PREPOSITIONAL VERBS & PHRASAL VERBS PREPOSITIONAL VERB PHRASAL VERB Definition A prepositional verb is a combination of a verb and a preposition. A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and a preposition or an adverb or both. For Example: For Example: laugh at, bring up, look at, give up, listen to, pass away, knock at, look after, agree to, look down upon, agree with. looking forward to Structure verb + preposition – laugh at verb + adverb+ preposition – looking forward to verb + adverb – pass away Meaning of the verb A prepositional verb has a meaning which similar to the meaning of its original verb. On the other hand, A phrasal verb has a meaning that is different from the meaning of its original verb. Read the following examples with meaning for each phrasal verb. ■ They are laughing at the joker. ■ She is listening to music. ■ They are looking at the stranger. ■ The patient passed away. (pass away: to die) ■ He was brought up by his aunt. (bring up: to raise a child) ■ He is trying to give up smoking. (give up: to quit) ■ She turned down his proposal. (turn down: to reject) Separable & Non- Separable Nature All the prepositional verbs are non-separable. Its verb and preposition cannot be separated. Most of phrasal verbs are separable. Its verb and preposition can be separated to be used in different places in a sentence. They can be used as in joined-form as well as in separated-form. ■ The kids are laughing at joker. ■ Someone is knocking at the door. ■ The dog is barking at a stranger. ■ The people requested to cut down the prices. ■ The people requested to cut the prices down. ■ She turned down his request. ■ She turned his request down. Requirement of an object for the verb All the prepositional verbs require an object in the sentence. Without an object, the sentence having a prepositional phrase cannot express complete meaning. The object comes right after the preposition of prepositional phrase in sentence. The place of object cannot be changed in sentence. Some of the phrasal verbs do not require an object, and some of them require an object to express complete meaning. ■ The patient passed away. (no object) ■ When do you get up? (no object) ■ The thief ran away. (no object) ■ They are laughing at joker. ■ The kid is growing up. (no object) ■ She is listening to music. ■ Someone is knocking at the door. ■ The dog is barking at a stranger. Some of the phrasal verbs require object in sentence. The place of object can be changed in sentences. ■ The people requested to cut down the prices. ■ The people requested to cut the prices down. ■ She turned down his request. ■ She turned his request down. Activity 1: guess the sentences below are phrasal verbs or not 1. My dad always told me I shouldn’t do this 2. We should look that up in a dictionary. 3. I am going to sleep over at my best friend’s place tonight. 4. Reading can be so much fun! 5. Everyone see that she looks down on him. 6. I never realized how smart he is! Activity 2: Guess the meaning of the words by looking at their context Jenny's grandmother is very old. Jenny looks after her every day. She has to put up with a lot of stress, but she still enjoys spending time with her grandmother. The two of them get along very well. The good times they have together make up for all the stress. Jenny turned down the offer to send her into a rest home. 1. to make up - to invent something (a lie, a story) / to put on make-up 2. to get along – to like someone and not fight / to walk on a certain path 3. to put up with - to build something / to tolerate 4. to turn down - to reject something / to put something on the floor 5. to keep on - to keep something and not give it away / to continue doing something 6. to look after - to take care of someone or something / to follow somebody A LIST OF COMMON PHRASAL VERBS Verb Meaning Example ask someone out invite on a date Basuru asked Jina out to dinner and a movie back someone up support My wife backed me up over my decision to quit my job. blow up explode The racing car blew up after it crashed into the fence. break in force entry to a building Somebody broke in last night and stole our jewelries break down stop functioning (vehicle, machine) Our car broke down at the side of the highway in the rain. break up end a relationship My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved to America bring someone up raise a child My grandparents brought me up after my parents died catch up get to the same point as someone else You'll have to run faster than that if you want to catch up with Malaka. call someone back return a phone call I called the company back but the offices were closed for the weekend call on someone ask for an answer or opinion The teacher called on me for the question in the book. calm down relax after being angry You are still mad. You need to calm down before you drive the car. check in arrive and register at a hotel or airport We will get the hotel keys when we check in. check out leave a hotel You have to check out of the hotel before 11:00 AM. cheer up become happier She cheered up when she heard the good news. count on someone/something rely on I am counting on you to make dinner while I am out. come across something find unexpectedly I came across these old photos when I was tidying the closet. Drop someone/something off take I have to drop my sister off at work before I come someone/someth over. ing somewhere and leave them/it there eat out eat at a restaurant I don't feel like cooking tonight. Let's eat out. figure something out understand, find the answer I need to figure out how to fit the piano and the bookshelf in this room. find out discover We don't know where he lives. How can we find out?
