Phrasal Verbs

What are they…?

How do you use them correctly?
Phrasal verbs are commonly used in
English, so it’s important to learn them!

A phrasal verb has 2 parts:

(or more)

1) a verb
2) and a preposition (at least one)

*often a phrasal verb has a special meaning

Here are some Examples:

 …Examples
Show up = arrive/come
My girlfriend showed up 25 minutes late.

Show off = brag/show how great you are

If you show off too much, nobody will like you.

Show around = to familiarize someone with a new place

When you come to Nakhon, I will show you around the city.

Take off = leave a place

Well, it’s late. I’m taking off now as I have to be up early in the
morning.

Take after = to look like another person

Her sister really takes after her mother.
Sometimes phrasal verbs have an

object . . .
The object simply answers
the question:
What? Or Who?

Look at the following examples

1. Mayuree drops off the children at 8:00 each day.
Drop off = phrasal verb . . . WHO does she drop
off?
The children . . . The children = object

2. Somchai wanted to get healthy. So he decided to

give up smoking.
Give up = phrasal verb . . . WHAT did he give up?
Smoking. . . Smoking = object
 When a phrasal verb uses an object,
the object can occur in
2 locations:
(=this is called a separable phrasal verb)

Look at this example:

Thomas was scheduled to marry Mary
in two days. He should have been
excited, but he wasn’t.
Instead, he felt . . .

Very Very VERY Nervous!!!

But, a day before the wedding,
Thomas decided that he had made a
BIG mistake!
So he
called off
the wedding!

1. He calledtheoff wedding
_______________.
2. He called
the_______________
wedding off.
3. He called _________
IT off.
Poor Mary!
 Grammar Rules:
An object of a phrasal verb can appear:
1. After the phrasal verb:
They turned up the volume.
OR . . .
2. In the middle of a phrasal verb:
They turned the volume up.

3. But, if the object is a pronoun it must be in

the middle.
They turned IT up.
 Now it’s your turn
to do some grammar!
What are some other ways
to say each sentence below?

1. She tried on her new dress.

Answer: She tried her new dress on.
She tried it on.

2. They called off the games due to rain.

Answer: They called the games off due to rain.
They called them off.
Now, here are some more examples …

Level 1 Phrasal Verb Definition

ask for request, seek information
call (s) up telephone
cool (s) down become less stressed

fall down collapse, drop from a higher to lower position

get up arise from bed
keep on continue
look at focus on something visually

put (s) on place clothing on the body

set (s) up 1) arrange 2) entrap
stand for represent
talk over discuss deeply
turn (s) on start a machine or something electric
 Now, here are some more …

Level 2 Phrasal Verb Definition

beat (s) up assault severely, attack, act violently, hit

care for 1) take responsibility for 2) prefer, like

cut down (on) reduce intake of food

fill (s) in put information in a blank or space on paper

get on enter a bus, train
hold on (to) 1) grasp 2) endure
let (s) down disappoint
plan on expect
run away escape
sign up register
take over assume control

turn (s) down 1) refuse an invitation 2) reduce the volume

 Now, here are some more …

Level 3 Phrasal Verb Definition

ask (s) out invite someone for a date
calm down relax, reduce stress
come over come to where I am
fall apart lose control or consistency
get into take an interest in something
keep away (from) stay at a distance
look (s) over peruse or read generally, skim
pile (s) up make a heap, stack or collection

run (s) over drive over something with a vehicle

sit up have good posture when sitting

talk with discuss an issue with someone
turn in 1) retire to bed 2) submit
 Now, here are some more …

Level 4 Phrasal Verb Definition

back (s) up 1) move in reverse 2) support

carry on continue
drive (s) away repel or push strongly away

follow up (on) check to see that someone has completed a task

go ahead move forward
knock (s) out make someone unconscious
look into investigate, explore
plan for prepare for the future
run out (of) use up the total supply
sort (s) out separate into categories
take apart dissemble
turn (s) over 1) give control of 2) flip onto the other side
 Now, here are some more …

Level 5 Phrasal Verb Definition

ask around make a general inquiry; survey a number of people

call out shout, say loudly

come through (with) surprisingly fulfill or achieve

fall for be gullible, or innocently believe a deception

get rid of throw away

kick (s) out expel
look down on consider something to be of lower value

plug (s) in connect an electrical device to a socket

set out start a trip
spread out disperse or scatter
take (s) up begin a new hobby or pastime
turn around 1) rotate 2) reverse
 Now, here are some more …
Level 6 Phrasal Verb Definition

ask about inquire, investigate, question, interview

carry (s) out fulfill or finish a plan

cool off lower the temperature
fade away diminish or lessen

get back to return to what one was doing; return a call

head for move toward a goal

light (s) up 1) make brighter 2) ignite a cigarette

phase (s) out reduce over time

rip (s) off steal
slip away remove oneself discreetly
stop by visit spontaneously
walk into enter a situation
 Now, here are some more …

Level 7 Phrasal Verb Definition

add (s) on increase, include something extra
purchase the complete or remaining
buy (s) out
supply
dish (s) out distribute
fall through fail to achieve a plan
go about proceed as normal
jump into begin immediately

look away refrain from looking at something

pick up on catch the meaning

see to take care of a task
stand down yield
strike back hit in retaliation
vouch for recommend someone
 Now, here are some more …

Level 8 Phrasal Verb Definition

pretend, pantomime, show something
act (s) out
imagined
carry (s) away take something to another place
cut back (on) reduce the supply
fall into conform or adapt
give (s) out emit or discharge
keep (s) back maintain one's distance
loosen up relax
pull (s) off succeed
save (s) up keep money for a future purchase
sneak out exit secretly
talk back (to) speak rudely or disrespectfully

unexpectedly interrupt someone involved

walk in on
in an activity
 Now, here are some more …

Level 9 Phrasal Verb Definition

beef (s) up increase, augment, add to, enlarge

button (s) up fasten buttons on clothing

complain about express discontent
fall behind become behind schedule
get with pay attention
hold (s) off wait, delay
lie about tell untruths
peek in(to) look discreetly
rise up (against) rebel

shake (s) down extort or extract money by threats or fear

stem from originate from

toss (s) out discard or throw away
 Now, here are some more …
Level 10 Phrasal Verb Definition
black (s) out darken, cloud, cut off electricity
butter (s) up flatter, praise, compliment

cross (s) off draw a line through a listed item

dig (s) up discover through research

feel up to consider oneself fit for a task
grow out of become too big for one's clothing
keep to hold to oneself
pay (s) up give money for what is owed
don't expect someone to behave in a
put past
certain way
separate (s) from divide
squeeze out (of) force information out
subtract from take something away
Good Job!
Be sure to ask your teacher or
another classmate if you still
have questions.

Remember . . .
Learning new grammar rules takes a lot of practice, so don’t

GIVE UP!
If you want to do some exercises, click HERE

Aj. Geordie
Can you re-write the following sentences
a) The gas cooker blew up and destroyed the house.
__________________________________________________________________________

b) Can you take care of my dog for me?

__________________________________________________________________________

c) I’m fat! I’m going to cut down on junk food.

__________________________________________________________________________

d) I don’t like her. I can’t get along with her.

__________________________________________________________________________

e) My girlfriend showed up late again.

__________________________________________________________________________

f) We put of going to the beach because it was raining.

__________________________________________________________________________

Check your answers on the next slide!

Answers
a) The gas cooker blew up and destroyed the house.
The gas cooker exploded and destroyed the house.

b) Can you take care of my dog for me?

Can you look after my dog for me?

c) I’m fat! I’m going to cut down on what I eat.

I’m fat. I’m going to reduce what I eat.

d) I don’t like her. I can’t get along with her.

I don’t like her. I can’t have a good relationship with her.

e) My girlfriend showed up late again.

My girlfriend arrived late again.

f) We put of going to the beach because it was raining.

We delayed going to the beach because it was raining.
Can you answer these questions?
a) How often do you eat out during the week?
__________________________________________________________________________

b) What happens if you talk back to your teacher?

__________________________________________________________________________

c) What time will you show up tomorrow?

__________________________________________________________________________

d) Does your neighbour ever drop by your house?

__________________________________________________________________________

e) Can you look up the number for Pizza Company please?

__________________________________________________________________________

f) What happens if you show up late for your class?

__________________________________________________________________________

Check your answers on the next slide!

Answer
a) How often do you eat out during the week?
We go out to a restaurant about three times a week.

b) What happens if you talk back to your teacher?

If I talk rudely to my teacher I will get punished.

c) What time will you show up tomorrow?

I’ll arrive around 9am.

d) Does your neighbour ever drop by your house?

Yes, she comes to see me nearly every day.

e) Can you look up the number for Pizza Company please?

Sure, I’ll see if I can find it in this magazine.

f) What happens if you show up late for your class?

If I arrive late, I will be punished.
THE END