Below you will find two of the uses of the phrasal verb 'pay off' which you are likely to find used in the Cambridge Advanced exam.

In addition to the meaning/definition for each use, you will also find two examples of it being used with each meaning (to help you better understand its use and the context it is used in).

In order to remember these uses, make sure to make an example in your own words with the phrasal verb.

Use 1

To say that doing something (e.g. an activity, speaking to someone etc...) had or will have positive results.

"I've got some news. I passed all my exams!"
"Congratulations. I told you that all the hard work and studying would PAY OFF in the end."
"You were right. Thank you for making me aware of it."

Although I often hated doing it, learning English for the last 5 years has PAID OFF. I got that job which I had an interview for and they said it's because my level of English is very high.

Click here to watch a YouTube video on this meaning of the phrasal verb

Use 2

To pay back all the money you owe in a loan from a bank or person.

Most people have got a mortgage from a bank to buy a house. It normally takes 25 years to PAY OFF all the money that they borrowed.

"Are you still paying the money back for the loan you got to buy your car?"
"No, I PAID the loan OFF last year. So now I save all the money which I used to pay for the loan each month."


Return to the list of 50 commonly phrasal verbs in the CAE exam.