Table of Contents
Introduction
This article aims to provide a list of separable and inseparable phrasal verbs and clarify the distinctions between these verb types.
Let’s start by first defining phrasal verbs!
What Are Phrasal Verbs?
Phrasal verbs are a type of multi-word verb. They consist of a base verb followed by one or more particles. These particles can be adverbs or prepositions.
1. Phrasal verbs followed by adverbs:
- Slow down: He asked the driver to slow down as they were going too fast.
- Cheer up: I tried to cheer up my friend by taking her out for lunch.
- Break down: My car broke down on the highway and I had to call a tow truck.
2. Phrasal verbs followed by prepositions:
- Look for: I am looking for my keys.
- Get on with: I need to get on with my work now.
- Carry on: After the unexpected interruption, the presenter decided to carry on with the lecture
Phrasal Verb Meanings
When verbs are combined with particles (prepositions and adverbs), new verbal phrases emerge, each possessing a unique meaning distinct from the individual words comprising them. These meanings can range from the literal, as seen in “She looked out of the window,” to the idiomatic, as exemplified by “She looked after her little brother.”
It’s crucial to note that the resulting meaning from this combination may deviate entirely from the meanings of its individual components.
Below are more examples:
- Literal Meaning:
- James got into the car and drove away.
- Idiomatic Meaning:
- Nancy got along with her new roommate.
These combinations create new verbal phrases with unique meanings that are not necessarily related to the individual words that make them up. These meanings can be literal as in “She looked out of the window” or idiomatic as in “She looked after her little brother.”
Now that we’ve gained an understanding of what phrasal verbs are, let’s explore the distinction between separable and inseparable phrasal verbs.
What is the difference between separable and inseparable phrasal verbs?
One important distinction between phrasal verbs is whether they are separable or inseparable.
1. Separable phrasal verbs have a particle that can be separated from the base verb and moved to different positions within the sentence.
Examples of Separable phrasal verbs:
- Turn on the light. (You can separate “turn” and “on” to say “Turn the light on.”)
- Put away your toys. (You can separate “put” and “away” to say “Put your toys away.”)
- Pick up the phone. (You can separate “pick” and “up” to say “Pick the phone up.”)
It is important to note that when a phrasal verb is separable, the particle can be placed either after the verb or after the object as in “He turned the light on.” However, when the object is a pronoun (it, him, her, etc.), the particle must be placed after this pronoun as in “He turned it off.”
Phrasal verbs that have more than one particle like “put up with”, “get along with”, and “run out of” are always inseparable.
- I can’t put up with his misbehavior.
- The car ran out of gas.
- He got along with his roommate.
2. Inseparable phrasal verbs have particles that cannot be separated from the base verb.
Some verbs like “come across” and “get over” are inherently inseparable. Additionally, Phrasal verbs that consist of more than one particle are inseparable. For instance, verbs like ‘put up with,’ ‘come up with,’ ‘get rid of,’ ‘run out of,’ and others, are always inseparable.
Examples of Inseparable phrasal verbs:
- Look after your sister. (You cannot separate “look” and “after” to say “Look your sister after.”)
- Get over your fear. (You cannot separate “get” and “over” to say “Get your fear over.”)
- Stand up for yourself. (You cannot separate “stand” and “up” to say “Stand yourself up for.”)
Note:
It’s important to note that certain phrasal verbs can be both separable and inseparable, depending on the context. For instance, ‘take off’ is separable in the sentence “Take your shoes off,” but becomes inseparable and intransitive in the sentence “The plane is about to take off,” where an object is not required.
List of Separable and Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
Separable phrasal verbs allow the particle to be separated from the base verb and moved to different positions within the sentence, often placing it after the object.
On the other hand, inseparable phrasal verbs have particles that cannot be separated from the base verb. This fundamental difference impacts the placement of the object and plays a significant role in proper usage.
Separable Phrasal Verbs
| Separable Phrasal Verb | Meaning & Examples |
|---|---|
| Take off | To remove clothing or something from a surface. Example: He took his jacket off and hung it up. |
| Put on | To place clothing or something onto a surface. Example: She put her sunglasses on before going outside. |
| Turn off | To stop a machine or device from functioning. Example: Can you turn the TV off? |
| Turn on | To start a machine or device. Example: Please turn the lights on. |
| Look up | To search for information in a reference book or online. Example: I don’t understand this word. Can you look it up, please? |
| Make up | To invent or create something. Example: She made a story up to explain her absence. |
| Pick up | To lift something off a surface, or to collect someone or something from a location. Examples: – She picked it up. – I’ll pick you up at the airport. |
| Put away | To place something in its proper location, usually for storage. Example: He put the dishes away in the cupboard. |
| Take out | To remove something from a place. Example: Can you take the trash out, please? |
| Turn down | To reduce the volume or intensity of something, or to reject an offer or proposal. Examples: – Can you turn the music down, please? – She turned the job offer down. |
| Turn up | To increase the volume or intensity of something. Example: He turned the heat in the room up. |
| Figure out | To solve or understand a problem or situation. Example: I don’t know how to fix this. Can you figure it out? |
| Fill out | To complete a form or document with information. Example: Here is the application form. Please fill it out. |
| Give up | To stop trying. Example: Don’t try to help her. Just give it up! |
| Hand in | To submit something, usually to an authority or organization. Example: Can you hand in your report by Friday? |
| Look over | To examine or review something carefully. Example: With regard to the report, we have had a chance to look it over. |
| Put off | To postpone or delay something. Example: Let’s put our meeting off until next week. |
| Set up | To arrange or establish something. Example: She has a successful business. She set it up last year. |
| Turn in | To submit something, usually to an authority or organization Example: I have to turn the report in by tomorrow. |
| Write down | To record information in writing. Example: What is your name? Can you write it down, please? |
Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning & Examples |
|---|---|
| Stand up for | To defend or support a particular idea or a person. Example: They stood up for their rights. |
| Take after | To resemble a family member. Example: She takes after her mother in looks and personality. |
| Come across | To find or discover unexpectedly. Example: I came across an old photo album while cleaning my room. |
| Look forward to | To anticipate with pleasure or excitement. I’m looking forward to my vacation next month. |
| Get along with | To have a good relationship. Example: I get along with my coworkers. |
| Count on | To rely on someone or something. Example: She knew she could always count on her best friend for support. |
| Carry on | To continue to do something. Example: He carried on the tradition. |
| Come up with | To produce or create an idea or solution. Example: We need to come up with a plan to solve this problem. |
| Get over | To recover from a difficult experience or illness. Example: It took her a while to get over her breakup. |
| Fill in for | To temporarily take someone’s place or perform someone’s duties in their absence. Example: Jane is on vacation this week, so Susan will fill in for her at the office meetings. |
| Take up | To begin a new hobby or activity. She decided to take up painting in her free time. |
| Hold on to | To keep a firm grasp or retain possession of something. Example: Hold on to your ticket; you’ll need it to enter the concert. |
| Put up with | To tolerate or endure. Example: I don’t know how she puts up with her boss”s behavior. |
| Run out of | To use up or exhaust a supply of something. Example: We ran out of milk this morning. |
| Run across | To meet someone you know when you are not expecting to: Example: I ran across several old friends. |
| Look into | To investigate. Example: The company decided to look into the issues with their customer service department. |
| Take after | To resemble. Example: He takes after her father. |
| Turn to | To become. Example: The caterpillar began the transformative process that would eventually turn it into a butterfly. |
| Drop by | To Visit unexpectedly. Example: She dropped by her friend’s house. |
Common mistakes with phrasal verbs
Using phrasal verbs can be tricky, and English learners often make common mistakes. Here are some examples of errors to avoid:
- Failing to separate the verb and the particle in separable phrasal verbs with an object pronoun. For example, saying “I need to pick up her at the airport” instead of “I need to pick her up at the airport.”
- Trying to separate the verb and particle in inseparable phrasal verbs. For instance, saying “I will look this issue into” instead of “I will look into this issue.”
- Using a phrasal verb instead of normal with the verb. For example, saying “I will call on you later” instead of “I will call you later.”
To avoid these mistakes, it’s important to understand the difference between separable and inseparable phrasal verbs. Separable phrasal verbs can be separated by the object, while inseparable phrasal verbs cannot.
It’s also essential to learn the correct phrasal verb usage and the particle that goes with it. Practice and exposure to different contexts can help learners become more comfortable using phrasal verbs in their communication.
Tips to learn phrasal verbs
Learning and using phrasal verbs doesn’t have to be challenging for English learners. Some practical tips and techniques can help. Below there is a list of tips to improve your understanding and use of phrasal verbs:
- Read widely: Reading is a good strategy to help you improve your knowledge of phrasal verbs. Reading books, articles, and other materials in English is helpful. It exposes you to a wide range of phrasal verbs in context. Reading may result in developing a better sense of how phrasal verbs are used and the different meanings they can have.
- Pay attention to context: Phrasal verbs can have different meanings. This depends on the context where they are used. Pay attention to the surrounding words and phrases to help you understand the intended meaning.
- Practice with real-life examples: Try using phrasal verbs in your everyday conversations and writing. This may help you become more comfortable with using them. This may also help you build your confidence.
- Use visual aids: Creating flashcards or other visual aids can help you remember phrasal verbs and their meanings. You can also try creating mind maps or diagrams to help you see the relationships between different phrasal verbs.
- Learn common phrasal verbs: There are hundreds of phrasal verbs in English. Some are used more frequently than others. Learning common phrasal verbs can help you communicate more effectively in everyday situations.
The above tips can improve your understanding and use of phrasal verbs. Try following these tips to be able to communicate more effectively in English.
Conclusion
Phrasal verbs are unavoidable in the English language. Learning them can greatly enhance your communication skills. Remember to pay attention to whether a phrasal verb is separable or inseparable, and to practice using them in context to improve your understanding and usage.
More on multiword verbs and separable and inseparable phrasal verbs here.
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