
The first thing to do is understand what a phrasal verb is…
The Cambridge dictionary defines a phrasal verb as:
A phrase that consists of a verb and a preposition, the meaning of which changes from the individual verb and preposition alone.
For example, work out is a phrasal verb because the meaning is not literally work + out, but rather solve or invent.
The most usual method to introduce phrasal verbs into speech or writing is through substitution. You take a word, LIKE for example and put it into a sentence, “I like reading books about dinosaurs”. Then you take the term LIKE and replace it with the phrasal verb that you want to use, “I AM INTO reading books about dinosaurs”. This way the student begins to incorporate simple phrasal verbs into their language use. A great way to practice this skill is by learning how to match phrasal verbs with their synonyms. Examples of phrasal verbs are: Find out = discover information, look after = take care of, take on = hire
Language learners must practice exercises such as matching phrasal verbs with their synonyms, antonyms and similar expressions.
TO LEARN PHRASAL VERBS WELL YOU SHOULD
UNDERSTAND THE MEANING + LEARN SOME SIMPLE PHRASES + USE LOTS OF EXAMPLES IN CONVERSATIONS
The next steps to progress are by making sure that students use phrasal verbs consistently, what they need to do is make sure that they use them in context and assimilate them. They must use them often to consolidate their meaning. What students must be careful of is that they do not change the context too much or the meaning could change. For example GET BY can mean, survive with the minimum amount of money necessary or know how to use a little bit of a language.
The second thing to do is to understand the GRAMMAR. Know how to conjugate the verb well and also IF YOU CAN SEPARATE THEM. Normally we can separate a phrasal verbs if there is an object (Turn the light on), we have a choice if it is a long object, but if it is an object pronoun we almost always need to separate (turn it on). There are some phrasal verbs that we never separate (look after them). If there is no object we do not separate them (go back).
IF YOU WANT TO FURTHER UNDERSTAND PHRASAL VERBS, YOU SHOULD SEE OUR POST ON PREPOSITIONS (HERE) FOR EXTRA INFORMATION.
There are 3 types of phrasal verbs:
Some phrasal verbs can be tricky because sometimes you can split them in two and others you cannot. In English we call them separable and inseparable phrasal verbs. It is essential to understand where to put the objects and if an object is necessary so that the phrase makes sense.
Separable phrasal verbs
Separable phrasal verbs can have an object in between the verb and the preposition = I took her away on holiday. If the object is in the form of an object pronoun (me, you, him, her, it, us, they) then we normally have to divide the phrasal verb.
E.g. I picked him up from the store. But if the object is in its full from, you usually have the choice. I put on the jacket, or I put the jacket on.
Examples of separable phrasal verbs:
Check out
Fill in/out
Put on
Switch on/off
Take in
Take off
Tell off
Throw away
Turn on/off
Inseparable phrasal verbs
Inseparable phrasal verbs have an object after ONLY. You cannot place the object between the verb and the preposition.
E.g. I usually look after my daughter on Saturday evening so her mum can go out for a drink
Examples of inseparable phrasal verbs:
Be into
Get into
Go off
Look for
Look into
Tell on
Intransitive phrasal verbs
These types of phrasal verb do not require an object. We can form phrases with the phrasal verb and nothing else. But if you want to add an object, we usually add another preposition + the object.
For example, I am going out (with my friends) or I can get by (in English).
Examples of intransitive phrasal verbs:
Carry on
Come back
Get back
Get by
Get up
Go on
Go out
Look out
Wake up
3 word phrasal verbs
These phrasal verbs are almost always inseparable. These types of phrasal verbs need to include both prepositions to carry the correct meaning. Get on with means to have a good relationship with someone whereas get on has a different meaning.
For example, I am looking forward to the party. I need to cut down on my sugar intake.
Examples of 3 words phrasal verbs:
Be up for
Cut down on
Do away with
Get along with
Get away with
Go out with
Look forward to
Look out for
Look up to
Run out of
TO CONTINUE DEVELOPING YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY, TAKE A LOOK AT THESE POSTS VOCABULARY TRICKS, VOCABULARY ACQUISITION AND VOCABULARY BUILDING. THE KEY YO LEARNING VOCABULARY IS TO FIND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU (USING IMAGES, MNEMONICS, MIND MAPS) AND TO INCORPORATE THIS ACTIVITY INTO YOUR LANGUAGE LEARNING ROUTINE.
FOR THE FREE EBOOK ON PHRASAL VERBS – EBOOK PHRASAL VERBS
You should learn phrasal verbs in context; it is important to sort them into topics.
Phrasal verbs by topics
Hobbies and free time
Carry on – continue
Get (a)round to – start (after planning)
Get up to – do sth/do sth you shouldn´t
Go off – stop liking
Get into – start liking
Join in – participate in
Calm down – relax
Put off – delay
Be into – like
Put up with – tolerate
Stand for – tolerate/protect or defend
Take up – start doing
End up – final result
Take to – become good at
Hang out (with) – spend time (with)
Call off – cancel
Travel and getting around
Get/go away – go on holiday/escape
Set off – start a journey
Hold up – delay
Pick up – collect
Get around – move from place to place
Drop off – leave in a place
Get back – return
Make for – head in a direction
Check in – enter a hotel/flight
Check out – leave a hotel
Take off – the plane leaves the ground
Look around – explore
Hurry up – go faster
Check out – look at sth
Look forward to – be excited about
See off – say goodbye at the airport etc.
Catch up with – get to the same point as
Education and lifestyles
Drop out (of) – stop studying/going to school
Deal with – handle/cope with
Get on with – continue doing
Think over – consider
Get at – suggest
Catch on – understand
Go for – choose
Be into – like
Find out – discover information
Fall behind – not do sth fast enough
Go over – review
Go into – begin to describe in detail
Get away with – not be caught or punished
Make up – invent information or a story
Take down – write down
Take in – understand
Work and obligations
Carry out – do sth/realize an action
Back out (of) – decide not to
Turn down – reject
Set up – start a business
Stand in for – substitute
Bring out – start selling a new product
Keep on – continue
Work away – work abroad
Work on – spend time to try to perfect sth
Work out – solve or find a solution
Catch up (on/with) – reach the same level as sb
Take to – become good at/become a habit
Go over – review
Opt out of – decide not to
Take over – take control of
Take on – hire/employ
Money and spending
Bank on – depend
Buy (sth) up – purchase large amounts of sth
Buy (sb) out – pay to have control of a business
Come across – find sth or meet by chance
Come by – visit
Save up (for) – keep a little money for sth
Get by – manage with little money
Do without – live without sth
Cash in on (sth) – sell sth for profit
Give away – give as a gift
Take back – return sth to the shop
Put by – save money for the future
Sell out – not have any left/sell all of sth
Pay (sth) off – pay all of sth
Pay up – give sb the money you owe them
Save ($) on (sth) – avoid spending money on sth
Time
Clock in – record when people start work
Clock out – record when people finish work
Take off – spend time away from work
Press on – continue working
Run out (of) – not have any left/remaining
Get together – meet to spend time together
Fit in – find time to do sth
Hang out (with) – spend time with
Get up to – do sth/ do sth you shouldn´t
Be up to – do sth
Hang on – wait
Mess around – waste time doing sth
Eating and drinking
Go for – choose
Eat out – eat in a restaurant
Go/keep on – continue
Put off – make sb not want sth any more
Run out of – not have any left
Eat/drink up – eat or drink all of sth
Try out – experiment with
Take to – begin to like
Throw away/out – put in the rubbish
Wash up – clean the dishes
Turn out – have a particular result
Health and fitness
Feel up (to) – feel well enough to
Cut down (on) – reduce the amount of
Get over – recover from
Give up/in – stop doing
Look after – take care of
Put on – gain weight
Pass out – faint/become unconscious
Work out – do exercise
Go/come down with – become ill
Bring on – cause an illness
Warm up – prepare for sth
Swell up – become inflamed
Get rid of – throw/give away or sell
Pull through – recover from
Pass away – die
People and their lives
Bring up – start talking about sth
Get at – suggest
Grow up – become older
Look up to – admire
Pass away – die
Get along (with) – have a good relationship
Stick to – continue doing the same
Chill out – relax
Get into – start liking
Go off – stop liking
Stay up – not go to bed
Stay out – not go home
Stay in – not go out
Fit in with – be assimilated into friends
Stand out – be different/remarkable
Put up with – stand for
Technological advances
Build up – construct a lot of buildings
Find out – discover information
Work on – dedicate time to perfect sth
Work out – find a solution/resolve
Carry out – perform an experiment
Come on – make progress
Come up with – think of
Turn into – become/change into
Plug in – connect to a power supply
Turn off – stop machine from working
Come off – succeed
Look forward to – be excited about
Wildlife and the environment
Call off – cancel
Call for – require
Cut down (on) – reduce
Cut out – stop using/doing
Cut down (trees) – chop trees down
Clear up – when the weather becomes better/clean
Throw away – get rid of/put in the bin
Put down to – suggest that sth is the result of sth
Stand for – represent sth
Stand up for – defend/protect
Look after – take care of
Give off – emit (fumes etc.)
Die out – when all of sth dies
Face up to – accept as true
Life, crime and society
Give up/in – stop doing
Back down – stop demanding sth
Get away with – not be punished for sth
Look into – investigate
Be into – be interested in
Get away – escape
Lock up – put in prison
Blow up – explode
Run away – flee/ escape by running
Beat up – attack with violence
Tell off – shout at
Let off – not punish/forgive
Break in – force entry
Design and creativity
Lay out – plan
Work out – solve/plan
Dream up – create an idea
Set out – organize/arrange
Make up – create a story/information
Go over – review
Set up – start and prepare for an activity
Think over – consider
Wear out – become exhausted or unusable
Grow out of – develop from a certain point
Do away with – get rid of
Draw up – create a plan of action
Dress up – get well dressed/put on a costume
Cut out – stop using/doing sth
Happiness and relationships
Fall out with – argue with
Fall for – fall in love with
Get on with – be friends with
Get along with – have a good relationship with
Look up to – admire
Look down on – think badly of
Make up – make peace
Stand up for – protect/defend
Put up with – tolerate
Pick on – tease/make fun of
Put down – criticize
Look after – take care of
Go out with – be in a relationship with
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