Three word verbs sentences

Cколько в английском языке three word phrasal verbs? Конечно, их меньше, чем two word, и всё же моя попытка составить о них некое представление провалилась, когда я дошла до глагола get — одного из самых употребительных английских фразовых глаголов. Их слишком много.

То, на что у меня хватило терпения, представляю в виде таблицы. Глаголы от A до D. Отобраны по алфавиту, не по частоте употребления.

Phrasal Verb Meaning Example Notes
 1 Break out of Escape Three dangerous Category A prisoners BROKE OUT OF Wandsworth Prison last night. Inseparable
 2 Break out in Sweat heavily, develop skin sores or irritation The measles caused me to BREAK OUT IN a rash. Inseparable
 3 Come down with Fall ill She CAME DOWN WITH a virus. Inseparable
 4 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. Inseparable
 5 Add up to Come to a certain amount or figure The total costs ADD UP TO several million euros. Inseparable
 6 Back out of Fail to keep an agreement, arrangement She BACKED OUT OF the agreement at the last minute  Inseparable
 7 Back out of Exit a parking area in reverse gear She BACKED the Rolls OUT OF its parking space
 8 Bang on about Keep talking about something He’s always BANGING ON ABOUT football. Inseparable
 9 Be cut out for Be suitable, have the necessary qualities She’s not CUT OUT FOR this kind of work Inseparable
 10 Bear down on Move towards She spotted him on the other side of the room and BORE DOWN ON him. Inseparable
 11 Bear up under Cope with something difficult or stressful He’s BEARING UP UNDER the pressure. Inseparable
 12 Beaver away at Work hard doing something I have to BEAVER AWAY AT it or else I will fail the course. Inseparable
 13 Bend over backwards Do a lot to try to help or please someone I BENT OVER BACKWARDS for them and they didn’t even thank me. Intransitive
 14 Boil down to Amount to It all BOILS DOWN TO money at the end of the day. Inseparable
 15 Bone up on Study hard for a goal or reason I need to BONE UP ON my French grammar for the test. Inseparable
 16 Break out in Sweat heavily, develop skin sores or irritation. The measles caused me to BREAK OUT IN a rash. Inseparable
 17 Break out of Escape Three dangerous Category A prisoners BROKE OUT OF Wandsworth Prison last night. Inseparable
 18 Bring out in Cause a health problem or reaction It was the lobster that BROUGHT me OUT in this rash all over my body. Separable [obligatory]
 19 Carry on with Have an affair He’s been CARRYING ON WITH someone at work for years. Inseparable
 20 Cash in on Benefit or make money on something, especially if done unfairly The opposition party are CASHING IN ON the government’s unpopularity. Inseparable
 21 Cast about for Try to find something They’re CASTING ABOUT FOR support. Inseparable
 22 Cast around for Try to find something She was CASTING AROUND FOR people to help her. Inseparable
 23 Cast round for Try to find something He CAST ROUND FOR any sign of his things. Inseparable
 24 Catch up in Become involved, often against one’s will The tourists were CAUGHT UP IN the violence of the revolution. Inseparable
 25 Catch up on Do something that should have been done earlier I’m going home to CATCH UP ON my sleep. Inseparable
 26 Catch up on Reminisce with an old friend after not seeing them for a while I hadn’t seen her for years, so we spent the afternoon CATCHING UP ON old times. Inseparable
 27 Catch up with Do something that should have been done earlier I’m going home to CATCH UP WITH my sleep. Inseparable
 28 Catch up with Meet someone after a period of time and find out what they have been doing I CAUGHT UP WITH her at the conference. Inseparable
 29 Chalk up to Explain the reason for a problem They CHALKED the poor sales UP TO the lower numbers of tourists visiting this year. Separable [obligatory]
 30 Cheat out of Get money from someone under false pretences I hate him- he CHEATED me OUT OF ?100. Separable [obligatory]
 31 Check out of Settle up and pay before leaving a hotel Guests have to CHECK OUT OF the hotel before midday. Inseparable
 32 Chip away at Gradually reduce something to make it less powerful, effective, etc They have been CHIPPING AWAY AT his reputation ever since he took office. Inseparable
 33 Chow down on Eat something We’re going to CHOW DOWN ON that barbecued pork. Inseparable
 34 Clamp down on Restrict or try to stop something The government are CLAMPING DOWN ON antisocial behaviour. Inseparable
 35 Cling on to Try to keep something They CLUNG ON TO power despite the protests. Inseparable
 36 Close in on Get near someone The police were CLOSING IN ON the gang. Inseparable
 37 Close in upon Get near someone The police were CLOSING IN UPON the gang. Inseparable
 38 Come down on Criticise heavily The management really CAME DOWN ON him for losing the contract. Inseparable
 39 Come down to Amount to, be the most important aspect It all COMES DOWN TO a question of who tries hardest. Inseparable
 40 Come down upon Criticise, reprimand severely They will COME DOWN UPON us if we are late. Inseparable
 41 Come down with Fall ill She CAME DOWN WITH a virus. Inseparable
 42 Come forth with Provide information None of the witnesses CAME FORTH WITH an accurate description of the gang. Inseparable
 43 Come into use Start being used The computerised system CAME INTO USE at the end of last year. Intransitive
 44 Come off it I don’t believe what you’re saying; used as an imperative COME OFF IT; tell me the truth for goodness’ sake. Inseparable
 45 Come out in Have a rash or similar skin problem She CAME OUT IN a nasty rash after touching the poisonous plant by mistake. Inseparable
 46 Come out of Recover consciousness After three years, he CAME OUT OF the coma. Inseparable
 47 Come out with Make something available They have just COME OUT WITH a new version. Inseparable
 48 Come through with Provide something needed He didn’t COME THROUGH WITH the money and they went bust. Inseparable
 49 Come through with Provide something needed He didn’t COME THROUGH WITH the money and they went bust. Inseparable
 50 Come up against Encounter problems or difficulties They CAME UP AGAINST a lot of opposition to their plans for an out-of-town supermarket development. Inseparable
 51 Come up with Think of a solution, excuse, etc. Nobody could COME UP WITH a satisfactory explanation for the accident. Inseparable
 52 Contract out of Formally leave and agreement I CONTRACTED OUT OF the deal years ago. Inseparable
 53 Crack down on Use more authority than usual The police always CRACK DOWN ON drink-driving offences over the Christmas period. Inseparable
 54 Creep out on To do the same activity for a very long time He’s been CREEPING OUT ON that computer game all day. Inseparable
 55 Cut back on Reduce expenditure The government has decided to CUT BACK ON spending on the armed forces. Inseparable
 56 Cut down on Reduce Doctors advised her to CUT DOWN ON the amount of saturated fats in her diet. Inseparable
 57 Cut it out Stop your unfair or unreasonable behaviour Will you two idiots CUT IT OUT and keep quiet. Separable [obligatory]
 58 Cut out on Let down, snub Although he’d promised to help, the star CUT OUT ON the charity when offered more money. Inseparable
 59 Dine out on Tell a story repeatedly that is well received I’ve DINED OUT ON the story of his accident. Inseparable
 60 Do away with Abolish, get rid of The United Kingdom DID AWAY WITH the death penalty in 1965. Inseparable
 61 Double up as Have a second function or purpose The display screen DOUBLES UP AS a solar panel. Inseparable
 62 Drill down through Get to the bottom of something, get detailed data They DRILLED DOWN THROUGH the information to find the truth. Inseparable
 63 Duck out of Avoid doing something He DUCKED OUT OF helping us last night. Inseparable
 64 End up with Get as a result of something He tried hard but ENDED UP WITH a poor grade. Inseparable
 65 Face up to Accept an unpleasant truth Many people find it hard to FACE UP TO the fact that they are getting old. Inseparable
 66 Fall back on Be able to use in an emergency It was good to have some money in the bank to FALL BACK ON when I lost my job. Inseparable
 67 Feel up to Feel capable of doing something I’m so tired. I don’t think I FEEL UP TO going out tonight. Inseparable
 68 Fill in for Substitute I was away for a few days, so they had to get someone to FILL IN FOR me. Inseparable
 69 Fill in on Give someone information I’m sorry I missed the meeting; could you FILL me IN ON what happened. Separable [obligatory]
 70 Finish up with Have or do something at the end or as the last of something We attended some workshops and FINISHED UP WITH the keynote speaker. Inseparable
 71 Fit in with Occur or happen in a way that shows that plans or ideas have not changed His rudeness yesterday FITS IN WITH what I have always thought of his behaviour. Inseparable
 72 Fit out with Provide someone with necessary equipment They didn’t FIT the troops OUT WITH the necessary protective gear. Separable [optional]
 73 Fob off on Make or persuade someone to accept something you don’t want I FOBBED the work ON the others. Separable [obligatory]
 74 Fob off onto Make or persuade someone to accept something you don’t want I FOBBED the fake note ONTO a shopkeeper. Separable [obligatory]
 75 Fob off with Make or persuade someone to accept something of lower quality than they wanted He FOBBED her OFF WITH some fake gold. Separable [optional]
 76 Fob off with Make or persuade someone to accept something of lower quality than they wanted He FOBBED her OFF WITH some fake gold. Separable [optional]
 77 Follow on from Be the part of something The film FOLLOWS ON from the original. Inseparable
 78 Gang up against Harass, bully (in a group) They GANGED UP AGAINST me because I wouldn’t accept their ideas. Inseparable
 79 Get across to Be convincing or make a good impression How can I GET ACROSS TO my audience? Inseparable
 80 Get ahead of Move in front of I work at home in the evening to GET AHEAD OF schedule. Inseparable
 81 Get along in Progress How are you GETTING ALONG IN the company. Inseparable

Если у коллег появится желание продолжить список, Вашему вниманию представляю словарь фразовых глаголов ЗДЕСЬ.

Подборка интернет-ресурсов с упражнениями на тренировку three word phrasals:

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It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.

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B2 First: three-word phrasal verbs

It’s hard to predict what phrasal verbs you might see in the B2 First exam, but here are some you should try to learn, to help your speaking, writing and use of English.

Look at the phrasal verbs and their definitions for a few minutes and try to remember as many as possible. Then click to hide the information and try to answer the questions.

Note: sb means somebody and sth means something.

Phrasal Verb Meaning
I really look up to him admire sb
He looks down on everybody. think you are better than sb
We have to put up with the cold weather. tolerate (you can’t do anything about it)
She came up with a really good plan. think of an idea
He comes across as a bit rude. appear to be
The thief got away with the robbery. not get caught
I always look forward to seeing him. be excited about a future event
I come down with a cold every winter. get sick (usually colds or flu)
I’ll never grow out of liking sweets. stop liking
You need to cut down on chocolate. do sth less
Slow down. I can’t keep up with you. do sth fast enough
He won’t own up to his mistakes. admit sth
I don’t get on with him. have a good relationship with sb
I often fall out with my sister. argue and stop being friends
You should make up with your ex-boyfriend. start being friends again after an argument
I think he’s going to break up with me. end a romantic relationship
You should stand up for yourself. defend yourself (verbally)
Oh dear. We’ve run out of bread. used all of something

Practice 1: multiple choice cloze (use of English part 1)

Choose the best word to complete the following sentences.


Practice 2: open cloze (use of English part 2)

The missing word could be the verb (e.g. bring/brought/bringing), or the particle (e.g. up).


Practice 3: more open cloze

TWO-AND THREE-WORD VERBS (WORD ORDER)

1) Two-word verbs

Some verbs are commonly used with a particular particle (preposition or adverb). We can call these two-word verbs.

Example:

— She had to let out her dress because she’d put on weight. (= made it larger)

— The company’s debts were mounting up. (= increasing)

— Tommy’s fallen over again. Can you help him up?

2) Three-word verbs

Some verbs are commonly used with an adverb + preposition. These are three-word verbs.

Example:

— Do you think he’s really likely to go through with his threat? (= do it)

— They’d sold out of washing powder at the supermarket. (= it had all been sold)

NOTE 1: A good dictionary will tell you if a particle is a preposition or adverb and explain the meaning of two- and three-word verbs.

NOTE 2: These two- and three-word verbs are sometimes called ‘phrasal’ and ‘prepositional’ verbs. It is often difficult to understand what they mean from the meaning of their separate parts.

3) Verb + particle + noun phrase

ç With some two-word verbs (verb + preposition), the noun phrase goes after the particle.

Example:

— I’m afraid that Simon met with an accident as he was driving home.

— The back door opens onto a small garden.

ç With other two-word verbs (verb + adverb), a noun phrase usually goes after the particle unless the noun phrase is a pronoun.

Example:

— She followed out the instructions exactly. (rather than …followed the instructions out…)

— She read the instructions and followed them out precisely. (not …followed out them…)

4) Verb + noun phrase + particle

With a few two-word verbs (verb + adverb), a noun phrase is usually placed or must be placed before the particle.

Example:

— She told the children off for stealing her apple. (rather than …told off the children…)

— Don’t forget to pull the door to when you go out. (not …pull to the door…)

5) Verb + particle + noun phrase or verb + noun phrase + particle

ç With some two-word verbs (verb + adverb), a noun phrase can go either before the particle or after it.

Compare:

— Buying the new car has eaten up all my savings. or

— Buying the new car has eaten all my savings up.

NOTE 1: We use verb + noun phrase + particle when the noun phrase is a pronoun.

Example:

— Pam had to get rid of her car, and she sold it off at a very low price. (not …sold off it…)

— I won’t be able to go to the party. You’ll have to count me out. (not …count out me.)

NOTE 2: We prefer verb + particle + noun phrase when the noun phrase is long.

Compare:

— She had to clean the kitchen up. (or …clean up the kitchen.)

— She had to clean up the mess on the kitchen floor. (rather than …clean the mess …up.)

6) Verb + adverb + preposition + noun phrase

ç With most three-word verbs, the noun phrase goes after the preposition.

Example:

— The government is to cut back on spending on the armed forces.

— He really looks up to his older brother.

ç However, a few three-word verbs have the noun phrase immediately after the verb. A second noun phrase will go after the preposition.

Example:

— I helped Lucy on with her coat. (= help her to put it on)

— She tried to talk me out of the plan. (= persuade not to do it)

Phrasal verbs are one of the most important parts of English vocabulary. They are usually idiomatic, and it can take a long time for English learners to start using them with accuracy and confidence. When I teach phrasal verbs, such as wake up, put on, take off, and try on, students often ask the same questions:

«Is this one transitive or intransitive?»

«Can I separate it?»

«Is this the only meaning?»

These are all good questions, and they are especially frequent when we study 2-word phrasal verbs. With that in mind, 3-word phrasal verbs are actually easier to teach and understand.

Why?

There are two reasons:

  1. All 3-word phrasal verbs are transitive. They all end with a preposition, which means they all need an object. («I’m looking forward to going home today.»)

  2. Most 3-word phrasal verbs are inseparable. They almost always keep their form. («Don’t worry. I’ll take care of this.»)

With that in mind, let us look at 10 3-word phrasal verbs that you can start using with confidence today. Pay attention to the fact that 3-word phrasal verbs need an object, and that they are never separated. If you find this resource useful and you would like to learn more phrasal verbs, make sure to get a copy of 100 Practical English Phrasal Verbs. It is ideal for intermediate and advanced students.

Let’s learn and review some 3-word phrasal verbs!

1. Come up with (something)

to invent or create something (an idea, an excuse, a story, an invention, a plan, etc.)

«This is very creative. Did you come up with it by yourself?»

«Wow. This is great. How did you come up with it?»

«Sam is always coming up with excuses.»

2. Get along with (someone)

to be on friendly terms with someone; to have a good relationship with someone (British English: get on with someone

«We didn’t get along in school, but now he’s my best friend.»

«Do you get along with your sister?»

«We don’t get along.»* (You can use the 2-word phrasal verb «get along» in this way)

3. Get around to (something or someone)

to finally do something that you need to do; to do something you have not done because you have not had enough time to do it, or because you have been procrastinating

«Have you gotten around to doing the dishes yet?» «Not yet. I’ve been busy.»

«So, I finally got around to calling my cousin last night.»

«Don’t forget to send that email.» «Yeah, yeah, I’ll get around to it eventually.»

4. Put up with (something or someone)

to tolerate something or someone

«I can’t put up with her lies anymore.»

«Every morning on my way to work, I have to put up with at least 20 minutes of traffic.»

«He’s such a jerk. I don’t know why you put up with him.»

5. Look forward to (something)

to anticipate a future event; to be excited about a future event

«I’m looking forward to seeing you.»

«She’s really looking forward to the concert.»

«Are you ready for the meeting?» «I suppose so. I’m not looking forward to it.»

6. Look up to (someone)

to respect and admire someone; to see someone as a role model

«When I was a kid, I looked up to my uncle. He was so kind.»

«I can’t disappoint her. She looks up to me.»

«Whom did you look up to when you were young?» («Whom» is the object)

7. Look down on (someone or something)

to feel superior to someone else and to see them as lower than you; to not have respect for something or someone

«I used to look down on bands like Nirvana and Silverchair in the ’90s, but now I realize how influential they were.»

«You shouldn’t look down on other people. You never know what they have been through.»

«They have terrible opinions. They look down on poor people and immigrants.»

8. Live up to (something or someone)

to fulfill/match/meet one’s potential/expectations/hype/etc.

«That movie didn’t live up to my expectations.»

«He has lived up to his potential.»

«Everyone told me how amazing that restaurant was, but now that I’ve been there, I can say it didn’t live up to the hype.»

9. Keep up with (something or someone)

to maintain the same pace or stay at the same level as someone or something; to progress at the same speed as someone else

«You’re speaking too fast. I can’t keep up with you.»

«Run faster! Try to keep up!» (with the other runners)

«Our company is trying to keep up with the leaders in our industry.»

10. Make up for (something)

to compensate for doing something bad by doing something good; to atone for something; to do something as penance for a past mistake or hurtful action

«I’m so sorry, Lexi. I’ll make up for it. I promise.»

«You’ve been trying to make up for your past mistakes for a long time.»

«I made a mistake. I know that. I’ll make up for it, okay?»

How was that? Were the definitions clear enough and the examples helpful? I hope so. Remember, the best way to learn new vocabulary is to put it into a context that makes sense for you. If you would like to practice these phrasal verbs by creating your own original sentences, leave a comment.

Finally, if you enjoyed this resource and would like to learn more phrasal verbs, pick up a PDF, e-book, or physical copy of 100 Practical English Phrasal Verbs. I wrote it with English students and teachers in mind, which is why it has only high-frequency phrasal verbs, multiple definitions, and at least 4 example sentences for the most popular usage of each phrasal verb. Get it today and let me know if it helps you.

Until next time, I wish you success in your studies.

Complete the following sentences.

1. He dropped …………………………… school at fourteen.

a) out of               b) out at               c) on at

2. Jane has this nasty habit of breaking …………………………… our conversation.

a) in on                                 b) on in                 c) on at

3. As I had been traveling, I couldn’t catch …………………………… the news around town.

a) up with            b) up out             c) out on

4. We have employed several people to check …………………………… the condition of our warehouse from time to time.

a) up with            b) up on               c) out on

5. Can you come …………………………… a better idea?

a) up with            b) out with          c) out on

6. You must cut …………………………… your intake of sugar.

a) down on         b) out on             c) down with

7. She doesn’t get …………………………… her siblings.

a) along with      b) on with           c) out with

8. We must do something to get …………………………… corrupt politicians.

a) off                     b) rid of                                c) rid off

9. When will you ever get …………………………… that novel you have been writing for ages?

a) away with      b) through with                                c) on with

10. If you don’t work hard, you won’t be able to keep …………………………… your peers.

a) up with            b) through with                                c) out with

Answers

1. He dropped out of school at fourteen. (drop out of = leave school)

2. Jane has this nasty habit of breaking in on our conversation. (break in on = interrupt)

3. As I had been traveling, I couldn’t catch up with the news around town. (catch up with = keep abreast)

4. We have employed several people to check up on the condition of our warehouse from time to time. (check up on = examine, investigate)

5. Can you come up with a better idea? (come up with = contribute)

6. You must cut down on your intake of sugar. (cut down on = reduce, curtail)

7. She doesn’t get along with her siblings. (get along with = have a good relationship with)

8. We must do something to get rid of corrupt politicians. (get rid of = eliminate)

9. When will you ever get through with that novel you have been writing for ages? (get through with = finish)

10. If you don’t work hard, you won’t be able to keep up with your peers. (keep up with = maintain pace with)

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PODCAST-ENGLISH-THREE-WORD-PHRASAL-VERBS

As you probably know a phrasal verb is a verb plus the proposition that is used like an idiom. For example, I can say, turn on the light. When you turn on the light, actually nothing is turning, and nothing is on, so the meaning of turn on is an idiomatic meaning. That’s a phrasal verb. Well most phrasal verbs are made of two words one verb and one preposition. However, there are some phrasal verbs that are made with two prepositions. For today’s English lesson let’s take a look at some of these three word phrasal verbs.

Here are the example sentences. To get the details of this English lesson, you need to listen to the podcast or check the transcript for the details:

  • I came up with a new recipe for hot dogs.
  • I wonder who was the first person to come up with pizza.
  • How about you? Have you come up with something recently?
  • My doctor told me to cut down on coffee.
  • Jack told his wife to cut down on shopping.
  • How about you? What do you need to cut down on?
  • Everyone in the office gets along with the boss. He’s a good guy.
  • All of the children got along nicely at the party.
  • How about you? Do you get along with your boss, your coworkers or your classmates?
  • I got rid of a lot of stuff when I clean the garage.
  • If you haven’t gotten rid of your old bicycle yet, I’ll take it.
  • How about you? Have you gotten rid of something recently?
  • It was difficult to keep up with the fastest runners during the marathon.
  • The salesman was speaking quickly and it was hard to keep up with what he was saying.

If you know anyone who might be interested in this English language point, why not help them out! Just share this lesson with them. Thanks for studying today!


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  1. Home
  2. Types of Verbs
  3. Multi-word Verbs

Multi-word verbs are verbs that consist of more than one word. They fall into three types:

  • prepositional verbs
  • phrasal verbs
  • phrasal-prepositional verbs

Before we look at each one, we’ll examine more generally what multi-word verbs are.

Confusion Multi-word Verbs

What are Multi-word Verbs?

Multi-word verbs are made up of a verb and a particle. Particles are words that we use as prepositions and / or adverbs in other contexts. Here are examples of some of these words:

Verbs

  • give
  • come
  • look
  • take
  • bring
  • put
  • made

Particles (Prepositions and Adverbs)

  • into
  • on
  • away
  • over
  • to
  • up
  • out

When we combine a verb with a particle to make a multi-word verb, it has a different meaning to the meaning of those words when used on their own.

For instance, here are two common meanings of one word taken from each list:

  • give = transfer the possession of something to someone else e.g. I gave him my passport.
  • up = towards a higher place or position e.g. he went up the stairs 

However, we can put these two words together to make a multi-verb word, creating a completely different meaning:

  • He wants to give up smoking = stop

So give up is a multi-verb word we have created by placing together a verb and a particle. Neither give nor up have the same meaning as when they are used on their own.

Where do they come in sentences?

Multi-word verbs are no different to other verbs in that they can be used as a main verb (i.e. after a subject and taking a tense) or in other positions, such as acting as an infinitive:

  • Main Verb: He gave up smoking last week (used after a subject and in the past tense)
  • Infinitive: It is important to give up smoking (base form of the verb used after an adjective)

Some multi-word verbs can be split up, while others cannot:

  • Cannot be separated:  She looks after the children on Saturdays
  • Can be separated: He looked up the word in the dictionary / He looked the word up in the dictionary 

Multi-verb words as idiomatic expressions

Given that multi-word verbs have different meanings to the individual words, they tend to be idiomatic expressions.

Some will make sense as you see them but others may look confusing if you are not already aware of what they mean. 

For example, in the first two, we can probably guess the meaning, but the others are more difficult:

  • The plane took off at 5pm (= became airborne)
  • He got up early this morning (= rise to a standing position)
  • She put him up for the week (= provided temporary accommodation)
  • She let him off (=forgave)

So with these types of verbs you often have to learn them and their meanings as it can be difficult to guess the meanings from context. 

Types of Multi-word Verbs

There are three types of multi-word verbs:

  1. prepositional verbs
  2. phrasal verbs
  3. phrasal-prepositional verbs

1. Prepositional Verbs

A prepositional verb is a multi-word verb made up of a verb plus a preposition. These are the key factors which make these multi-word verb prepositional verbs:

  • They must have a direct object
  • They are transitive (because they have a direct object)
  • The main verb and preposition are inseparable (i.e. the object must go after the preposition)

Structure of Prepositional Verbs

Main Verb + Preposition + Direct Object

Here are some examples of prepositional verbs:

Prepositional Verb Examples

  • sailed through my speaking test
  • Their house was broken into
  • He can’t do without his car
  • She really gets into her music
  • I will deal with the problems
  • I looked after her cat

In none of these cases can we move the direct object to between the verb and particle, or in other words separate them. For instance we can’t say I sailed my speaking test through or He can’t do his car without.

You may have thought that Their house was broken into does not fit because there appears to be no direct object after ‘into’. 

But remember that as prepositional verbs are transitive, they can usually be turned into the passive voice. This example has been turned from active to passive:

  • The burglars broke into their house (active)
  • Their house was broken into (passive)

2. Phrasal Verbs

A phrasal verb is a multi-word verb made up of a verb plus an adverb. There are two types of phrasal verb:

  • Type 1: No object (intransitive) i.e. they don’t take an object
  • Type 2: Object (transitive) separable i.e. they need an object and this can go between the verb and particle

Structure of Phrasal Verbs

Type 1

Main Verb + Adverb

Type 2

Main Verb + Direct ObjectAdverb

or

Main Verb +  Adverb Direct Object

Some of the most common adverb particles used with Phrasal Verbs are: around, at, away, down, in, off, on, out, over, round, up.

Phrasal Verb Examples

Type 1:

  • The plane took off late
  • She got up before him
  • The film came out in 1979
  • I can’t make out what she is saying
  • The meeting went on for several hours

Type 2:

  • I can put up your friend for the weekend
  • I can put your friend up for the weekend
  • She brought up many issues at the meeting
  • She brought many issues up at the meeting

Phrasal Verbs and Pronouns

Something to note with Phrasal Verbs in type 2 constructions is that if the object is a pronoun, then it must go between the verb and adverb particle. It cannot go after it.

So it has to be like this:

  • I can put him up for the weekend
  • She brought it up at the meeting

2. Phrasal-Prepositional Verbs

The key distinguishing factors of these types of multi-word verbs are:

  • They take an object (so are transitive)
  • They have two particles
  • The particles are inseparable

Structure of Phrasal-Prepositional Verbs


Main Verb
 +  
Particle Particle

Phrasal-Prepositional Verb Examples

  • look up to my uncle
  • You must get on with your work
  • He couldn’t face up to his problems
  • I always look out for her
  • Let’s catch up with John next week
  • I always look forward to seeing her

It is possible though with certain phrases to put a direct object after the verb. So in this case there will be a direct object and object of the preposition:

Examples with Verb + Object

  • She fixed me up with her freind
  • I let Jane in on the secret
  • He put me up to it
  • I put the problem down to them

Some difficulties for learners

Understanding what multi-word verbs mean

Some learners of English find multi-word verbs difficult because they may take the literal meanings of the individual words. For example, with this sentence:

  • I was looking forward to seeing her

It actually means to await eagerly, in this case to meet someone at a later date, but taken literally a person could think it means looking in a particular direction, such as looking ahead at someone. 

Misunderstanding Multi-word verbs with two meanings

Some verbs can have two meanings, which confuses some people if they only know one. For example:

  • I dropped her off at school (= give someone a lift somewhere)
  • I dropped off several times during the class (= falling asleep unintentionally) 

Only noticing the verb if separated from the particle

If as a learner, you only notice the verb, then this can make you misunderstand the sentence and again take the verb with it’s literal meaning. This can often happen when they are split up with several words between them:

  • He put all of the problems that we have been having down to the hot weather

In such a case the phrasal verb may not be recognised.

Understanding the difference between Phrasal Verbs and Prepositional Verbs

This can be unclear; however, it is not really important to know the differences. As long as you understand that multi-word verbs are verbs plus a preposition or adverb (or both) and that they have a differing meaning to the words on their own, that is enough for most purposes. 

But the key difference is that an object can go before or after an adverb, but it can only go after a preposition. In other words:

  • Prepositional verbs must not be seperated
  • Phrasal Verbs can be separated 

Of course type 1 Phrasal Verbs would not be separated because they do not have an object at all. 

Incorrect Word order

It is often the case that a speaker or writer may get the the word order of the multi-word verb wrong, with the pronoun placed in the wrong place:

  • I don’t have the space to put up him (should be put him up)

Differing grammatical explanations

It can sometimes be confusing when you search on ‘multi-word verbs’ or ‘Phrasal Verbs’ as differing sites or books categorise them differently. 

For instance, in some cases, all verbs + preposition or / and adverbs are labelled as multi-word verbs, regardless of whether they create a different meaning. For instance:

  • He went into the room
  • They are waiting for her 
  • He is suffering from heatstroke
  • I agree with you

In these cases, the phrases have their literal meaning and have not been changed. However, these could be seen simply as words that commonly collate together rather than multi-word verbs. 

In some cases, all those that have a different meaning are labelled ‘Phrasal Verbs’, with no reference to prepositional verbs. 

This should not really concern you though. The main thing to know is the differing structures with regards to whether words can be separated or not and to understand that with multi-word verbs with different meanings (i.e. what some people just call phrasal verbs) you will probably have to gradually learn there differing meanings. 

Here you can find a useful phrasal verb list with examples to start leaning some of the words.

Summary

  • Multi-word verbs are a verb plus one or two particles
  • It is a word combination that changes the meaning from the individual words
  • Prepositional verbs must not be seperated
  • Phrasal Verbs can be separated 
  • They are sometimes all simply known as Phrasal Verbs

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