Meaning trap
charge up
recharge a battery
to fill the battery of a phone or device with power
phrasal verbB1common
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
recharge a battery
to fill the battery of a phone or device with power
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- My phone's nearly dead, I need to charge it up.general
- Make sure you charge up the laptop before the trip.general
Fix the pattern
Pattern: charge + something + up / charge up
WrongMy phone's dead — I need to charge up it.
RightMy phone's dead — I need to charge it up.
With a pronoun, split the verb: 'charge it up'.
Patterncharge + something + up / charge up
Don't confuse it
'Charge up' is about refilling a battery; plain 'charge' can also mean to ask someone for money.