. His courage carried him through the crisis.

Carry away and get carried away

In its physical meaning, carry away means to take something to another place: The flood carried away several bridges. The passive expression get carried away describes becoming so excited that you lose control.

Examples: I got carried away and bought five pairs of shoes. Don’t get carried away by the first results.

Carry around: Having something with you regularly

Carry around means to have something with you regularly.

Examples: He carries a notebook around. She carries her phone around all day.

Literal combinations with carry and a direction word

Some combinations are simply carry plus an adverb of direction, and the meaning is clear from the words themselves.

Examples: Please carry the boxes up the stairs. They carried the table in. He carried the bags down to the car.

These combinations are not figurative phrasal verbs, but they follow the same word order as phrasal verbs, so it is useful to practice them.

Separable and inseparable phrasal verb with carry: Where the object goes

The pronoun rule for separable verbs

When the object is a pronoun such as it, them or her, it must go between carry and the particle.

Examples: We carried it out. (not “We carried out it.”) They carried them over. She carried it off.

Common mistakes with phrasal verb with carry and how to fix them

• Using carry on instead of carry out. Writing They carried on an experiment instead of They carried out an experiment.
• Putting a pronoun after the particle. Writing Please carry out it carefully instead of Please carry it out carefully.
• Forgetting the passive in get carried away. Writing I got carry away instead of I got carried away.
• Using the wrong structure after carry on. Writing She carried on to work when you mean She carried on working.
• Using the wrong past form. Writing carryed instead of carried.
• Mixing up carry over and carry on. Writing We can carry on unused days to next year instead of We can carry over unused days to next year.

Exercises with phrasal verb with carry and answers

Exercise 1: Complete each sentence with the correct phrasal verb with carry

Use: carry on, carry out, carry off, carry over, carry forward, get carried away, carry around. Change the form where necessary.

1. The scientists ______ a series of tests last month.
2. Please ______ with your work while I answer the phone.
3. You can ______ up to five unused holiday days to next year.
4. I was so excited that I ______ and bought far too much.
5. The company will ______ this year’s loss to the next accounting period.
6. She managed to ______ the difficult role with great confidence.
7. Many people ______ a small bottle of water.

Sample answers: 1. carried out – 2. carry on – 3. carry over – 4. got carried away – 5. carry forward – 6. carry off – 7. carry around

Exercise 2: Choose the meaning of each underlined phrasal verb

1. He carried out the instructions. (did what was asked / ignored them)
2. Carry on, please. (continue / stop)
3. The play was carried off brilliantly. (succeeded / was cancelled)

Sample answers: 1. did what was asked – 2. continue – 3. succeeded

Exercise 3: Find and correct the error in each sentence

1. They carried on an experiment yesterday. → correct to They carried out an experiment yesterday.
2. Please carry out it carefully. → correct to Please carry it out carefully.
3. I got carry away. → correct to I got carried away.
4. She carried on to work after the break. → correct to She carried on working after the break.
5. The old habits carryed over. → correct to The old habits carried over.

Tips for learning phrasal verb with carry

• Learn carry on and carry out as a contrast pair. Write one example for continuing and one for performing.
• Learn the passive forms. Practice The tests were carried out and I got carried away.
• Group verbs by idea. Put carry over and carry forward together as verbs about transferring something.
• Check the spelling. Remember carry, carried, carried and the noun carry-on.
• Write your own examples. A sentence from your own life is easier to remember than a definition.

A phrasal verb with carry can describe continuing, performing a task, succeeding in something difficult, transferring something to a later time, completing a project and becoming too excited. The particle decides the meaning, so learn each phrase with an example and keep carry on and carry out apart. Place pronouns between carry and the particle for separable verbs, and remember the spelling carried.

See also: Phrasal verb with keep: Common meanings, example sentences and how to use them correctly

Frequently asked questions about phrasal verb with carry

What is the difference between carry on and carry out?

Carry on means to continue, as in “Carry on with your work.” Carry out means to perform or complete something, as in “They carried out an experiment.”

What does get carried away mean?

Get carried away means to become so excited or enthusiastic that you lose control or go too far, as in “I got carried away and spent too much money.”

What is the difference between carry over and carry forward?

Both mean to transfer something to a later time. Carry forward is common in accounting and formal contexts, such as carrying a loss to the next year, while carry over is often used for holidays, habits and everyday situations.

Keyword:

• phrasal verb with carry