Phrasal Verbs

A phrasal verb is a verb + a preposition or adverb (two or more

words) and it creates a different meaning from the original verb.

Example: RUN

I ran into my teacher at the movies last night. run + into = meet
He ran away when he was 15. run + away = leave home
Some phrasal verbs are intransitive. they cannot be followed by
an object.

Example:

He suddenly showed up. "show up" cannot take an object

 Some phrasal verbs are transitive: They can be followed by
an object.

Example:

I made up the story. "story" is the object of "make up"

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.
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.

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.
 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:

1. I looked the number up in the phone book.

2. I looked up the number in the phone book.
3. I looked it up in the phone book. Correct
4. I looked up it in the phone book. Incorrect
I looked up it in the phone book. incorrect
 Are these statements correct or incorrect?

1. Why do we always talk the weather about? INCORRECT

2. My mother switched the radio off this morning. CORRECT

3. I will look your letter forward to. INCORRECT

4. He was nice, but we turned down him. INCORRECT

5. I believe in ghosts, don’t you? CORRECT

6. We will have to wait the bus for at the corner. INCORRECT

7. Melissa is going to look after the children. CORRECT

8. I have to put the baby down while I sweep the CORRECT

floor.
9. Why don’t you switch the music over while you CORRECT

wait?
10.Can you go to the store before we run milk out of.INCORRECT
 Practice
• Pair Work: Take out a piece of paper, and list 6 phrasal
verbs on the paper. They can be any phrasal verb, from
this unit, or one you previously learned.
• Exchange papers with another pair
• Write a conversation containing the 6 phrasal verbs you
received.
E.g.
S.A. Panchito asked Pepita out and she turned him down.
S.B. Really? I thought she wanted to go out with him…Well…