Jake BorlandCo-Founder
Phrasal verbs are one of the most challenging aspects of English for learners, but also one of the most rewarding to master. Here is what you need to know.
If you have ever heard a native speaker say things like she turned down the offer, they put off the meeting, or he's coming round to the idea and wondered what on earth they meant, you have already encountered phrasal verbs. They are one of the features of English that cause the most confusion for learners, and with good reason.
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs) that together have a meaning different from the individual words. Look, for example, is a straightforward verb. But look up, look into, look after, look forward to, and look down on are all phrasal verbs, each with a completely distinct meaning.
The difficulty with phrasal verbs is that their meanings are often idiomatic, meaning they cannot be guessed simply by knowing what the individual words mean. You might know the verb put and the adverb off perfectly well, but that will not tell you that put off means to postpone or to cause someone to lose interest. The meaning has to be learned as a whole unit.
Some phrasal verbs are separable, meaning you can put an object between the verb and the particle. You can say I turned down the offer or I turned the offer down. When the object is a pronoun, however, it must go in the middle: I turned it down (not I turned down it). Other phrasal verbs are inseparable: I looked after the children, not I looked the children after. Knowing which is which takes time and exposure.
The most effective approach is to learn phrasal verbs in context rather than in lists. When you encounter one in a text or a conversation, note the full sentence around it. This gives you the meaning and the grammar at the same time. Then try using the phrasal verb in sentences of your own to make it stick.
Native speakers use phrasal verbs constantly in informal and semi-formal communication. If you want to understand natural English speech and sound more natural yourself, getting to grips with phrasal verbs is essential. They are also more common in everyday conversation than their formal equivalents; native speakers rarely say terminate a contract when they can say call it off. Mastering phrasal verbs is one of the best ways to close the gap between textbook English and real English.
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Written by
Jake Borland
Co-Founder
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