Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs are those that are made up of more than one word. A phrasal verb has a main verb and one or more other words after it. Phrasal verbs typically have a very different meaning than the meaning of just the verb by itself.
Barbara was anxiously waiting for a package to arrive. ("Waiting for something is a phrasal verb)
It took us a long time to come up with an idea for a present to give to our teacher.
Phrasal verbs can be inseparable or separable.
| Type of phrasal verb | Rules and Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Inseparable | You can't switch around the order of the words inside the phrasal verb -- they can only occur in this order.
They are made of a verb and followed by a preposition. If a "pronoun" (he, she, it, they, etc.) is placed with an inseparable phrasal verb, it always comes after the preposition. |
Gaurav does not want to part with his childhood home. ("Part" is the verb, and "with" is the preposition. |
| Gaurav does not want to part with it. (Notice how the pronoun "it" comes after "with", not before it) |
||
| Separable | These are also made of a verb and a preposition.
The preposition can be separated from the verb. This order can change. If a separable phrasal verb is linked with a "noun", the noun can come before or after the preposition. |
After playing for an hour, Jeanine put her toys away.
or After playing for an hour, Jeanine put away her toys. |
| Jeanine played with her toys and then put them away. |
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