Phrasal verbs are an essential part of the English language, often used in everyday conversations. They can be tricky for learners because their meanings aren’t always obvious from the individual words. However, mastering them can significantly enhance your fluency and comprehension.
WHAT ARE PHRASAL VERBS?
Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb and one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs) that create a new meaning different from the original verb. For example, “give up” means to stop trying, and “look after” means to take care of.
COMMON PHRASAL VERBS AND THEIR MEANINGS
- Get up: To rise from bed.
- Example: “I get up at 7 AM every day.”
- Give up: To stop trying.
- Example: “He gave up smoking last year.”
- Look after: To take care of.
- Example: “She looks after her younger brother.”
- Run into: To meet by chance.
- Example: “I ran into my teacher at the supermarket.”
USING PHRASAL VERBS IN SENTENCES
Phrasal verbs can be used in various contexts to make your speech more natural and fluent. Here are some examples:
- “After a long day, I just want to lie down and relax.”
- “Can you pick up some groceries on your way home?”
- “They set off on their journey early in the morning.”
TYPES OF PHRASAL VERBS
- Transitive vs. Intransitive
- Transitive: These phrasal verbs require an object. For example, “She looked up the word in the dictionary.”
- Intransitive: These do not require an object. For example, “The car broke down on the highway.”
- Separable vs. Inseparable
- Separable: The verb and particle can be separated by the object. For example, “She looked the word up.”
- Inseparable: The verb and particle cannot be separated. For example, “She ran into an old friend at the mall.”
TRANSITIVE VS. INTRANSITIVE PHRASAL VERBS
Transitive Phrasal Verbs
Definition: Transitive phrasal verbs require a direct object to complete their meaning. The action of the verb is transferred to the object.
Structure:
- Verb + Particle + Object: “She looked up the word.”
- Verb + Object + Particle (for separable phrasal verbs): “She looked the word up.”
Examples:
- Look up: To search for information.
- “I need to look up the address.”
- “I need to look the address up.”
- Turn off: To stop the operation of something.
- “Please turn off the lights.”
- “Please turn the lights off.”
- Give up: To stop trying.
- “He gave up his job.”
- “He gave his job up.”
Intransitive Phrasal Verbs
Definition: Intransitive phrasal verbs do not take a direct object. The action of the verb is complete in itself and does not transfer to an object.
Structure:
- Verb + Particle: “The car broke down.”
Examples:
- Break down: To stop functioning.
- “The car broke down on the highway.”
- Get up: To rise from bed.
- “I get up at 7 AM every day.”
- Show up: To appear or arrive.
- “He showed up late to the meeting.”
Key Differences between Transitive vs. Intransitive Phrasal Verbs
- Object Requirement:
- Transitive: Requires an object.
- Example: “She looked up the word.”
- Intransitive: Does not require an object.
- Example: “The car broke down.”
- Transitive: Requires an object.
- Separation of Verb and Particle:
- Transitive: Can often be separated by the object (if separable).
- Example: “She looked the word up.”
- Intransitive: Cannot be separated.
- Example: “The car broke down.”
- Transitive: Can often be separated by the object (if separable).
- Action Transfer:
- Transitive: The action is transferred to the object.
- Example: “He gave up his job.”
- Intransitive: The action is complete in itself.
- Example: “He gave up.”
- Transitive: The action is transferred to the object.
Examples of Phrasal Verbs that Can Be both Transitive and Intransitive
Some phrasal verbs can function as both transitive and intransitive, depending on the context.
- Run out:
- Transitive: “We ran out of milk.” (Object: milk)
- Intransitive: “The milk ran out.”
- Take off:
- Transitive: “She took off her shoes.” (Object: shoes)
- Intransitive: “The plane took off.”
Separable vs. Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
Understanding whether a phrasal verb is separable or inseparable is crucial for using them correctly in sentences.
Separable Phrasal Verbs
Definition: Separable phrasal verbs allow the particle to be separated from the verb by the object. This means you can place the object between the verb and the particle.
Structure:
- Verb + Object + Particle: “She turned the light off.”
- Verb + Particle + Object: “She turned off the light.”
Rules:
- Object Placement: When using a noun as the object, it can be placed either between the verb and the particle or after the particle.
- Example: “He picked up the book.” / “He picked the book up.”
- Pronouns: When using a pronoun as the object, it must be placed between the verb and the particle.
- Example: “He picked it up.” (Not “He picked up it.”)
Examples:
- Turn off: To stop the operation of something.
- “Please turn off the TV.”
- “Please turn the TV off.”
- Pick up: To lift something from a surface.
- “She picked up the phone.”
- “She picked the phone up.”
- Put on: To wear something.
- “He put on his jacket.”
- “He put his jacket on.”
Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
Definition: Inseparable phrasal verbs do not allow the particle to be separated from the verb. The object must always follow the complete phrasal verb.
Structure:
- Verb + Particle + Object: “She looked after her brother.”
Rules:
- Object Placement: The object always comes after the particle.
- Example: “She ran into an old friend.” (Not “She ran an old friend into.”)
- Pronouns: The same rule applies when using pronouns; they must follow the entire phrasal verb.
- Example: “She ran into him.” (Not “She ran him into.”)
Examples:
- Look after: To take care of.
- “She looks after her younger brother.”
- Run into: To meet by chance.
- “I ran into my teacher at the supermarket.”
- Get over: To recover from.
- “It took her a long time to get over the flu.”
Key Differences between Separable and Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
- Separation:
- Separable: The object can be placed between the verb and the particle.
- Example: “She turned the light off.”
- Inseparable: The object must follow the entire phrasal verb.
- Example: “She looked after her brother.”
- Separable: The object can be placed between the verb and the particle.
- Pronoun Placement:
- Separable: Pronouns must be placed between the verb and the particle.
- Example: “He picked it up.”
- Inseparable: Pronouns follow the entire phrasal verb.
- Example: “She ran into him.”
- Separable: Pronouns must be placed between the verb and the particle.
- Flexibility:
- Separable: Offers flexibility in sentence structure.
- Example: “He put on his shoes.” / “He put his shoes on.”
- Inseparable: Follows a strict structure.
- Example: “She looked after her grandmother.”
- Separable: Offers flexibility in sentence structure.
DIALOGUE TO PRACTICE PHRASAL VERBS
Bob: Hey Alice, I was thinking we could head out to the beach this weekend. What do you think?
Alice: That sounds great, Bob! I could really use some time to chill out.
Bob: Perfect! We can set off early Saturday morning.
Alice: Sounds good. I’ll pick up some snacks and drinks for us to bring along.
Bob: Great idea! And don’t forget to pack up your swimsuit and sunscreen.
Alice: Of course, I won’t leave out those. Do you think we should invite over some of our friends?
Bob: Sure, the more the merrier! I’ll reach out to a few people and see if they’re free.
Alice: Awesome! I can’t wait to catch up with everyone.
Bob: Me too. It’s been too long since we all hung out together.
Alice: Definitely. Let’s wrap up the plans by tomorrow so we can inform everyone.
Bob: Agreed. Let’s meet up after work to go over everything.
Alice: Perfect, see you then!
ASK AND ANSWER QUESTIONS WITH PHRASAL VERBS
Instructions:
- Formulate a Question: Use the given phrasal verb and object to create a question.
- Provide an Answer: Respond to the question using the same phrasal verb and object.
Example:
- Phrasal Verb/Object: Turn off/the lights
- Question: Can you turn off the lights before you leave?
- Answer: Yes, I can turn off the lights before I leave.
Activity:
- Phrasal Verb/Object: Pick up/kids from school today
- Phrasal Verb/Object: Put on/shoes quickly
- Phrasal Verb/Object: Run into/anyone you know at the party
- Phrasal Verb/Object: Look after/my dog while I’m on vacation
HOW TO DETERMINE WHETHER PHRASAL VERBS ARE TRANSITIVE OR INTRANSITIVE, AND WHETHER THEY ARE SEPARABLE OR INSEPARABLE
Use a Dictionary
Many dictionaries provide information about the usage of phrasal verbs, including whether they are transitive or intransitive and whether they are separable or inseparable. Encourage your learners to look up phrasal verbs in reliable dictionaries like the Cambridge Dictionary or Oxford Learner’s Dictionary.
Contextual Clues
Transitive vs. Intransitive:
- Transitive: If the verb requires an object to complete its meaning, it is transitive.
- Example: “She looked up the word.” (The word is the object.)
- Intransitive: If the verb does not require an object, it is intransitive.
- Example: “The car broke down.” (No object needed.)
Separable vs. Inseparable:
- Separable: If the object can be placed between the verb and the particle, it is separable.
- Example: “She turned the light off.” / “She turned off the light.”
- Inseparable: If the object must follow the entire phrasal verb, it is inseparable.
- Example: “She ran into an old friend.” (Cannot be “She ran an old friend into.”)
Practice with Examples
Provide your students with sentences that use phrasal verbs in context. Ask them to identify the object and determine if the verb can be separated by the object.
Example Exercise:
- “He picked up the book.”
- Is there an object? (Yes, the book.)
- Can it be separated? (Yes, “He picked the book up.”)
- Therefore, it is transitive and separable.
- “The plane took off.”
- Is there an object? (No.)
- Therefore, it is intransitive and inseparable.
Create a Reference List
Compile a list of common phrasal verbs with their classifications. This can serve as a handy reference for your students.
Example List:
- Transitive and Separable:
- Turn off: “She turned off the TV.” / “She turned the TV off.”
- Pick up: “He picked up the phone.” / “He picked the phone up.”
- Transitive and Inseparable:
- Look after: “She looks after her brother.”
- Run into: “I ran into my teacher.”
- Intransitive and Inseparable:
- Break down: “The car broke down.”
- Get up: “I get up at 7 AM.”
Interactive Activities
Engage your students in activities like matching exercises, fill-in-the-blanks, and sentence construction to reinforce their understanding.
Example Activity:
- Matching: Match the phrasal verb with its correct classification.
- Look after: (a) Transitive and Separable (b) Transitive and Inseparable © Intransitive and Inseparable
- Break down: (a) Transitive and Separable (b) Transitive and Inseparable © Intransitive and Inseparable
CONCLUSION
Phrasal verbs are a vital component of English, adding richness and variety to the language. By understanding and using them correctly, you can improve your communication skills and sound more like a native speaker. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll find them becoming a natural part of your vocabulary.
