Phrasal Verbs
Separable/ Inseperable
by Imad
What are Phrasal Verbs?!
1. A phrasal verb is a verb plus a particle
I ran into my teacher at the movies last night.
>> run + into (= meet)
Verb + particle = phrasal verb
Particles Vs. Prepositions
Particles are identical to prepositions in appearance but act differently
Particles effect the meaning of the phrasal verb. Prepositions do not
change the meanings of their proceeding verbs and are independent
of them.
E.g.
Particle: Max ran up the bill. (run up = to make larger)
Preposition: Max ran up the hill. (run keeps its normal meaning in this
case)
Particle: I looked up your number online. (=searched)
Preposition: I looked up to see the helicopter in the sky. (=actually
looked up towards the sky)
So, particles change the meaning of a verb, but prepositions DO
NOT
Transitive or Intransitive?
A: Transitive Phrasal verbs
1) TAKE AN OBJECT:
Call off something (=cancel)
Pick out something (=choose)
take away something (=remove)
2) usually SEPERABLE (The particle may precede or
follow the direct object):
E.g. "They turned on the lights" or "They turned the lights
on"
Transitive
Phrasal
Verb
Object
Transitive Phrasal Verb
Object
WARNING!!!
BE CAREFUL! when the object is a pronoun, the particle
cannot precede it:
"They turned them on" is correct. (them = the lights)
"They turned on them” (INCORRECT).
I wrote it down. (Correct).
I wrote down it (INCORRECT).
So if the direct object is a pronoun, it MUST go between the
verb and the particle
Some Transitive phrasal verbs MUST be
separated and some are inseparable
Even though they are usually separated, a small group
of transitive verbs must be separated:
E.g.
Keep your jacket on. Not: Keep on your jacket.
Ask Sara out. Not: Ask out Sara
Ask John over. Not: Ask over John
FOR A LIST OF INSEPERABLE TRANSITIVE PHRASAL
VERBS –REFER TO APPENDIX 18 P 1-6
Note that…
In transitive phrasal verbs:
-When the noun object is part of a long phrase, we do not
separate the verb and the particle:
E.g.
I filled out the form from the Sterling Property
Management.
NOT: I filled the form from the Sterling Property
Management out
Intransitive Phrasal Verbs
Intransitive phrasal verbs
1) DO NOT take an object.
2) Always inseparable:
Catch on = become popular
Get a head = make progress
Show up = appear
Sit down = take a seat
Remember
Learn to rely on your intuition when deciding whether a phrasal verb
is separable or inseparable
Try this:
Bring change about
(=make happen)
Bring about change
Which one do you think makes more sense when you pronounce it?