Phrasal verbs definition and Examples Sentences in English

Phrasal verbs are a special type of verb in English where a verb is combined with a small word like a preposition or adverb (such as “up,” “on,” or “off”). Together, they create a new meaning that is often different from the original verb. These are very common in everyday speech and can sometimes be confusing. By learning phrasal verbs, students can improve their understanding of English and sound more natural when they speak. In this lesson, we will learn the Phrasal verbs definition and Examples how to use them correctly.

Table of Contents

What Are Phrasal Verbs?

Phrasal verbs are phrases that consist of a verb and one or more particles, which can be prepositions or adverbs. Together, they form a new meaning that is often unpredictable from the individual words. Understanding Phrasal verbs definition and Examples is crucial for students because they are commonly used in both spoken and written English.

Phrasal verbs definition and Example Sentences

Types of Phrasal verbs definition and Examples

There are generally two types of phrasal verbs:

Transitive Phrasal Verbs: These require a direct object. For example, “She turned off the lights.” Here, lights is the object.
Intransitive Phrasal Verbs: These do not require an object. For example, “The car broke down.” No object is needed here.

Transitive Phrasal verbs definition and Examples

Transitive phrasal verbs take a direct object, meaning they are used with nouns or pronouns that receive the action. These phrasal verbs often have separable or inseparable forms.

Separable Phrasal Verbs: The object can be placed between the verb and the particle.
Example: Turn off the lights or Turn the lights off.
Inseparable Phrasal Verbs: The object must follow the phrasal verb and cannot be placed between the verb and the particle. Example: Look after the children (not Look the children after).

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence
Turn off	To stop something from working	She turned off the television.
Put on	To wear something	He put on his jacket before leaving.
Take off	To remove something	Please take off your shoes.
Give up	To quit or stop doing something	She gave up smoking last year.
Look after	To take care of	I’ll look after the kids tonight.

Intransitive Phrasal verbs definition and Examples

Intransitive phrasal verbs do not need an object and usually convey actions that happen by themselves.

Here are some common examples:

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence
Break down	To stop working	My car broke down yesterday.
Grow up	To become an adult	He grew up in a small village.
Show up	To appear or arrive	She showed up late to the party.
Wake up	To stop sleeping	I woke up at 7 AM today.
Calm down	To become relaxed	He needs to calm down after the argument.

Separable vs. Inseparable Phrasal Verbs: How to Use Them

Let’s break down the difference between separable and inseparable phrasal verbs with examples:

Separable Phrasal Verbs

In separable phrasal verbs, the object can be placed between the verb and the particle. If the object is a pronoun (e.g., it, them), it must be placed between the verb and the particle.

Example:

Turn off: Please turn off the fan or Please turn it off (but not turn off it).

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

In inseparable phrasal verbs, the object always comes after the entire phrasal verb. You cannot separate the verb from the particle.

Example:

Look after: She looks after her sister (not looks her after).

Common Phrasal verbs definition and Examples in Daily Use

Phrasal verbs are used frequently in everyday English. Below is a table of some of the most common phrasal verbs with meanings and example sentences.

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence
Get along	To have a good relationship	They get along well with each other.
Find out	To discover or learn something	I found out the truth yesterday.
Look up	To search for information	He looked up the word in the dictionary.
Run into	To meet someone by chance	I ran into an old friend at the mall.
Take care of	To look after someone or something	She takes care of her little brother.

Phrasal Verbs for Advanced Learners

As learners advance in English, they’ll encounter more complex phrasal verbs that are often used in professional or academic settings. Here are some advanced phrasal verbs and how they can be used.

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence
Bring up	To introduce a topic or issue	He brought up the subject at the meeting.
Carry out	To execute or complete a task	The team carried out the research.
Set up	To arrange or establish something	They set up a new company.
Look forward to	To be excited about a future event	I look forward to our next meeting.
Put off	To delay or postpone	They put off the project until next week.

Phrasal Verbs vs. Single Verbs

One of the challenges for ESL students is understanding when to use a phrasal verb versus a single verb. Many phrasal verbs have single-verb equivalents, but the choice depends on the context. Often, phrasal verbs are used in informal speech, while single verbs are more common in formal writing.

Here’s a comparison:

Phrasal Verb	Single Verb Equivalent	Example Sentence
Give up	Quit	He gave up smoking.
Come across	Discover	She came across an old book.
Set up	Establish	They set up a new system.
Look into	Investigate	The police are looking into the case.

Tips for Learning Phrasal Verb

Practice in Context: Learning phrasal verbs through sentences is more effective than memorizing them in isolation. Try using them in real-life situations.
Group by Theme: Group phrasal verbs with similar meanings or by context, such as travel-related phrasal verbs (e.g., set off, take off).
Use Flashcards: Create flashcards with the phrasal verb on one side and the meaning and an example sentence on the other.
Watch Native Content: Watching movies, TV shows, or listening to podcasts can expose you to the natural use of phrasal verbs.

Phrasal verbs Example Sentences

Phrasal Verb	Example Sentence
Break down	The car broke down yesterday.
Look after	She looks after her little brother.
Turn off	Please turn off the lights.
Run into	I ran into my old teacher today.
Give up	He gave up smoking last year.
Pick up	She picked up the phone quickly.
Put on	He put on his jacket before leaving.
Take off	The plane took off on time.
Look for	I am looking for my keys.
Turn on	She turned on the TV to watch the news.
Come across	I came across an old photo.
Get up	He gets up at 6 AM every day.
Set up	They set up a new business.
Bring up	She brought up an interesting point.
Take after	She takes after her mother.
Show up	He showed up late for the meeting.
Work out	They work out every morning.
Turn down	He turned down the job offer.
Calm down	She needs to calm down after the argument.
Wake up	I woke up at 7 AM.