Phrasal verbs are one of the most dynamic and commonly used features of the English language. They combine a verb with a preposition or particle to create a new meaning—one that often isn’t obvious from the individual words. For example, “give up” doesn’t mean to “give something upward,” but rather to quit or stop doing something.
For English learners, phrasal verbs can be challenging because they don’t always follow predictable rules. However, learning to use them correctly is key to understanding native speakers and expressing yourself naturally in both speech and writing.
This guide will help you break down the structure, explore the different types of phrasal verbs (like separable, inseparable, and prepositional), and avoid common mistakes. With clear examples and a practice worksheet, you’ll get the tools you need to confidently use phrasal verbs in real-life situations.
Whether you’re a beginner building your vocabulary or an advanced learner refining your grammar skills, this guide is your go-to resource for mastering phrasal verbs.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Definition of Phrasal Verbs
- Structural Breakdown
- Types of Phrasal Verbs
- Examples of Phrasal Verbs
- Usage Rules
- Common Mistakes
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Topics
- FAQ
- Conclusion
Definition of Phrasal Verbs
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and one or two particles. These particles are either prepositions or adverbs.
The combination creates a new meaning that is different from the original verb’s meaning. Phrasal verbs are common in spoken and informal English, adding richness and flexibility to communication.
Understanding them is crucial for both comprehension and effective expression.
The importance of phrasal verbs lies in their ability to convey specific actions or states in a concise and idiomatic way. They often replace more formal or complex verbs, making language more accessible and engaging.
For instance, instead of saying “extinguish,” you might say “put out.” This simple change makes the sentence sound more natural and conversational.
Here’s a breakdown of the components:
- Verb: The main action word (e.g., look, get, take).
- Particle: A preposition (e.g., at, on, to) or an adverb (e.g., up, down, away).
Structural Breakdown
The structure of a phrasal verb is relatively simple: it consists of a verb followed by one or two particles. The particle significantly alters the meaning of the base verb, creating a new and distinct meaning.
Understanding this structure is the first step to mastering phrasal verbs.
The most common structure is:
Verb + Particle (e.g., look up, give in)
Some phrasal verbs include two particles:
Verb + Particle + Preposition (e.g., look forward to, put up with)
The position of the object in a sentence with a phrasal verb depends on whether the phrasal verb is separable or inseparable. We will discuss this in more detail later.
Types of Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs can be categorized based on their transitivity (whether they take an object) and separability (whether the verb and particle can be separated by an object). Understanding these categories helps in using them correctly.
Intransitive Phrasal Verbs
Intransitive phrasal verbs do not take a direct object. They express a complete action without needing to act upon something.
These are easier to use because the particle always follows the verb.
Example: The plane took off. (There is no object after “took off.”)
Transitive Phrasal Verbs
Transitive phrasal verbs require a direct object to complete their meaning. The object receives the action of the phrasal verb.
The placement of the object can vary depending on whether the phrasal verb is separable or inseparable.
Example: She turned down the offer. (The object is “the offer.”)
Separable Phrasal Verbs
Separable phrasal verbs allow the object to be placed either between the verb and the particle or after the particle. However, when the object is a pronoun, it *must* go between the verb and the particle.
Understanding this rule is key to correct usage.
Examples:
- He turned down the offer.
- He turned the offer down.
- He turned it down. (Pronoun “it” must be between “turned” and “down”)
Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
Inseparable phrasal verbs do not allow the object to be placed between the verb and the particle. The object must always follow the particle.
These are generally easier to use than separable phrasal verbs.
Example: She looked after the children. (Not: She looked the children after.)
Prepositional Phrasal Verbs
Prepositional phrasal verbs consist of a verb followed by a preposition. The preposition connects the verb to its object.
These are always inseparable.
Example: They agreed on a plan. (Not: They agreed a plan on.)
Particle-Prepositional Phrasal Verbs
These phrasal verbs consist of a verb followed by an adverbial particle and a preposition. They are always inseparable and are followed by a noun or pronoun object.
Example: I look forward to the holidays. (Not: I look the holidays forward to.)
Examples of Phrasal Verbs
Understanding phrasal verbs requires seeing them in context. The following tables provide numerous examples, categorized by common verbs and their various particles.
Examples with “Get”
The verb “get” is frequently used in phrasal verbs, often with a variety of meanings depending on the particle. The table below provides examples of common phrasal verbs with “get” and their meanings.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Get up | To rise from bed | I get up at 7 a.m. every morning. |
| Get on | To enter a bus, train, etc. | We got on the bus to go to the city center. |
| Get off | To leave a bus, train, etc. | Please get off the train at the next station. |
| Get along (with) | To have a good relationship with someone | I get along well with my colleagues. |
| Get over | To recover from an illness or disappointment | It took me a while to get over the flu. |
| Get through | To finish something or to make contact by phone | I finally got through the pile of paperwork. |
| Get by | To manage to survive or live | We can get by on a tight budget. |
| Get around | To travel to different places | It’s easy to get around the city by subway. |
| Get at | To imply or suggest | What are you getting at? |
| Get away | To escape | The thief tried to get away from the police. |
| Get back | To return | When will you get back from your trip? |
| Get behind | To fail to make enough progress | I got behind on my assignments because of the illness. |
| Get into | To become interested in something | I’m really getting into classical music. |
| Get out of | To avoid doing something | I tried to get out of the meeting, but I couldn’t. |
| Get together | To meet socially | Let’s get together for coffee next week. |
| Get across | To communicate an idea clearly | I struggled to get my point across in the meeting. |
| Get down | To depress or discourage | The bad weather is really getting me down. |
| Get rid of | To eliminate or throw away | We need to get rid of all this old furniture. |
| Get started | To begin | Let’s get started on the project. |
| Get through to | To make someone understand something | I can’t seem to get through to him about the importance of this. |
Examples with “Look”
The verb “look” also forms many common phrasal verbs, most of which relate to observing or searching. The following table shows various phrasal verbs with “look” and their definitions.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Look up | To search for information | I need to look up the definition of that word. |
| Look after | To take care of | Can you look after my cat while I’m away? |
| Look forward to | To anticipate with pleasure | I look forward to seeing you again soon. |
| Look into | To investigate | The police are looking into the crime. |
| Look out | To be careful | Look out! There’s a car coming. |
| Look over | To examine or review | Please look over the contract before signing it. |
| Look through | To search for something among other things | I looked through my notes but couldn’t find the answer. |
| Look back (on) | To remember or reflect on the past | When I look back on my childhood, I have many fond memories. |
| Look down on | To consider someone inferior | He looks down on people who haven’t gone to university. |
| Look up to | To admire or respect | I look up to my older sister. |
| Look around | To explore a place | We looked around the museum for a few hours. |
| Look for | To try to find something | I’m looking for my keys. |
| Look in on | To visit someone briefly | I’ll look in on my grandmother tomorrow. |
| Look ahead | To think about the future | We need to look ahead and plan for next year. |
| Look upon | To consider or regard | She looks upon him as a son. |
| Look out for | To be alert and watchful for someone or something | Look out for pickpockets in crowded areas. |
| Look to | To rely on someone for help or support | They look to their parents for financial assistance. |
| Look past | To ignore or disregard | We should look past his mistakes and focus on his potential. |
| Look sharp | To be quick | Look sharp! We’re running late. |
| Look the other way | To ignore something wrong | The teacher decided to look the other way when the students cheated. |
Examples with “Take”
The verb “take” is versatile and forms many phrasal verbs with diverse meanings. The following table provides a comprehensive list of phrasal verbs with “take” and their corresponding definitions.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Take off | To remove (clothing), or for an airplane to ascend | Please take off your shoes before entering. / The plane took off on time. |
| Take after | To resemble in appearance or character | She takes after her mother. |
| Take care of | To look after or protect | I take care of my younger brother. |
| Take up | To start a hobby or activity | I want to take up painting. |
| Take over | To assume control or responsibility | He will take over the company next year. |
| Take back | To retract a statement or return something | I take back what I said. / I need to take back this book to the library. |
| Take down | To write down or dismantle | Please take down my phone number. / We need to take down the decorations. |
| Take out | To remove or extract, or to go out for entertainment | I need to take out the trash. / He took her out for dinner. |
| Take in | To deceive or absorb | Don’t be taken in by his lies. / The sponge took in all the water. |
| Take on | To accept a responsibility or challenge | I can’t take on any more work. |
| Take apart | To disassemble | He took apart the engine to see what was wrong. |
| Take away | To remove or subtract | Please take away the dirty dishes. |
| Take through | To guide someone through a process | Let me take you through the steps. |
| Take to | To start liking someone or something | I took to her immediately. |
| Take against | To develop a dislike for someone | I don’t know why, but I took against him from the start. |
| Take issue with | To disagree with | I take issue with your statement. |
| Take stock of | To assess a situation | We need to take stock of our finances. |
| Take heart | To be encouraged | Take heart, things will get better. |
| Take it out on | To vent one’s frustration on someone else | Don’t take it out on me just because you had a bad day. |
| Take notice of | To pay attention to | Please take notice of the warning signs. |
| Take pride in | To feel proud of | She takes pride in her work. |
| Take advantage of | To exploit or make use of | Don’t take advantage of his kindness. |
| Take a break | To pause and rest | Let’s take a break for five minutes. |
Usage Rules
Using phrasal verbs correctly involves understanding their transitivity, separability, and the impact of particles on meaning. While there are no hard and fast rules, some patterns can help.
Transitivity: Intransitive phrasal verbs are always used without an object. Transitive phrasal verbs require an object, which can affect word order.
Separability: Separable phrasal verbs allow the object to be placed between the verb and the particle, especially when the object is a pronoun. Inseparable phrasal verbs do not allow separation.
Meaning: The meaning of a phrasal verb is usually idiomatic, meaning it cannot be deduced from the individual words. Context is crucial for understanding the intended meaning.
Formal vs. Informal: Phrasal verbs are more common in spoken and informal English. In formal writing, it’s often better to use more formal single-word verbs.
Common Mistakes
Learners often make mistakes with phrasal verbs due to their idiomatic nature and varying rules. Recognizing these common errors can help you avoid them.
Incorrect Separation: Misplacing the object in separable phrasal verbs, especially with pronouns.
Incorrect: I turned down it.
Correct: I turned it down.
Incorrect Inseparability: Separating inseparable phrasal verbs.
Incorrect: She looked the children after.
Correct: She looked after the children.
Literal Interpretation: Interpreting the phrasal verb literally instead of understanding its idiomatic meaning.
Incorrect: “Look up” meaning simply to look in an upward direction when it means to search for information.
Correct: I need to look up the meaning of this word in the dictionary.
Using the Wrong Particle: Choosing the wrong particle, which can completely change the meaning of the verb.
Incorrect: I need to get in the bus. (When meaning to enter)
Correct: I need to get on the bus.
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding of phrasal verbs with these exercises. Choose the correct phrasal verb to complete each sentence.
Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Particle
Fill in the blanks with the correct particle (up, down, on, off, in, out, over).
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. Please turn ____ the volume. It’s too loud. | down |
| 2. I need to fill ____ this form. | in |
| 3. The plane took ____ on time. | off |
| 4. She gave ____ trying to solve the puzzle. | up |
| 5. He gets ____ well with his classmates. | on |
| 6. We ran ____ of milk. | out |
| 7. It took me a while to get ____ the flu. | over |
| 8. Please switch ____ the lights when you leave. | off |
| 9. I’m looking ____ to the holidays. | forward |
| 10. He showed ____ late for the meeting. | up |
Exercise 2: Separable or Inseparable?
Rewrite the sentences, placing the object in the correct position. If the phrasal verb is inseparable, write “inseparable.”
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. She turned down the offer. | She turned the offer down. / She turned it down. |
| 2. He looks after his sister. | inseparable |
| 3. Please pick up the trash. | Please pick the trash up. / Please pick it up. |
| 4. They ran into their old friend. | inseparable |
| 5. I made up the story. | I made the story up. / I made it up. |
| 6. She takes after her mother. | inseparable |
| 7. He put on his coat. | He put his coat on. / He put it on. |
| 8. We look forward to the trip. | inseparable |
| 9. They called off the meeting. | They called the meeting off. / They called it off. |
| 10. She came across an old photo. | inseparable |
Exercise 3: Meaning Match
Match the phrasal verb with its meaning.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1. Give up | a. To investigate |
| 2. Look into | b. To tolerate |
| 3. Put up with | c. To start a hobby |
| 4. Take up | d. To stop trying |
| 5. Get along with | e. To have a good relationship |
Answers: 1-d, 2-a, 3-b, 4-c, 5-e
Advanced Topics
For advanced learners, understanding the nuances of phrasal verb usage and their origins can be beneficial. Here are some advanced topics to consider.
Regional Variations: Some phrasal verbs are more common in certain regions or dialects of English. Being aware of these variations can improve comprehension.
Historical Origins: The origins of some phrasal verbs can be traced back to specific historical events or cultural practices. Understanding these origins can provide deeper insight into their meanings.
Phrasal Verbs in Literature: Authors often use phrasal verbs creatively to add depth and character to their writing. Analyzing their usage in literature can enhance appreciation and understanding.
Distinguishing Phrasal Verbs from Prepositional Verbs: Although similar, phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs differ in their behavior. Prepositional verbs always take an object after the preposition, and the preposition retains its original meaning to some extent. With phrasal verbs, the particle combines with the main verb to create a new, idiomatic meaning. For example, “listen to” is a prepositional verb (“to” retains its meaning of direction), while “look up” (meaning to search) is a phrasal verb.
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about phrasal verbs.
1. Why are phrasal verbs so difficult to learn?
Phrasal verbs are challenging because their meanings are often idiomatic and not easily predictable from the individual words. Additionally, the rules governing their separability and transitivity can be confusing.
2. How can I improve my understanding of phrasal verbs?
The best way to improve your understanding is through exposure and practice. Read widely, listen to native speakers, and actively use phrasal verbs in your own speaking and writing.
Keeping a vocabulary notebook specifically for phrasal verbs can also be helpful.
3. Are there any patterns that can help me learn phrasal verbs?
While many phrasal verbs are idiomatic, some patterns can be observed. For example, “up” often indicates completion or increase, while “down” often indicates decrease or failure.
However, these patterns are not always consistent, so it’s important to learn each phrasal verb individually.
4. Should I use phrasal verbs in formal writing?
In general, it’s best to avoid phrasal verbs in formal writing. Opt for more formal single-word verbs instead.
However, the appropriateness of phrasal verbs depends on the specific context and audience.
5. How do I know if a phrasal verb is separable or inseparable?
Unfortunately, there is no easy way to determine separability. The best approach is to learn each phrasal verb individually and note whether it is separable or inseparable.
Dictionaries and grammar guides often indicate separability.
6. What is the difference between a phrasal verb and a prepositional verb?
A phrasal verb has a meaning that is different from the original verb. A prepositional verb is a verb followed by a preposition where the preposition retains its original meaning and links the verb to its object.
For example, “look at” is a prepositional verb, while “look up” (search) is a phrasal verb.
7. Where can I find more resources for learning phrasal verbs?
Many online dictionaries and grammar websites provide lists of phrasal verbs and their meanings. Additionally, textbooks and language learning apps often include sections on phrasal verbs.
8. Is it important to know a lot of phrasal verbs?
Knowing a wide range of phrasal verbs is definitely beneficial for understanding and speaking natural English. While it’s not necessary to memorize every phrasal verb, expanding your knowledge will significantly improve your fluency and comprehension.
Conclusion
Phrasal verbs are an integral part of the English language, adding depth and nuance to communication. While they can be challenging to master, understanding their structure, types, and usage rules is essential for achieving fluency.
By studying examples, practicing regularly, and being aware of common mistakes, you can confidently incorporate phrasal verbs into your everyday English.
Remember that learning phrasal verbs is an ongoing process. Don’t be discouraged by initial difficulties.
With consistent effort and exposure, you’ll gradually expand your knowledge and develop a strong command of these versatile expressions. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be using phrasal verbs like a native speaker!
Good luck with your English learning journey.