Have you ever wondered what phrasal verbs are and why they are very common in English?
You might even be using them without realizing it. That is because phrasal verbs are considered collocations in English, and native speakers use them a lot.
Phrasal verbs are an interesting part of the English language, but beware as they are not as easy as they seem.
To know more about phrasal verbs, please continue reading.
What are Phrasal Verbs?
A phrasal verb is a group of words (a verb plus a preposition or a verb plus an adverb) that, when combined, have a different meaning than the original verb.
Take, for example, the phrasal verb ‘put off’. It means to postpone, which is not the same as the meaning of the two words together, ‘put’ and ‘off.’
Another example would be the phrasal verb’ turn down’, which means to refuse. The meaning is entirely different from the words that were put together, ‘turn’ and ‘down.’
English language learners may have difficulty understanding these phrasal verbs because they are one of the aspects of everyday English that include multi-word units.
Only a few people with a basic understanding of them can grasp, figure out, and perceive how they work.
To assist you in overcoming any difficulties you may have with phrasal verbs, continue reading to the next section to know the different types of phrasal verbs and how they are structured.
What are the Different Types of Phrasal Verbs?
Phrasal verbs are employed in sentences in the same manner as normal verbs. In addition, we frequently utilize them in casual settings and spoken English.
Because phrasal verbs can have a variety of meanings, they can be confusing at times.
To help you understand phrasal verbs better, here are their different types and some examples:
1. Phrasal Verbs can be Categorized Depending on their Composition
a. Verb + Preposition
When the element is a preposition, the phrasal verb is prepositional since it is the head of a full prepositional phrase.
| Phrasal Verbs | Meaning | Examples of Sentences |
|---|---|---|
| argue out | To give reasons to persuade someone to do or not do something | “The siblings argued out on who would occupy the biggest room.” |
| blow up | To be destroyed by a blast | “The machine blew up and injured the custodian.” |
| buckle down | To begin working diligently | “She is buckling down because her exams are coming.” |
| look after | To take care of something or someone | “I will be looking after my younger sister, who is sick.” |
| run into | To happen upon unintentionally or by coincidence | “My mom ran into an old friend of hers in the supermarket last week.” |
| stand by | To be faithful to someone in a tough situation | “The employers stood by the company even during the crisis.” |
| take after | To have the appearance or mannerisms of an elderly family member | “You should take after your older sister, who is smart and hardworking.” |
| talk bout | To use words to communicate one’s feelings, thoughts, or opinions | “They talked about the upcoming projects during the meeting.” |
b. Verb + Particle
Because it does not take a compliment, the element cannot (or no longer can) be understood as a preposition when it is a particle.
| Phrasal Verbs | Meaning | Examples of Sentences |
|---|---|---|
| bring up | To take care of a child and teach them proper manners | “She was brought up by her grandparents.” |
| dress down | To dress informally | “He was dressed down for the event.” |
| get off | To depart from a location, usually to embark on a journey | “We need to get off before sunrise to witness the parade.” |
| give in | To give up the struggle or the argument; concede; surrender | “She finally gave in after her parents’ incessant persuasion.” |
| hand over | To officially or formally give something or someone to another person | “You must hand over your passport to the officer.” |
| hang out | To spend some time for unstructured relaxation or chatting | “We often hang out at this place every weekend.” |
| run over | To knockdown and pass over the body of a person or an animal | “Our aunt’s cat was run over by a lorry yesterday.” |
| think over | To think about something thoroughly | “You have to think over the offer before turning it down.” |
c. Verb + Particle + Preposition
A particle and a preposition are often combined in phrasal verbs.
| Phrasal Verbs | Meaning | Examples of Sentences |
|---|---|---|
| bear down on | To approach someone or something in a hostile manner | “She looked up and saw the car bearing down on her.” |
| check up on | To try to figure out what someone is doing so that you can be sure they are doing what they should be doing. | “My older brother checked up on me to make sure if I was working on my project.” |
| go along with | To agree with someone’s point of view or to support an idea | “I knew the plan won’t work, but I still went along with it anyway.” |
| live up to | To be on par with something | “The show was spectacular; it lived up to our expectations.” |
| load up on | To amass or purchase a massive quantity of something | “She loaded up on cosmetics and perfumes on her birthday.” |
| looking forward to | To be glad and enthusiastic about something that is about to occur | “I am looking forward to working with my best friend.” |
| put up with | To accept or continue to accept a bad condition or experience or someone who acts in an unsatisfactory manner. | “She just couldn’t put up with his vices anymore.” |
| sit in for | To fill in for someone who would ordinarily do a specific task or attend a specific meeting. | “My teacher was absent today, so the headteacher sat in for her.” |
2. Phrasal Verbs can also be Categorized Depending on their Transitivity
a. Transitive Phrasal Verbs
A transitive phrasal verb requires the presence of an object in the sentence.
If there is no object, the sentences will not be able to express the whole meaning or content of the statement.
| Phrasal Verbs | Meaning | Examples of Sentences |
|---|---|---|
| call for | To require or merit a specific action, remark, or quality | “The manager called for a meeting to address an issue.” |
| fix up | To repair | “He needs to fix up the garage because of the flood.” |
| hold back | To refrain from doing something, usually out of fear or a desire not to exacerbate a terrible situation. | “She was brave enough this time and didn’t hold back.” |
| let down | To fail someone by not doing what you agreed to or were expected to do | “If you don’t want to let down your parents, you will study hard.” |
| pay off | To succeed | “Her hard work finally paid off now that she has been promoted.” |
| take off | To remove one’s or another’s garments from one’s, or another’s body | “We were advised to take off our sweater inside because it was hot in there.” |
| turn off | To cease the operation or flow of something using a valve, switch, or button. | “Please turn off the lights before you sleep.” |
| use up | To utilize the entirety of a stock or supply of something | “I have used up my cash for the trip; I need to use my credit card now.” |
b. Intransitive Phrasal Verbs
Intransitive phrasal verbs do not need an object to make a statement sound complete.
They demonstrate that a statement can be understood without an object.
| Phrasal Verbs | Meaning | Examples of Sentences |
|---|---|---|
| break down | To cease functioning because of a flaw | “She was late for the party because her car’s engine broke down.” |
| carry on | To continue | “They carried on with their plan after thinking about it thoroughly.” |
| get up | To rise from bed after a nap or sleep | “I get up at 6 every morning.” |
| go out | To leave one’s place to attend a social or entertainment function, usually in the evening. | “We are going out for dinner to celebrate our parents’ silver wedding anniversary.” |
| grow up | To advance to adulthood | “Who would have thought that he would grow up to be a fine young man?” |
| pass away | To die | “The old man who lived across the street passed away in his sleep.” |
| run away | To abandon or flee a location, person, or situation | “She is an irresponsible person for running away from the situation.” |
| slow down | To become less busy and more relaxed | “The doctor advised my dad to slow down because of his heart condition.” |
3. Phrasal Verbs can also be Classified as Whether they are Separable or Inseparable.
a. Separable Phrasal Verbs
These phrasal verbs can have their words separated and employed in different parts of a sentence.
Phrasal verbs can be used in both joined and separated forms. Although not all transitive phrasal verbs are separable, separable phrasal verbs are always transitive.
| Phrasal Verbs | Meaning | Examples of Sentences |
|---|---|---|
| call off | To cancel | “The couple decided to call off their wedding.” OR “The couple decided to call the wedding off.” |
| calm down | To reduce the agitation of someone or something | “The teacher was the only person who could calm down the noisy students.” OR “The teacher was the only person who could calm the noisy students down.” |
| leave out | To exclude something | “The teacher accidentally left out my name when she checked the attendance.” OR “The teacher accidentally left my name out when she checked the attendance.” |
| hand over | To officially or formally give something or someone to another person | “Your job is to hand over the flyers to passers-by.” OR “Your job is to hand the flyers over to passers-by.” |
| rule out | To eliminate the possibility of something | “They are not ruling out the possibility of identity theft.” OR “They are not ruling the possibility of identity theft out.” |
b. Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
These phrasal verbs cannot be separated, and the verb must be used with the preposition or adverb.
Intransitive phrasal verbs can only be inseparable, but transitive phrasal verbs can be either transitive or intransitive.
| Phrasal Verbs | Meaning | Examples of Sentences |
|---|---|---|
| end up | To arrive at an unexpected location, state, or situation | “They could end up winning with a big margin.” NOT “They could end winning with a big margin up.” |
| go over | To review | “Go over your answers before turning in your handwork.” NOT “Go your answers over before turning in your handwork.” |
| pick on | To bully or tease someone | “He always picks on someone younger than him.” NOT “He always picks someone on younger than him.” |
| run against | To compete against someone | “She is running against her friend in the election.” NOT “She is running her friend against in the election.” |
| look down on | To treat someone with a sense of superiority | “You should not look down on anybody.” NOT “You should not look down anybody on.” |
What are the Rules Regarding Phrasal Verbs?
Phrasal verbs are employed in sentences in the same manner as normal verbs. In addition, we frequently utilize them in casual settings and spoken English.
Because phrasal verbs can have a variety of meanings, they can be confusing at times.
Here are the rules that you have to adhere to regarding phrasal verbs.
1. The meaning of phrasal verbs differs from that of the original verb.
Examples:
“I am planning to give my mom a new purse.”
Meaning: give – to provide or present with something
“Do not give up, the best is yet to come.”
Meaning: give up – to stop making an effort
2. Because they do not require an object, intransitive phrasal verbs are inseparable.
Examples:
“The Lee family comes back to this place every year.
NOT “The Lee family comes to this place back every year.”
“He showed up late for practice.”
NOT “He showed late up for practice.”
3. Some transitive phrasal verbs are separable, whereas others are inseparable.
Separable
“He gave away his money to the charity.”
OR “He gave his money away to the charity.”
“The president called off the meeting.”
OR “The president called the meeting off.”
Inseparable:
“My grandmother looks after me when I am sick.”
NOT “My grandmother looks me after when I am sick.”
“You need to get on the bus, and it’s leaving.”
NOT “You need to get the bus on; it’s leaving.”
4. Phrasal verbs with three words are inseparable.
Examples:
“She can’t put up with his bad behavior anymore.”
NOT “She can’t put up his bad behavior with anymore.”
“The children look up to their parents as role models.”
NOT “The children look up to their parents as role models.”
“He came up with a brilliant idea.”
NOT “He came up with a brilliant idea with.”
Which Phrasal Verbs Can Be Used in Academic English?
Although phrasal verbs are prevalent in spoken English, they are frequently considered too informal for academic writing.
Additionally, phrasal verbs often have several meanings. Your goal is to produce a clear and concise paper in plain English.
Thus, you must distinguish which phrasal verbs are appropriate for general English and which are more fit for academic English.
Phrasal Verbs for General English
Phrasal verbs used in everyday English are more conversational and informal than those used in academic contexts.
The following list contains the twenty most commonly used phrasal verbs in social situations, especially among friends or on the street.
| Phrasal Verbs | Meaning |
|---|---|
| add up | To make sense |
| broke up | To end a relationship |
| bring up | bring forth a topic for debate or consideration |
| call off | To cancel |
| calm down | To reduce the agitation of someone or something |
| eat out | To eat at a restaurant rather than at home |
| find out | To learn or discover |
| get long | To have a welcoming and friendly relationship with |
| get over | To recoup from an illness or a shocking or traumatic situation |
| give up | To give up the struggle or the argument; concede; surrender |
| hang out | To spend some time for unstructured relaxation or chatting |
| look after | To take care of someone or something |
| look forward to | To be excited about something |
| pass out | To lose consciousness |
| put off | To postpone something |
| put up with | To accept or continue to accept a bad condition or experience or someone who acts in an unsatisfactory manner |
| turn up | To be discovered after being lost, especially by chance |
| turn down | To reject whatever has been presented or proposed |
| wake up | To stop sleeping |
| watch out | To be alert |
Phrasal Verbs for Academic English
Many academic English textbooks and tutors may advise you to avoid using phrasal verbs altogether.
While it is a fact that you should be extremely cautious when using such words in your assignments, these structures should not be avoided entirely.
Most phrasal verbs used in this context are more formal and lack idiomaticity. The twenty most common phrasal verbs in academic writing are listed below.
| Phrasal Verbs | Meaning |
|---|---|
| account for | To provide an explanation or justification for |
| adhere to | To follow a set of guidelines, values, or convictions |
| base on | To use an idea or facts |
| carry out | To conduct something |
| come across | To be understood |
| come up with | To produce anything, especially when forced or challenged |
| consist of | To be made up of |
| disapprove of | To withhold permission to |
| discuss by | To talk about something |
| embark on | To begin doing something new |
| fall apart | To be in a poor state |
| figure out | To find or determine a solution to a problem |
| follow through | To accomplish something, one has started |
| get across | To be clearly communicated |
| hand over | To officially or formally give something or someone to another person |
| look into | To examine something |
| point out | To emphasize |
| put forward | To suggest someone as a good candidate for a job or a position |
| resort to | To use or do something because there are no alternative options available |
| subject to | To cause or force to undergo |
Avoiding Phrasal Verbs in Academic Writing
Finally, how can English language learners learn to avoid phrasal verbs, which are highly frequent in conversation and informal English but should not be used in academic writing?
The short answer to this difficulty is that the easiest way to avoid phrasal verbs that you have already mastered is to look up and use a synonym for these words in your academic presentations and writing.
Using a one-word synonym for the phrasal verb you have chosen (if one exists) is the most preferred and academic alternative, as seen in the instances below:
| Phrasal Verbs | Single-Word Synonym |
|---|---|
| bring about | cause |
| come out | publish |
| cut down | reduce |
| fall apart | disintegrate |
| find out | discover |
| get along | communicate |
| hand out | distribute |
| leave out | omit |
| look at | investigate |
| pick out | select |
| pick up | resume |
| put off | reschedule |
| put up with | tolerate |
| stamp out | eradicate |
Why Do Phrasal Verbs Matter?
As an English learner, mastering phrasal verbs is one of the most challenging tasks you will face.
But is it really worth the effort and time to study phrasal verbs?
Without a doubt, YES.
Phrasal verbs are crucial because English people frequently use phrasal verbs. Phrasal verbs will make it much easier for you to express yourself.
You just need to set reasonable goals rather than being overwhelmed by an unending array of phrasal verbs. It is impossible to comprehend all of them at once because there are so many!
The good news is that learning phrasal verbs is entirely achievable, and once you have done so, we guarantee you will agree that the effort was well worth it.
Additional Reading — ENGLISH GRAMMAR