Prepared by : Mr TAOUFIK

PHRASAL VERBS
A Phrasal verb is a phrase consisting of verb + preposition, also called particle. The list below is a reference for you which can
guide you when find an expression that you don't recognize. Remember that a phrasal verb is like an idiom, that is to say, the
meaning of the verb alone changes totally in a phrasal verb, i.e. when the verb is accompanied by a preposition.
The structure of a phrasal verb is: verb + preposition / adverb
Phrasal verbs can be: transitive (with direct object) or intransitive
Phrasal verb

(no direct object)

Meaning

Transitive

look up

search the meaning of a word

Intransitive

dress up

wear nice clothes

Example
This word is difficult. I am going to look it
up a word in the dictionary.
We dress up at every religious celebration.

Separable phrasal verbs

When we have a transitive verb, that which has a direct object, and this direct object is not a pronoun, we can separate the verb
and the preposition or the adverb. For example, "bring up" is a separable phrasal verb. We can say: "I hire a babysitter to bring
up my kids" or "I hire a babysitter to bring my kids up".
I hire a babysitter to bring up my kids
I hire a babysitter to bring my kids up
But, if the direct object is a pronoun, there is no choice. We have to separate the phrasal verb and insert the pronoun between the
two parts. Look at these examples with the separable phrasal verb "switch off". Note that the last sentence is incorrect.
Fatima switched off the television.
Fatima switched the television off.
Fatima switched it off.
Fatima switched off it.
Separable Phrasal Verbs
Verb

Meaning

Example

give up

Stop doing, abondon

The doctors advised him to give up smoking or he will have a terrible illness.

bring up

raise children

The Smiths hired a babysitter to bring up their children.

call off

cancel

They called off the match due to heavy rain

do over

repeat a job

Your handwriting is not clear. You have to do the text over.

fill in

complete a form

Fill in this application for a scholarship and send it to the USA embassy.

find out

discover

She finally found out that her husband is married to another woman.

give away

give something to

I have to buy a new car because this old one give away a lot of smoke.

Prepared by : Mr TAOUFIK
someone else for
free
hand in

submit something
(assignment)

After the students finished the test, they handed in their papers and left the exam
room.

hang up

put something on
hanger

The man hung up the coat on coat hunger when he got into his office.

hold up

rob

Three masked terrorists held up a bank yesterday.

look over

examine, check

Before pronouncing the verdict, the judge looked over the papers.

look up

search in a list

If you dont understand a word, look it up.

make up

invent a story or lie

She made up a story for her parents to go the cinema.

make out

hear, understand

In the countryside you have to speak loudly so that people can make out what you
are saying.

pick out

choose

She picked out a nice flower and handed it to her friend.

pick up

collect

He found a wallet and picked it up.

put away

save or store

Rich people put away money in bank in Switzerland.

put off

postpone

As it was heavily rained, FIFA put off the match till next month.

put on

put clothing on the

body

I take off my suit and put on my pyjama to go to bed.

put out

extinguish

The firefighters put out fire immediately when they arrived.

set up

to arrange, begin

Maria nicely set up the bedroom as a surprise for her husband.

take down

make a written note

The students took down key note while the teacher was explaining the lesson.

take off

remove clothing

I took off my casual clothes and put on my pyjamas to go to bed.

throw away

discard

These are very important documents! Don't throw them away.

try out

test

I tried out some shoes before I finally bought a pair.

turn down

lower volume

Please, turn down the radio, I am concentrating on my work.

turn down (2)

reject

The man ask a ladys hand from her parent but they turned him down because he is
jobless.

turn up

raise the volume

She told me to turn up the volume to hear the news.

turn off

switch off electricity

Dont forget to turn off the lights when you leave the room.

turn on

switch on the
electricity

Turn on the CD player so we can listen to our favorite music.

use up

exhaust, use
completely

Some countries will use up their oil supplies and become poor.

Intransitive Phrasal Verbs (no object)

Verb

Meaning

Example

Prepared by : Mr TAOUFIK
break down

stop functioning

My car broke down on my way to Casablanca last Sunday.

come back

return to a place

Noisy students promised me not to come back to misbehavior.

come in

enter

I want to come in but I am waiting for the teachers permission

come to

regain consciousness

My dad came to after a long period of coma.

come over

to visit

He told me that once he is town, he will come over,

eat out

dine in a restaurant

American eat out most of the time because they are always
busy.

check in

Register in a hotel / airport .

Once you check in at a hotel, they will give you the keys of
your room.

get up

arise

Grandmother tried to get up, but the couch was too low, and she
couldn't make it on her own.

go back

return to a place

It's hard to imagine that we will ever go back to Lithuania.

go on

continue

He would finish one Dickens novel and then just go on to the

next.

go on (2)

happen

The cops heard all the noise and stopped to see what wasgoing
on.

grow up

get older

Charles grew up to be a lot like his father.

keep away

remain at a distance

The judge warned the stalker to keep away from his victim's
home.

keep on (with gerund)

continue with the same

He tried to keep on singing long after his voice was ruined.

pass out

lose consciousness, faint

He had drunk too much; he passed out on the sidewalk outside

the bar.

show off

demonstrate haughtily

Whenever he sat down at the piano, we knew he was going

to show off.

show up

arrive

Day after day, Efrain showed up for class twenty minutes late.

wake up

arouse from sleep

I woke up when the rooster crowed.

Practice Exercises
A. Match the first half of the sentences in column A with the other half in column B.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

A
We started out
My car broke
Watch out!
Have the police
The boys sneaked out of the house

B. Fill in each blank with a verb and a particle

from the lists below. Use the verbs in the correct
form.
Verbs: knock
put
hand
eat

B
a. when their mother refused to let them go out.
b. on our journey early in the morning.
c. a car is coming.
d. found out who the criminal was?
e. down on my way to the conference.

check

Particles: in out

1. The Would you like to tonight? There is a new restaurant in town.

2. When we got to the hotel, we and went up straight to our room.

Prepared by : Mr TAOUFIK
3. When Rim finished her exam, she her paper and went out.
4. The fire brigade the fire once they arrived at the building on fire.
5. The boxer his opponent with a hard blow on the face.

C.

Fill in the blanks with the correct phrasal verb from the list.
(give up dropped out
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

put off

wake me turn down

hurry up)

Could you up at 6 o'clock?

They have decided to their wedding until March.
I my studies to start working.
Jane and I want to smoking.
I needed money and I decided to never any jobs that I will be offered.
We must or we will miss the bus

KEYS TO EXERCISES
A. Match the first half of the sentences in column A with the other half in column B.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

We started out on our journey early in the morning

My car broke down on my way to the conference.
Watch out! a car is coming.
Have the police found out who the criminal was?
The boys sneaked out of the house when their mother refused to let them go out.

B. Fill in each blank with a verb and a particle from the lists below. Use the verbs in the correct form.
1. Would you like to eat out tonight? There is a new restaurant in town.
2. When we got to the hotel, we checked in and went up straight to our room.
3. When Rim finished her exam, she handed her paper in and went out.
4. The fire brigade put off the fire once they arrived at the building on fire.
5. The boxer knocked his opponent out with a hard blow on the face.
C. Fill in the blanks with the correct phrasal verb from the list.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Could you wake me up at 6 o'clock?

They have decided to put off their wedding until March.
I dropped out my studies to start working.
Jane and I want to give up smoking.
I needed money and I decided to never turn down any jobs that I will be offered.
We must hurry up or we will miss the bus