Phrasal verbsPhrasal verbs are usually two-word phrases consisting of verb + adverb or verb + preposition. Think of them as you would any other English vocabulary. Study them as you come across them, rather than trying to memorize many at once. If you think of each phrasal verb as a separate verb with a specific meaning, you will be able to remember it more easily. Like many other verbs, phrasal verbs often have more than one meaning.What are phrasal verbs?

1. 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 = meetHe ran away when he was 15. run + away = leave home2. Some phrasal verbs are intransitive. An intransitive verb cannot be followed by an object.Example:He suddenly showed up. "show up" cannot take an object3. 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"4. 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.5. 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.6. 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.7. WARNING! 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. correctI looked up it in the phone book. incorrectTop of FormBottom of Form

Top of FormBottom of FormSeparable Phrasal VerbsThe object may come after the following phrasal verbs or it may separate the two parts: You have to do this paint job over. You have to do over this paint job.When the object of the following phrasal verbs is a pronoun, the two parts of the phrasal verb must be separated: You have to do it over.

VerbMeaningExample

blow upexplodeThe terrorists tried to blow up the railroad station.

bring upmention a topicMy mother brought up that little matter of my prison record again.

bring upraise childrenIt isn't easy to bring up children nowadays.

call offcancelThey called off this afternoon's meeting

do overrepeat a jobDo this homework over.

fill outcomplete a formFill out this application form and mail it in.

fill up fill to capacityShe filled up the grocery cart with free food.

find outdiscoverMy sister found out that her husband had been planning a surprise party for her.

give awaygive something to someone else for freeThe filling station was giving away free gas.

give backreturn an objectMy brother borrowed my car. I have a feeling he's not about to give it back.

hand insubmit something (assignment)The students handed in their papers and left the room.

hang upput something on hook or receiverShe hung up the phone before she hung up her clothes.

hold updelayI hate to hold up the meeting, but I have to go to the bathroom.

hold up (2)robThree masked gunmen held up the Security Bank this afternoon.

leave outomitYou left out the part about the police chase down Asylum Avenue.

look overexamine, checkThe lawyers looked over the papers carefully before questioning the witness. (They looked them over carefully.)

look upsearch in a listYou've misspelled this word again. You'd better look it up.

make upinvent a story or lieShe knew she was in trouble, so she made up a story about going to the movies with her friends.

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs (Transitive)With the following phrasal verbs, the lexical part of the verb (the part of the phrasal verb that carries the "verb-meaning") cannot be separated from the prepositions (or other parts) that accompany it: "Who will look after my estate when I'm gone?"

VerbMeaningExample

call onask to recite in classThe teacher called on students in the back row.

call on (2)visitThe old minister continued to call on his sick parishioners.

get overrecover from sickness or disappointmentI got over the flu, but I don't know if I'll ever get over my broken heart.

go overreviewThe students went over the material before the exam. They should have gone over it twice.

go throughuse up; consumeThey country went through most of its coal reserves in one year. Did he go through all his money already?

look aftertake care ofMy mother promised to look after my dog while I was gone.

look intoinvestigateThe police will look into the possibilities of embezzlement.

run acrossfind by chanceI ran across my old roommate at the college reunion.

Three-Word Phrasal Verbs (Transitive)With the following phrasal verbs, you will find three parts: "My brother dropped out of school before he could graduate."

VerbMeaningExample

break in oninterrupt (a conversation)I was talking to Mom on the phone when the operator broke in on our call.

catch up withkeep abreastAfter our month-long trip, it was time to catch up with the neighbors and the news around town.

check up onexamine, investigateThe boys promised to check up on the condition of the summer house from time to time.

come up withto contribute (suggestion, money)After years of giving nothing, the old parishioner was able to come up with a thousand-dollar donation.

cut down oncurtail (expenses)We tried to cut down on the money we were spending on entertainment.

drop out ofleave schoolI hope none of my students drop out of school this semester.

get along withhave a good relationship withI found it very hard to get along with my brother when we were young.

get away withescape blameJanik cheated on the exam and then tried to get away with it.

get rid ofeliminateThe citizens tried to get rid of their corrupt mayor in the recent election.