What Are Phrasal Verbs

Mastering Phrasal Verbs: A Comprehensive Guide

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Phrasal verbs are a crucial element of the English language, often causing confusion for learners due to their idiomatic nature and multiple meanings. Understanding phrasal verbs is essential for achieving fluency and comprehending everyday conversations, reading materials, and even formal writing.

This comprehensive guide aims to demystify phrasal verbs, providing clear definitions, examples, usage rules, and practice exercises. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, this article will help you master phrasal verbs and enhance your overall English proficiency.

Table of Contents

Defining Phrasal Verbs

A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and one or two particles (prepositions or adverbs) that together create a new meaning. This meaning is often different from the original verb’s meaning when used alone. Phrasal verbs are very common in spoken and informal English, making them essential for understanding native speakers and everyday conversations.

Components of a Phrasal Verb

The core components of a phrasal verb are the verb and the particle(s). The verb is the action word, while the particle modifies the verb, creating a new meaning. Particles can be prepositions (e.g., on, in, at) or adverbs (e.g., up, down, away). Some phrasal verbs include both a particle and a preposition.

Function of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs function as single verbs within a sentence. They can be transitive (taking a direct object) or intransitive (not taking a direct object).

The presence and placement of the object can significantly affect the sentence structure, especially with separable phrasal verbs.

Contexts for Phrasal Verb Use

Phrasal verbs are most commonly used in informal contexts such as conversations, emails to friends, and informal writing. While they can be used in more formal settings, it’s essential to be aware of the tone and audience.

In formal writing, a single-word verb might be preferred over a phrasal verb for clarity and precision. Understanding the context helps determine the appropriate use of phrasal verbs.

Structural Breakdown

Phrasal verbs can be categorized based on their structure and the types of particles they contain. Understanding these structures helps in recognizing and using phrasal verbs correctly.

Verb + Particle

This is the most common structure, consisting of a verb followed by a particle (adverb). The particle modifies the verb’s meaning, creating a new, distinct meaning. Examples include give up, look up, and turn on.

Verb + Preposition

In this structure, a verb is followed by a preposition. The preposition often indicates direction, location, or relationship. Examples include look at, listen to, and depend on. These are often called prepositional verbs.

Verb + Adverb

This structure is similar to Verb + Particle, where the particle is an adverb. Examples include move on, get away, and back down.

Verb + Particle + Preposition

Some phrasal verbs include both a particle and a preposition, creating a more complex structure. Examples include look forward to, put up with, and get away with.

Transitivity of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs can be either transitive or intransitive. Transitive phrasal verbs require a direct object, while intransitive phrasal verbs do not. The transitivity of a phrasal verb affects how it is used in a sentence.

Separability of Phrasal Verbs

Some transitive phrasal verbs are separable, meaning the object can be placed between the verb and the particle. Others are inseparable, requiring the object to follow the particle.

Pronouns must always be placed between the verb and the particle in separable phrasal verbs.

Separability Rules

The separability of a phrasal verb can greatly affect the structure of a sentence. Separable phrasal verbs allow the object to be placed between the verb and the particle, while inseparable phrasal verbs require the object to follow the particle.

Here’s a breakdown:

  • Separable: The object can go between the verb and the particle, or after the particle.
  • Inseparable: The object must go after the particle.

When the object is a pronoun, it *must* go between the verb and the particle in separable phrasal verbs.

Separability Examples

The following table provides examples of separable and inseparable phrasal verbs, illustrating how the object can be placed differently based on the verb’s separability.

Phrasal Verb Separability Example with Noun Object Example with Pronoun Object
Pick up Separable I picked the book up. / I picked up the book. I picked it up.
Look after Inseparable I look after the children. I look after them.
Turn on Separable She turned the light on. / She turned on the light. She turned it on.
Run into Inseparable I ran into an old friend. I ran into him.
Throw away Separable He threw the trash away. / He threw away the trash. He threw it away.
Get along with Inseparable I get along with my neighbors. I get along with them.
Call off Separable They called the meeting off. / They called off the meeting. They called it off.
Look up to Inseparable She looks up to her mother. She looks up to her.

Types and Categories of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs can be classified into different categories based on their transitivity and separability. Understanding these categories helps in using them correctly.

Intransitive Phrasal Verbs

Intransitive phrasal verbs do not take a direct object. They describe actions or states that do not act upon anything. Examples include break down, show up, and give in.

Transitive Separable Phrasal Verbs

Transitive separable phrasal verbs take a direct object, and the object can be placed between the verb and the particle or after the particle. Examples include turn on, pick up, and look up (information).

Transitive Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Transitive inseparable phrasal verbs take a direct object, but the object must follow the particle. Examples include look after, run into, and take after.

Prepositional Verbs

Prepositional verbs are a type of phrasal verb where the particle is a preposition. The object always follows the preposition. Examples include listen to, depend on, and agree with.

Idiomatic Phrasal Verbs

Idiomatic phrasal verbs have meanings that are not easily deduced from the individual words. These meanings are figurative and require memorization. Examples include kick the bucket (to die), hit the books (to study), and break a leg (good luck).

Examples of Phrasal Verbs

The best way to learn phrasal verbs is through examples. Here are several tables of phrasal verbs categorized by their type and meaning.

Common Phrasal Verbs

This table provides a list of common phrasal verbs with their meanings and example sentences. These verbs are frequently used in everyday conversations and writing.

Phrasal Verb Meaning Example Sentence
Get up To rise from bed I get up at 7 AM every morning.
Look for To search for I’m looking for my keys.
Take off To depart (airplane) The plane will take off in 15 minutes.
Turn on To activate Please turn on the light.
Turn off To deactivate Don’t forget to turn off the stove.
Give up To quit Don’t give up on your dreams.
Find out To discover I need to find out what time the meeting starts.
Come on Hurry up Come on, we’re going to be late!
Go on Continue Please go on with your story.
Look after Take care of Can you look after my cat while I’m away?
Run out of Have no more of We’ve run out of milk.
Put off Postpone We had to put off the meeting until next week.
Bring up Raise a topic Don’t bring up politics at the dinner table.
Fall apart Disintegrate My old shoes are falling apart.
Get along Have a good relationship I get along well with my colleagues.
Grow up Become an adult I grew up in a small town.
Hold on Wait Hold on a second, I’ll be right back.
Pass away Die My grandfather passed away last year.
Set up Arrange We need to set up a meeting for next week.
Show up Arrive He didn’t show up to the party.
Take after Resemble She takes after her mother in personality.
Try out Test I’m going to try out the new restaurant tonight.
Work out Exercise I work out at the gym three times a week.
Call off Cancel They called off the game because of the rain.
Look forward to Anticipate with pleasure I’m looking forward to my vacation.
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Separable Phrasal Verbs

This table illustrates separable phrasal verbs, showing how the object can be placed between the verb and the particle. Pay attention to how pronoun objects affect the sentence structure.

Phrasal Verb Meaning Example with Noun Object Example with Pronoun Object
Pick up To collect I picked the book up. / I picked up the book. I picked it up.
Turn on To activate She turned the light on. / She turned on the light. She turned it on.
Turn off To deactivate He turned the computer off. / He turned off the computer. He turned it off.
Throw away To discard He threw the trash away. / He threw away the trash. He threw it away.
Look up To search for (information) I looked the word up. / I looked up the word. I looked it up.
Fill out To complete a form Please fill the form out. / Please fill out the form. Please fill it out.
Take out To remove She took the garbage out. / She took out the garbage. She took it out.
Put on To wear He put his coat on. / He put on his coat. He put it on.
Take off To remove (clothing) She took her shoes off. / She took off her shoes. She took them off.
Call off To cancel They called the meeting off. / They called off the meeting. They called it off.
Cross out To delete by drawing a line Cross the mistake out. / Cross out the mistake. Cross it out.
Figure out To understand I need to figure the problem out. / I need to figure out the problem. I need to figure it out.
Hand in To submit Hand your homework in. / Hand in your homework. Hand it in.
Leave out To omit Leave the details out. / Leave out the details. Leave it out.
Look over To examine Look the document over. / Look over the document. Look it over.
Point out To indicate Point the error out. / Point out the error. Point it out.
Put away To store Put the toys away. / Put away the toys. Put them away.
Set up To arrange Set the equipment up. / Set up the equipment. Set it up.
Sort out To resolve Sort the issue out. / Sort out the issue. Sort it out.
Tear up To rip Tear the paper up. / Tear up the paper. Tear it up.

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

This table provides examples of inseparable phrasal verbs, where the object must always follow the particle. These are often prepositional verbs.

Phrasal Verb Meaning Example Sentence
Look after To take care of I look after my younger sister.
Run into To meet unexpectedly I ran into an old friend at the store.
Depend on To rely on I depend on my parents for support.
Get along with To have a good relationship with I get along with my neighbors.
Look up to To admire I look up to my grandmother.
Come across To find unexpectedly I came across some old photos in the attic.
Deal with To handle I have to deal with a difficult customer.
Get over To recover from It took me a while to get over the flu.
Go through To experience She went through a lot of hardship.
Listen to To pay attention to I like to listen to music while I work.
Put up with To tolerate I can’t put up with his rude behavior.
Take after To resemble She takes after her father.
Agree with To have the same opinion I agree with your point of view.
Believe in To have faith in I believe in the power of positive thinking.
Care for To look after The nurse cares for the patients.
Get into To become interested in I’m getting into photography.
Hold onto To keep Hold onto your hat, it’s windy outside.
Look forward to To anticipate with pleasure I’m looking forward to the weekend.
Result in To cause His actions resulted in serious consequences.
Succeed in To achieve She succeeded in her career goals.

Idiomatic Phrasal Verbs

This table provides examples of idiomatic phrasal verbs, whose meanings are figurative and not easily understood from the individual words. These require memorization and understanding of context.

Phrasal Verb Meaning Example Sentence
Kick the bucket To die He kicked the bucket after a long illness.
Hit the books To study I need to hit the books for my exam.
Break a leg Good luck Break a leg with your performance!
Pull someone’s leg To joke with someone I was just pulling your leg!
See eye to eye To agree We don’t always see eye to eye on everything.
Call it a day To stop working Let’s call it a day and go home.
Get something off your chest To confess something I need to get something off my chest.
Miss the boat To miss an opportunity If you don’t apply now, you’ll miss the boat.
Once in a blue moon Rarely I only go to the cinema once in a blue moon.
A piece of cake Easy The test was a piece of cake.
Barking up the wrong tree Looking in the wrong place If you think I’m the one who did it, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
Bite the bullet To face a difficult situation I decided to bite the bullet and accept the job offer.
Cost an arm and a leg Very expensive That car costs an arm and a leg.
Cut corners To do something poorly to save money The company is cutting corners to reduce costs.
Get out of hand To become unmanageable The party got out of hand.
Let the cat out of the bag To reveal a secret He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
On the ball Alert and competent She’s really on the ball.
See the light To understand something I finally saw the light and understood the concept.
Spill the beans To reveal a secret Don’t spill the beans about the surprise party.
Under the weather Not feeling well I’m feeling a bit under the weather today.
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Usage Rules for Phrasal Verbs

Using phrasal verbs correctly requires understanding specific rules regarding word order, pronoun placement, tense usage, and the level of formality.

Word Order

The word order in a sentence with a phrasal verb depends on whether the verb is separable or inseparable. For separable verbs, the object can go between the verb and the particle or after the particle.

For inseparable verbs, the object must follow the particle.

Pronoun Placement

When the object of a separable phrasal verb is a pronoun, the pronoun *must* be placed between the verb and the particle. This is a strict rule and not following it will result in an incorrect sentence.

Tenses and Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs can be used in all tenses. The verb component of the phrasal verb is conjugated to match the tense. For example, “I look for my keys” (present simple), “I looked for my keys” (past simple), and “I am looking for my keys” (present continuous).

Formal vs. Informal Usage

Phrasal verbs are more common in informal English. In formal writing or speech, it’s often better to use a single-word verb with a similar meaning.

For example, instead of “put off” (informal), use “postpone” (formal).

Formal vs. Informal Examples

The following table shows how phrasal verbs can be replaced with more formal alternatives in writing and speech.

Informal (Phrasal Verb) Formal (Single-Word Verb) Example Sentence (Informal) Example Sentence (Formal)
Put off Postpone We had to put off the meeting. We had to postpone the meeting.
Find out Discover I need to find out the truth. I need to discover the truth.
Look into Investigate The police will look into the matter. The police will investigate the matter.
Go on Continue Please go on with your presentation. Please continue with your presentation.
Bring up Mention Don’t bring up that topic. Do not mention that topic.
Get rid of Eliminate We need to get rid of the old furniture. We need to eliminate the old furniture.
Set up Establish They set up a new company. They established a new company.
Turn down Reject He turned down the offer. He rejected the offer.
Take over Assume control of The new CEO will take over the company. The new CEO will assume control of the company.
Give up Relinquish I decided to give up smoking. I decided to relinquish smoking.

Common Mistakes with Phrasal Verbs

One of the most common mistakes is incorrect word order, especially with separable phrasal verbs. Another common mistake is using the wrong preposition or particle, which can completely change the meaning of the verb.

Additionally, using phrasal verbs in formal contexts when a single-word verb would be more appropriate is a common error.

Here are some common errors with corrections:

Incorrect Correct Explanation
I picked up it. I picked it up. Pronouns must go between the verb and the particle in separable phrasal verbs.
I look after to my sister. I look after my sister. “Look after” is an inseparable phrasal verb.
She depended of her parents. She depended on her parents. The correct preposition is “on,” not “of.”
We must put off the meeting, because it is too informal. We must postpone the meeting. “Put off” is too informal for this sentence.
They called off of the game. They called off the game. The phrasal verb is “call off,” not “call off of.”
I am agree with you. I agree with you. The phrasal verb is “agree with,” and it doesn’t require the auxiliary verb “am” in this context.
He takes after to his father. He takes after his father. “Take after” is an inseparable phrasal verb and doesn’t require “to.”
She looks forward to the vacation hardly. She is really looking forward to the vacation. Using “hardly” changes the meaning, and using present continuous emphasizes anticipation.
I ran into with my friend. I ran into my friend. “Run into” is an inseparable phrasal verb and doesn’t require “with.”
They fill out it. They fill it out. When the object is a pronoun, it must be placed between the verb and the particle.

Practice Exercises

Test your understanding of phrasal verbs with these practice exercises. Each exercise focuses on different aspects of phrasal verb usage.

Exercise 1: Separable vs. Inseparable

Choose the correct word order in the following sentences.

Question Option A Option B Answer
1. Can you _____ the music _____? (turn) Turn on Turn it on B
2. I need to _____ my keys. (find) find out find them out A
3. She _____ her coat _____ because it was cold. (put) put on put it on B
4. We need to _____ the meeting. (call) call off call it off A
5. I _____ my friend at the store. (run) ran into ran him into A
6. He _____ the trash _____. (throw) threw away threw it away B
7. They _____ the problem _____. (sort) sorted out sorted it out B
8. She _____ her mother. (take)

 takes after takes her after A
9. I _____ my homework _____. (hand) handed in handed it in B
10. He _____ the offer _____. (turn) turned down turned it down B

Exercise 2: Meaning and Usage

Choose the correct phrasal verb to complete the following sentences.

  1. I need to _____ early tomorrow morning. (get up, get over, get along)
  2. She is _____ her illness. (getting up, getting over, getting along)
  3. Do you _____ with your colleagues? (get up, get over, get along)
  4. I _____ to seeing you next week. (look after, look up, look forward)
  5. Can you _____ my cat while I’m away? (look after, look up, look forward)
  6. I need to _____ the meaning of this word. (look after, look up, look forward)
  7. We have _____ milk. (run into, run out of, run over)
  8. I _____ an old friend at the store. (run into, run out of, run over)
  9. Please _____ the lights when you leave. (turn on, turn off, turn into)
  10. The caterpillar will _____ a butterfly. (turn on, turn off, turn into)

Answers:

  1. Get up
  2. Getting over
  3. Get along
  4. Look forward
  5. Look after
  6. Look up
  7. Run out of
  8. Ran into
  9. Turn off
  10. Turn into

Exercise 3: Correct the Mistakes

Identify and correct the mistakes in the following sentences.

  1. I picked up it from the floor.
  2. She looks after to her children.
  3. They depended of their parents for support.
  4. We must put off the meeting, because it is too informal.
  5. He takes after to his father in appearance.

Corrected Sentences:

  1. I picked it up from the floor.
  2. She looks after her children.
  3. They depended on their parents for support.
  4. We must postpone the meeting.
  5. He takes after his father in appearance.

Advanced Topics

For advanced learners, understanding the nuances of phrasal verbs can further enhance their English proficiency. This includes recognizing multiple meanings, regional variations, and subtle connotations.

Multiple Meanings

Many phrasal verbs have multiple meanings, depending on the context. Understanding these different meanings is crucial for accurate comprehension.

For example, “run into” can mean “meet unexpectedly” or “collide with.”

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Run into (meet unexpectedly): I ran into an old friend at the grocery store.

Run into (collide with): The car ran into a tree.

The table below shows some common phrasal verbs with multiple meanings and example sentences to illustrate each meaning.

Phrasal Verb Meaning 1 Example Sentence 1 Meaning 2 Example Sentence 2
Run into Meet unexpectedly I ran into my former teacher at the library. Collide with The cyclist ran into a parked car.
Put off Postpone We had to put off the meeting until next week. Discourage or Repel His rude behavior put me off.
Take off Depart (airplane) The plane will take off in 15 minutes. Remove (clothing) She took off her coat when she came inside.
Get over Recover from (illness) It took me a week to get over the flu. Overcome (a problem or difficulty) I finally got over my fear of public speaking.
Look after Take care of Can you look after my cat while I’m away? Consider something for the future I’m looking after my investments carefully.
Come across Find unexpectedly I came across some old photos in the attic. Appear or give an impression He came across as very sincere in his interview.
Go through Experience She went through a lot of hardship. Examine or search I need to go through these documents carefully.
Break down Stop functioning The car broke down on the highway. Become emotionally upset She broke down in tears when she heard the news.
Turn up Increase the volume or intensity Can you turn up the music? Arrive or appear He didn’t turn up to the meeting.
Fall out Have an argument They fell out over a minor disagreement. Drop out or come loose My tooth fell out when I was a child.

Regional Variations

Some phrasal verbs are more common in certain regions or dialects of English. Being aware of these regional variations can help avoid confusion and improve communication.

For example, a phrasal verb commonly used in British English might be less familiar to speakers of American English.

The table below shows some phrasal verbs that have noticeable regional variations in usage between British English and American English.

Phrasal Verb (British English) Phrasal Verb (American English) Meaning Example Sentence (British English) Example Sentence (American English)
Ring up Call To telephone I’ll ring you up later. I’ll call you later.
Queue up Line up To stand in a line We had to queue up for hours. We had to line up for hours.
Fill in Fill out To complete a form Please fill in this form. Please fill out this form.
Knock up Get pregnant She got knocked up by her boyfriend. She got pregnant by her boyfriend.
Own up Confess You need to own up to your mistake. You need to confess to your mistake.
Take away Take out Food purchased at a restaurant to eat elsewhere Let’s get some take away tonight. Let’s get some take out tonight.
Wind up End up To arrive somewhere unexpectedly We wound up at a party. We ended up at a party.
Cheer up Perk up To become happier, or to make someone happier Cheer up, things will get better. Perk up, things will get better.
Get round to Get around to To finally do something, after delaying it I’ll get round to fixing the car next week. I’ll get around to fixing the car next week.
Meet up Get together To meet someone in order to do something together We should meet up for coffee. We should get together for coffee.

Nuance and Connotation

Phrasal verbs can carry subtle nuances and connotations that affect the overall tone and meaning of a sentence. Understanding these nuances requires a deep understanding of the English language and cultural context.

For example, “pass away” is a more polite way of saying “die.”

The table below shows some phrasal verbs with subtle differences in nuance and connotation, along with example sentences to illustrate each verb’s specific tone.

Phrasal Verb Meaning Nuance/Connotation Example Sentence
Pass away To die More polite and gentle than “die” My grandfather passed away peacefully in his sleep.
Kick the bucket To die Informal and often humorous He finally kicked the bucket after a long illness.
Look into To investigate Suggests a careful and thorough examination The police are looking into the matter.
Check out To investigate More casual and less formal than “look into” I’ll check out what happened.
Bring up To raise a topic Can be neutral or slightly suggestive of causing trouble He brought up the issue at the meeting.
Touch on To mention briefly Suggests a brief and non-detailed mention The speaker touched on several important points.
Put down To criticize Suggests belittling or making someone feel inferior He often puts down his colleagues to make himself feel better.
Discourage To criticize Suggests a well-meaning attempt to prevent bad behavior His parents discouraged his wild behavior and encouraged him to study.
Take after To resemble Suggests physical or personality traits inherited from a parent/relative She takes after her mother in personality.
Look like To resemble More generic and can refer to any kind of resemblance They look like twins.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a phrasal verb and a prepositional verb?

A phrasal verb consists of a verb and a particle (adverb), while a prepositional verb consists of a verb and a preposition. The key difference lies in the function of the particle.

In phrasal verbs, the particle modifies the verb’s meaning, creating a new meaning. In prepositional verbs, the preposition connects the verb to its object.

How can I improve my understanding of phrasal verbs?

The best way to improve your understanding of phrasal verbs is through consistent exposure and practice. Read extensively, listen to native speakers, and use flashcards or apps to memorize common phrasal verbs.

Pay attention to the context in which phrasal verbs are used to understand their meanings.

Are there any rules for using phrasal verbs in formal writing?

While phrasal verbs are acceptable in some formal contexts, it’s generally better to use single-word verbs with similar meanings for clarity and precision. Avoid using highly idiomatic phrasal verbs in formal writing.

How do I know if a phrasal verb is separable or inseparable?

Unfortunately, there is no easy rule to determine whether a phrasal verb is separable or inseparable. The best approach is to learn them individually through exposure and practice.

When in doubt, consult a dictionary or grammar guide.

Why are phrasal verbs so difficult for English learners?

Phrasal verbs are challenging for English learners because their meanings are often idiomatic and not easily deduced from the individual words. Additionally, the separability and multiple meanings of phrasal verbs can add to the confusion.

Consistent practice and exposure are key to mastering them.

Conclusion

Phrasal verbs are a vital part of the English language, adding depth and color to communication. While they can be challenging to master, a solid understanding of their structure, types, and usage rules can significantly enhance your English proficiency.

By studying examples, practicing exercises, and paying attention to context, you can confidently use phrasal verbs in both informal and formal settings. Embrace the challenge and enjoy the journey of mastering these essential linguistic tools!

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