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Phrasal Verbs and other multi-word verbs Phrasal verbs are part of a large group of verbs called "m multi-word verbs". Phrasal verbs and other multi-word verbs are an important part of the English language. Multi-word verbs, including phrasal verbs, are very common, especially in spoken English. A multi-word verb is a verb like "pick up", "turn on" or "get on with". For convenience, many people refer to all multi-word verbs as phrasal verbs. These verbs consist of a basic verb + another word or words. The other word(s) can be prepositions and/or adverbs. The two or three words that make up multi-word verbs form a short "phrase" - which is why these verbs are often all called "phrasal verbs". The important thing to remember is that a multi-word verb is still a verb. "Get" is a verb. "Get up", is also a verb, a different verb. "Get" and "get up" are two different verbs. They do not have the same meaning. So you should treat each multi-word verb as a separate verb, and learn it like any other verb. There are three types of multi-word verbs, including phrasal verbs: phrasal verbs; prepositional verbs; phrasal-prepositional verbs..
Analyse the table: SINGLE-WORD VERB
look
direct your eyes in a certain direction
You must look before you leap.
MULTIWORD VERBS
look for
search for something someone look in the direction something or someone
I lost my keys. I must look for them. I was looking at him when he smiled.
prepositional verbs
look at
phrasal verbs
look up
look after phrasal-prepositional verbs
look forward to
or of
search for and find information in a reference book take care of
You can look up my number in the telephone directory.
anticipate with pleasure
I look forward to meeting you.
Who is looking after the baby?
PHRASAL VERBS Phrasal verbs are made of verb + adverb Phrasal verbs can be: • intransitive (no direct object) • transitive (direct object) Here are some examples of phrasal verbs: phrasal verbs
meaning
examples direct object
intransitive phrasal verbs transitive phrasal verbs
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get up
rise from bed
I don't like to get up.
break down
cease to function
He was late because his carbroke down.
put off
postpone
We will have to put off
the meeting.
turn down
refuse
They turned down
my offer.
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SEPARABLE PHRASAL VERBS
When phrasal verbs are transitive (that is, they have a direct object), we can usually separate the two parts. For example, "turn down" is a separable phrasal verb. We can say: "turn down my offer" or "turn my offer down". Look at this table: transitive phrasal separable
verbs
are
They
turned
They
turned
down
my offer.
down.
my offer
However, if the direct object is a pronoun, we have no choice. We must separate the phrasal verb and insert the pronoun between the two parts. Look at this example with the separable phrasal verb "switch on": direct object pronouns must go between the two parts of transitive phrasal verbs
John
switched
on
John
switched
the radio
on.
John
switched
it
on.
John
switched
on
the radio.
These are all possible.
it.
This is not possible.
Separable or inseparable phrasal verbs? Some dictionaries tell you when phrasal verbs are separable. If a dictionary writes "look (something) up", you know that the phrasal verb "look up" is separable, and you can say "look something up" and "look up something". It's a good idea to write "something/somebody" as appropriate in your vocabulary book when you learn a new phrasal verb, like this: •
get up
•
break down
•
put something/somebody off
• turn sthg/sby down This tells you whether the verb needs a direct object (and where to put it).
PREPOSITIONAL VERBS Prepositional verbs are made of: verb + preposition Because a preposition always has an object, all prepositional verbs have direct objects, so all the prepositional verbs are transitive. Here are some examples of prepositional verbs: EXAMPLES PREPOSITIONAL VERBS
MEANING
direct object believe in
have faith in the existence of
I believe in
God.
look after
take care of
He is looking after
the dog.
talk about
discuss
Did you talk about
me?
wait for
await
John is waiting for
Mary.
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Prepositional verbs cannot be separated. That means that we cannot put the direct object between the two parts. For example, we must say "look after the baby". We cannot say "look the baby after": Who is looking after the baby?
This is possible.
Who is looking the baby after?
This is not possible.
prepositional verbs are inseparable
It is a good idea to write "something/somebody" in your vocabulary book when you learn a new prepositional verb, like this: • believe in something/somebody • look after sthg/sby This reminds you that this verb needs a direct object (and where to put it).
PHRASAL-PREPOSITIONAL VERBS Phrasal-prepositional verbs are a small group of multi-word verbs made from a verb plus another word or words.. Phrasal-prepositional verbs are made of: verb + adverb + preposition Look at these examples of phrasal-prepositional verbs: phrasal-prepositional verbs
meaning
examples direct object
get on with
have a friendly relationship with
He doesn't get on with
his wife.
put up with
tolerate
I won't put up with
your attitude.
look forward to
anticipate with pleasure
I look forward to
seeing you.
run out of
use up, exhaust
We have run out of
eggs.
Because phrasal-prepositional verbs end with a preposition, there is always a direct object. And, like prepositional verbs, phrasal-prepositional verbs cannot be separated. Look at these examples: phrasal-prepositional verbs are inseparable
We
ran out of
fuel.
We
ran out of
it.
It is a good idea to write "something/somebody" in your vocabulary book when you learn a new phrasalprepositional verb, like this: • get on with somebody • put up with sthg/sby • run out of something This reminds you that this verb needs a direct object (and where to put it). Source: englishclub.com On the next page you can learn more about the prepositional verbs. Try to match each verb to the preposition, and then, using a dictionary, try to explain the meaning they convey (or translate them into Portuguese). Use the prepositions from each box placed above to fill in the table. Note that there may be more than one possibility. MARCH 2009
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from
Verb
at
Preposition
of
for
to
in
with
on
from
on
in
from
on
in
Meaning
1) Abstain 2) Approve 3) Aim 4) Ask 5) Attend 6) Benefit 7) Believe
into
Verb
Preposition
to
Meaning
8) Bump 9) Belong 10) Begin 11) Chat 12) Comment 13) Concentrate 14) Cope
of
Verb
with
Preposition
about
Meaning
15) Consist 16) Deal 17) Depart 18) Experiment 19) Fail 20) Fill 21) Forget
of
Verb
with
Preposition
about
Meaning
15) Consist 16) Deal 17) Depart 18) Experiment 19) Fail 20) Fill 21) Forget
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at
Verb
on
Preposition
to
about
for
Meaning
22) Glance 23) Hear 24) Hope 25) Insist 26) Look 27) Mention
about
Verb
to
Preposition
with
from
in
for
Meaning
28) Occur 29) Prepare 30) Prevent 31) Provide 32) Succeed 33) Worry Source: On-line Reloaded, Porto Editora
Now you have to memorise them, but not all at once!!!! You should do it in phases… ☺
G☺☺D W☺RK!!!!
MARCH 2009
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