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Phrasal Verbs
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and preposition, a verb and an adverb, or a verb with both an adverb and
a preposition.
A phrasal verb has a meaning which is different from the original verb. That's what makes them fun, but confusing.
You may need to try to guess the meaning from the context, or, failing that, look it up in a dictionary.
The adverb or preposition that follows the verb are sometimes called a particle. The particle changes the meaning
of the phrasal verb in idiomatic ways.
They are also known as compound verbs, verb-adverb combinations, verb-particle constructions", two-part
words/verbs and three-part words/verbs (depending on the number of words).
Phrasal verbs are usually used informally in everyday speech as opposed to the more formal Latinate verbs, such
as to get together rather than to congregate, to put off rather than to postpone, or to get out rather than to
exit. They should be avoided in academic writing.
!Note - Some linguists differentiate between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs, while others assume them to
be part of one and the same construction, as both types are phrasal in nature. So, unless you want to become a
linguist, don't worry about it.
Literal usage
Many verbs in English can be combined with an adverb or a preposition, a phrasal verb used in a literal sense with
a preposition is easy to understand.
Verb and adverb constructions are also easy to understand when used literally.
An adverb in a literal phrasal verb modifies the verb it is attached to, and a preposition links the subject to the verb.
Idiomatic usage
It is, however, the figurative or idiomatic application in everyday speech which makes phrasal verbs so important:
"I hope you will get over your operation quickly."
The literal meaning of to get over, in the sense of to climb over something to get to the other side, is not relevant
here. Here "get over" means "recover from" or "feel better".
Phrasal verbs also differ in their transitivity or intransitivity in the same way as normal verbs do. A transitive verb
always has an object.
For example:-
For example:-
A further way of considering phrasal verbs is whether they are separable or inseparable. In inseparable verbs, the
object comes after the particle.
For example:-
Separable verbs have several ways of separating verb, particle and object. Usually, the object comes between verb
and particle.
For example:-
However, with some separable verbs, the object can come before or after the particle.
For example:-
!Note - There is usually no way of telling whether they are separable, inseparable, transitive or intransitive. In
most cases you have to get a feel for them.