Introduction to Phrasal Verbs
A complete B1 guide to understanding phrasal verbs — what they are, how they work, common examples, and the rules for using objects with them.
What Is a Phrasal Verb?
A phrasal verb is a verb + a small word (such as on, off, out, up, down, in, away, back).
The bus was full. We could not get on.
She got into the car and drove off.
I turned around when I heard my name.
These small words often give the verb a special meaning.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
break down | stop working |
find out | discover |
take off | leave the ground (for a plane) |
give up | stop trying |
get on | manage, succeed, or make progress |
get by | manage with difficulty |
The car broke down on the motorway. (= it stopped working)
I never found out who sent the flowers. (= I never discovered)
The plane took off on time. (= it went into the air)
I tried many times, but in the end I gave up. (= I stopped trying)
Phrasal Verbs + Preposition
Sometimes a phrasal verb is followed by a preposition.
| Phrasal Verb + Preposition | Example |
|---|---|
look up at | We looked up at the plane. |
run away from | Why did you run away from me? |
keep up with | You are walking too fast. I cannot keep up with you. |
look forward to | Are you looking forward to your trip? |
I cannot keep up with the news. There is too much happening.
She is looking forward to the weekend.
Using Objects with Phrasal Verbs
Some phrasal verbs have an object. When they do, the object can usually go in two positions.
I turned on the light.
I turned the light on.
Both sentences are correct. The meaning is the same.
But if the object is a pronoun (it, them, me, him, her, us), only one position is possible. The pronoun must go between the verb and the small word.
I turned it on.
(Not: I turned on it.)
| Object Type | Correct | Incorrect |
|---|---|---|
| noun | Take off your shoes. / Take your shoes off. | — |
| pronoun | Take them off. | Take off them. |
I am going to take off my shoes. / I am going to take my shoes off.
These shoes are uncomfortable. I am going to take them off.
Do not wake up the baby. / Do not wake the baby up.
The baby is asleep. Do not wake her up.
Do not throw away this box. / Do not throw this box away.
I want to keep this box, so do not throw it away.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Better | Why |
|---|---|---|
I turned on it. | I turned it on. | A pronoun object goes between the verb and the particle. |
She gave up it. | She gave it up. | Same rule: pronouns go in the middle. |
I looked the word up in the dictionary. | I looked up the word in the dictionary. / I looked the word up in the dictionary. | Both are fine with a noun object. |
He ran away of the house. | He ran away from the house. | Use the correct preposition after the phrasal verb. |
Practice: Exercises
The car ___ on the motorway. We had to call for help.
Summary
A phrasal verb is a verb + a small word such as on, off, out, up, down, in, away, or back.
Common phrasal verbs include break down (stop working), find out (discover), take off (leave the ground), and give up (stop trying).
When a phrasal verb has an object, the object can usually go before or after the small word. But if the object is a pronoun (it, them, me, him, her, us), it must go between the verb and the small word.