A phrasal verb is a combination of a main verb and a short word called a particle. Together, they function as a verb with a particular meaning.
The basic structure is:
Main verb + particle
For example:
- Find out: discover information
- Carry on: continue
- Bring back: return something
- Set up: arrange or establish something
The journalist found out why the museum had closed unexpectedly.
Here, found out means discovered. The verb find and the particle out work together to express that meaning.
Common particles include up, down, in, out, on, off, over, and away.
In English teaching, the term phrasal verb is also widely used for related expressions such as look after and come up with. Grammatically, these belong to the broader group of multi-word verbs, which includes phrasal verbs, prepositional verbs, and phrasal-prepositional verbs.
This article uses the broader teaching definition where appropriate, while distinguishing the grammatical structures when they affect usage.
How Are Phrasal Verbs Formed?
Most phrasal verbs contain two words. Related multi-word expressions can contain three.
Two-Word Phrasal Verbs
These combine a main verb with a particle.
Examples include:
- Break down: stop functioning
- Move in: begin living in a new home
- Give away: donate something or reveal information
- Come back: return
The delivery van broke down just outside the warehouse.
Broke down describes a mechanical failure. The expression has a particular meaning that is more specific than the main verb break.
Three-Word Phrasal Verbs
Many three-word expressions follow this structure:
Main verb + particle + preposition
Common examples include:
- Come up with: think of an idea or solution
- Put up with: tolerate something unpleasant
- Get away with: avoid punishment or negative consequences
- Look up to: admire or respect someone
The engineers came up with a cheaper way to repair the equipment.
In this construction, came up with means thought of or developed. The noun phrase a cheaper way to repair the equipment follows the complete expression.
The same applies when it is replaced by a pronoun:
The engineers came up with it.
Not every three-word expression has an identical pattern, however.
Some allow or require another object within the expression:
Rachel fixed her brother up with a job interview.
Here, her brother is the direct object, while a job interview follows the preposition with. We cannot freely move these elements to other positions.
These constructions are covered more fully in three-word phrasal verbs.
How Do Phrasal Verbs Get Their Meanings?
Some phrasal verbs have meanings that are easy to understand from their individual words. Others have figurative or idiomatic meanings that are less predictable.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sit down | Move into a sitting position | The audience sat down when the speaker arrived. |
| Use up | Use something completely | The bakery used up its flour before the next delivery. |
| Turn down | Refuse an offer or request | Marcus turned down a promotion that required relocating. |
Sit down is fairly literal. The particle down describes the direction of movement.
In use up, the particle suggests completion.
But turn down does not involve physically turning something downward when it means refusing an offer.
This is why understanding the verb and particle separately is not always enough.
Changing the Particle Can Change the Meaning
A main verb can form several expressions with very different meanings.
Consider take:
- Take on: accept work or responsibility
- Take over: assume control or responsibility
- Take after: resemble an older family member
- Take apart: separate something into pieces
Nina agreed to take on responsibility for the new department.
Her brother takes after their father, especially in the way he speaks.
The complete expression determines the meaning. Knowing the main verb alone won’t tell you what the sentence means.
A single phrasal verb can also have several meanings. More importantly, those meanings may follow different grammatical patterns.
Types of Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs are commonly described as transitive, intransitive, separable, or inseparable.
These labels concern two different grammatical features.
Transitive and intransitive tell us whether the verb takes a direct object. Separable and inseparable describe whether an object can appear between the verb and particle.
Intransitive Phrasal Verbs
An intransitive phrasal verb does not take a direct object.
Several unexpected problems cropped up during the renovation.
Crop up means appear or occur unexpectedly. There is no direct object following the verb.
Another example:
The negotiations went on until midnight.
Went on means continued. The phrase until midnight tells us how long the negotiations lasted, but it is not a direct object.
Transitive Phrasal Verbs
A transitive phrasal verb takes a direct object.
The committee ruled out the cheaper proposal.
The cheaper proposal is the object. It identifies what the committee eliminated as an option.
Similarly:
The volunteers cleared away the broken branches after the storm.
Here, the broken branches receives the action expressed by cleared away.
Whether a transitive phrasal verb allows its object in more than one position is a separate question.
Separable and Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
Some verb-particle combinations allow a noun object in two positions. Others keep their parts together.
Separable Phrasal Verbs
With a separable phrasal verb, a noun object can usually appear after the particle or between the main verb and particle.
Both sentences are correct:
Sophia filled out the registration form.
Sophia filled the registration form out.
The meaning stays the same.
When the object is a personal pronoun such as it, him, her, or them, it normally goes between the verb and particle.
Correct: Sophia filled it out.
Incorrect: Sophia filled out it.
The same rule applies to separable uses of expressions such as hand in, switch off, and pick up.
Although both noun-object positions may be grammatically possible, one can sound more natural.
The manager pointed out several inconsistencies in the figures submitted by the regional offices.
Keeping pointed out together makes this sentence easier to follow because the object is long.
With a shorter object, either position may work comfortably:
The manager pointed out the error.
The manager pointed the error out.
Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
In an inseparable expression, the noun or pronoun must remain in its required position after the complete expression.
We came across an unusual painting at the market.
Come across means find or encounter by chance.
The object cannot be inserted between came and across.
Incorrect: We came an unusual painting across at the market.
The same position is used with a pronoun:
We came across it while browsing the stalls.
In the narrower grammatical classification, come across in this meaning is a prepositional verb. The noun phrase following across is the object of the preposition.
English-learning materials commonly include such expressions under the broader term phrasal verbs.
The central point is that object placement belongs to the grammatical pattern of the particular expression. It cannot be predicted simply by looking at the number of words.
For detailed examples and additional patterns, see separable and inseparable phrasal verbs.
How Meaning Can Change a Phrasal Verb’s Grammar
One phrasal verb does not necessarily follow the same grammatical pattern in every meaning.
Take off provides a useful illustration.
| Sentence | Meaning | Grammatical pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Olivia took off her gloves. | Removed clothing | Transitive, separable |
| Olivia took them off. | Removed clothing | Transitive, pronoun between verb and particle |
| The helicopter took off. | Left the ground | Intransitive |
| Her catering business took off. | Became successful | Intransitive |
When take off means removing clothing, it takes a direct object.
We can say:
Olivia took her gloves off.
Or, with a pronoun:
Olivia took them off.
When a helicopter takes off, it leaves the ground. This use is intransitive and does not take a direct object.
The expression is also intransitive when it describes a business becoming successful.
A dictionary may therefore list different grammatical patterns for different meanings of the same expression.
This is worth remembering when an unfamiliar phrasal verb has several definitions. Learning one meaning does not always tell you how the others behave.
How to Change the Tense of a Phrasal Verb
Phrasal verbs follow ordinary English rules for verb forms and tense.
The main verb changes, while the particle stays the same.
Consider find out:
I usually find out about schedule changes through email.
Yesterday, I found out that the interview had been postponed.
We have found out why the equipment stopped working.
The forms are find out, found out, and found out.
Some phrasal verbs contain irregular verbs, while others follow regular patterns.
For example:
- Take over → took over → taken over
- Break down → broke down → broken down
- Call off → called off → called off
Phrasal verbs also work with modal verbs:
We may have to put off the inspection until Monday.
Here, put off remains in its base form after have to.
The important point is that the particle remains unchanged. Tense and other verb forms are expressed through the main verb and any necessary auxiliary verbs.
How to Identify a Phrasal Verb in a Sentence
A verb followed by a short word is not automatically a phrasal verb.
Sometimes the words form an established multi-word expression. In other cases, the verb is followed by an ordinary prepositional phrase.
Compare:
The hikers walked across the field.
Here, across the field is a prepositional phrase showing the route the hikers took.
Now consider:
The hikers came across an abandoned cottage.
Come across is an established expression meaning find or encounter by chance.
The hikers did not necessarily move across the cottage. They discovered it unexpectedly.
However, a literal meaning does not automatically rule out a phrasal verb. Expressions such as sit down and move in can be fairly transparent and still belong to this category.
The most useful clues are the meaning of the complete expression, the grammatical function of the particle or preposition, and the way any object or complement fits into the sentence.
There is no single test that works for every phrasal verb.
If a combination is unfamiliar, a reliable learner’s dictionary can confirm its meaning, classification, and usage pattern.
Phrasal Verbs vs. Prepositional Verbs and Other Expressions
Phrasal verbs are one kind of multi-word verb, but not every multi-word construction has the same grammatical structure.
Phrasal Verbs vs. Prepositional Verbs
In a narrower grammatical classification, a phrasal verb combines a main verb with an adverb particle.
A prepositional verb combines a verb with a particular preposition.
Consider:
The assistant looked up the reference number.
Look up means search for information. The particle up belongs to the phrasal verb.
Now compare:
The assistant looked after the visiting delegates.
Look after means take care of. Here, after is a preposition, and the visiting delegates is its object.
The distinction explains why the expressions have different grammatical structures, even though both are commonly called phrasal verbs in teaching materials.
For more about these classifications, see phrasal verbs vs. prepositional verbs.
Phrasal Verbs vs. Idioms
Many phrasal verbs have idiomatic meanings, but not every idiom is a phrasal verb.
The journalist dug up new evidence during the investigation.
Dug up is a phrasal verb meaning discovered or uncovered, often through effort.
By contrast, spill the beans is an idiom meaning reveal a secret. It does not follow the same verb-and-particle structure.
Phrasal Verbs vs. Verb Phrases
A verb phrase is a broader grammatical construction that can include auxiliary verbs.
The museum has been restoring its oldest paintings.
Has been restoring is a verb phrase expressing the present perfect continuous.
Now compare:
The museum has taken down the damaged exhibition panels.
Taken down is a phrasal verb meaning removed. It forms part of the larger verb phrase has taken down.
A phrasal verb can therefore function within a verb phrase.
Common Phrasal Verbs With Meanings and Sentence Patterns
These examples show different patterns found in everyday English. The patterns apply to the meanings listed; some expressions have additional uses.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Sentence pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Hand in | Submit something | hand something in / hand it in |
| Back up | Make a copy of digital information | back something up / back it up |
| Call off | Cancel an event or activity | call something off / call it off |
| Turn down | Refuse an offer or request | turn something down / turn it down |
| Break down | Stop functioning | break down, without a direct object |
| Crop up | Appear or occur unexpectedly | crop up, without a direct object |
| Come across | Find or encounter by chance | come across something |
| Run into | Meet someone unexpectedly | run into someone |
| Run out of | Have none of something left | run out of something |
| Put up with | Tolerate something unpleasant | put up with someone/something |
Notice how these expressions appear in natural situations:
The accountant backed up the financial records before replacing the computer.
An unexpected problem cropped up during the final inspection.
Helen ran into her former manager at a publishing conference.
The hotel ran out of clean towels during the holiday weekend.
The examples illustrate different meanings and structures. Some expressions take movable objects, others have no direct object, and some require a preposition before their complement.
For a larger vocabulary collection, see 50 phrasal verbs with meanings and examples.
Are Phrasal Verbs Formal or Informal?
Phrasal verbs are particularly common in spoken English, but they are not all informal.
Some are entirely suitable for professional and academic communication.
The researchers carried out a series of controlled experiments.
Carried out sounds natural in a research context.
Similarly:
The report points out several weaknesses in the existing policy.
Points out is appropriate in formal writing.
Other expressions have a more conversational tone.
Compare:
The team messed up the booking.
The team made an error in the booking.
The second sentence is more suitable for a formal explanation of what happened.
Replacing every phrasal verb with a single-word alternative is not necessary, though. The best choice depends on the expression, its meaning, and the situation.
How to Learn Phrasal Verbs and Use Them Naturally
Remembering a definition is only one part of learning a phrasal verb. You also need to know which words can follow it and where they belong.
Instead of recording only the meaning, write down the expression with its usual sentence pattern.
For example:
Phrasal verb: Put off
Meaning: Postpone something
Pattern: Put something off / put it off
Example: The organisers put off the outdoor exhibition because of heavy rain.
This gives you enough information to use the expression in another situation:
We decided to put the meeting off until Thursday.
We decided to put it off until Thursday.
Both sentences are correct.
It can also help to group phrasal verbs by situations in which you regularly encounter them.
Workplace communication, for instance, often includes expressions such as follow up, hand over, and carry out. News reports may use step down, rule out, or call for.
These expressions do not all follow the same grammatical pattern, so record the meaning and construction of each one.
Learning related expressions together can also make their differences clearer.
Lewis gave up trying to repair the old radio.
The landlord eventually gave in to the tenants’ request.
Give up means Lewis stopped trying. Give in means the landlord stopped resisting a request.
The two expressions are related in meaning but cannot simply replace each other.
Phrasal Verb Practice: Check Your Understanding
Choose the correct answer to each question, then check the explanations below.
1. Which sentence is correct?
A. The technician switched off it before checking the wiring.
B. The technician switched it off before checking the wiring.
2. Which sentence contains an intransitive phrasal verb?
A. The volunteers cleared away the fallen branches.
B. The old printer broke down during the presentation.
3. Complete the sentence.
After discussing several possibilities, the editor finally ___ a practical solution of her own.
A. came up with
B. came across
C. came down with
4. Which sentence correctly uses look after?
A. Daniel looked the children after while their parents were away.
B. Daniel looked after the children while their parents were away.
5. What does took off mean in this sentence?
After several quiet months, the bakery’s online orders suddenly took off.
A. Were removed
B. Became successful or increased rapidly
C. Left the ground
Answers and Explanations
1. B: The technician switched it off before checking the wiring.
Switch off is separable in this meaning. The personal pronoun it must appear between the verb and particle.
2. B: The old printer broke down during the presentation.
Break down is intransitive when it means stop functioning. It has no direct object in this sentence. In the first sentence, cleared away takes the direct object the fallen branches.
3. A: came up with
Come up with means think of or develop an idea or solution. The context makes it clear that the editor developed the solution herself. Came across would suggest encountering an existing solution by chance, while came down with is commonly used when someone becomes ill.
4. B: Daniel looked after the children while their parents were away.
Look after means take care of. It is a prepositional verb, so its object follows the preposition after.
5. B: Became successful or increased rapidly
Took off describes the rapid growth in the bakery’s online orders. This use is intransitive and has no direct object.
When you encounter a new phrasal verb, notice both what it means and how it fits into the sentence. That combination is more useful than memorising an isolated definition, especially when an expression has several meanings or different grammatical patterns.
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