Separable and inseparable phrasal verbs
Q-Skills 3 Listening and speaking: unit 8

• Scrivener, J., (2010)Teaching English Grammar: what to teach and how to
teach it, Macmillan Books for Teachers, Oxford
• Swan, M., ( 2005) Practical English Usage, Oxford University Press, New
York
• Fuchs, M., bonner, M., &Westheimer, M., (2006) Focus on Grammar: An
Integrated Approach, Pearson Longman new York
• www.onestopenglish.com

• The alarm goes off at 4:45am. I wake up , lean over and turn off the alarm. I get up quickly and go downstairs. I put on the coffee. I go back upstairs and have a shower. I put on my clothes and pray. When I come down stairs again I have my first cup of coffee. Mmmmm! Then I have some toast and a second cup of coffee. I wash my cup and tidy up the kitchen. I take my bag and set off to work. It is 6:30am. I lock up the house before I go. Sometimes I run to catch the bus. I get on the bus and travel for about half an hour. Then I get off the bus. I go into work and say “GOOD MORNING!” to my first class.

Phrasal verbs/ multi-word verbs
Verb + one or more words = new meaning pv = verb + particle ( preposition, adverb or both )
Phrasal verbs are informal used in idioms
More common in everyday spoken language
Ex. Ahmed cut down on smoking.
Cut down ( in this context) = to do less of something.
Badriyah ran up the bill. ran up =to increase something = negative meaning

This slide I will not present to students for your information.
You have to be very careful not to confuse phrasal verbs with prepositional phrases.
In a phrasal verb the preposition goes with the verb
In a prepositional phrase the preposition goes with the noun phrase . phrasal verb = Badriya ran up the bill prepositional phrase =Badriyah ran up the hill
Phrasal verbs tend to be idiomatic= gives a different meaning.

Transitive phrasal verbs
• Transitive means a verb is used with an object .
• Most phrasal verbs are transitive
• This means that the object can come
• after the verb
• Mary turned on the radio .
• turn on = make something work usually electrical.
• The teacher passed out the homework .
• passed out = to give, to distribute
Intransitive phrasal verbs
• Intransitive the verb does not have an object
• Some pv are intransitive
• Nasser’s car broke down .
• broke down = stopped working
• I woke up at 4.45am.
• woke up = to awaken

. Transitive phrasal verbs
Most phrasal verbs are transitive
Transitive means a verb is used with an object .
Mary turned on the radio . turn on = make something work usually electrical.
The teacher passed out the homework . passed out = to give, to distribute

Intransitive phrasal verbs
Intransitive the verb has no direct object
Nasser’s car broke down . broke down = stopped working
I woke up at 4.45am. woke up = to awaken

a) I turned off the alarm clock b) I turned the alarm clock off c) I turned off it the alarm clock d) I turned it off. e) I turned off it.
Correct Answers a b d
When phrasal verbs are transitive they can usually be separated.
It usually makes a better sentence
When using a pronoun it is the only possible way

• When phrasal verbs are transitive they can usually be separated.
• It usually makes a better sentence
• When using a pronoun it is the only possible way

I
I
Ali
Ali
Ali
I
Ali
I
√
×
√
√
√
√
√
× switched switched the radio switched it switched put on on on on on put put put my clothes on them on on the radio it my clothes them

Particle break off turn off set off put off cut off take off wear off
Main verb go out go against go ahead go back go over go without go out
Usage (travel) picked up broke down check in took off get off slow down held up
This is more for the teachers information