Phrasal verbs are a cornerstone of English fluency, adding color and nuance to everyday communication. However, they can also be a source of frustration for learners, especially when it comes to separability.
This article focuses on inseparable phrasal verbs – those where the verb and particle must remain together. Understanding and mastering these verbs is crucial for accurate and natural English usage.
This guide is designed for English language learners of all levels, from beginners seeking foundational knowledge to advanced speakers aiming to refine their understanding of idiomatic expressions.
By the end of this article, you will have a solid grasp of what inseparable phrasal verbs are, how they function, and how to use them correctly. You’ll also find plenty of examples, exercises, and tips to help you confidently incorporate them into your spoken and written English.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What are Inseparable Phrasal Verbs?
- Structural Breakdown of Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
- Types of Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
- Examples of Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
- Usage Rules for Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
- Common Mistakes with Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Topics
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Conclusion
What are Inseparable Phrasal Verbs?
An inseparable phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and a particle (usually a preposition or adverb) that functions as a single unit of meaning. The key characteristic of these verbs is that the verb and particle cannot be separated by an object. This distinguishes them from separable phrasal verbs, where the object can be placed between the verb and the particle. Understanding this distinction is crucial for correct grammar and clear communication.
Inseparable phrasal verbs often have meanings that are different from the individual meanings of the verb and particle. For example, “look after” means “take care of,” which is not immediately obvious from the meanings of “look” and “after.” This idiomatic nature makes them essential for understanding nuanced English.
These verbs are common in both spoken and written English, appearing in everyday conversations, news articles, and academic texts. Mastering them will significantly enhance your comprehension and expression skills.
Structural Breakdown of Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
The basic structure of an inseparable phrasal verb is quite simple: Verb + Particle. The particle is usually a preposition (e.g., at, to, with, on, for) or an adverb (e.g., away, out, up, down). The combination creates a new verb with a meaning distinct from the original verb.
Unlike separable phrasal verbs, inseparable phrasal verbs always take their object after the particle. The object cannot be inserted between the verb and the particle. This is a fundamental rule to remember.
For example:
- Correct: She ran into her old friend.
- Incorrect: She ran her old friend into.
The incorrect sentence disrupts the inseparable nature of “ran into,” making it grammatically wrong. The object, “her old friend,” must follow the entire phrasal verb.
Understanding this structural constraint is key to using inseparable phrasal verbs correctly and avoiding common grammatical errors.
Types of Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
Inseparable phrasal verbs can be categorized based on the type of particle they use (preposition or adverb) and the general meaning they convey. While not strict categories, these classifications can help in understanding and remembering different phrasal verbs.
Phrasal Verbs with Prepositions
These phrasal verbs combine a verb with a preposition. The preposition often indicates direction, location, or relationship.
Examples include:
- Look after: to take care of
- Run into: to meet unexpectedly
- Get along with: to have a good relationship with
- Listen to: to pay attention to sound
Phrasal Verbs with Adverbs
These phrasal verbs combine a verb with an adverb. The adverb often modifies the verb’s action, indicating direction, intensity, or completion.
Examples include:
- Get away with: to avoid punishment
- Give in: to surrender or yield
- Go on: to continue
- Hold on: to wait
Phrasal Verbs Expressing Actions
Many inseparable phrasal verbs describe specific actions or processes. These can range from simple physical actions to more complex social or emotional behaviors.
Examples:
- Break into: to enter illegally
- Come across: to find unexpectedly
- Look into: to investigate
Phrasal Verbs Expressing Relationships
Some inseparable phrasal verbs describe relationships between people or things. These are often used in social contexts.
Examples:
- Get along with: to have a good relationship
- Put up with: to tolerate
- Stand up for: to defend
Examples of Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
This section provides extensive examples of inseparable phrasal verbs, organized into tables for easy reference. Each example includes the phrasal verb, its meaning, and a sentence demonstrating its correct usage.
Table 1: Common Inseparable Phrasal Verbs with “Look”
The following table provides a list of inseparable phrasal verbs using the verb “look,” along with their meanings and example sentences. Understanding how “look” combines with different particles to create new meanings is essential for mastering this common verb.
Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
---|---|---|
Look after | Take care of | She looks after her younger sister after school. |
Look into | Investigate | The police are looking into the cause of the accident. |
Look forward to | Anticipate with pleasure | I look forward to seeing you next week. |
Look up to | Respect | He looks up to his father as a role model. |
Look down on | Despise | She looks down on people who are less fortunate. |
Look out for | Be careful of | Look out for pickpockets in crowded areas. |
Look through | Examine quickly | I looked through the report but didn’t find the information I needed. |
Look back on | Remember fondly | They look back on their childhood with happiness. |
Look in on | Visit briefly | I’ll look in on my grandmother later today. |
Look ahead to | Plan for the future | We need to look ahead to the next quarter and set our goals. |
Look around for | Search for | I’m looking around for a new apartment. |
Look to | Rely on | Many people look to the government for support during crises. |
Look over | Review | Can you look over my essay before I submit it? |
Look past | Ignore | She tried to look past his flaws and see the good in him. |
Look on | Observe | The crowd looked on as the firefighters battled the blaze. |
Look out on | Face, have a view of | The balcony looks out on the ocean. |
Look through to | See beyond | The experienced negotiator could look through to their true intentions. |
Look toward | Anticipate | The company is looking toward a successful future. |
Look in | Make a quick visit | I might look in on you later if I have time. |
Look upon | Consider | They look upon him as a leader. |
Look to someone | Depend on someone | The team looks to their captain for guidance. |
Look to something | Rely on something | The company looks to new technology for growth. |
Look on as | Regard as | We look on as this project as vital to our success. |
Table 2: Common Inseparable Phrasal Verbs with “Get”
The verb “get” is incredibly versatile and forms numerous phrasal verbs. This table focuses on inseparable phrasal verbs using “get,” highlighting their diverse meanings and providing clear examples.
Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
---|---|---|
Get along with | Have a good relationship with | I get along with my neighbors very well. |
Get away with | Avoid punishment | He got away with cheating on the test. |
Get around to | Finally find time to do | I haven’t got around to cleaning the attic yet. |
Get through to | Make someone understand | It’s hard to get through to him when he’s angry. |
Get over | Recover from | It took her a long time to get over the loss of her job. |
Get by on | Manage with limited resources | They get by on a very small income. |
Get down to | Start doing seriously | It’s time to get down to work. |
Get in on | Participate in | I want to get in on this project. |
Get on with | Continue doing | Let’s get on with the meeting. |
Get out of | Avoid doing | He tried to get out of doing the dishes. |
Get across to | Communicate effectively | The teacher struggled to get the concept across to the students. |
Get at | Imply | What are you getting at? |
Get back at | Retaliate | He wanted to get back at her for what she said. |
Get behind with | Fall behind | I’ve got behind with my work since I was sick. |
Get by | Manage | We can get by with the resources we have. |
Get through | Finish, complete | I need to get through this pile of paperwork. |
Get up to | Do something (often mischievous) | What did you get up to last night? |
Get over with | Finish something unpleasant | Let’s just get this meeting over with. |
Get round | Persuade | He can always get round his parents. |
Get onto | Contact | I’ll get onto the supplier tomorrow. |
Get off with | Have a romantic encounter | They got off with each other at the party. |
Get away from | Escape | I need to get away from the city for a while. |
Get back to | Respond to | I’ll get back to you as soon as I have an answer. |
Table 3: Other Common Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
This table presents a variety of other common inseparable phrasal verbs, covering a range of meanings and demonstrating the diversity of this grammatical structure.
Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
---|---|---|
Run into | Meet unexpectedly | I ran into an old friend at the grocery store. |
Come across | Find unexpectedly | I came across some old photos while cleaning. |
Put up with | Tolerate | I can’t put up with his bad behavior anymore. |
Stand up for | Defend | We should stand up for what we believe in. |
Give in | Surrender | The rebels finally gave in to the government forces. |
Go on | Continue | Please go on with your story. |
Hold on | Wait | Please hold on while I transfer your call. |
Break into | Enter illegally | Someone broke into our house last night. |
Take after | Resemble | She takes after her mother in personality. |
Call on | Visit | I’ll call on you next week. |
Count on | Rely on | You can count on me to help you. |
Fill in for | Substitute | She will fill in for the manager while he’s on vacation. |
Catch up with | Reach the same level | It’s hard to catch up with the rest of the class after being absent. |
Keep up with | Stay at the same level | It’s hard to keep up with the latest technology. |
Look forward to | Anticipate with pleasure | I look forward to the weekend. |
Run out of | Have no more of something | We ran out of milk. |
Succeed in | Achieve success | She succeeded in her exams. |
Result in | Lead to | The accident resulted in several injuries. |
Believe in | Have faith in | I believe in you. |
Depend on | Rely on | You can depend on me. |
Insist on | Demand | She insisted on paying for dinner. |
Refer to | Mention | The speaker referred to the recent economic crisis. |
Add up to | Total | The costs add up to a significant amount. |
Usage Rules for Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
The primary rule for using inseparable phrasal verbs is that the object must always follow the entire phrasal verb unit. You cannot insert the object between the verb and the particle.
This is the defining characteristic that distinguishes them from separable phrasal verbs.
Here are some key points to remember:
- Word Order: The correct word order is always: Verb + Particle + Object
- Pronoun Objects: Even when the object is a pronoun, it must follow the particle.
- Adverb Placement: Adverbs can sometimes be placed before the phrasal verb for emphasis or clarity, but they should generally not be placed between the verb and the particle.
Let’s look at some examples to illustrate these rules:
- Correct: He ran into his boss at the conference.
- Incorrect: He ran his boss into at the conference.
- Correct: She looks after him very well.
- Incorrect: She looks him after very well.
- Correct: They will look into the matter immediately.
- Acceptable (Adverb before): They will immediately look into the matter.
- Incorrect: They will look immediately into the matter.
Understanding these rules is crucial for avoiding grammatical errors and ensuring clear communication.
Common Mistakes with Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
One of the most common mistakes learners make with inseparable phrasal verbs is incorrectly separating the verb and particle. This often happens because learners apply the rules for separable phrasal verbs to inseparable ones.
Here are some examples of common mistakes and their corrections:
Incorrect | Correct | Explanation |
---|---|---|
I ran the bill up. | I ran up the bill. | “Run up” can be separable with a direct object, but in this case, “ran up the bill” is the more idiomatic way to say it, though it functions as an inseparable phrasal verb. |
She looks her children after. | She looks after her children. | “Look after” is always inseparable. |
He came the answer across. | He came across the answer. | “Come across” is always inseparable. |
We put the noise up with. | We put up with the noise. | “Put up with” is always inseparable. |
They get their argument along with. | They get along with their argument. | “Get along with” is always inseparable. |
She is looking the problem into. | She is looking into the problem. | “Look into” is always inseparable. |
He will take the company after. | He will take after the company. | “Take after” is always inseparable. |
I will count you on. | I will count on you. | “Count on” is always inseparable. |
She filled him in for. | She filled in for him. | “Fill in for” is always inseparable. |
We caught the leaders up with. | We caught up with the leaders. | “Catch up with” is always inseparable. |
Another common mistake is misunderstanding the meaning of the phrasal verb. Since the meaning is often idiomatic, it’s important to learn the specific meaning of each phrasal verb rather than trying to guess it from the individual words.
By being aware of these common mistakes, you can avoid them in your own writing and speaking.
Practice Exercises
These exercises will help you practice using inseparable phrasal verbs correctly. Each exercise focuses on a different aspect of usage, from choosing the correct phrasal verb to using it in a sentence.
Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Phrasal Verb
Choose the correct inseparable phrasal verb from the options provided to complete each sentence.
Question | Options | Answer |
---|---|---|
1. I __________ my old friend at the library. | a) ran into b) ran into c) ran | a) ran into |
2. She __________ her younger brother after school. | a) looks after b) looks after c) looks | a) looks after |
3. The police are __________ the cause of the fire. | a) looking into b) looking into c) looking | a) looking into |
4. I __________ seeing you next week. | a) look forward to b) look forward to c) look | a) look forward to |
5. He __________ his father as a role model. | a) looks up to b) looks up to c) looks | a) looks up to |
6. They __________ a very small income. | a) get by on b) get by on c) get | a) get by on |
7. It’s time to __________ work. | a) get down to b) get down to c) get | a) get down to |
8. I want to __________ this project. | a) get in on b) get in on c) get | a) get in on |
9. Let’s __________ the meeting. | a) get on with b) get on with c) get | a) get on with |
10. He tried to __________ doing the dishes. | a) get out of b) get out of c) get | a) get out of |
Exercise 2: Rewrite the Sentences Correctly
Rewrite the following sentences, correcting any errors in the use of inseparable phrasal verbs.
Incorrect Sentence | Correct Sentence |
---|---|
1. She looks him after carefully. | She looks after him carefully. |
2. He ran his friend into at the park. | He ran into his friend at the park. |
3. They put the noise up with every day. | They put up with the noise every day. |
4. I am looking the problem into. | I am looking into the problem. |
5. She gets her work along with quickly. | She gets along with her work quickly. |
6. He takes his father after. | He takes after his father. |
7. They call their neighbors on frequently. | They call on their neighbors frequently. |
8. You can count her on for help. | You can count on her for help. |
9. She will fill the manager in for. | She will fill in for the manager. |
10. We caught the train up with. | We caught up with the train. |
Exercise 3: Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the blanks with the correct particle to complete the inseparable phrasal verb.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
1. I ran _____ my old classmate at the store. | into |
2. She looks _____ her grandmother every weekend. | after |
3. The detective is looking _____ the mysterious case. | into |
4. We look forward _____ seeing you again soon. | to |
5. He gets _____ well with his colleagues. | along |
6. They get _____ a small salary. | by on |
7. It’s time to get _____ to studying for the exam. | down |
8. I want to get _____ this exciting opportunity. | in on |
9. Let’s get _____ with the presentation. | on |
10. He tried to get _____ of doing his chores. | out |
Advanced Topics
For advanced learners, understanding the nuances and complexities of inseparable phrasal verbs can further refine their English proficiency. This section explores some advanced topics related to these verbs.
Intransitive Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
Some inseparable phrasal verbs are intransitive, meaning they do not take a direct object. These verbs often describe states or processes.
Examples:
- Give in: The company finally gave in to the workers’ demands.
- Go on: The show must go on.
Phrasal Verbs with Multiple Particles
While less common, some phrasal verbs can have more than one particle. These are still generally inseparable.
Examples:
- Look forward to: I look forward to seeing you soon.
- Get along with: She gets along with all her classmates.
Regional Variations
The usage and meaning of phrasal verbs can vary across different English-speaking regions. Some phrasal verbs may be more common in British English than in American English, or vice versa.
Being aware of these variations can help you understand and communicate more effectively in different contexts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
This section addresses some common questions that learners have about inseparable phrasal verbs.
- What is the difference between separable and inseparable phrasal verbs?
The key difference is whether the object can be placed between the verb and the particle. In separable phrasal verbs, the object can be inserted (e.g., “Turn the light on” or “Turn on the light”). In inseparable phrasal verbs, the object must always follow the particle (e.g., “Look after the children,” not “Look the children after”).
- How can I tell if a phrasal verb is separable or inseparable?
Unfortunately, there is no single rule. You often have to learn them individually. A good dictionary will usually indicate whether a phrasal verb is separable or inseparable. Also, if the particle is a preposition, the phrasal verb is usually inseparable.
- Are there any patterns that can help me learn phrasal verbs?
While there aren’t foolproof patterns, some verbs tend to form more separable phrasal verbs (e.g., “turn,” “pick”), while others tend to form more inseparable ones (e.g., “look after,” “get along”). Paying attention to these tendencies can be helpful.
- What should I do if I’m not sure about the meaning of a phrasal verb?
Always consult a good dictionary. Look for dictionaries specifically designed for English language learners, as they often provide clear definitions and examples of phrasal verbs.
- How can I improve my understanding of phrasal verbs?
Practice is key! Read widely, listen to native speakers, and try to use phrasal verbs in your own writing and speaking. The more you encounter and use them, the better you’ll understand them.
- Why are phrasal verbs so important in English?
Phrasal verbs are an integral part of everyday English. They add color, nuance, and informality to communication. Understanding them is crucial for both comprehension and expression.
- Are phrasal verbs formal or informal?
Most phrasal verbs are considered informal and are more common in spoken English than in formal writing. However, some phrasal verbs are used in more formal contexts. It’s important to consider the context when using phrasal verbs.
- Can the meaning of a phrasal verb be guessed from its individual parts?
Sometimes, but often not. The meaning of a phrasal verb is frequently idiomatic, meaning it’s different from the combined meanings of the verb and particle. It’s best to learn the meaning of each phrasal verb individually.
Conclusion
Mastering inseparable phrasal verbs is a significant step towards achieving fluency in English. While they may seem challenging at first, understanding their structure, usage rules, and common mistakes can greatly improve your accuracy and confidence.
Remember that practice is essential. The more you read, listen, and use these verbs, the more natural they will become.
By using the information and exercises provided in this article, you can build a solid foundation in inseparable phrasal verbs. Continue to explore and learn new phrasal verbs, and don’t be afraid to experiment with them in your own communication.
With dedication and practice, you’ll be able to use these verbs effectively and enhance your overall English proficiency.