PHRASAL VERBS

PHRASAL VERBS

Phrasal verbs are phrases that combines a verb with a preposition or adverb
or both that functions as a single unit to have a particular meaning.

[verb + adverb] eg: look up
[verb + preposition] eg: look after
[verb + adverb + preposition] eg: look forward to
The whole phrase acts as a verb, and very often has a different meaning to
the original verb.

For example, look up, look after and look forward to do NOT mean the

same as look.
They do not have the same meaning, and they behave differently
grammatically. Phrasal verbs often have meanings which we cannot easily
guess from their individual parts
 LITERAL MEANING

Some phrasal verbs have a literal meaning. They can be easily understood.

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

explosion.

Phrasal verbs can also have a figurative or idiomatic meaning which makes
them difficult to understand.
Can you put me up for tonight?
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.
When phrasal verb has a direct object, we can usually separate the two
parts.

I turned down  their offer.

I  turned their offer down.

However, if the direct object is a pronoun, we have no choice.
We must separate the two parts of the verb and insert the pronoun.
Look at these examples with the verb "switch on". Note that the last one is
impossible:

John switched on the radio.

John switched the radio on.

John switched it on.

John switched on it.
USAGE OF PHRASAL VERBS IN
EVERYDAY LIFE