Phrasal verbs

Do you know how to use verbs in phrases like pick the kids up, turn the music down and look after my cat? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how phrasal verbs are used.

This is the form. Please can you fill it in?
Why are you bringing that argument up now?
Police are looking into connections between the two crimes.
We need to come up with a solution.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar test 1: Separable and non-separable multi-word verbs: Grammar test 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Phrasal verbs are very common in English, especially in more informal contexts. They are made up of a verb and a particle or, sometimes, two particles. The particle often changes the meaning of the verb.

I called Jen to see how she was. (call = to telephone)
They've called off the meeting. (call off = to cancel)

In terms of word order, there are two main types of phrasal verb: separable and inseparable.

Separable

With separable phrasal verbs, the verb and particle can be apart or together.

They've called the meeting off.
OR
They've called off the meeting.

However, separable phrasal verbs must be separated when you use a personal pronoun.

The meeting? They've called it off.

Here are some common separable phrasal verbs:

I didn't want to bring the situation up at the meeting.
(bring up = start talking about a particular subject)

Please can you fill this form in?
(fill in = write information in a form or document)

I'll pick you up from the station at 8 p.m.
(pick up = collect someone in a car or other vehicle to take them somewhere)

She turned the job down because she didn't want to move to Glasgow.
(turn down = to not accept an offer)

Non-separable

Some phrasal verbs cannot be separated.

Who looks after the baby when you're at work?

Even when there is a personal pronoun, the verb and particle remain together.

Who looks after her when you're at work?

Here are some common non-separable phrasal verbs:

I came across your email when I was clearing my inbox.
(come across = to find something by chance)

The caterpillar turned into a beautiful butterfly.
(turn into = become)

It was quite a major operation. It took months to get over it and feel normal again.
(get over = recover from something)

We are aware of the problem and we are looking into it.
(look into = investigate)

Some multi-word verbs are inseparable simply because they don't take an object.

I get up at 7 a.m.

With two particles

Phrasal verbs with two particles are also inseparable. Even if you use a personal pronoun, you put it after the particles.

Who came up with that idea?
(come up with = think of an idea or plan)

Let's get rid of these old magazines to make more space.
(get rid of = remove or become free of something that you don't want)

I didn't really get on with my stepbrother when I was a teenager.
(get on with = like and be friendly towards someone)

Can you hear that noise all the time? I don't know how you put up with it.
(put up with = tolerate something difficult or annoying)

The concert's on Friday. I'm really looking forward to it.
(look forward to = be happy and excited about something that is going to happen)

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar test 2: Separable and non-separable multi-word verbs: Grammar test 2

Try another grammar lesson

Language level

B1 Intermediate

B2 Upper intermediate

Hello,

I’m trying to understand what the phrasal verb “rule out” means. Most dictionaries list "exclude" as a definition of "rule out", I think there must be some difference.

Example:

Mark: What happened to you? Why do you look so annoyed?
John: I was having my lunch when Jenny from the sales department entered the kitchen and started to ask me something about my favorite books. I didn't have much to tell her, so she switched to stories about her favorite books, which are all bestsellers written by the greatest minds of the 20th century.
Mark: Yes, I know those stories; I've heard them so many times. The way she talks about her favorite books completely rules out her ability to understand what's written in them.

Does "rule out" fit this context? Can "exclude" be used instead?

Thank you.

Hello J_Morales,

'Rule out' often means exclude but it can also mean 'make impossible':

The bad weather rules out (any chance of) a picnic.

You can see this meaning in the dictionary entry here:

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/rule-out

I'm not sure I'd use 'rule out' in this context, however. It's not her ability which is ruled out but rather he understanding, so I would probably phrase it like this: ...completely rules out her understanding what's written in them.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Thank you, Peter.

Can I say "The way she talks about her favorite books completely rules out the possibility of her understanding what's written in them"?

Hello J_Morales,

Yes, that's fine. I think 'rules out any possibility' is a more common phrase but grammatically both are fine.a

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello, Peter. Thank you.

Can a Linking Verb be a Phrasal Verb?

He burst into tears. (tears= object or complement?)

Hello Iqbal.Bangladesh,

Burst into is a phrasal verb which is followed by a direct object.

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/american_english/burst-into

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hi,

I would like to know:

1- if it is possible to use a simple verb instead of a "Phrasal verbs" which has the same meaning of course?

2- If yes, what is the purpose or usefulness of using “Phrasal verbs”?

3- is there a way to understand the meaning of “Phrasal verbs”? Or we have to learn them by heart? for example, I understand each word of this Phrasal verbs "come up with" but I cannot understand the whole thing.

THANKS.

Hi Ama1,

1. Yes, there are often alternatives which can be used. This is true of almost all items in all languages. Having alternatives ways of expressing things is what makes languages so rich and beautiful.

2. See above! Phrasal verbs, or multi-word verbs, are very common in speech. Often the alternatives sound drier or more formal, and having different ways to express the same idea allows the speaker options for emphasis, rhythm, cadence and so on. For example, these two sentences below mean the same but the first has an entirely different rhythm to it which is pleasant to the ear:

> I picked them up and dropped them off an hour later.

> I collected them in the car from school and took them home an hour later.

3. Multi-word verbs usually have more than one meaning, which makes them very flexible. Often there is literal meaning (pick something up from the floor) and an idiomatic meaning (pick someone up from school). The literal meaning is usually easy to work out but the idiomatic meaning can be less clear and often needs to be memorised.

The best way to pick up and become familiar with multi-word verbs is to read and listen to as much authentic/natural English as possible. Happily there's a lot to choose from online, and watching films or series with the subtitles (in English) on is also a very good option. You can watch something in your own language with English subtitles or something in English with English subtitles. These are great ways to grow your English and pick up good grammatical and lexical patterns.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

This is not a criticism or anything like that (I love all the work you share with everyone), but it's really difficult to find a rule that cannot be, well, bent, if not broken. Here's a sentence you can find in the Cambridge dictionary, with the verb and the two particles separated:

I'll be glad to get these exams over with.

Kind regards.