Phrasal Verbs

Advanced · Verb Patterns

A phrasal verb is a verb + a small word (particle) like up, off, out, or on. Together they often create a brand-new meaning: "give up" does not mean "give" + "up", it means "quit".

They are everywhere in everyday English, so learning them is essential for sounding natural. The main grammar point is where to put the object — especially when it is a pronoun.

How to build it

verb + particle (+ object) · separable: verb + object + particle · pronoun ALWAYS in the middle

Rules & examples

1. The particle can completely change the meaning of the verb.

   You cannot always guess the meaning from the parts.

   • give up (quit)
   • look after (care for)
   • put off (postpone)
   • find out (discover)
2. Separable phrasal verbs: the object can go in the middle OR at the end.

   Both positions are fine with a noun object.

   • Turn off the light. / Turn the light off.
3. BUT a pronoun object MUST go in the middle.

   This is the rule learners most often break.

   • Turn it off. (not: turn off it)
4. Inseparable phrasal verbs: the object always follows the whole phrase.

   You cannot split these.

   • I look after my sister. (not: look my sister after)
5. High-frequency phrasal verbs to learn first.

   These come up constantly in daily life.

   • get up, wake up, take off, break down, run out of, come across, look forward to

Tips to remember

• Golden rule: a pronoun (it, them, her) always sits between the verb and the particle: "pick it up", never "pick up it".
• Learn phrasal verbs in example sentences, not as isolated words — the meaning lives in the context.

Common mistakes

• ✗ Turn off it. → ✓ Turn it off. — A pronoun object goes between the verb and the particle.