PHRASAL VERBS

A phrasal verb is a verb plus a preposition or adverb which creates a meaning different from the original verb.

DON’T GET CONFUSED!

“look out”phrasal verb

To be careful.

“Look out! You should be more

careful. You almost run into a door.”

“look out”non-phrasal verb

To look from inside to the outside.

“We looked out of the window to see if it

was raining.”

The main characteristic of a phrasal verb is that the combination of words changes the meaning of the

verb.

Phrasal verbs

Intransitive

Transitive

Separable

Non-separabl

e

PHRASAL VERBS

Intransitive verbs are verbs that cannot be followed by an object.

But a transitive verb can be followed by an object.

break up• Jen and Vince broke up.

eat out• Tonight I feel like eating out.

pass away• Our grandfather passed away last

year.

INTRANSITIVE PHRASAL VERBS

These verbs don’t need an object. The idea is complete.

Verb + ST / SO + Prep/Adverb

Verb and Prep/Adverb + ST / SO

• talk SO into ST

• ask SO out• cheer SO

up• cut SO off• get ST on• keep ST/SO

around• use ST up• etc.

• stand up for • make up for• wait on• occur to• run away

from• disagree

with• hear from• keep up

with• etc.

Separable

Non-

separable

TRANSITIVE PHRASAL VERBS

SPECIAL CASES

Some transitive phrasal verbs can take an object in both places.

I looked up the number in the phone book.

I looked the number up in the phone book.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE OBJECT IS A PRONOUN?

When the object is replaced by a pronoun things change a bit in separable phrasal verbs that can be separated and not.

When this happens, the pronoun for the object always goes between the verb and the preposition:

I made up a story / I made a story upI made it up but never I made up it

“him” is a pronoun that replacesI haven’t seen “my friend”.

I haven’t seen my friend turns intoI haven’t seen him.