Phrasal Verbs - Explanation

Phrasal Verbs - Explanation | Englisch Grammatik

A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and one or more words (usually a preposition or adverb) that change the meaning of the original verb.
Simple Examples:

• Turn on: To start something (like a machine or light).
  • Example: "She turned on the TV."
• Look after: To take care of someone.
  • Example: "He looks after his little brother."
• Give up: To stop trying or quit.
  • Example: "I gave up smoking."

How to Use Phrasal Verbs:

1. Some phrasal verbs can be separated:
   • "He turned off the light." → "He turned the light off."
2. Others cannot be separated:
   • "She ran into an old friend." (Cannot be: "She ran an old friend into.")

Phrasal verbs are very common in everyday English!
1. Transitive vs. Intransitive Phrasal Verbs

• Transitive phrasal verbs: These need a direct object. Some can be separated, meaning the object can go between the verb and the particle.
  • Example:
    • "She turned off the light." (Unseparated)
    • "She turned the light off." (Separated)
• Intransitive phrasal verbs: These don't take an object and can never be separated.
  • Example:
    • "The plane took off." (No object, so it can't be separated)

2. Separable vs. Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

• Separable phrasal verbs: The object can go between the verb and the particle.
  • Example:
    • "I’ll pick up the package."
    • "I’ll pick the package up."
• Inseparable phrasal verbs: The verb and particle must stay together, and the object follows the phrasal verb.
  • Example:
    • "She ran into an old friend." (Cannot be separated)

3. Phrasal Verbs with Pronouns

• If the object is a pronoun (like "it," "him," "her") and the phrasal verb is separable, the pronoun must go between the verb and the particle.
  • Example:
    • "I’ll pick it up." (Correct)
    • "I’ll pick up it." (Incorrect)

4. Common Usage Patterns

• Separable phrasal verbs can be used in both separated and unseparated forms, depending on the object and the speaker’s preference.
  • Example:
    • "He called off the meeting." (Unseparated)
    • "He called the meeting off." (Separated)
    • "He called it off." (Separated)

Quick Summary:

• Intransitive phrasal verbs: Never separated (e.g., wake up, run away).
• Transitive phrasal verbs:
  • Separable: Can be separated (e.g., turn off the light → turn the light off).
  • Inseparable: Cannot be separated (e.g., look after someone).

Transitive Verbs:

• Definition: A transitive verb needs a direct object to complete its meaning. The action is done to someone or something.
  • Example: "I eat an apple." ("eat" is transitive because it needs the object "apple")
  • Without the object: "I eat." (Incomplete)

Intransitive Verbs:

• Definition: An intransitive verb doesn’t need an object. The action is complete on its own.
  • Example: "She laughed." ("laughed" is intransitive, no object needed)
  • You can't add an object: "She laughed the joke." (Incorrect)

Quick Trick:

• Transitive verbs need something (an object) to complete their action.
• Intransitive verbs can stand alone without an object.

Verb + preposition combinations, often referred to as phrasal verbs or prepositional verbs, are common in English and can significantly alter the meaning of the verb. These combinations generally fall into a few different categories:

1. Literal CombinationsIn literal verb + preposition combinations, the meaning of the verb and the preposition remains clear and unchanged.

• Examples:
  • Look at the sky.
  • Go to the store.
  • Jump over the fence.

2. Figurative or Idiomatic Combinations
Here, the verb + preposition combination has a meaning that is different from the literal meaning of the words. These are often idiomatic expressions.

• Examples:
  • Break up (to end a relationship)
  • Look up to someone (to admire someone)
  • Give in (to surrender)

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3. Phrasal Verbs
These involve a verb and one or more prepositions or particles. They often change the meaning of the original verb completely.

• Examples:
  • Take off (to leave the ground, as in an airplane)
  • Put up with (to tolerate)
  • Run out of (to deplete a supply)

4. Prepositional Verbs
A prepositional verb is a verb that is followed by a specific preposition, and the preposition is necessary for the sentence to be grammatically correct.

• Examples:
  • Listen to music.
  • Depend on someone.
  • Believe in magic.

5. Adjective + Preposition (Related)
Though not strictly verb + preposition, adjective + preposition combinations are often related and important to consider.

• Examples:
  • Interested in something.
  • Afraid of spiders.
  • Good at sports.

6. Separable and Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
​Some phrasal verbs allow the object to be placed between the verb and the preposition, while others do not.

• Separable:
  • Turn off the lights / Turn the lights off.
  • Pick up the phone / Pick the phone up.
• Inseparable:
  • Look after (You cannot say "Look the kids after").
  • Run into (You cannot say "Run him into").

Understanding these categories can help you grasp how to use these combinations effectively in English.

1. Phrasal Verbs with "Get":

1. She/He gets along well with her/his colleagues.
2. She/He got away from the chaos of the city.
3. She/He got over the flu after a week.
4. She/He got through the difficult project at work.
5. She/He always gets up early to exercise.
6. She/He gets by with just a little bit of sleep.
7. She/He is trying to get ahead in her/his career.
8. She/He got into trouble at work for missing the deadline.

2. Phrasal Verbs with "Put":

1. She/He put off her/his workout until later in the day.
2. The coach put the team through a tough training session.
3. She/He put up with the noisy neighbors for years.
4. She/He put on her/his suit before going to the meeting.

3. Phrasal Verbs with "Take":

1. She/He took up cycling as a new hobby.
2. She/He takes after her/his father in terms of personality.
3. The boss took over the meeting when it became disorganized.
4. She/He took off her/his shoes after coming home.
5. She/He took on a challenging task at work.
6. She/He took down the notes during the conference.

4. Phrasal Verbs with "Look":

1. She/He looks after her/his younger sibling while their parents are away.
2. She/He looked into the job opportunity at the new company.
3. She/He looked up to her/his mentor for advice.
4. She/He looks forward to her/his vacation next month.
5. She/He looked up the directions online before driving.

5. Phrasal Verbs with "Break":

1. She/He broke down when she/he heard the bad news.
2. The meeting broke up after three hours of discussion.
3. She/He broke into a run when she/he saw the bus coming.
4. She/He broke off the conversation to take a phone call.
5. The car broke down on the highway, causing a delay.

6. Phrasal Verbs with "Run":

1. She/He ran into an old friend at the grocery store.
2. She/He ran out of time to complete the task.
3. She/He ran across some interesting information online.
4. She/He ran over the presentation before the meeting.

7. Phrasal Verbs with "Turn":

1. She/He turned down the job offer because the pay was too low.
2. She/He turned off the lights before going to bed.
3. She/He turned up late for the meeting.
4. She/He turned in the report just before the deadline.
5. She/He turned on the computer to check her/his emails.

8. Phrasal Verbs with "Call":

1. She/He called off the meeting due to a scheduling conflict.
2. She/He called up an old friend to catch up.
3. She/He called in sick because she/he wasn’t feeling well.
4. She/He called on her/his neighbor for help with the project.

9. Phrasal Verbs with "Bring":

1. She/He brought up an important issue during the meeting.
2. She/He brought back souvenirs from her/his vacation.
3. She/He brought in a consultant to improve the project.
4. She/He brought about positive changes in the company.

10. Phrasal Verbs with "Give":

1. She/He gave up smoking after many years.
2. She/He gave in to the pressure and accepted the offer.
3. She/He gave out flyers for the charity event.
4. She/He gave back the book she/he borrowed last week.
5. She/He gave away her/his old clothes to charity.

Phrasal Verbs - Explanation

Phrasal Verbs - Explanation | Englisch Grammatik