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9.2: Phrasal Verbs

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    Grammar Presentation-Phrasal Verbs

    Phrasal verbs are verbs usually followed by a preposition to form one meaning. For example, the phrasal verb put off means to delay or postpone. Phrasal verbs can be categorized as separable or inseparable. Separable phrasal verbs can be kept together or separated by nouns or pronouns. Inseparable phrasal verbs cannot be separated by a noun or pronoun. Look at the examples.

    1. I looked up the new word in the dictionary. (separable phrasal verb kept together)

    2. I look the new word up in the dictionary. (separable phrasal verb separated)

    3. I look up to my grandmother. (inseparable phrasal verb)

    VideoFor more information on this topic, watch these videos: Phrasal Verbs (Structure)-Lesson 18-English Grammar and English Phrasal Verbs for Everyday Life

    Separable Phrasal Verbs

    Separable phrasal verbs can have a noun or pronoun between the verb and preposition. However, they can only have a noun, not a pronoun, after the preposition. Look at the examples.

    1. Hyun-Ki gave smoking up.

    2. Hyun-Ki gave up smoking.

    3. Hyun-Ki gave it up.

    4. Hyun-Ki gave up it. (incorrect)

    The phrasal verb is separated by a noun (example 1) and pronoun (example 3). In example 2, the phrasal verb is kept together and followed by a noun. However, in example 4, the phrasal verb is kept together and incorrectly followed by a pronoun. While it is not common, some phrasal verbs must be separated. The table below has a list of separable phrasal verbs. Those that must be separated are marked with an asterisk (*).

    Phrasal Verb

    Meaning

    Phrasal Verb

    Meaning

    ask over*

    invite

    blow up

    explode

    bring back

    return

    bring up

    bring attention to

    build up

    increase

    break down

    thoroughly explain

    call back*

    return a phone call

    call off

    cancel

    throw away

    put in the trash

    calm down

    decrease emotions

    drop off

    leave someone or something at a place

    figure out

    understand or solve

    fill in

    complete

    fill out

    complete

    fill up

    fill completely

    turn on/off

    make something open or start/ stop or finish

    find out

    learn new information

    get across

    get people to understand

    give up

    quit

    give out

    distribute

    give back

    return

    hang up

    end a phone call

    help out

    assist

    leave out

    exclude

    let down

    disappoint

    pass down

    give

    pick up

    give a ride / lift / get

    put away

    put in the correct place

    put off

    postpone

    take off

    remove

    Table 23 Separable Phrasal Verbs

    VideoFor more information on this topic, watch this video: An Introduction to Phrasal Verbs

    Exercise 1: Separable Phrasal Verbs

    1. My sister _________ the birthday party at her house when she came down with the flu.

    a. picked up

    b. carried out

    c. called off

    d. fixed up

    2. After having the flu, she had to _________ her strength slowly.

    a. fill out

    b. pass down

    c. find out

    d. build up

    3. I had to to ______ all of the pieces of the broken plate.

    a. pick up

    b. put off

    c. break down

    d. put away

    4. Americans _________ too much food. It’s very wasteful.

    a. give up

    b. get across

    c. throw away

    d. bring up

    5. I don’t want to _________ eating desserts! How else can I lose weight and be healthy?

    a. give up

    b. calm down

    c. put away

    d. put off

    6. My paragraph was thorough because I didn’t want to _________ any information.

    a. fill in

    b. leave out

    c. figure out

    d. turn off

    7. Aaron will be late to the party because he had to _________ his sister across town.

    a. call off

    b. get across

    c. give back

    d. drop off

    8. Muhamad didn’t want to _________ his parents, so he tried his best to succeed.

    a. build up

    b. break down

    c. let down

    d. calm down

    9. Can you help me _____ this heavy box?

    a. pick up

    b. hang up

    c. leave out

    d. pick out

    10. I promised to _________ the book that Patty gave me.

    a. call back

    b. give out

    c. give back

    d. fill up

    Exercise 2: Separable Phrasal Verbs

    Read the sentences and determine which phrasal verb would be the most appropriate considering its meaning.

    Exercise 5-Meaning Practice

    Match the phrasal verb to its meaning.

    a. learn new information

    b. return

    c. remove

    d. bring attention to

    e. help someone understand

    f. disappoint

    g. implement

    h. leave

    i. explains thoroughly

    j. cancel

    k. postpone

    l. solve

    m. exclude

    1. ______ drop off

    2. ______ find out

    3. ______ figure out

    4. ______ get across

    5. ______ give back

    6. ______ let down

    7. ______ take off

    8. ______ leave out

    9. ______ call off

    10. ______ put off

    11. ______ break down

    12. ______ carry out

    13. ______ bring up

    Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

    Inseparable phrasal verbs must be kept together. Transitive phrasal verbs (verbs that can have an object) can be followed by a noun or pronoun. Look at the examples.

    1. The teacher is trying to keep up with grading the homework.

    2. The teacher is trying to keep up with it.

    It is a challenge determining whether a phrasal verb is separable or inseparable, but one strategy to help you is to remember that three-word phrasal verbs cannot be separated.

    Phrasal Verb

    Meaning

    Phrasal Verb

    Meaning

    carry on

    continue

    cash in on

    profit from

    fall for

    believe a trick

    follow through with

    complete

    get off

    leave

    get on

    board

    get out of

    leave

    get over

    recover

    get through with

    finish/endure

    get to

    access/upset

    get together with

    meet

    go over

    review

    keep up with

    maintain pace

    look after

    care for

    look back on

    remember

    pick on

    bully

    put up with

    tolerate

    see about

    consider

    stand for

    represent

    take after

    resemble

    talk over

    discuss

    touch on

    briefly mention

    turn into

    become

    watch out for

    be careful of

    Table 24 Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

    Exercise 3: Meaning Practice

    Match the phrasal verb to its meaning.

    a. tolerate

    b. become

    c. bully

    d. recover

    e. continue

    f. leave

    g. maintain pace

    h. complete

    i. care for

    j. review

    k. consider

    l. resemble

    m. discuss

    n. represent

    o. remember

    1. ______ carry on

    2. ______ take after

    3. ______ stand for

    4. ______ put up with

    5. ______ get out of

    6. ______ go over

    7. ______ turn into

    8. ______ follow through with

    9. ______ get over

    10. ______ keep up with

    11. ______ look back on

    12. ______ talk over

    13. ______ look after

    14. ______ pick on

    15. ______ see about

    Exercise 4: Pronoun Objects

    Read the sentences that have a noun used with a phrasal verb. Rewrite the sentence using a pronoun. Use the example as a guide.

    Example: Sadie always falls for her brother’s tricks. = Sadie always falls for them.

    1. The governor will follow through with his promise.

    2. Rebecca couldn’t wait to get over her cold and begin feeling better.

    3. The teacher will not put up with plagiarism. Don’t try it!

    4. I did my best to keep up with my sister.

    5. Watch out for black widow spiders.

    6. Happy couples usually talk over their problems instead of squelching them

    Exercise 5: Inseparable Phrasal Verbs-Meaning-Practice in Context

    Read the sentences and determine which phrasal verb would be the most appropriate considering its meaning.

    1. The professor’s lecture ________ the factor contributing to the genocide.

    a. carried on

    b. stood for

    c. touched on

    d. fell for

    2. Penelope ________ her puppies.

    a. takes after

    b. looks after

    c. goes over

    d. follow through with

    3. Daren ________ his dad.

    a. takes after

    b. looks back on

    c. cashes in on

    d. sees about

    4. Let’s ________ notes before the test.

    a. get over

    b. carry on

    c. put up with

    d. go over

    5. The letters used in algebra ________ numbers.

    a. carry on

    b. stand for

    c. get on

    d. watch out for

    6. Before a caterpillar ________ a butterfly, the caterpillar creates a cocoon.

    a. turns into

    b. takes after

    c. stands for

    d. looks after

    7. His legs are too short to ________ his auntie.

    a. look back on

    b. fall for

    c. turn into

    d. keep up with

    8. Sometimes the child that ________ other children needs the most help.

    a. picks on

    b. look back on

    c. get out of

    d. follow through with

    9. The driver wanted Rosa Parks to ________ the bus, but she refused.

    a. get together with

    b. put up with

    c. stand for

    d. get off

    10. Instead of punishing a child for doing something wrong, ________ the consequences.

    a. see about

    b. talk over

    c. look after

    d. watch out for

    “Grammar Presentation-Phrasal Verbs” is derived from “ESL Grammar: The Way You Like It” Book 2 by Don Bissonnette licensed under CC BY-NC.


    This page titled 9.2: Phrasal Verbs is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Allyson Marceau.

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