ENGLISH PHRASAL VERBS

By Lewis G. Sager

What are Phrasal Verbs?

2-word and 3-word verbs For Example: cut up cut off turn on turn off put up put off look up to put up with

Why do phrasal verbs exist?

Phrasal verbs are most prevalent in Germanic languages: German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, and English (modern-day Anglo-Saxon). Phrasal verbs are not very prevalent in Latin languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Catalan, etc. Latin languages use reflexive verbs to a great extent to express the same ideas, in English, we do not.

Historical Background
Modern-day English is a combination or a mixture of low Germanic dialects, dating as far back as the 5th century A.D., French of the Middle Ages, (thanks to the Norman invasion in 1066 and the Battle of Hastings), and a large quantity of Latin words, thanks to authors like Shakespeare and Chaucer of the 15 th and 16 th centuries.

How do Phrasal Verbs work?

A phrasal verb consists of the following: VERB + PARTICLE(S), a second or third word Example: I get (verb) + up (particle) I fell (verb) + off (particle) I put (verb) + on (particle) The PARTICLE is the MOST important word. The particle can affect, increment, enhance, and/or change completely the meaning of the original verb.

Separable vs Non-separable Phrasal Verbs

Separable phrasal verbs have an OBJECT
Example: I will pick up the children. I will pick the children up. I will pick them up. He puts on his shirt. He puts his shirt on. He puts it on.

Some phrasals with objects are NOT separable (These have to be Memorized) Examples: Correct: Incorrect: Correct: Incorrect: Correct: Incorrect:

I am looking for my keys. I am looking my keys for.

He is looking at me funny. He is looking me at funny. The water wears through the wall. The water wears the wall through.

There are 30 to 35 particles that can be used, we are going to look at the 7 MOST important.

Examples:
UP BACK OFF

OVER
DOWN

OUT

AWAY

1) UP
speak
drink get

To complete or finish an action, totally, to increase, to enhance

cut
eat pick

turn

look

2) OFF
call
get fall

to separate, finsh, stop, disconnect, reduce, decrease

cut
turn go

put

take

3) OUT
to remove or exclude, to terminate

cut
get throw

put
take go

check

look

4) BACK
to return, repeat

call
cut come

turn
get go

give

look

5) OVER
look
do get

to go directly on top of, inspect, examine

check
go turn

run

see

6) AWAY
continuous activity, to separate, leave, or disappear

get
turn look

go
eat take

give

send

7) DOWN
to reduce, lower

turn
get sit

fall
break lie

shoot

go

THREE-WORD PHRASALS
Memorize
Get along with Keep up with Look forward to Catch up to Cut back (down) on Break into Look up to Look down on Put up with Hang up on have a good relationship with maintain up-to-date want to do something reach the same level reduce, lower entering to steal/rob admire condescending attitude tolerate cut off the phone call

Three Word Phrasals, cont

More Memorizing

Add up to Back out of Feel up to Run away from Carry on with Look out for Do away with Read up on Drop out of Talk back to Run out of Brush up on Face up to Look up to

to mean, signify withdraw support have a desire to escape from continue with be careful of dispose, eliminate study, review quit, stop answer aggressively use up, completely study, review confront admire

Literal, Figurative and Idiomatic Meanings

Put on Burn up Get over Pick up Put away Break down Hang up Get into Boil over
Literal shirt house come here shoes store not working the phone enter kitchen Figurative act, a play money cross a cold hide lack of obstacle begin tensions Idiomatic put me on oneself feel better traffic kill nerves complexes trouble trouble

Phrasal verbs and equivalent Single verbs

Ask out Break in Call off Carry on Check in Check over Clean up Come back Come in Figure out Find out Fix up Go back Go down Go up invite rob, steel cancel continue register review organize return (here) enter solve discover, realice repair, restore return (there) decrease increase Grow up Keep on Hold back Leave out Look at Look for Look over Pass away Pick out Pick up Put away Put out Put together Show up Take out mature continue prevent omit observe search inspect, study die choose, select take store produce assemble appear remove

Phrasal Verb Get and equivalent Single Verbs

Get Get Get Get Get Get Get Get Get Get Get ahead away back better by down into off old out over advance escape return improve manage descend involve finish (work) age leave recuperate

Get to -

arrive

Get in -

enter

Get up Get well -

rise improve

IN SUMMARY
Phrasal verbs make life a lot more interesting and fun when you speak English, and a lot more expressive.
So, next time you speak English, use a Phrasal Verb. Brush up on Them! They will SPICE UP your life!