What are phrasal verbs?
- A phrasal verb is a verb plus a preposition or adverb which creates a meaning different from the original verb.
Example:I ran into my teacher at the movies last night. run + into = meet
He ran away when he was 15. run + away = leave home
- Some phrasal verbs are intransitive. An intransitive verb cannot be followed by an object.
Example:He suddenly showed up. "show up" cannot take an object
- Some phrasal verbs are transitive. A transitive verb can be followed by an object.
Example:I made up the story. "story" is the object of "make up"
- Some transitive phrasal verbs are separable. The object is placed between the verb and the preposition.
Example:I talked my mother into letting me borrow the car.She looked the phone number up.
- Some transitive phrasal verbs are inseparable. The object is placed after the preposition.
Example:I ran into an old friend yesterday.They are looking into the problem.
- Some transitive phrasal verbs can take an object in both places. Example:I looked the number up in the phone book.I looked up the number in the phone book.
- Although many phrasal verbs can take an object in both places, you must put the object between the verb and the preposition if the object is a pronoun.
Example:I looked the number up in the phone book.
-I looked up the number in the phone book.
-I looked it up in the phone book. (correct)
-I looked up it in the phone book. (incorrect)
Click here to learn more about phrasal verbs.
Click here for online exercises on phrasal verbs.
