PHRASEL VERBS
PHRASEL VERBS are part of a group of verbs called ‘multi-word verbs’. Multi-word verbs, including phrasal verbs, are very common, especially in spoken English. A multi – word verb is a verb like ‘pick up’, ‘turn on’ or ‘get on with’, Generally people refer to all multi-word verbs as Phrasal verbs. These verbs consist of a basic verb + another word or words. The other word(s) can be preposition and/or adverb. The two or three words that make up multi-word verbs from a short ‘phrase’, Which is why these verbs are often all called phrasal verbs‘.
The important thing to remember is that a multi-word verb is still a verb, ‘Get’ is a ver. ‘Get up’, is also a verb, a different. ‘Get’ and ‘get up’ are two different verbs. They do not have the same meaning.
There are three types of multi-word verbs :
(1) Prepositional Verbs
(2) Phrasal Verbs
(3) Phrasal – prepositional Verbs
PREPOSITIONAL VERBS
Prepositional verbs are made of : Verb + Preposition
As a preposition always has an object, so all Prepositional verbs have direct objects. Here are some examples of Prepositional verbs:
Prepositional verbs cannot be separated. That means that we cannot put the direct object between the two parts. For example, we cannot say ”look the baby after.”
Phrasal verbs
Phrasal verbs are made from a verb plus another word or words. Many people refer to all multi-word verbs as phrasal verbs.
Phrasal verbs are made of : Verb + adverb
Phrasal verbs can be : Transitive (direct object) or Intransitive ( no direct object )
Here are some examples of Phrasal verbs :
Transitive Phrasal verbs :
(a) put off (postpone) : We will have put off the meeting.
(b) tun down (refuse) : They turned down my offer.
Intransitive phrasal verbs :
(a) get up (rise from bed) I don’t like to get up.
(b) break down (cease to function) He was late because his car broke down.
When Phrasal verbs are transitive (that is, they have a direct object), we can usually separate the two parts. For example, ”turn down my offer” or ”Turn my offer down. ”
However, if the direct object is a pronoun, we have no choice. We must separate the Phrasal verb and insert the pronoun between the two parts.
Look at this example with the separate Phrasal verb ‘switch on’ :
(a) John switched on the radio
(b) John switched the radio on.
(c) John switched it on.
We can write any of the above sentences, but we can’t write the following on it
Phrasal – prepositional verbs are made of : Verb + Adverb + Preposition
Look at these examples of Phrasal-prepositional verbs :
(a) get on with (have a friendly relationship with) : He doesn’t get on with his wife.
(b) put up with (tolerate) : I won’t put up with your attitude
(c) Look forward (to anticipate with pleasure) : I look forward to seeing you.
(d) run out of (use up, exhaust)
Italic Words Are Direct Objects
Because Phrasal-prepositional verbs end with a preposition, there is always a direct. And, like Prepositional verbs, Phrasal-prepositional verbs cannot be separated. So, we can say that Phrasal-prepositional verbs are inseparable.
(a) We ran out of fuel.
(b) We ran out of it.
Various Phrasal Verbs and Their Uses
Act up : [misbehave (for people]; not work properly (for machines) :
(a) We ran out of fuel.
(b) We ran out of it.
PHRASEL VERBS LIST WITH THEIR MEANING
‘A’
1. Act up : misbehave (for people); not work properly (for machines
2. Act on : product effect
3. Act upon : in accordance with
4. Act like : believe in a way that’s like……
5. Add up : logically fit together
6. Add up to : to total
7. Ask out : ask for a date
‘B’
8. Back down : not follow a threat
9. Back off : not follow a threat
10. Back up : Move backward; move in reverse
11. Back up : Drive a vehicle backwards (in reverse)
12. Back up : confirm a story, facts or information
13. Back up : make a ‘protection’ copy to use if there are problems with the original
14. Beg off : decline an invitation; ask to be excused from doing something
15. Blow up : inflate
16. Bear down : to crush by force
17. Bear out : verify or confirm
18. Bear up : to face hardships daily)
19. Bear with : (endure to have patience)
20. Bear down : (to crush)
21. Bear off : (to repulse, to drive back)
22. Beat up : to beat
23. Blow up : explode; destroy by exploding
24. Blow up : suddenly become very angry
25. Bone up on : review/study through a short time
26. Break down : stop working/functioning
27. Break in : enter by using force : (and breaking a lock, window etc.
28. Break in : train; get someone / something accustomed to a new routine
29. Break in : wear something new until it’s / they’re comfortable
30. Break up : disperse ; scatter.
31. Break up : end a personal relationship
32. Bring/ take back : return something
33. Bring off : accomplish something difficult; accomplish something people had considered impossible or unlikely
34. Bring up : mention (as a topic discussion)
35. Bring up : raise; rear
36. Brush up : on review/ study thoroughly for a short time
37. Burn down : become destroyed/ consume by fire
38. Burn up : cause someone to become very angry
39. Butt in : impolitely interrupt ( a conversation, an action)
40. Butter up : praise someone excessively with the hope of getting some benefit
‘C’
41. Call of : ask someone for an answer in class
42. Calm down : become calm / less agitated or upset; help someone become calm / less agitated or upset
43. Care for : like; want
44. Care for : (take care of; supply care to ; attend/watch)
45. Catch on : (develop understanding or knowledge of something )
46. Catch up : (with) : ( stop being behind)
47. Check in ( to ) : (register for / at a hotel, conference, etc; let someone know officially that you have arrived
48. Check off : make a mark to indicate that something on a list has been completed
49. Check out : follow procedures for leaving a hotel etc
50. Check out : [follow procedures for borrowing something (usually usually for a limited period of time)]
51. Cheer up : help someone feel depressed
52. Chew out : scold someone severely
53. Chicken out : lose the courage or confidence to so something- often at the last minute
54. Chip in : contribute often money to something done by a group
55. Clam up : suddenly become quiet
56. Come across : find (unexpectedly)
57. Come down with : Come to : (regain consciousness)
58. Count on : depend on ; trust that something will happen or that someone will do as expected
50. Cross out : show that something written is wrong or unnecessary by making an X across it
51. Cut back : use less of something
‘D’
52. Do in : cause to become very tired
53. Do in : to murder
54. Do over : do something again
55. Drag on : Last much longer than expected or is necessary
56. Draw up : create a formal document
57. Drop off : deliver something; deliver someone ( by giving him/ her ride)
58. Drop in : visit formally ( and usually without scheduling a specific time)
59. Drop by : visit formally (and usually without scheduling a specific time)
60. Drop out : stop attending / leave school or an organization)
61. Draw out : prolong something ( usually far beyond normal limits )
‘E’
62. Eat out : have a meal in a restaurant
63. Egg on : urge
64. End up : arrive somewhere as a result or consequence
‘F’
65. Face up to : admit to; take responsibility for
66. Fall through : not happen
67. Feel up to : feel strong enough
68. Figure out : logically find the answer to a problem
69. Fill in : add information to a form
70. Fill in : supply information that someone doesn’t know
71. Fill in for : temporarily do something else’s work
72. Fill out : become less thin; gain weight
73. Fill out : complete a form by adding required information
74. Find out : get information
‘G’
75. Get across : make something understand
76. Get along : have a friendly relationship
77. Get around : avoid having to do something
78. Get around : move from place to place
79. Get around to : do something eventually
80. Get by : survive, financially, in a difficult situation)
81. Get in : enter a small, closed vehicle
82. Get in : arrive
83. Get on : enter a large, closed vehicle
84. Get off : leave a large, closed vehicle
85. Get off : be excused ( for a period of time )
86. Get off : make it possible for someone to avoid punishment
87. Get out of : escape having to do something
88. Get over : finish
89. Get over : recover from an illness or painful experience
90. Get rid of : dispose of; give away or throw away
91. Get rid of : dismiss someone; fire someone from a job; cause someone to leave
92. Get up : leave bed after sleeping and begin your daily activities
93. Give up : stop doing something
94. Give up : decide not to try(unsuccessfully) to solve a problem
95. Go out with : have a date with
96. Go with : look pleasing together (Note : for clothes, furniture etc.)
97. Go with : date regularly and steadily
98. Goof off : be lazy; do nothing in particular
99. Grow up : behave responsibly; behave as an adult, not a child
100. Grow up : spend the years between being a child and being an adult
‘H’
101. Hand in : summit homework, assignment
102. Hand out : distribute
103. Hang up : end a phone conversation by replacing the receiver
104. Have to do with : be about
105. Hold up : raise; lift to a Higher – than – normal position
106. Hold up : delay
‘I’
107. Iron out : mutually reach an agreement; mutually resolve difficulties )
‘J’
108. Jack up : raise/ life by using a jack
109. Jump all over : severely scold someone; berate someone
‘K’
110. Keep on : continue
111. Keep on : someone
112. Kick out : expel
113. Knock out : make unconscious
114. Knock oneself out : work much harder than normal or than what is expected
‘L’
115. Lay off : dismiss someone from a job because of lack of work or money
116. Leave out : forget; omit
117. Let down : disappoint
118. Let up : become less intense or slower
119. Look back on : consider something in the past
120. Look down on : hold in contempt; regard as inferior
121. Look forward to : think about a pleasant thing before it happens
122. Look in on : visit in order to check something’s / Someone condition
123. Look into : investigate/ get more details about something
124. Look like : [resemble ( in appearance)]
125. Look over : check; review
126. Look up : find something in a reference work
127. Look up : find where someone lives or works and visit him) her
128. Look up to : respect
129. Luck out : be unexpectedly lucky
‘M’
130. Make fun of : make jokes about
131. Make up : invent / create
132. Make up : compensate for something missed or not done by doing extra or equivalent work
133. Make up : re-establish a friendly relationship by admitting guilt
134. Make for : go to or toward
135. Make for : result in; cause
136. Mark up : increase the price (for resale )
137. Mark Down : reduce the price (for resale)
138. Mix up : cause to become confused
‘N’
139. Nod off : fall sleep ( usually unintentionally)
‘P’
140. Pan out : succeed, happen as expected
141. Pass away : die
142. Pass out : faint, life consciousness
143. Pass out : distribute
144. Pick out : choose, select
145. Pick up : lift, take up
146. Pick up : arrange to meet someone and give ger/ him a ride
147. Pick up : get, buy
148. Pick up : refresh, revitalize
149. Pick on : bully, intentionally try to make someone upset
150. Pitch in : help, join together to accomplish something
151. Pull over : drive a vehicle to the side of the rode
152. Put away : return something to the proper place
153. Put off : postpone, delay, avoid
154. Put on : begin to wear, don
155. Put on : try to make someone believe something that is ridiculous or untrue
156. Put up : return something to do the proper place
157. Put up : provide someone with a place to sleep
158. Put up with : tolerate
159. Put back : return something to the proper place
‘R’
160. Rip off : cheat, take advantage of, charge too much
161. Round off : charge from a fraction to the nearest whole number
162. Run into : meet by chance
163. Run out of : use the last of
‘S’
164. Set-up : make arrangements for something
165. Set back : cause a delay in scheduling
166. Set back : cost
167. Slip up : make a mistake
168. Stand out : be noticeable Better than other similar people or things
169. Stand up : rise to a standing position
170. Stand up : Make a date but not keep it
171. Show up : arrive, appear
172. Show up : do a noticeable better job ( often unexpectedly)
173. Stand for : represent
174. Stand for : tolerate; permit
‘T’
175. Take after : resemble; ( Note : used for people )
176. Take/bring back : return
177. Take care of : provide care for
178. Take care of : make arrangements ( for something to happen)
179. Take off : remove, something you’re wearing
180. Take off : make arrangements to be absent from work
181. Tell (someone) off : speak to someone bluntly & negatively
182. Tick off : show that something has been completed by putting a tick (check) beside it
183. Throw away : discard; put in the garbage
184. Throw out : forcibly make someone leave
185. Throw up : vomit
186. Try on : wear something briefly to determine how well it works
187. Try out : try to win a place on a team or other organization
188. Turn around : move so that you are facing the opposite direction
189. Turn around : make changes so that something is facing the opposite direction
190. Turn down : decrease the volume
191. Turn down : refuse
192. Turn in : give / deliver / submit to someone
193. Turn in : go to bed
194. Turn in : report or deliver wrongdoers to the authorities
195. Turn off : stop by turning a handle or switch
196. Turn off : bore, repel (very informal)
197. Turn on : start by turning a handle or switch
198. Turn on : interest very much, excite (very informal)
199. Turn up : increase the volume
200. Turn up : appear unexpectedly
‘W’
201. Wait on : Serve (usually customers in a restaurant), shop etc.
202. Wait for : wait until someone/something arrives or is finished with something else
203. Wake up : stop sleeping
204. Wake up : rouse someone, cause someone to stop sleeping
205. Watch out for : be careful of / beware of
206. Wear out : wear something / something until it can no longer be worn/be used
207. Wear out : cause to become exhausted, cause to become very tired
208. Work out : exercise
209. Wrap up : wear enough clothes to keep warm
210. Wrap up : finish something, bring something to a conclusion
211. Write down : record something in writing
212. Write up : record, report in writing
‘Z’
213. Zonk out : fall asleep quickly because of exhaustion