Below you will find two examples and then the meaning of the phrasal verb 'mess up' which you are likely to find used in the Cambridge Advanced exam.
In order to remember this use, make sure to make an example in your own words with the phrasal verb.
Examples
I know that I have really MESSED UP, but please don't leave me! I promise I will never do that again.
He really MESSED UP in the exam when he didn't write all his answers on the answer sheet before the exam finished. He has definitely failed the exam.
Meaning
To either make a mistake or not do something you should have which then causes big problems.
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Return to the list of 50 commonly phrasal verbs in the CAE exam.