How to Correctly Use English Phrasal Verbs?

English phrasal verbs

When an adverb (away, back, etc.) or preposition (up, down, in, etc.) is added to a verb to create a new verb with a different meaning, the result is a phrasal verb:

The plane took off very quickly.
We'll pick you up outside the station.
I get up at eight o'clock.

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A phrasal verb may have the same meaning as the original verb:

- The bus slowed down and then stopped. (same meaning as slow)

or it can differ entirely from the original:

- I'm going to give up smoking. (different meaning to give)

Transitive and intransitive phrasal verbs

- Transitive verbs and phrasal verbs require an object to complete their meaning (they need something to act upon).

- Intransitive verbs and phrasal verbs don't require an object to receive the action.

Phrasal verbs that don't require an object

Please hurry up! We're going to miss the bus.
Look out! There's a car coming.
The car broke down on the way to the hospital, and we had to call for an ambulance.

- Certain phrasal verbs accept an object, just like other verbs:

Can you pick up that bag?

- And some phrasal verbs also refuse to accept an object:

We're setting off (no object) at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning.

Examples of phrasal verbs that don't require an object:

to break down = to stop working → when talking about machinery.
to hurry up = to move, go, or do something faster.
to look out = to take care.
to get up = to stand up, wake up and get out of bed, organize or assemble.
to come in = to enter a room or building.
to come on = to start to happen or work, hurry, try harder.
to go away = to leave a place, disappear, stop existing, end or cease.
to go out = to leave your home in order to do something enjoyable.
to stand up = to be in an upright position on your feet.
to set down = to cause to sit or seat or be in a settled position or place.

Phrasal verbs that require an object (separable)

Separable phrasal verbs: the verb and the particle can separate. The particle can go before or after the object.

If the object is a pronoun (her, me, it, etc.) it goes before the particle:

I can't pick it up.

~~I can't pick up it.~~

I looked up the new words in the dictionary.
Can you put away the dishes?
I put my glasses down somewhere, but I can't remember where.
They've got so much money; they should give some of it away.
I don't know the answer, but I must find it out.
I can't pick this bag up.

Examples of phrasal verbs that require an object (separable):

to look up = to find the meaning of a word in a dictionary or to find some other information in a book.
to put away = to put something in its proper place.
to put down = to put something on a surface.
to give away = to give something to someone for free.
to find out = to find information about something.
to turn on = to start a machine by putting electricity into it.
to turn off = to stop a machine by stopping the supply of electricity.
to work out = to solve a problem by thinking hard about it.
to put off = to delay something to another date.
to fill in = to complete a form, drawing, etc. or to act as a substitute.

Phrasal verbs that require an object (inseparable)

There may not always be an object between the verb and the particle in phrasal verbs. The verb and particle in these verbs are not separable. They cannot exist apart. Only the verb and particle come before the object.

Can you look after the children?

~~Can you look the children after?~~

He takes after his father.
She was ill last year, but she has gotten over the illness now.
I came across an old photograph of you yesterday.

- When the object is a pronoun, it goes after the phrasal verb:

Can you look after them?

Examples of phrasal verbs that require an object (inseparable):

to get over = to recover from something, or to get better after something bad happens to you.
to look after = to look or behave like a parent.
to live off = to get money from something to pay for everything you need to live.
to come across = to meet something or someone by chance.
to care for = to like something, or to take care of somebody.
to come by = to find something accidentally.
to count on = to rely on somebody or something.
to break into = to interrupt a conversation, or to enter a building by forcing energy.
to disagree with = to cause illness or discomfort to somebody.
to do without = to deprive yourself of something.

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How to Correctly Use English Phrasal Verbs? | Rules and Examples