Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are formed with a verb plus a preposition or adverb and function as a single unit. They can
be either transitive or intransitive and either idiomatic or non-idiomatic. One test you can use to determine
if you are using an idiomatic or non-idiomatic phrasal verb is to see if you can move the preposition to the
start of a sentence and form a grammatical and logical question. If the resulting question is grammatical
and logical, you have a non-idiomatic phrasal verb. Here’s an example of a phrasal verb that is non-idiomatic
adhering to the movement test because moving the preposition creates a grammatically and logically
correct question:

It might make them think about using a lot of water.

About what might people think?

Here’s an example of an idiomatic phrasal verb that violates the movement test because it transforms into
an ungrammatical and illogical question:

I took out an unnecessary and confusing sentence.

Out what did I take?

What follows are general rules for using phrasal verbs; however, check a more comprehensive guide for
any exceptions.

Idiomatic Non-idiomatic
Yes Yes

# Example: I think that the # Example: The governor is using these

Can be transitive new one is better because I
took out an unnecessary and
confusing sentence.
Yes
water restrictions to make people and their
communities think about how much they are
going to have to pay if they pass the water
limit.
No

# Example: I grew up
learning history from giant,
Can be intransitive old textbooks from high
school that often only shared
the American perspective of
how the United States came
to be.

Only transitive forms No

# Example: I think that the

Can be separated by an new one is better because I
object took an unnecessary and
confusing sentence out.

No Yes

Can be separated by an # Example: The governor is using these

adverb water restrictions to make people and their
communities think twice about how much
they are going to have to pay if they pass the
water limit.
 Some Examples of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

Abide by Accept or follow a decision We have to ABIDE BY what the court says
or rule
Account for To explain They had to ACCOUNT FOR all the money
that had gone missing
Act on To take action because of The police were ACTING ON a tip from an
something like information informer and caught the gang red-handed
received
Act on Affect The medicine only ACTS ON infected tissue
Act out Perform something with They ACTED OUT the story on stage
actions and gestures
Act up Behave badly or strangely My computer's ACTING UP; I think I might
have a virus
Act upon To take action because of The police were ACTING UPON a tipoff
something like information
received
Add on Include in a calculation You have to ADD the VAT ON to the price
they give
Add up To make a mathematical We ADDED UP the bill to check it was
total correct
Add up to Have a certain result Trains delays are getting worse and with
the high fares, it all ADDS UP TO misery for
the commuters
Add up to Come to a certain amount or The total costs ADD UP TO several million
figure euros
Agree with Affect- usually used in the I feel terrible- that food didn't AGREE WITH
negative to show that my stomach
something has had a
negative effect, especially is
it makes you feel bad
Aim at Intend to achieve They're AIMING AT reducing costs by ten
percent
Allow for Include something in a plan You should ALLOW FOR delays when
or calculation planning a journey
Ask for To provoke a negative You're ASKING FOR trouble
reaction
Auction off Sell something in an auction They AUCTIONED OFF their property as
they were heavily in debt
Back out Fail to keep an arrangement He BACKED OUT two days before the
or promise holiday so we gave the ticket to his sister
Back up Make a copy of computer You should always BACK UP important
data files and documents so that you won't lose
all your work if something goes wrong with
the hardware
Bank on Count or rely on I'm BANKING ON your help; I can't do it
alone
Bargain on Expect something to happen I hadn't BARGAINED ON him coming
(usually negative)
Be cut out for Be suitable, have the She's not CUT OUT FOR this kind of work
necessary qualities
Belong to Be a member He BELONGS TO a secret society
Belong to Be connected to a time, Their ideas BELONG TO the nineteenth
place, belief, thing, etc. century and seem old-fashioned now
Belong with Be in the correct or Does this disc BELONG WITH those on the
appropriate location shelf?
 with other items
Black out Lose light Everything BLACKED OUT when the
power supply failed
Block out Stop light from entering or The trees BLOCK the sun OUT most of the
leaving day
Blow away When the wind moves The flag BLEW AWAY in the storm; we'll
something from a place have to buy a new one
Blow down When the wind forces A tree was BLOWN DOWN in the storm
something to fall
Bring back Return He took the calculator home yesterday and
hasn't BROUGHT it BACK yet
Brush up Improve a skill quickly She took a two-week course to BRUSH UP
her Spanish before she went travelling
around South and Central America
Call in Stop and visit I CALLED IN on Jenny on my way home
because she's not very well at the moment
and I wanted to see if she needed anything.
Call on Ask for help The President CALLED ON the wealthy
countries for financial aid after the floods.
destroyed much of the country's agriculture
Carry out Perform a task The government is CARRYING OUT test on
growing genetically modified crops
Clear up Cure or recover from an I took the antihistamines and the rash
infection CLEARED UP right away
Close up Completely close something They CLOSE UP the building after everyone
has left
Come off Be successful I was surprised when the plan CAME
OFF so easily
Come round Change your opinion At first she didn't like the idea, but she
CAME ROUND to our way of thinking in the
end
Come through Arrive (messages and News is COMING THROUGH of a major
information) accident on the M25, where freezing fog has
been making driving conditions extremely
dangerous
Dig out Find something you haven't I DUG OUT my old university essays
used, seen, etc, for a long
time
Dive in Start doing something, When we saw what was happening, we all
usually without planning DIVED IN to help
Embark on Start a project or venture Pierre EMBARKED ON an MBA at Insead
last autumn
End up with Get as a result of something. He tried hard but ENDED UP WITH a
poor grade championship but weren't good enough
Fall over Fall on the ground I slipped on the ice and FELL OVER
Fall into Start doing something I just FELL INTO my job when an
unplanned opportunity came up