Phrasal verbs are combinations of verbs and particles (on, off, up, down, away, etc.) that change the meaning of the main verb, creating idiomatic expressions often used in everyday language. Phrasal verbs are an essential part of English. Still, they can be tricky for non-native speakers because their meanings are often idiomatic and not directly related to the individual words.
Here are some types of phrasal verbs:
Intransitive Phrasal Verbs do not require a direct object.
- She suddenly woke up.
"Woke up" means to stop sleeping and become awake. "Up" is the particle here.
Transitive Phrasal Verbs are followed by a direct object.
- He turned off the lights.
"Turned off" means to switch something off. "Off" is the particle here.
Separable Phrasal Verbs can be separated by the direct object.
- She looked the number up in the phone book.
"Looked up" means to search for information. "Up" can be placed before or after the direct object ("the number").
Inseparable Phrasal Verbs cannot be separated by the direct object.
- He believes in ghosts.
"Believes in" means to have faith or confidence in something. Here, "in" is inseparable from "believes."
Some phrasal verbs have both a literal and a figurative meaning.
- She broke down the door. (Literal: physically destroyed the door)
"She broke down during the interview." (Figurative: became emotionally upset)
Rules for Phrasal Verbs:
- Phrasal verbs often have idiomatic meanings that may not be predictable from the individual words.
- The context usually helps in understanding the meaning of phrasal verbs.
- Phrasal verbs can be formal or informal depending on the context.
- Some phrasal verbs can be replaced with a single verb, but the meaning may change slightly.