What Are Phrasal Verbs In English And How Are They Used?

Introduction

Phrasal verbs are multi-word verbs in English that consist of a main verb combined with one or more prepositions or adverbs (also called particles), creating idiomatic and often nuanced meanings beyond the literal interpretation of their individual components.

In this article, we will define what phrasal verbs are, distinguish them from other verbs, and illustrate the concept with examples.

Let’s get started by gaining an understanding of what phrasal verbs are!

What are Phrasal verbs?

Phrasal verbs are multi-word verbs formed by combining a main verb with one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs.) These combinations often create idiomatic meanings that go beyond the literal interpretation of the individual words.

Here are some examples:

1. Turn down:
   • Particle(s): Down
   • Meaning: To reject or refuse an offer or request.
   • Example: “I had to turn down the job offer because of scheduling conflicts.”
2. Come across:
   • Particle(s): Across
   • Meaning: To encounter or find by chance.
   • Example: “While cleaning the attic, I came across an old photo album.”
3. Run into:
   • Particle(s): Into
   • Meaning: To encounter unexpectedly or by chance.
   • Example: “I ran into an old friend at the grocery store yesterday.”
4. Look forward to:
   • Particle(s): Forward, to
   • Meaning: To anticipate or be eager about a future event.
   • Example: “I look forward to our meeting next week.”

Form of Phrasal verbs

Phrasal verbs, a common feature in English grammar, are constructed by combining a main verb with one or more particles, which can be prepositions or adverbs.

1. Some phrasal verbs consist of a verb and a preposition or an adverb:

Verb + 1 Particle (Preposition or Adverb):

Verb	One Particle
get	up
go	through
write	down
take	after

2. Sometimes phrasal verbs consist of three elements:

Verb + 2 Particles (Prepositions and/or Adverb):

Verb	Particle #1	Particle #2
look	forward	to
put	up	with
sit	in	for
run	out	of

Exploring Meaning Shifts Through Particle Changes

It is interesting to note that the addition of a preposition or adverb to a verb can profoundly alter its meaning. Here are some illustrative examples.

Let’s explore how the meaning changes when different particles are added to the base verb “look”:

1. Look:
   • The basic meaning of “look” is to use one’s eyes to see or observe something. It is a simple and general action of directing one’s gaze.
   • Example: “She looked at the beautiful sunset.”
2. Look for:
   • Adding the preposition “for” changes the meaning to involve searching or seeking. It implies actively trying to find something.
   • Example: “I’m looking for my keys; have you seen them?”
3. Look up:
   • Incorporating the particle “up” shifts the meaning to involve searching for information or references, often in a book, database, or online.
   • Example: “I need to look up the definition of this word.”
4. Look up to:
   • Adding the preposition “to” changes the meaning to include admiration or respect for someone. It implies viewing someone as a role model or having high regard for them.
   • Example: “She has always looked up to her older sister.”
5. Look forward to:
   • Introducing the preposition “forward to” changes the meaning to express anticipation or excitement about a future event.
   • Example: “I look forward to meeting you in person.”

In each case, the addition of a different particle modifies the action and intent associated with the base verb “look.”

Here are more examples of meaning change after the addition of particles to verbs:

Verb & Meaning	Verb + Particle (Phrasal Verb)	Different Meaning
Bring – “Take or go with (someone or something) to a place.”	Bring up	To mention or introduce a topic into conversation.
Set – “Put, lay, or stand (something) in a specified place or position.”	Set up	To establish or arrange something.
Take – “To grasp or obtain”	Take off	To remove or lift off, especially in aviation.
Turn “to rotate or change direction”	Turn on	To activate or switch on a device.
Give – “To transfer or offer”	Give up	To surrender, quit, or stop trying.
Look – “To direct one’s gaze toward someone or something”	look for	To search or seek

This leads us to another crucial aspect of phrasal verbs: the distinction between their literal and idiomatic meanings.

Literal or Idiomatic?

Phrasal verb meanings can be either literal or idiomatic. While some phrasal verbs maintain a straightforward, tangible interpretation rooted in their constituent words, others transcend their literal origins to convey idiomatic nuances.

1. Literal Meanings:
   • Phrasal verbs with literal meanings adhere closely to the individual definitions of their constituent words. The combined expression retains a clear, tangible connection to its components, making it readily interpretable in a straightforward manner.
     • Example: ‘She looked out of the window.’
       • Here, ‘looked out’ has a literal meaning, indicating a physical action of directing one’s gaze outward.
2. Idiomatic Meanings:
   • On the other hand, phrasal verbs with idiomatic meanings transcend their literal origins, taking on metaphorical or figurative interpretations. These expressions often convey nuanced, context-dependent meanings that go beyond the sum of their parts.
     • Example: ‘He ran into some problems.’
       • In this case, ‘ran into’ has an idiomatic meaning, signifying an unexpected encounter with difficulties rather than a physical collision.

Here are more examples of phrasal verbs with both literal and idiomatic meanings:

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Examples
Run out	To physically exit a location	Literal: “I ran out of the room.”
	To deplete or exhaust the supply of something	Idiomatic: “I ran out of milk.”
Put in	To place something inside	Literal: “I put my keys in my bag.”
	To invest time or effort in something	Idiomatic: “I put in a lot of time into the project.”
Take out	To remove or extract something from a location	Literal: “I took out my wallet from my bag.”
	To eliminate or withdraw someone or something	Idiomatic: “They want to take out the sniper.”
Look out	To direct one’s gaze outward or be watchful	Literal: “She looked out of the window.”
	To be cautious or be aware of something	Idiomatic: “The police have warned storekeepers to look out for forged bills.”

Types of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs come in various types. They can be categorized as transitive or intransitive, separable or inseparable. In this section, we will explore each type to enhance our understanding of how to use them.

Transitive and Intransitive Phrasal Verbs

Like other verbs, phrasal verbs are classified into two main categories: transitive and intransitive.

1. Transitive Phrasal Verbs:
   • Transitive phrasal verbs require a direct object to complete their meaning. The action of the verb is directed towards something or someone.
     • Example: ‘She looked up the information.’
       • In this sentence, ‘looked up’ is a transitive phrasal verb, and ‘the information’ serves as the direct object.
2. Intransitive Phrasal Verbs:
   • Intransitive phrasal verbs do not require a direct object to convey their meaning. The action is complete without the need for an additional element.
     • Example: ‘He suddenly gave up.’
       • Here, ‘gave up’ is an intransitive phrasal verb and the action is self-contained without a specific direct object.

Separable or Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Another distinction that you have to consider when using phrasal verbs is whether they are separable or inseparable. This classification refers to the relationship between the verb and its particle(s) within a sentence.

Separable Phrasal Verbs:

Separable phrasal verbs can be split, with the object placed between the verb and the particle or positioned after the particle.

• Example: ‘She picked the book up.’
  • In this sentence, ‘picked up‘ is a separable phrasal verb, and ‘the book’ can be placed between the verb and the particle as in ‘She picked the book up‘ or after the particle as in ‘She picked up the book.’

Here are some rules about separable phrasal verbs that you have to be aware of:

1. Placement of the particle (Preposition or Adverb):
   • In separable phrasal verbs, the particle can be placed either after the verb or after the object.
   • Examples:
     • “Mary made up the story.”
     • “Mary made the story up.”
2. Object as Pronoun:
   • When the object is a pronoun (it, him, her, them, etc.), the particle must be placed after this pronoun.
   • Examples:
     • “She made it up.”
     • “Put it down.”
     • “Take it off.”

Here are more examples (both separable and separable examples are provided):

Separable Phrasal Verb	Non-Separable Example	Separable Example
Turn on	“She turned on the lights before entering the room.”	“She turned the lights on before entering the room.”
Take off	“The plane took off smoothly, heading for its destination.”	“The plane took the passengers off smoothly.”
Put off	“Let’s put off the meeting until next week.”	“Let’s put the meeting off until next week.”
Pick up	“I need to pick up groceries on my way home.”	“I need to pick the groceries up on my way home.”
Bring up	“During the discussion, she brought up an important point.”	“During the discussion, she brought an important point up.”
Set up	“They set up a new system to improve efficiency.”	“They set a new system up to improve efficiency.”
Give back	“Don’t forget to give back the book you borrowed.”	“Don’t forget to give the book back you borrowed.”
Turn off	“He turned off the television before leaving the room.”	“He turned the television off before leaving the room.”
Look up	“I often look up unfamiliar words in the dictionary.”	“I often look unfamiliar words up in the dictionary.”
Break up	“They decided to break up after years of dating.”	“They decided to break the relationship up after years of dating.”

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs:

Some phrasal verbs are inherently inseparable, and attempting to separate them can result in awkward or incorrect constructions.

• Example:
  • “I came across some old photos in a drawer.”
  • (Not: “I came some old photos across in a drawer.“)

As shown above, inseparable phrasal verbs must keep the verb and particle(s) together, with no object placed between them. Here are more examples:

• Examples:
  • ‘They ran into an old friend.’
    • Here, ‘ran into’ is an inseparable phrasal verb, and the object ‘an old friend’ cannot be placed between the verb and the particle.
  • ‘She always looks after her younger brother.’
    • ‘Look after’ is inseparable. ‘Her young brother’ cannot be placed between the verb and the particle.
  • ‘I can’t put up with his rude behavior any longer.’
    • ‘Put up with’ is also inseparable. The object of the verb can be placed between neither of the particles.

Here’s a table with 10 inseparable phrasal verbs and examples:

Inseparable Phrasal Verb	Example
Look after	“She always looks after her younger brother.”
Stand by	“I will stand by you during difficult times.”
Carry on with	“After the interruption, the speaker decided to carry on with the presentation.”
Come across	“During my trip, I came across an old bookstore.”
Get in	“She got in the car and drove to work.”
Get over	“It takes time to get over a loss.”
Do without	“We’ll have to do without milk as there isn’t any left.”
Put up with	“I can’t put up with his rude behavior any longer.”
Run out of	“We ran out of milk, so I need to buy some more.”
Look forward to	“I always look forward to the weekend.”
Take care of	“She takes care of her plants with great dedication.”

Find a longer list here.

Frequently Used Phrasal Verbs

Here is a list of 30 commonly used phrasal verbs:

Here’s a table with 30 commonly used phrasal verbs and their meanings:

Phrasal Verb	Meaning
Look after	To take care of or be responsible for someone.
Set up	To establish or arrange something.
Bring up	To mention or introduce a topic into conversation.
Turn down	To reject or decline an offer or invitation.
Run into	To unexpectedly encounter or meet someone.
Put off	To postpone or delay an event or task.
Come across	To find or discover unexpectedly.
Bring about	To cause or make something happen.
Take off	To remove or lift off, especially in aviation.
Look forward to	To anticipate or be excited about a future event.
Give up	To quit or stop trying.
Get along with	To have a good relationship with someone.
Take care of	To attend to or manage a situation or person.
Go on	To continue or proceed.
Bring in	To introduce or involve someone or something.
Put up with	To tolerate or endure.
Bring down	To reduce or lower.
Show up	To appear or arrive.
Hold on	To wait or pause.
Break up	To end a relationship.
Look up	To search for information.
Figure out	To understand or solve a problem.
Bring out	To reveal or produce.
Check out	To examine or investigate.
Take on	To accept or undertake a task or responsibility.
Put out	To extinguish a fire or release a product.
Bring down	To cause a downfall or reduce.
Take over	To assume control or responsibility.
Look into	To investigate or examine closely.
Pick up	To lift or collect; to learn or acquire.

If you are looking for more phrasal verbs you can use our database here:

Related Pages:

• Exercises on phrasal verbs
• List of separable and inseparable phrasal verbs
• Verbs in English