Catholic University of Mozambique

Distance Learning Center

Name: Jequecene Raúl Alfazema

Code: 708231095

Course: Portuguese

Subject: English

Level: 1

Lecturer: Jemusse Valeriano Jamissone

Gurué, September 2023

Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3

General objective....................................................................................................................3

Specific objectives..................................................................................................................3

Rules and Use ............................................................................................................................4

 Separable Or Inseparable? ..............................................................................................5

Phrasal verbs you have to use because a non-phrasal verb sounds too formal ......................5

Three-Word phrasal verbs are inseparable.............................................................................6

Conclusion .................................................................................................................................8

Bibliography ..............................................................................................................................9
Introduction

Phrasal verbs are two or more words that together act as a completely new verb with
a meaning separate from those of the original words. For example, pick up means to grab or
lift, very different from the definitions of pick and up alone.
Popular in spoken English, phrasal verbs can be quite confusing because their
definitions aren’t always easy to guess—and there are thousands of them. In fact, many of the
base verbs used to form phrasal verbs are used in multiple different phrasal verbs with
distinct meanings, which can add to the confusion.
For multilingual speakers, in particular, phrasal verbs are one of the most difficult
topics in learning English. To help simplify this complicated subject, what follows is our
guide to understanding English phrasal verbs, including a list of the most common ones.

General objective

 To define phrasal verbs.

Specific objectives

 To know the meaning of phrasal verbs;

 To use phrasal verbs correctly;
 To know different rules of phrasal verbs use.

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 Sometimes, it is difficult to understand the meaning of phrasal verbs. Before looking
them up in a dictionary, it would be helpful to use the context to understand them.

Phrasal verbs are two or more words that together act as a completely new verb with
a meaning separate from those of the original words. For example, pick up means to grab or
lift, very different from the definitions of pick and up alone.

Bradley (1904:123) is the only writer who relates this aspect of phrasal verbs to
their native origin, arguing that „[i]n its power of expressing fine distinctions of meaning by
this method [of forming phrasal verbs] English vies with Greek and Roman, and has a great
advantage over the Romanic languages, which have hardly any compound verbs at all‟.

However, in spite of this theoretical simplicity, phrasal verbs still present difficulties
for English language learners (abbreviated ELLs). There are multiple reasons for this, one of
which is the unpredictability that accompanies phrasal verbs (White 419).

Rules and Use

According to Görlach (1999b:476) “variation in English, and attitudes towards the

vernacular, cannot be seen independently of views on Latin‟. The importance of this
observation is especially salient for phrasal verbs, which are often semantically equivalent to
simple Latinate verbs: for example, give up is synonymous (in some of its senses) with
abandon, put off with postpone, and soon.

Genung (1893:24) gives the rule “Prefer idioms to bookish terms‟, and advises of pairs
like “Get up – Rise‟ that the Latinate equivalents, though not incorrect, “have a more artificial
and pretentious sound‟ and that their use “deprives language of much of its life and vigour‟.

 Literal Meaning

Some phrasal verbs have a literal meaning. They can be easily understood. She
opened the door and looked outside.

She was walking across the street when she heard the sound of an explosion.

 Idiomatic Meaning

Phrasal verbs can also have a figurative or idiomatic meaning which makes them
difficult to understand.

Can you put me up for tonight?

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The phrasal verb 'put up' here does not mean to build (as in putting a fence up). It has, however,
an idiomatic/figurative meaning. It means to let someone stay in your house.

 Separable Or Inseparable?
1. Sometimes, the preposition/adverb is placed either after the verb or after the object.

Examples:

Mary made up a really entertaining story.

Mary made the story up.

2. If the object is a pronoun, however, the preposition/adverb has to be placed after the
pronoun (object).

Examples:

She made it up.

Put it down.

Take it off.

3. Some phrasal verbs are always inseparable.

Example:

I came across some old photos in a drawer.

A further four twentieth-century works compare phrasal verbs unfavourably with

their Latinate equivalents. Bechtel (1901:115) implies this in his prescription of hangs on: “The
cold weather hangs on.” Better, “The cold weather continues.” Hang on meaning „continue‟
is first recorded in the OED in 1860.

Phrasal verbs you have to use because a non-phrasal verb sounds too formal

Sometimes not using a phrasal verb can make you sound incredibly formal and
awkward. So unless your life/job requires extremely formal communication, you should be
using the phrasal verbs below.

Walk over to

I walked over to the fridge and got myself a drink.

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I approached the fridge and got myself a drink.

We normally only use approach in formal contexts or when something important

happens after the person “approaches.” So it’s fine to say “A strange man approached me and
tried to sell me a gun,” but not “My friend approached my desk and said good morning.”

find out

Did you find out when our next test is?

Did you discover when our next test is?

We use discover for important things. Marine biologists discover new species in the
ocean. Frances Crick and James Watson discovered DNA. A company might discover that its
employees are stealing money.

come in

Come in.

Enter the room.

If you want to give someone permission to enter a room, the only natural way to do it
is with a phrasal verb.

get rid of

Look at this garage. It’s time to get rid of some stuff.

Look at this garage. It’s time to dispense with/discard some stuff.

Three-Word phrasal verbs are inseparable

Some phrasal verbs are formed with two particles after a verb. In addition, these types
are inseparable.

Examples:

catch up with

Reach the same stage or level as someone else.

"I've missed some classes so I'll have to work hard to catch up with the others."

come up against

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Be faced with, or opposed by (a reaction)
"The removal of the statue came up against strong opposition."

come up with

Produce or suggest a plan or idea.

"Sacha came up with a great idea for the party."

come down with

Become ill with

"The architect planned to attend the inauguration but he came down with the 'flu yesterday."

drop out of

Leave or exit before finishing.

"Chloe dropped out of art school after the first term."

get along with

Have a (good) relationship with someone.

"How do you get along with your mother-in-law?"

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Conclusion

The English language is a messy thing indeed. The beginnings of English come from
the original inhabitants of the British Isles who spoke a very young version of the early
Germanic languages and lived nearly 2,000 years ago. Since then, English has adapted to
foreign invasions, Latin influence, the lack of a standardized record- keeping system, and
cultural differences among early English speakers through constant evolution, taking bits and
pieces from many sources over thousands of years and arranging them in a continuously
shifting pattern. One of the many results of this pattern is the emergence of English phrasal
verbs.

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Bibliography

Bechtel, J.H. (1901) Slips of Speech Philadelphia: Penn Publishing Company [Project
Gutenberg.

Bradley, H. (1904) The Making of English London: Macmillan & Co. Ltd.

Carter, R., & McCarthy, M. (2006). Cambridge grammar of English: a comprehensive guide:
spoken and written English grammar and usage. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Gardner, D., & Davies, M. (2007). Pointing Out Frequent Phrasal Verbs: A Corpus- Based
Analysis. TESOL Quarterly, 41(2), 339-359. doi:10.1002/j.1545- 7249. 2007.tb00062.x

Görlach, M. (1999b) “Regional and social variation‟ in Lass (ed.), 459-538.

White, R.G. (1883 [1870]) Words and their uses, past and present; a study of the English
language (6th ed.) Boston: Houghton, Mifflin.