Phrasal verbs

by Viv Quarry (www.vivquarry.com)

 

There are four types of phrasal (or multi-word) verbs.

 

Type 1

 

Verb + adverb (NO OBJECT)

 

The plane took off.

The fire went out.

Our plans fell through.

 

Type 2

 

Verb + adverb + OBJECT

 

The object can change position, but not if it is a pronoun.

 

Could you hand out the books?

or

Could you hand the books out?

 

We'll have to put off the meeting.

or

We'll have to put the meeting off.

 

Could you hand them out.

We'll have to put it off.

 

Type 3

 

Verb + preposition + OBJECT

 

The preposition CAN'T change position.

 

He ran across the road.

She takes after her mother.

He came into the room.

 

Type 4

 

Verb + adverb + preposition + OBJECT

 

The object CAN'T change position.

 

She looks down on working-class people.

I'm sorry to break in on your conversation.

Please get on with your work.

 


Why are phrasal verbs difficult?

 

1.      The verb could be in any tense, voice or aspect (past, future, passive, perfect, continuous etc.)

 

Has your company been taken over yet?

 

2.      The verb may be irregular in the past or past participle

 

My friends put me up last weekend.

 

3.      The  verb may have no connection with the meaning of the phrasal verb

 

I can't make out if that's you in this photo.

 

4.      The preposition may have no connection with the meaning of the phrasal verb

 

I thought you had given up smoking.

 

5.      The same phrasal verb may be the same type but have completely different meanings

 

He turned the music down. He turned the job down.

 

6.      The same phrasal verb may be of different types with different meanings

 

He turned the TV up because he couldn't hear it. He turned up late for the meeting.

 

7.      The same phrasal verb may have a literal and a metaphorical meaning

 

He ran out of the house.  He ran out of petrol.

 

8.      The same phrasal verb may have a different meaning if the object is a person or a thing

 

Stop putting me off!    We'll have to put it off until next week.

Phrasal verbs exercises

 

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Phrasal verbs exercises by Viv Quarry (www.vivquarry.com)

 

Unfortunately, there are thousands of phrasal verbs in the English language and it takes years to learn them all. However, here is a list of ten verbs with some of the phrasal verbs associated with them. The verbs are:

Put, get, look, give, take, make, do, go, come, be

Write the number of the phrasal verb on the left which matches the meaning on the right. Then, if you can write the meaning of the phrasal verb in Portuguese.

Phrasal verbs with PUT

Phrasal verb               Meaning in Portuguese     Meaning in English = Phrasal verb number?


Be put off by sth         ____________________   build______

Have sth put down            ____________________   switch sth off______

Put in sth                   ____________________       accommodate______

Put in sth                   ____________________   be disuaded from doing sth______

Put on sth                  ____________________   distract______

Put sb off                   ____________________   describe______

Put sb through                  ____________________       replace______

Put sb up                   ____________________   spend time______

Put sth across                   ____________________   increase weight______

Put sth aside              ____________________   dress______

Put sth away              ____________________   write______

Put sth back               ____________________   kill an animal humanely______

Put sth back               ____________________   drop sth______

Put sth down to          ____________________   turn the hands on a clock forward______

Put sth down              ____________________   turn the hands on a clock back______

Put sth down              ____________________   take sth outside______

Put sth forward           ____________________   fix sth on a wall______

Put sth off                  ____________________   build sth from parts______

Put sth on                  ____________________   raise price______

Put sth on                  ____________________   delay______

Put sth out                 ____________________   tolerate______

Put sth out                 ____________________   make a request______

Put sth together          ____________________   switch sth on______

Put sth up                  ____________________   be explained by______

Put sth up                  ____________________   leave sth until later______

Put up sth                  ____________________   tidy______

Put up with sth           ____________________   connect by phone______


Phrasal verbs with GET

Phrasal verb               Meaning in Portuguese     Meaning in English = Phrasal verb number?


Get (a)round sth         ____________________   go______

Get (a)round to sth            ____________________   leave public transport______

Get about                   ____________________   escape punishment______

Get along with sb       ____________________   get on with sb______

Get around                 ____________________   not pay on time______

Get at (sth)                 ____________________   make contact by phone______

Get away with sth             ____________________   enter buiding or car______

Get away                   ____________________   find time for sth______

Get back (swh)           ____________________   become involved in______

Get behind with sth           ____________________   move______

Get by                        ____________________   mean, reach sth______

Get in                         ____________________   travel______

Get into (sth)              ____________________   recover from sth______

Get off sth                  ____________________   escape______

Get on sth                  ____________________   enter public transport______

Get on with sb                   ____________________   receive sth lent______

Get on with sth           ____________________   finish______

Get on with sth           ____________________   arrive at______

Get on                        ____________________   explain______

Get out of doing sth           ____________________   continue doing______

Get out                ____________________   have a good relationship______

Get over sth               ____________________   make progress______

Get sb down               ____________________   leave______

Get sth across                  ____________________   resolve a problem______

Get sth back               ____________________   make sb feel depressed______

Get through (to sb)            ____________________       survive______

Get through sth          ____________________   escape from work______

Get to swh                 ____________________   return______

Get to                        ____________________   do______

Get together               ____________________   meet______


Phrasal verbs with LOOK

Phrasal verb               Meaning in Portuguese     Meaning in English = Phrasal verb number?


Look after sth/sb        ____________________   expect help from sb______

Look ahead                ____________________   visit______

Look back on sth        ____________________   examine______

Look down on sb        ____________________   be a spectator______

Look forward to sth           ____________________   locate sb______

Look in on sb                    ____________________       predict______

Look into sth              ____________________   find in a list______

Look on               ____________________   check for mistakes______

Look out for sth          ____________________   danger! ______

Look out              ____________________   take care of sth/sb______

Look round swh          ____________________   view with respect______

Look sb up                 ____________________   explore______

Look sth over                    ____________________       remember______

Look sth up                ____________________       investigate______

Look through sth        ____________________       disrespect______

Look to sb for sth       ____________________   try to find______

Look up to sb                    ____________________   anticipate with pleasure______


 

Phrasal verbs with GIVE


Phrasal verb               Meaning in Portuguese     Meaning in English = Phrasal verb number?


Give in                ____________________   stop a bad habit______

Give off sth                ____________________   return sth to sb______

Give sb up                 ____________________   abandon hope of doing sth______

Give sth away                   ____________________       distribute______

Give sth away                   ____________________       desist______

Give sth back                    ____________________   emit______

Give sth in                  ____________________   tell sb a secret______

Give sth out               ____________________   admit defeat______

Give up on sth                  ____________________   give freely______

Give up sth                ____________________   take sb to the police______

Give up               ____________________   hand sth in______


Phrasal verbs with TAKE

Phrasal verb               Meaning in Portuguese     Meaning in English = Phrasal verb number?


Be taken aback          ____________________   think sb is sth bad______

Be taken in                 ____________________   challenge______

Take after sb              ____________________   rise into the air______

Take in sth                 ____________________   start an activity______

Take it out on sb        ____________________   be successful______

Take off               ____________________   be similar to sb______

Take off               ____________________   go out with sb______

Take out sth               ____________________   believe sth untrue______

Take over sth                    ____________________       understand______

Take sb back                    ____________________   make sb remember sth______

Take sb for sth           ____________________   be shocked______

Take sb on                 ____________________   subscribe______

Take sb on                 ____________________   remove clothes______

Take sb out                ____________________   punish sb due to anger______

Take sb up on sth             ____________________   dismantle sth______

Take sth apart                   ____________________   accept help from sb______

Take sth away                  ____________________   adapt clothes______

Take sth back                   ____________________   employ wrong______

Take sth back                   ____________________   return sth to a shop______

Take sth down                  ____________________   remove from a wall______

Take sth down                  ____________________   like______

Take sth in/up                   ____________________   discuss sth with sb______

Take sth off                ____________________   admit that you said sth______

Take sth on                ____________________   assume responsibility______

Take sth up with sb           ____________________   remove sth from sb______

Take to sb                  ____________________   write sth______

Take up sth                ____________________   take control of sth______



Phrasal verbs with MAKE

Phrasal verb               Meaning in Portuguese     Meaning in English = Phrasal verb number?


Make (sth) out                   ____________________       escape______

Make away with sth           ____________________   pretend to be sth______

Make for swh                    ____________________   steal and escape______

Make of sth/sb           ____________________   think about______

Make off with sth        ____________________   say______

Make off              ____________________   prepare______

Make out sth              ____________________       compensate______

Make out                    ____________________   go in the direction______

Make sb out to be sth        ____________________   see sth______

Make sb up                ____________________   write (cheque/form) ______

Make sth over                   ____________________       invent______

Make sth up               ____________________   transfer ownership______

Make up for sth          ____________________   steal and escape______

Make up sth               ____________________   put on make-up______

Make up              ____________________   reconcile______


 

Phrasal verbs with DO

Phrasal verb               Meaning in Portuguese     Meaning in English = Phrasal verb number?


Do with sth                 ____________________   discredit______

Do sth up                   ____________________   ruin______

Do without (sth)          ____________________   survive without______

Do away with sth        ____________________   repeat______

Do sb down                ____________________   fasten______

Do for sb                    ____________________   have a connection with______

Do sb out of sth          ____________________   deprive______

Do sth over                ____________________   need______

Do sth up                   ____________________   finish or terminate sth______

Do with sth                 ____________________   renovate______


Phrasal verbs with GO

Phrasal verb               Meaning in Portuguese     Meaning in English = Phrasal verb number?


Go (a)round               ____________________   lose interest in______

Go (on) ahead                   ____________________       continue______

Go a(round)               ____________________   check carefully______

Go about sth              ____________________   continue______

Go about sth              ____________________   start dealing with sth______

Go after sth                ____________________   do______

Go against sth/sb       ____________________   become ill with sth______

Go along with sb/sth         ____________________   have a romance with______

Go away                    ____________________   be unfashionable______

Go back (to sth)         ____________________   agree with/to sth______

Go by                         ____________________   explain______

Go down with sth       ____________________   leave______

Go down                    ____________________   leave with______

Go for sb                    ____________________   check______

Go into sth                 ____________________   be extinguished______

Go off sth                   ____________________   try to get______

Go off with sb                    ____________________   pass______

Go off                        ____________________   be sufficient______

Go on                        ____________________   circulate______

Go out with sb            ____________________   return to sth______

Go out                       ____________________   be in conflict with______

Go out                       ____________________   reduce in size______

Go over sth                ____________________   fail______

Go through sth           ____________________   survive without______

Go under                    ____________________   explode______

Go with sth                 ____________________   combine well______

Go without sth            ____________________   attack______


Phrasal verbs with COME

Phrasal verb               Meaning in Portuguese     Meaning in English = Phrasal verb number?


Come a(round)           ____________________   blame______

Come about               ____________________   reduce______

Come across sth/sb          ____________________   be heard in court______

Come across              ____________________   progress______

Come along               ____________________   inherit______

Come along               ____________________   return______

Come apart                ____________________   meet a problem______

Come at sb                ____________________   break into pieces______

Come away                ____________________   leave______

Come back                ____________________       communicate______

Come before sth        ____________________   preceed______

Come down on sb             ____________________       happen______

Come down with        ____________________   collect______

Come down                ____________________   move quickly/accompany______

Come for sth              ____________________   become ill with sth______

Come forward                   ____________________       announce______

Come in for sth          ____________________   encounter______

Come in              ____________________   hurry______

Come into sth                   ____________________   be persuaded______

Come off                    ____________________   visit______

Come on                    ____________________   remember/ result in______

Come on                    ____________________   enter______

Come out with sth             ____________________   volunteer to do sth______

Come out                   ____________________   survive danger/difficulty______

Come over                 ____________________   be mentioned______

Come through                   ____________________       propose______

Come to sb/sth           ____________________   develop______

Come up against        ____________________   attack______

Come up with sth       ____________________   be revealed/issued______

Come up                    ____________________   suffer criticism______

Come up                    ____________________       detach/succeed______


Phrasal verbs with BE

Phrasal verb               Meaning in Portuguese     Meaning in English = Phrasal verb number?


Be about (sth)                   ____________________   get into trouble______

Be after sth                ____________________   similar______

Be around                  ____________________   happen to sb______

Be away (on) sth        ____________________   suspect______

Be back               ____________________   showing (tv/cinema) ______

Be for (sth)                 ____________________   be here______

Be from swh               ____________________   interested in sth______

Be in for sth               ____________________   want______

Be into sth                  ____________________   the function of sth______

Be like sth/sb                    ____________________   leave______

Be off                         ____________________   finish______

Be on                         ____________________   arrive______

Be onto sb                 ____________________   travelling______

Be onto sth                ____________________   finish______

Be over               ____________________   make a discovery______

Be through (sth)         ____________________   join______

Be up                         ____________________   originate______

Be with sb                  ____________________   happen (book/film) ______