What is a Phrasal Verb?

Phrasal verbs can be tricky because they have two or more words and often the proper placement of those words can be confusing.

Do you find it hard to correctly use verbs such as clean up the kitchen, do the essay over, and fill out the form? If you do, you are certainly not the only one.

Take the interactive test to check how much you know or continue reading to learn more about phrasal verbs and how to use them.

Here are a few examples of phrasal verbs used in sentences to get you started.

• Please fill out the form.
• He dropped out of school.
• You can always look up the answer.
• Lisa has to figure it out for herself.

So, what exactly are phrasal verbs?

What Are Phrasal Verbs?

Often used in colloquial or informal English, phrasal verbs are compound verbs that are formed by combining a verb with one or two particles.

The particle follows the verb and it can be a preposition or an adverb. When combined, these two words can have a meaning that is different from the meaning of the verb or the particle alone.

• Why don’t you ask her? (Ask= To seek an answer to something).
• Why don’t you ask her out? (Ask someone out= To invite out on a date).

Phrasal verbs can be segregated into two types based on whether the two or three words of the phrase can be separated or not.

Types of Phrasal Verbs

Separable

As the name suggests, the verb and the particle in these verbal phrases can be separated when used in a sentence, and it would still be grammatically correct, and also they would continue to mean the same thing.

1. You cannot put off your work. OR You cannot put the work off.

2. I cannot turn down the offer. OR I cannot turn the offer down.

Separable phrasal verbs can be used in their complete form (Without separating the verb from the particle) if they are used with a noun.

However, if used with a pronoun, these phrasal verbs have to be separated.

Correct: You cannot put off your work.

Wrong: You cannot put off it.

Correct: You cannot put it off.

Similarly,

Correct: I cannot turn down the offer.

Wrong: I cannot turn down it.

Correct: I cannot turn it down.

Here are a few commonly used separable phrasal verbs

• Can you pick the children up after school?

(To pick someone up= To collect someone/something)

• You can write it down.

(To write something down= To write something on a piece of paper)

• That dress is torn, why don’t you throw it away?

(To throw away= To put in the garbage).

• Don’t bring the matter up unless you want trouble.

(To bring up something= To start talking about something)

Non-separable

Not all phrasal verbs can be separated regardless of whether the object is a noun or a pronoun. These are called inseparable phrasal verbs.

• You have to get over the shock.
• You can count on Rita.

In these sentences, replacing the nouns with personal pronouns will not change the placement of the verbs and their particles.

• You have to get over it. (You cannot say this- You have to get it over)
• You can count on her. (You cannot say this- You can count her on)

Here are a few commonly used non-separable phrasal verbs

• I’ll have to go over it carefully.

(To go over something= To check or analyze something)

• I’ll look after the kids while you finish your work.

(To look after someone/something= To take care of)

• I won’t let you pick on my sister.

(To pick on someone= To tease or to bully)

• We are looking into the problem.

(To look into= To investigate)

More often than not, three-word phrasal verbs (Verb + 2 particles) are inseparable, as are two-word phrasal verbs that don’t take an object.

Here are a few examples of phrasal verbs that do not take an object.

• Did you grow up in London? (To grow up= To spend your childhood).
• The plane took off on time. (To take off = To leave the ground or a lower level).
• You have to get up early tomorrow. (To get up= To awaken from sleep).
• We get on quite well. (To get on =To have a pleasant relationship).

When personal pronouns are used with inseparable, three-word phrasal verbs, the pronoun or the noun, goes after the particles.

• I look up to my father. OR I look up to him.

(To look up to= To admire or to treat as a role model).

• This time, he cannot get away with the crime. OR This time he cannot get away with it.

(To get away with something= To avoid punishment or consequences).

• Get rid of the trash. OR Get rid of it.

(To get rid of something= To throw away something or to free yourself of something/someone).

• Did you come up with that plan? OR Did you come up with it?

(To come up with something= To think of something)

• I am visiting Paris, so I have to brush up on my French. OR When in Paris, I’ll have to speak in French, so I have to brush up on it

(To brush up on= To practice)

Go ahead and take this test again to check if you now know your phrasal verbs better.