Phrasal VerbsSeparable/ Inseperable

What are Phrasal Verbs?!

1. A phrasal verb is a verb plus a particle

I ran into my teacher at the movies last night.

>> run + into (= meet)

Verb + particle = phrasal verb

Particles Vs. Prepositions

Particles are identical to prepositions in appearance but act differently

Particles effect the meaning of the phrasal verb. Prepositions do not change the meanings of their proceeding verbs and are independent of them.

E.g. Particle: Max ran up the bill. (run up = to make larger)

Preposition: Max ran up the hill. (run keeps its normal meaning in this case)

Particle: I looked up your number online. (=searched)

Preposition: I looked up to see the helicopter in the sky. (=actually looked up towards the sky)

So, particles change the meaning of a verb, but prepositions DO NOT

Transitive or Intransitive?

A: Transitive Phrasal verbs 1) TAKE AN OBJECT:

Call off something (=cancel)

Pick out something (=choose)

take away something (=remove)

2) usually SEPERABLE (The particle may precede or follow the direct object):

E.g. "They turned on the lights" or "They turned the lights on"

Object

Transitive Phrasal Verb Transitive Phrasal Verb Object

WARNING!!!

BE CAREFUL! when the object is a pronoun, the particle cannot precede it:

"They turned them on" is correct. (them = the lights)

"They turned on them” (INCORRECT).

I wrote it down. (Correct).

I wrote down it (INCORRECT).

So if the direct object is a pronoun, it MUST go between the verb and the particle

Some Transitive phrasal verbs MUST be separated and some are

inseparableEven though they are usually separated, a small group of transitive verbs must be separated:

E.g.

Keep your jacket on. Not: Keep on your jacket.

Ask Sara out. Not: Ask out Sara

Ask John over. Not: Ask over John

FOR A LIST OF INSEPERABLE TRANSITIVE PHRASAL VERBS –REFER TO APPENDIX 18 P 1-6

Note that…

In transitive phrasal verbs:

-When the noun object is part of a long phrase, we do not separate the verb and the particle:

E.g.

I filled out the form from the Sterling Property Management.

NOT: I filled the form from the Sterling Property Management out

Intransitive Phrasal Verbs

Intransitive phrasal verbs1) DO NOT take an object.

2) Always inseparable:

Catch on = become popular

Get a head = make progress

Show up = appear

Sit down = take a seat

RememberLearn to rely on your intuition when deciding whether a phrasal verb is separable or inseparable

Try this:

Bring change about

(=make happen)

Bring about change

Which one do you think makes more sense when you pronounce it?

Source

Focus on Grammar 4 - 2011