Meaning trap
pick up
answer the phone
To answer a phone call.
phrasal verbB1core
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
answer the phone
To answer a phone call.
pick up (collect)
Another meaning of 'pick up' is 'collect'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- Sorry, I couldn't pick up because I was in a meeting.communication
- If I'm busy, I usually don't pick up unknown numbers.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: pick up (the phone)
WrongNobody picked up the phone to me.
RightNobody picked up. / Nobody answered the phone.
'Pick up' usually stands alone for calls — adding 'to me' is unnatural.
Patternpick up (the phone)
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Pick up' is the natural verb for answering a call; 'respond to a telephone call' is formal.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
pick up + phone/callthe phoneright awayafter two ringswhen I call
Don't confuse it
Not about collecting or learning, but about answering calls.
Related
- pick up (collect) — Another meaning of 'pick up' is 'collect'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.