Phrasal verbs: the essentials
get up, look for, give up, turn on, find out: verb + particle.
A phrasal verb is a verb followed by a particle (up, out, off, on…) that changes its meaning. They are everywhere in spoken English.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| get up | leave your bed | I get up at 7. |
| give up | stop doing, quit | He gave up smoking. |
| look for | try to find | I'm looking for my keys. |
| look after | take care of | She looks after her sister. |
| find out | discover, learn | I found out the truth. |
| turn on / off | start / stop a device | Turn off the light. |
| put on / take off | dress / undress (clothes) | Put on your coat. |
| pick up | lift; collect someone | I'll pick you up at 8. |
| run out of | have no more of | We've run out of milk. |
| get on with | have a good relationship with | I get on well with my boss. |
Separable or not?
With a pronoun, separable phrasal verbs put it between the verb and the particle: Turn it off (not «turn off it»). With a noun, both orders are possible: turn off the light / turn the light off.
Test yourself
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Say «Stop the TV» with a phrasal verb.
Show answer
Turn off the TV. / Turn the TV off. -
Replace the noun with a pronoun: Pick up the phone.
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Pick it up. -
Complete: We've run ___ ___ bread.
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out of -
What does «give up» mean?
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stop doing something, quit