Phrasal verbs consist of a verb plus another word, called a ‘particle’, usually a preposition or adverb (or sometimes both).
Examples of phrasal verbs include:
- Check out
- Fall apart
- Give up
- Run out of
- Take after
Phrasal verbs are idiomatic expressions, meaning that they cannot be taken literally. You must learn the meaning of each phrase individually, as the meaning is usually not obvious from the words alone and the phrasal verb has a distinct meaning unrelated to the verb used in it.
Phrasal verbs can be separable or inseparable.
With separable phrasal verbs, we can sometimes place the object of the verb between the verb and the participle. For example, we could say “Check out that cat!” or “Check that cat out!”
Inseparable phrasal verbs cannot be separated; the object always comes after them (or, in the case of intransitive phrasal verbs, there is no object).
As you discover new English phrasal verbs, you will need to learn which ones are transitive and intransitive, and which are separable and inseparable. In addition, of those that are separable, some are optionally so and others must always be separated.
