Phrasal verbs are new verbs made of two or more words that have a different meaning than the original words. For example, pick up means to grab or lift. They are common in spoken English and can be confusing because their meanings are not always easy to guess. There are many phrasal verbs, and base verbs can be used in different phrasal verbs with different meanings, making it more confusing.
For people learning English, especially those who speak multiple languages, phrasal verbs can be challenging. WRITERS AT WORK is an education centre offering some of the best English enrichment courses for primary and secondary school students in Singapore. Our tuition classes will help you build greater confidence in your command of English whether you’re preparing for PSLE or O Levels. Here is a guide to understanding English phrasal verbs and a list of the most common ones.
Sample Questions:
Tim was thoughtful. He brought a cake for his grandmother’s birthday.
It was thoughtful of Tim, to have brought over a cake for his grandmother’s birthday.
2023 P6 English Prelim Maris Stella
What is a Phrasal Verb?
What exactly is a phrasal verb, you ask? Well, it’s a unique combination of a regular verb with either an adverb or a preposition, known as the particle. This fusion gives birth to a brand new verbal expression – the phrasal verb. The beauty of phrasal verbs lies in their ability to convey meanings that are completely distinct from the individual words they’re made up of.
These versatile creatures can adapt to any verb form imaginable, seamlessly integrating into various contexts just like regular verbs would. Take get over for instance – on its own, get signifies acquisition and over typically denotes elevation or surpassing something.
You can slot get over into your sentences effortlessly in any tense or form you desire.
For instance: In the past tense – I had the flu last week but got over it. In infinitive form – He wrote a song to get over his grandmother’s death. Using the gerund – Getting over prejudice at work is never easy. And as a past participle – Having finally gotten over the breakup, they were ready to return their partner’s things.
When using a phrasal verb as the main verb in a sentence, remember to conjugate the verb part while leaving the other word or words unchanged.
Simply use the appropriate form of the verb as if it were on its own. For example, I get up at noon during the summer, but this morning I got up at sunrise. The word ‘get’ changes while ‘up’ remains constant. Notice how irregular verbs like ‘get’ use their irregular forms to match the tense required. By understanding this concept, you can effectively use phrasal verbs in various tenses to convey your message clearly.
To comprehend phrasal verbs better, categorise them into two pairs: transitive and intransitive; separable and inseparable. Transitive phrasal verbs function with a direct object, similar to regular transitive verbs – for instance, Charlie couldn’t put up with the meowing cats any longer. In contrast, intransitive phrasal verbs do not require an object – like The regional director was late, so the sales team went ahead without her.
Sample Question:
George adjusted his school tie before going on stage.
George made his school tie adjusted before walking over to the stage.
2023 P6 English Prelim Maris Stella
Regarding separable phrasal verbs, with transitive ones you can sometimes place the direct object between the verb and particle – as seen in pick you up. However, specific rules govern separable phrasal verbs; hence attentiveness is key.
On the other hand, inseparable phrasal verbs must remain together without being separated. All intransitive phrasal verbs fall into this category – such as The wayward son carried on without his father. Although some transitive phrasal verbs are also inseparable.
Sample Question:
Tim was curious. He followed the mysterious black cat into the alley.
Out of curiosity, Tim trailed behind the black cat into the alley.
2023 P6 English Prelim Maris Stella
When using phrasal verbs, it’s important to consider the word order. In most cases, the verb and particle should stay together for intransitive and inseparable transitive phrasal verbs. However, separable phrasal verbs have different rules. These types of verbs are always transitive and require a direct object.
The direct object can be placed between the verb and the particle, even if it’s a noun phrase. Some separable phrasal verbs, like get down, necessitate placing the direct object between the verb and particle. For other separable phrasal verbs, you have the flexibility to position the direct object in the middle or at the end.
Sample Question:
“Can you explain this difficult problem to me?” John asked Miss Sim.
John asked Miss Sim if she could go through the difficult problem with her.
2023 P6 English Prelim Maris Stella
WRITERS AT WORK students know all too well that it requires memorization and practice to determine which phrasal verbs are separable. When using pronouns with separable phrasal verbs, remember to place them in the middle of the verb phrase. It’s essential to differentiate between separable and inseparable transitive phrasal verbs when deciding where to position your objects.
80 Phrasal Verbs:
| Pick up | to lift something off the ground |
| Put down | to set something down |
| Come across | to find something by chance |
| Get along | to have a good relationship |
| Get back | to return |
| Get in | to enter |
| Get off | to leave |
| Get on | to board |
| Give in | to surrender |
| Give up | to quit |
| Go ahead | to proceed |
| Go on | to continue |
| Keep on | to continue |
| Let down | to disappoint someone |
| Look after | to take care of |
| Look forward to | to anticipate with pleasure |
| Kick out | to expel |
| Run into | to meet by chance |
| Set up | to establish |
| Show up | to arrive |
| Slow down | to reduce speed |
| Take off | to remove |
| Think about | to ponder |
| Throw away | to discard |
| Try on | to test for size or fit |
| Turn down | to reject |
| Turn off | to stop |
| Turn on | to activate |
| Wake up | to awaken |
| Wear out | to use until no longer useful |
| Work out | to exercise |
| Worry about | to fret over |
| Add up | to total |
| Back down | to retract |
| Back up | to support |
| Brush up | to review |
| Burn up | to destroy by fire |
| Calm down | to become less agitated |
| Carry on | to continue despite difficulties |
| Catch on | to become popular |
| Check in | to register upon arrival |
| Cheer up | to become happier |
| Clean up | to make clean |
| Cool down | to become less heated |
| Die down | to subside |
| Dish out | to serve |
| Dress up | to wear nicer clothes than usual |
| Eat out | to dine in a restaurant |
| Fill in | to provide missing information |
| Figure out | to solve |
| Find out | to discover |
| Get across | to communicate successfully |
| Get along with | to have a good relationship |
| Get at | to reach |
| Get away with | to escape punishment |
| Get through | to finish using |
| Give away | to provide free of charge |
| Give back | to return something borrowed |
| Give out | to distribute |
| Grow up | to mature |
| Hand in | to submit |
| Hang out | to spend leisure time |
| Hold on | to wait |
| Keep up with | to maintain pace |
| Knock down | to demolish |
| Let up | to decrease |
| Look for | to search |
| Look into | to investigate |
| Make up | to invent, fabricate |
| Pass away | to die |
| Pass out | to faint |
| Pay off | to be successful |
| Pick up on | to notice |
| Point out | to indicate |
| Put away | to store |
| Put back | to return |
| Put off | to postpone, delay |
| Put up with | to endure |
| Settle down | to become settled |
| Slow up | to reduce speed |
Frequently Asked Questions
What Exactly are Phrasal Verbs?
Phrasal verbs consist of a verb paired with either an adverb or a preposition. When combined, these words function as a single unit and convey a unique meaning distinct from their individual definitions.
Can You Provide Some Examples of Phrasal Verbs?
Phrasal verbs are ubiquitous in spoken English, with common instances such as get out, calm down, give away, and put up with.
What Categories Do Phrasal Verbs Fall Into?
Phrasal verbs are categorised into four types, which can be further divided into two sets: transitive/intransitive and separable/inseparable. Each phrasal verb falls under one category from each set, noting that all separable phrasal verbs are transitive in nature.
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