Learn about verbs combined with prepositions/adverbs that create new meanings. Perfect for Class 9-12 students. Master common phrasal verbs with examples and usage.
1. What are Phrasal Verbs?
Phrasal verbs are verbs combined with particles (prepositions or adverbs) to create new meanings different from the original verb.
| Verb | + Particle | Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| give | up | give up | quit/stop trying | Don't give up! |
| turn | down | turn down | reject/refuse | She turned down the offer. |
| look | after | look after | take care of | I look after my sister. |
| break | down | break down | stop working | The car broke down. |
| Key Point: The meaning changes completely! "Give" ≠ "Give up" | ||||
2. Types of Phrasal Verbs
| Type | Structure | Separable? | Examples | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intransitive | Verb + Particle | No object | wake up, sit down, grow up | I wake up at 6 AM. |
| Transitive Separable | Verb + Particle + Object | Yes | turn off, pick up, put on | Turn off the light. Turn the light off. |
| Transitive Inseparable | Verb + Particle + Object | No | look after, run into, go through | I look after children. NOT: I look children after. |
| Three-word | Verb + Particle + Particle | No | look up to, put up with, get away with | I look up to my teacher. |
3. Common Phrasal Verbs by Theme
| Theme | Phrasal Verbs | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Activities | wake up, get up, put on, take off | Morning routine | I wake up at 7, get up at 7:15, put on my uniform. |
| Education | hand in, look up, go over, drop out | School/study related | Hand in your homework. Look up new words. |
| Social/Relationships | get along, break up, make up, look up to | Friendship/family | We get along well. They broke up last month. |
| Travel/Transport | set off, get on, get off, check in | Travel activities | We set off early. Get on the bus here. |
| Work/Business | carry out, take over, set up, lay off | Office/business | Carry out the plan. He set up a new business. |
4. Separable vs Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
| Type | Rule | With Noun Object | With Pronoun Object | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Separable | Object can go between or after | Turn off the TV. Turn the TV off. |
Turn it off. NOT: Turn off it. |
put on, take off, pick up, turn down |
| Inseparable | Object must come after | Look after the baby. | Look after her. | look after, run into, go through |
| Three-word | Always inseparable | Look up to your teacher. | Look up to him. | look up to, put up with, get away with |
| Important Rule: If object is a pronoun (me, you, him, her, it, us, them), it MUST go between verb and particle for separable phrasal verbs. | ||||
5. Phrasal Verbs vs Prepositional Verbs
| Aspect | Phrasal Verbs | Prepositional Verbs | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meaning | New meaning created | Original meaning kept | give up (stop) vs wait for (expect) |
| Stress | On particle | On verb | give UP (phrasal) vs WAIT for (prepositional) |
| Separability | Often separable | Never separable | turn off light/turn light off (phrasal) listen to music (NOT listen music to) |
| Common Particles | up, down, off, on, out | for, of, to, with, about | break down (phrasal) believe in (prepositional) |
| Test | Can put object between? | Object always after | pick up book/pick book up (phrasal) look at picture (always look at) |
6. Quick Practice (5 Questions)
7. Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Wrong ❌ | Right ✅ | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| I will pick up you at 5. | I will pick you up at 5. | With pronouns: verb + pronoun + particle |
| She looks her brother after. | She looks after her brother. | "Look after" is inseparable |
| He gave smoking. | He gave up smoking. | Need the particle for correct meaning |
| I ran my old friend into. | I ran into my old friend. | "Run into" is inseparable |
| The car broke. | The car broke down. | "Break" ≠ "break down" (stop working) |
| Can you turn the light? | Can you turn on the light? | Need particle for complete meaning |
🎮 Phrasal Verb Matching Game
Match the phrasal verbs with their meanings:
give up
cancel
Correct matches: give up-quit, call off-cancel, look up to-admire, put off-postpone
8. Memory Aids & Tips
Separability Test:
Try putting object between verb and particle.
If it sounds natural → Separable
If it sounds wrong → Inseparable
Example: "Turn off light" → "Turn light off" (✓ Separable)
"Look after baby" → "Look baby after" (✗ Inseparable)
Particle Meanings (Common Patterns):
up: complete (eat up, fill up), increase (speak up)
down: decrease (slow down), reject (turn down)
off: disconnect (turn off), depart (take off)
out: reveal (find out), distribute (give out)
on: continue (carry on), wear (put on)
Top 10 Must-Know Phrasal Verbs:
1. give up (quit)
2. look after (care for)
3. turn down (reject)
4. break down (stop working)
5. get along (have good relationship)
6. call off (cancel)
7. put off (postpone)
8. take after (resemble)
9. look up to (admire)
10. run out of (have no more)
Exam Tip:
1. Look for particles (up, down, off, on, out, etc.)
2. Check if meaning is literal or changed
3. Test separability with pronoun object
4. Remember common three-word phrasal verbs
5. Context clues often help guess meaning
📝 Practice Phrasal Verbs
Test with our 25-question worksheet on phrasal verbs!
Download Phrasal Verbs WorksheetIncludes answer key • Common phrasal verbs • Separability rules • Printable PDF
