Phrasal Verbs with “Up”

Mastering Phrasal Verbs with “Up”: A Comprehensive Guide

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Phrasal verbs are an essential part of English, adding color and nuance to everyday communication. Among these, phrasal verbs with “up” are particularly common and versatile.

Understanding how to use them correctly is crucial for both native and non-native English speakers. This guide provides a detailed exploration of phrasal verbs with “up,” covering their definitions, structures, usages, and common mistakes.

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, this article will equip you with the knowledge and practice you need to confidently use these verbs in your speech and writing.

Table of Contents

Definition of Phrasal Verbs with “Up”

A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs). Phrasal verbs with “up” are those that include the word “up” as a particle.

The addition of “up” often, but not always, implies a sense of completion, increase, or movement to a higher position. These verbs often have meanings that are different from the individual words that compose them, making them idiomatic expressions.

Understanding the context in which they are used is vital in correctly interpreting their meaning.

The function of “up” in a phrasal verb can vary. It might indicate a direction (e.g., climb up), a completion (e.g., finish up), an intensification (e.g., speak up), or a division (e.g., split up). The specific meaning is highly dependent on the verb it combines with.

Structural Breakdown

The basic structure of a phrasal verb with “up” is: Verb + Up (+ Object). However, the presence and position of the object can vary depending on whether the phrasal verb is separable or inseparable. Separable phrasal verbs allow the object to be placed either after the particle (“up”) or between the verb and the particle. Inseparable phrasal verbs require the object to always follow the particle.

Consider these examples to illustrate the structure:

  • Separable: Pick up the book. / Pick the book up.
  • Inseparable: Look up to your elders. (You cannot say: Look your elders up to.)

The separability often depends on the specific phrasal verb. Some phrasal verbs are always separable, some are always inseparable, and some can be either, depending on the context or the length/type of the object (pronoun vs. noun phrase).

Types and Categories of Phrasal Verbs with “Up”

Phrasal verbs with “up” can be categorized in several ways, including by their literal vs. figurative meaning, separability, and transitivity.

Literal Meaning

Some phrasal verbs with “up” have a literal meaning, where the meaning can be easily understood from the individual words. These are often related to physical movement or position.

For example, “climb up” literally means to move upwards. Similarly, “stand up” means to move from a sitting or lying position to a standing position.

These verbs are generally easier for learners to grasp because their meaning is more transparent.

Figurative Meaning

Many phrasal verbs with “up” have a figurative, or idiomatic, meaning that cannot be easily deduced from the individual words. These verbs often express abstract concepts or actions.

For instance, “give up” means to stop trying or to surrender. “Make up” can mean to invent a story or to reconcile after a disagreement.

These meanings are more challenging for learners because they require memorization and understanding of the idiomatic context.

Separable and Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

As mentioned earlier, separability refers to whether the object can be placed between the verb and the particle. This distinction is crucial for correct grammar.

Separable Phrasal Verbs: These verbs allow the object to be placed either before or after the particle. If the object is a pronoun, it must be placed between the verb and the particle.

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs: These verbs require the object to always follow the particle. Separating the verb and the particle with the object is grammatically incorrect.

Transitive and Intransitive Phrasal Verbs

Transitive phrasal verbs require an object, while intransitive phrasal verbs do not.

Transitive Phrasal Verbs: These verbs take a direct object. For example, “bring up” (to raise a child) is transitive because it requires an object: “They brought him up.”

Intransitive Phrasal Verbs: These verbs do not take a direct object. For example, “wake up” is intransitive because it does not need an object: “I wake up at 7 am.”

Examples of Phrasal Verbs with “Up”

The following sections provide extensive examples of phrasal verbs with “up,” categorized by their literal and figurative meanings, as well as their separability.

Examples with Literal Meaning

These examples demonstrate phrasal verbs with “up” that have a clear, literal meaning related to movement or position.

The table below provides a list of phrasal verbs with “up” that carry a literal meaning. For each, the table includes the phrasal verb, a short definition, and an example sentence to illustrate its usage.

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Phrasal Verb Definition Example Sentence
Climb up Ascend The children climbed up the tree.
Stand up Rise from a sitting position Please stand up when the judge enters.
Walk up Approach by walking He walked up to the counter to order.
Jump up Leap upwards The dog jumped up to catch the frisbee.
Get up Rise from bed I usually get up at 6:00 AM.
Move up Advance to a higher position The company moved him up to a managerial role.
Look up To direct the eyes upwards She looked up at the stars.
Reach up Extend one’s arm upwards He reached up to grab the book from the shelf.
Push up To press something upwards He pushed up the heavy box.
Lift up Raise something Can you help me lift up this table?
Pull up To move something upward by pulling He pulled up the anchor.
Hold up Hold something in a raised position Hold up your hand if you have a question.
Step up To move one’s foot upwards She stepped up onto the stage.
Run up To run towards a higher place The children ran up the hill.
Fly up To fly upwards The bird flew up into the sky.
Swim up To swim upwards The fish swam up to the surface.
Ride up To ride upwards They rode up the mountain on their bikes.
Bring up To bring something to a higher place Bring up the ladder, please.
Draw up To move something upward by drawing He drew up the bucket from the well.
Crawl up To crawl upwards The baby crawled up the stairs.
Drag up To drag something to a higher place They dragged up the heavy equipment.
Hoist up To raise something with ropes and pulleys They hoisted up the flag.
Prop up To support something by placing it underneath He propped up the leaning fence.
Stack up To arrange in a pile They stacked up the books on the table.
Pile up To accumulate in a heap The leaves piled up in the yard.

Examples with Figurative Meaning

These examples illustrate phrasal verbs with “up” that have an idiomatic or figurative meaning.

The table below provides a list of phrasal verbs with “up” that carry a figurative meaning. For each, the table includes the phrasal verb, a short definition, and an example sentence to illustrate its usage.

Phrasal Verb Definition Example Sentence
Give up Stop trying Don’t give up on your dreams.
Make up Invent a story or reconcile They made up after their argument.
Look up to Respect and admire I look up to my grandfather.
Speak up Talk louder Could you speak up, please? I can’t hear you.
End up Arrive somewhere unexpectedly We ended up at a fantastic restaurant.
Use up Consume completely We used up all the milk.
Take up Start a new hobby or occupy space She took up painting as a hobby.
Clean up Tidy Please clean up your room.
Dress up Wear formal clothes We should dress up for the party.
Show up Appear He didn’t show up to the meeting.
Hurry up To act or move with increased speed Hurry up, we’re going to be late.
Cheer up Become happier Cheer up! Things will get better.
Catch up Reach the same level or standard I need to catch up on my reading.
Add up Make sense His story doesn’t add up.
Back up Support My friends always back up my decisions.
Blow up Explode or become angry The bomb blew up, causing significant damage.
Bring up Raise a topic or raise a child Don’t bring up that sensitive topic.
Call up Phone someone I’ll call up my mom later.
Eat up Consume eagerly Eat up your vegetables!
Fix up Repair or improve We need to fix up the old house.
Hold up Delay or rob The traffic held up our journey.
Keep up Maintain pace or continue Keep up the good work!
Look up Find information I’ll look up the address online.
Mix up Confuse I always mix up their names.
Open up Become more communicative or available He started to open up after a while.
Pack up Prepare for travel We need to pack up our things.

Examples of Separable Phrasal Verbs

These examples show how separable phrasal verbs can be used with the object placed either before or after the particle “up.” Note the mandatory separation when the object is a pronoun.

The table below provides examples of separable phrasal verbs with “up”. For each, the table includes the phrasal verb, an example sentence with the object separated and another with the object together.

Phrasal Verb Object Separated Object Together
Pick up Pick the book up. / Pick it up. Pick up the book.
Clean up Clean the room up. / Clean it up. Clean up the room.
Use up Use the milk up. / Use it up. Use up the milk.
Eat up Eat the food up. / Eat it up. Eat up the food.
Tidy up Tidy the mess up. / Tidy it up. Tidy up the mess.
Turn up Turn the volume up. / Turn it up. Turn up the volume.
Look up Look the word up. / Look it up. Look up the word.
Fill up Fill the glass up. / Fill it up. Fill up the glass.
Warm up Warm the food up. / Warm it up. Warm up the food.
Add up Add the numbers up. / Add them up. Add up the numbers.
Blow up Blow the balloon up. / Blow it up. Blow up the balloon.
Bring up Bring the child up. / Bring him up. Bring up the child.
Call up Call your friend up. / Call him up. Call up your friend.
Fix up Fix the car up. / Fix it up. Fix up the car.
Pack up Pack the bags up. / Pack them up. Pack up the bags.
Save up Save the money up. / Save it up. Save up the money.
Set up Set the equipment up. / Set it up. Set up the equipment.
Take up Take the hobby up. / Take it up. Take up the hobby.
Tear up Tear the paper up. / Tear it up. Tear up the paper.
Think up Think an idea up. / Think it up. Think up an idea.
Try up Try the clothes up. / Try them up. Try up the clothes.
Wake up Wake the child up. / Wake him up. Wake up the child.
Write up Write the report up. / Write it up. Write up the report.
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Examples of Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

These examples demonstrate inseparable phrasal verbs, where the object must always follow the particle “up.”

The table below provides examples of inseparable phrasal verbs with “up”. For each, the table includes the phrasal verb and an example sentence.

Phrasal Verb Example Sentence
Look up to I look up to my parents.
Catch up with I need to catch up with my friends.
Come up with She came up with a great idea.
Put up with I can’t put up with his behavior.
Stand up for You should stand up for your beliefs.
Keep up with It’s hard to keep up with the latest trends.
End up with We ended up with a lot of leftovers.
Face up to You need to face up to your responsibilities.
Get up to What did you get up to last night?
Live up to He didn’t live up to his potential.
Measure up to He didn’t measure up to their expectations.
Meet up with Let’s meet up with them later.
Own up to You need to own up to your mistakes.
Sign up for I want to sign up for that class.
Speak up for She spoke up for the rights of the minority.
Use up on We used up on materials for the project.

Usage Rules

Using phrasal verbs with “up” correctly involves understanding their specific meanings, separability, and transitivity. Here are some key rules:

  1. Understand the Meaning: Always be aware of the specific meaning of the phrasal verb in context. Don’t assume the meaning is simply the sum of its parts.
  2. Separability: For separable phrasal verbs, remember that if the object is a pronoun, it must go between the verb and “up.”
  3. Transitivity: Use transitive phrasal verbs with an object and intransitive phrasal verbs without one.
  4. Prepositions: Be mindful of phrasal verbs that require additional prepositions (e.g., “look up to”). Do not omit these prepositions.
  5. Tense and Form: Conjugate the verb part of the phrasal verb according to the tense and subject of the sentence. For example, “He picks up the book” (present simple) vs. “He picked up the book” (past simple).

Common Mistakes

Here are some common mistakes learners make when using phrasal verbs with “up,” along with corrections:

Incorrect Correct Explanation
I give up it. I give it up. “Give up” is separable, and the object is a pronoun, so it must go between the verb and “up.”
I look up to my parents always. I always look up to my parents. “Look up to” is inseparable, so the object cannot be placed between “up” and “to.” Adverbs of frequency typically go before the verb.
She cleaned up fast her room. She cleaned her room up quickly. / She cleaned up her room quickly. While “clean up” is separable, placing “fast” between the object and “up” is awkward. The adverb should modify the entire phrasal verb.
I ending up to be late. I ended up being late. “End up” is followed by a gerund (verb + -ing).
He speaked up. He spoke up. Use the correct past tense form of the verb.
She looks up to. She looks up to him. “Look up to” requires an object.
I must catch up with the lesson. I must catch up on the lesson. The correct phrasal verb is “catch up on” when referring to missed material.
We used up all of. We used up all of it. If “all” is used as a pronoun, it needs to be followed by “of it” or “of them”, depending on whether it is singular or plural.

Practice Exercises

Test your understanding of phrasal verbs with “up” with these exercises.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the phrasal verb with “up.”

Question Answer
1. I need to _______ on my sleep this weekend. (catch) catch up
2. Please _______ your toys after playing. (tidy) tidy up
3. He _______ a great idea for the project. (come) came up with
4. We _______ all the milk this morning. (use) used up
5. She _______ early every day. (wake) wakes up
6. They _______ after their argument. (make) made up
7. Don’t _______! You can do it. (give) give up
8. I _______ my grandfather. (look) look up to
9. The bomb _______. (blow) blew up
10. He _______ the ladder. (climb) climbed up
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Exercise 2: Sentence Transformation

Rewrite the following sentences using the phrasal verb provided.

Question Answer
1. Please speak louder. (speak up) Please speak up.
2. We arrived at a small café unexpectedly. (end up) We ended up at a small café.
3. Start a new hobby. (take up) Take up a new hobby.
4. My parents raised me. (bring up) My parents brought me up.
5. I need to find information about that topic. (look up) I need to look up that topic.
6. Support your friends. (back up) Back up your friends.
7. We consumed all the food eagerly. (eat up) We ate up all the food.
8. She repaired the old car. (fix up) She fixed up the old car.
9. Maintain the good work. (keep up) Keep up the good work!
10. They postponed our journey. (hold up) They held up our journey.

Exercise 3: Error Correction

Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences.

Question Answer
1. I give up it never. I never give it up.
2. She looks up to always her mother. She always looks up to her mother.
3. We used up of all the sugar. We used up all the sugar.
4. He waked up late yesterday. He woke up late yesterday.
5. They made up after to argue. They made up after arguing.
6. Please clean fast up your room. Please clean up your room quickly.
7. I ending up to be sick. I ended up being sick.
8. I will call up to you tomorrow. I will call you up tomorrow.
9. Eat up all quickly your food. Eat up your food quickly.
10. We must keep up with the lesson. We must catch up on the lesson. OR We must keep up with the class.

Advanced Topics

For advanced learners, it’s important to understand the nuances of phrasal verb usage in different contexts. This includes recognizing regional variations, understanding the subtle differences between similar phrasal verbs, and using phrasal verbs effectively in formal and informal writing.

Additionally, exploring the etymology of phrasal verbs can provide deeper insights into their meanings and usages. Understanding how these verbs have evolved over time can help learners appreciate their richness and complexity.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about phrasal verbs with “up.”

  1. What is the difference between “look up” and “look up to”?

    “Look up” means to search for information, while “look up to” means to respect and admire someone. The addition of “to” completely changes the meaning.

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

    Unfortunately, there is no simple rule. You often have to learn them individually. However, a good dictionary will usually indicate whether a phrasal verb is separable or inseparable.

  3. Can I use phrasal verbs in formal writing?

    While some phrasal verbs are acceptable in formal writing, it’s generally best to use more formal alternatives. For example, instead of “bring up,” you could use “mention” or “introduce.”

  4. Why are phrasal verbs so difficult to learn?

    Phrasal verbs are challenging because their meanings are often idiomatic and not predictable from the individual words. Additionally, the rules of separability can be confusing.

  5. Is there a way to learn phrasal verbs more easily?

    The best way to learn phrasal verbs is through exposure and practice. Read and listen to English as much as possible, and pay attention to how phrasal verbs are used in context. Use flashcards or online resources to memorize their meanings.

  6. What does “up” usually mean in phrasal verbs?

    The meaning of “up” in phrasal verbs is diverse. It can imply direction (climb up), completion (finish up), intensification (speak up), or division (split up). The exact meaning depends on the verb it combines with.

  7. Are phrasal verbs with “up” common in everyday conversation?

    Yes, phrasal verbs with “up” are very common in everyday conversation. They are an integral part of informal and spoken English.

  8. How can I improve my understanding of phrasal verbs with “up”?

    To improve your understanding, focus on learning phrasal verbs in context, practicing with exercises, and using them in your own speech and writing. Consistent practice is key.

Conclusion

Phrasal verbs with “up” are a vital component of the English language, adding depth and expressiveness to communication. Mastering these verbs requires understanding their diverse meanings, structural rules, and contextual usages.

By studying the examples, practicing the exercises, and avoiding common mistakes outlined in this guide, you can significantly improve your fluency and accuracy in English.

Remember to focus on learning phrasal verbs in context and to practice using them regularly. With consistent effort, you’ll be able to confidently incorporate these versatile verbs into your everyday speech and writing.