How to Use Phrasal Verbs in English with Examples
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Give up | Stop trying | She did not give up easily. |
| Look after | Take care of | I look after my younger brother. |
| Break down | Stop working | The car broke down on the road. |
| Bring up | Mention, raise | Please do not bring up old issues. |
| Turn off | Switch off | Remember to turn off the lights. |
What Are Phrasal Verbs?
Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb and one or more particles—usually a preposition or an adverb. Together, they create a meaning different from the base verb. Phrasal verbs are common in daily English, school grammar, and competitive exam questions.
Types of Phrasal Verbs
Understanding the types of phrasal verbs helps in using them correctly. The four main categories are based on their structure and how they interact with objects in a sentence.
Transitive Phrasal Verbs
Transitive phrasal verbs need a direct object. For example: “She called off the meeting.” Here, “the meeting” is the object.
Intransitive Phrasal Verbs
Intransitive phrasal verbs do not need an object. For example: “The plane took off.” There is no object after the verb.
Separable Phrasal Verbs
Separable phrasal verbs allow the object to come between the verb and the particle. For example: “Turn off the TV” or “Turn the TV off.”
Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
Inseparable phrasal verbs cannot be separated. The object must come after the whole phrasal verb. Example: “I will look after the dog.”
| Type | Object Needed? | Can Split? | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transitive | Yes | Sometimes | Bring up a topic |
| Intransitive | No | No | Break down |
| Separable | Yes | Yes | Turn off the fan / Turn the fan off |
| Inseparable | Maybe | No | Look after the child |
How to Use Phrasal Verbs in English
Use phrasal verbs in daily speech and writing for more natural English. When conjugating, change only the main verb part. For example: “give up” becomes “gave up” in past tense. Pay attention to word order, especially with separable types: “Pick up the book” or “Pick the book up.”
- Check if the phrasal verb needs an object.
- For separable phrasal verbs, put short objects in the middle. For nouns, either place is fine, but for pronouns (it, them), put them in the middle: “Turn it off.”
- Do not separate inseparable phrasal verbs.
Common Phrasal Verbs List with Meanings
Here are some of the most used phrasal verbs. These are helpful for schoolwork, exams, and speaking English confidently.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Find out | Discover | I want to find out the truth. |
| Give up | Stop trying | He gave up smoking. |
| Check in | Register (at hotel/airport) | We will check in at noon. |
| Set up | Start something | They set up a new business. |
| Look after | Take care of | Can you look after my dog? |
| Break down | Stop working (machine) | My bike broke down again. |
| Pick up | Collect | Please pick up the parcel. |
| Call off | Cancel | They called off the match. |
| Bring up | Mention | She brought up a good point. |
| Run into | Meet by chance | I ran into an old friend. |
Why Master Phrasal Verbs?
Phrasal verbs often appear in exam questions and spoken English. Understanding their meanings boosts scores in English papers. They help you write essays, letters, and notes more naturally. At Vedantu, we make complex grammar simple, so every student can learn with confidence.
Extra Tips and Related Links
To master phrasal verbs, practice regularly. Study how particles like prepositions affect the meaning. For more grammar help, see our pages on Preposition, Basics of Grammar, and Idioms and Phrases.
Summary of Phrasal Verbs in English Grammar
Phrasal verbs combine verbs with particles to create new meanings. Knowing the types—transitive, intransitive, separable, and inseparable—helps avoid errors and boosts exam results. Practice using phrasal verbs in real sentences to improve your writing and speaking. Use Vedantu’s resources to build strong grammar skills for school and life.
FAQs on Phrasal Verbs Explained: Meaning, Types, and Examples
1. What is a phrasal verb and example?
Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb and a particle (preposition or adverb), creating a meaning different from the individual words. For example, "look up" means to search for information, while "look" and "up" separately have different meanings. Other examples include: look after (take care of), get up (rise from bed), put off (postpone).
2. What are the types of phrasal verbs?
Phrasal verbs are categorized based on their grammatical function and whether they are separable or inseparable. Types include: transitive phrasal verbs (take a direct object, e.g., "He picked up the book."), intransitive phrasal verbs (don't take a direct object, e.g., "The plane took off."), separable phrasal verbs (the object can come between the verb and particle, e.g., "He turned the lights off" or "He turned off the lights."), and inseparable phrasal verbs (the object must follow the particle, e.g., "Look after your health.").
3. What are the 50 most common phrasal verbs?
A definitive list of the 50 most common phrasal verbs varies depending on the source. However, commonly cited examples include: look up, look after, get up, put off, turn off, give up, break down, take off, pick up, call off, and many more. Resources like dictionaries and grammar textbooks provide comprehensive lists of phrasal verbs with meanings and usage examples.
4. How do you use phrasal verbs in sentences?
Using phrasal verbs correctly involves understanding their meaning and grammatical function. Pay attention to whether the phrasal verb is transitive or intransitive and separable or inseparable. Always consider the context to ensure accurate meaning. Example: "I looked up the word in the dictionary" (transitive, inseparable). "The rocket took off" (intransitive). Practice is key to mastering their use in various sentence structures and tenses.
5. What is a phrasal verb in English?
In English grammar, a phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and another element, typically a preposition or adverb, creating a new meaning. These elements work together to create idiomatic expressions, meaning their combined meaning differs from the individual words' meanings. For instance, 'look up' means to search for something, not just to look upwards.
6. Can you give five examples of phrasal verbs?
Here are five common phrasal verbs with their meanings: get up (wake up), put off (postpone), look after (take care of), turn on (switch on), give up (quit). Remember that the meaning of a phrasal verb can be different from the individual words that make it up.
7. How are phrasal verbs different from normal verbs?
Unlike single verbs, phrasal verbs combine a main verb with a particle (adverb or preposition), forming a new meaning. The meaning isn't always a simple sum of the parts. For example, "get over" (recover from) has a different meaning from 'get' and 'over' separately. Mastering phrasal verbs requires learning these idiomatic expressions.
8. What are transitive and intransitive phrasal verbs?
Transitive phrasal verbs take a direct object (e.g., "I picked up the phone"). Intransitive phrasal verbs do not take a direct object (e.g., "The plane took off"). Understanding this distinction is crucial for correct grammar and sentence structure when using phrasal verbs.
9. Why are phrasal verbs important for exams?
Phrasal verbs are frequently tested in English language exams at all levels. They're essential for understanding spoken and written English and demonstrating a higher level of fluency. Exam questions might involve using phrasal verbs in context, identifying their meanings, or correcting errors in their usage.
10. Where can I find a PDF of common phrasal verbs?
Many online resources and textbooks offer lists of common phrasal verbs in PDF format. Searching for "common phrasal verbs PDF" on the internet will yield numerous results. Educational websites and grammar resources are good places to begin your search for a downloadable PDF.
11. What are the rules for phrasal verbs?
There aren't strict "rules" but guidelines. Understand if the phrasal verb is separable or inseparable (can the object go between verb and particle?). Pay attention to the verb's transitivity (does it need a direct object?). Learning through examples and practice is the best approach to mastering phrasal verbs' usage.
12. What is the difference between phrasal verbs and idioms?
While both phrasal verbs and idioms are idiomatic expressions, there's a difference. Phrasal verbs always contain a verb and a particle (preposition or adverb) and often have a literal meaning as well as an idiomatic one. Idioms, on the other hand, have a completely figurative meaning, often unrelated to their individual words' meanings. For example, "look up to" (phrasal verb) and "spill the beans" (idiom).
