Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb with a preposition or an adverb (or both) that create new meanings. They are very common in English and can be used in all types of conversation and writing.

What Are Phrasal Verbs?

Phrasal verbs are made up of a main verb plus one or two particles (a preposition or adverb). The meaning of the phrasal verb is often idiomatic—it can be different from the meanings of the individual words.

Example: give up means “stop trying,” which is different from just give.

Common Particles in Phrasal Verbs

Here are some common particles and a few example phrasal verbs with each:

Particle	Example Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence
up	give up	stop trying	She gave up smoking.
out	find out	discover	We found out the answer.
off	take off	leave the ground (plane) / remove	The plane takes off at 8 p.m. / She took off her jacket.
on	turn on	switch on	Can you turn on the lights?
in	check in	register (hotel/airport)	We checked in at noon.
away	run away	escape	The dog ran away.

Types of Phrasal Verbs

There are three main types:

Intransitive (no object): The plane took off.

You cannot put anything after the phrasal verb.

Transitive (needs object): She looked up the word.

Something must follow the phrasal verb.

Separable: The object can go between the verb and the particle.

She picked up the book. / She picked the book up.*

Inseparable: The object must follow the particle.

She ran into an old friend. (not She ran an old friend into*)

What does it mean if a phrasal verb is 'transitive'?

It always ends with 'up'.

It requires an object.

It has a fixed idiomatic meaning.

It cannot have an object.

It requires an object.

Transitive phrasal verbs need an object to follow them in the sentence.

Which of the following sentences shows correct inseparable phrasal verb usage?

She ran into old friend.

She ran into an old friend.

She ran an old friend into.

She ran into.

She ran into an old friend.

In inseparable phrasal verbs like 'run into,' the object must follow the particle and cannot come between the verb and particle.

Using Phrasal Verbs in Sentences

Here are some examples:

Example	Meaning
I looked up the word in the dictionary.	I searched for the word.
Please turn off the lights when you leave.	Please switch off the lights.
She put on her coat before going outside.	She dressed in her coat.
He gave up smoking last year.	He stopped smoking.

Practice Tips

Learn phrasal verbs in small groups (e.g., all with up).
Use them in sentences to remember their meanings.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions about context or usage.

You can ask me for lists of common phrasal verbs, exercises, or explanations of any that confuse you!

Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025