Understanding Phrasal Verbs

In English grammar, some verbs combine with other words to create new meanings. These combinations are called phrasal verbs. They are very common in everyday English and are essential for understanding natural conversations.

What Are Phrasal Verbs?

Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb and one or more particles, usually an adverb or preposition. Together, they create a meaning that can be different from the original verb.

For example:

Look means to use your eyes, but look after means to take care of someone or something.
Give means to provide something, but give up means to stop trying.

Structure of Phrasal Verbs

A phrasal verb usually has two parts:

Verb	Particle	Phrasal Verb	Meaning
look	after	look after	take care of
wake	up	wake up	stop sleeping
turn	on	turn on	start a device

Types of Phrasal Verbs

Transitive Phrasal Verbs

These phrasal verbs need an object after them.

She turned on the light.
He picked up the phone.

Intransitive Phrasal Verbs

These phrasal verbs do not need an object.

The plane took off.
My car broke down.

Common Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
wake up	stop sleeping	I wake up at 7 a.m.
find out	discover information	I found out the truth.
give up	stop trying	Don't give up.
look for	search for	I am looking for my keys.
put on	wear something	Put on your jacket.
take off	remove or leave the ground	The plane took off.

Separable and Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Some phrasal verbs can be separated by an object, while others cannot.

Type	Example
Separable	Turn off the TV. / Turn the TV off.
Inseparable	Look after the baby. (Not: Look the baby after.)

Common Mistakes With Phrasal Verbs

Incorrect	Correct
I look my friend after.	I look after my friend.
She gave the job up it.	She gave it up.
He explained me the problem.	He explained the problem to me.

Exercises and Practice

Choose the correct phrasal verb:

Please _____ the lights before leaving. (turn off / look for)
I need to _____ more information about this topic. (find out / give up)
She _____ her little brother every day. (looks after / takes off)
Don't _____ learning English. (give up / wake up)

Learning phrasal verbs helps learners understand real English conversations because native speakers use them frequently in daily communication.