A phrasal verb consists of a verb + a particle (preposition or adverb).

For example:

 get out (out is a preposition)

 get together (together is an adverb)
 pass by (by is a preposition)
 pass away (away is an adverb)

Phrasal verbs are very common in spoken English, but they can be challenging to learn. It can be difficult to guess the meaning of a
phrasal verb, because the particle often changes the original meaning of the verb. For example, you probably know the meaning of the
word run. But what does it mean to run up a bill (valoarea se ridică la... / a acumula o datorie)? In this case, run up has nothing to do
with jogging; it means someone has allowed a bill to reach a large amount, like running up an expensive bill at a restaurant. In cases
like this, you will need to look up the definition of the phrasal verb.

Phrasal verbs can be transitive or intransitive.

Transitive verbs are followed by a direct object.
Intransitive verbs are not followed by a direct object but can optionally be followed by an indirect object. Here are a few examples:

1. Transitive: Please pick up some bread.

o We can’t just say ‘please pick up’ because this phrasal verb needs a direct object. What are we picking up? Some
bread.
2. Intransitive: Let’s hang out.
o We can’t add a direct object to this phrasal verb because it’s intransitive. You don’t hang out something. You just hang
out.
3. Intransitive: Let’s hang out at the park.
o Still intransitive! In this case, ‘the park’ is an indirect object. Usually an indirect object comes after a preposition like
‘in’.
4. Transitive: Let’s hang out/up the laundry.
o This might look like a trick because you just saw that ‘hang out’ is intransitive. But this is a different meaning of hang
out! This meaning is transitive. What are we hanging out? The laundry.

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Phrasal verb can also be separable or inseparable. When a phrasal verb is separable, a direct object can be placed in between the verb
and the particle. Let’s compare some examples:

1. Separable: I want to think over the offer. → I want to think the offer over.
o Think over means to consider.
o Think over can be separated by the direct object ‘the offer’.
2. Separable: Will you turn down the music? → Will you turn the music down?
o Turn down means to reduce the volume.
o Turn down can be separated by the direct object ‘the music’.
3. Inseparable: I will look after the children.
o NOT: I will look the children after.
o Children is a direct object, but it can’t go in between the verb and preposition.
4. Inseparable: I grew up in Michigan.
o NOT: I grew in Michigan up.
o Michigan is an indirect object. There is no direct object.

As we saw in examples 1 and 2 above, when a phrasal verb is separable, a direct object can go either in between the verb and particle
or after the particle. BUT if you want to use a pronoun as a direct object, you must put the pronoun in between the verb and particle.
For example:

1. I picked Julie up from the airport. → I picked her up from the airport.
o NOT: I picked up her from the airport.
2. I’ll take off my shoes. → I’ll take them off.
o NOT: I’ll take off them.

If a direct object is long, it may sound strange to put it in between the verb and particle. In that case it is better to put the direct object
after the particle. Compare these examples:

1. I cleaned up the room. → I cleaned the room up.

o Both are correct because ‘the room’ is short.
2. I cleaned up the mess that the children made.
 o NOT: I cleaned the mess that the children made up.
o ‘The mess that the children made’ is too long to go in between the verb and particle. It results in an awkward sentence.

***

Phrasal verbs can also be used as nouns. If you know the meaning of the phrasal verb, you may be able to guess the meaning of a
phrasal noun. Here some examples:

1. When you take your meal out of a restaurant, what did you order? Takeout!
2. When you start up a new company, what do you have? A start-up!
3. When it’s time to check out of a hotel, what can you call it? Checkout time!
4. When you want to get away on a nice vacation, what do you book? A getaway!

List of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are a versatile language tool, so there are many combinations of them. Below, you can find some common phrasal verbs
examples with their meanings.

Separable Non-separable
Meaning Example sentence Meaning Example sentenc
Phrasal verbs Phrasal verbs

Please turn off the lights I came across an o

turn off To deactivate come across To find by chance
before leaving. friend in the city
 To have a
To lift and hold Can you pick up the book They get along ve
pick up get along harmonious
something from the floor? well.
relationship

To complete (a Remember to fill out your To meet I ran into your

fill out run into
form, survey) application. unexpectedly brother at the mal

To fail to My car broke down on She looks after he

break down look after To care for
function the way to work. younger siblings

To depart or The plane takes off at You can count on

take off count on To rely on
ascend noon. me.

To tidy up by Put away your toys after To handle or He deals with stre
put away deal with
storing playing. confront very effectively.

It's time to throw out the To disintegrate or The plan fell apart
throw out To discard fall apart
old magazines. fail the last minute.

bring up To mention She brought up an get over To recover from It took him a whil
 interesting point during to get over the
the meeting. illness.

The game was called off To endure or She went through

call off To cancel go through
due to rain. undergo lot last year.

To establish or They set up a new Keep on trying un

set up keep on To continue doing
arrange company. you succeed.

To reconcile or We need to make up after To anticipate with I'm looking forwa

make up look forward to
invent the argument. pleasure to the vacation.

Several students
To search for I'll look up the word in
look up pass out To faint passed out from th
information the dictionary.
heat.

To return Please give back the book I can't put up wit

give back put up with To tolerate
something tomorrow. the noise anymor

take back To retract or take I take back what I said run out of To deplete one's We're running out
 back earlier. supply of milk.

To dress oneself Put on your coat; it's cold To represent or What does this
put on stand for
with outside. mean acronym stand for

The caterpillar
Hold on, I'm on the
hold on To wait or pause turn into To change into turned into a
phone.
butterfly.

Throw away the expired Watch out for icy

throw away To dispose of watch out for To be cautious of
food. roads.

To try clothes for Try on the dress to see if He backed down

try on back down To retreat or yield
fitting it fits. from the challeng

To exercise or I work out at the gym A fight broke out

work out break out To erupt or flare up
solve every day. the concert.

To explain or go Let's run through the To devise or think We need to come

run through come up with
over quickly presentation again. of with a solution.
 I. Choose the correct phrasal verb from the parenthesis at the end of the sentence.
1. Someone ... my car last night and stole the stereo. (broke down/broke into)
2. Will you be able to ... this month with the little you have?(get off / get by)
1. His father always taught him not to _____ those people with less. (look up to – a se uita admirativ la cineva / look down on – a
se uita de sus)
2. Stop complaining and _____ your work! (get on with / get over)
3. The boss wants you to _____ your figures for this month to him. (hand out – a înmâna / hand in – a preda ceva)
4. We're going to have to _____ our trip to Spain until September. (put up- a pune / a construi/ put off – a amâna)
5. I _____ Amir today at the supermarket. It was great to see him. (ran out of (energy) - a rămâne fără (energie)/ ran into – a da
peste cineva / întâlni)
6. I'm so tired of Sophie _____ her engagement ring all the time. (showing off – a se lăuda, showing up)
7. The police would not _____ to the kidnapper's demands. (give up- a renunța/ give in – a ceda )
8. I thought I would _____ for a cup of coffee. Is that okay? (drop off – a opri pe la / a trece / drop in – a scădea)
9. Have you ever _____ such an unusual piece of art? (come forward – a înainta / a prezenta/come across – a da peste ceva/ a
întâlni ceva)
10. It’s important to _____ on time. (show up / show off)
11. _____ your feet when walking; you don’t want to trip! (uplift – a ridica în sens figurat / lift up – a ridica ceva de jos)
12. The tree was _____ by the wind. (blown up – a exploda / blown over – a răvăși)
13. He _____ his hat to show me his new haircut. (took off / took up)
14. I just can’t seem to _____ this book. (get off / get into )
 II. Use the following verbs (believe, fill, get, look, put, switch, take, throw, turn, try) and the
prepositions (away, down, for, in, off, on, out) and form meaningful sentences.

1. Quick! … the bus. It's ready to leave.

2. I don't know where my book is. I have to … it.
3. It's dark inside. Can you … the light, please?
4. … the form, please.
5. I need some new clothes. Why don't you … these jeans?
6. It's warm inside. … your coat.
7. This pencil is really old. You can … it.
8. It's so loud here. Can you … the radio a little?
9. The firemen were able to … the fire in Church Street.
10. Does your little brother … ghosts?
III. Choose the correct options.

1. turn on →
He turned on the light.
He turned the light on.
2. hand in →
Hand in your homework on time.
Hand your homework in on time.
3. get on →
They got on the bus.
They got the bus on.
4. look up →
Look up the words in a dictionary.
Look the words up in a dictionary.
5. grow up →
He grew up in North Carolina.
He grew in North Carolina up.
6. check in →
We checked in at our hotel.
We checked at our hotel in.
7. give up →
They gave up smoking.
They gave smoking up.
8. ask out →
Henry asked Jenny out.
Henry asked out Jenny.
9. mix up →
We mixed up the numbers.
We mixed the numbers up.
10. look after →
Dennis looked after his brother.
Dennis looked his brother after.
 IV. Choose the correct phrasal verbs to complete these sentences.
1When he _____ from the war, he was never the same.

a.depended on

b.ended up

c.got back

d.found out

2In difficult times, you can always _____ him. He's always there for you.

a.deal with

b.get along with

c.end up

d.depend on

3Sometimes we have to _____ very difficult customers.

a.depend on

b.deal with

c.fill in

d.get back

4_____ the glass with squeezed orange juice and put it in the fridge.
a.Fill up

b.Cut up

c.Fill in

d.Find out

5Can you _____ this application form and sign it, please?

a.fill in

b.fill up

c.get along

d.depend on

V. Fill in each gap with one of the words or phrasal verbs in the box below.

back – get down – get in – get on – get rid of – give in – give out – in – off – on –

1How are you getting ... with your new job?" "I love it!"
2We cannot give ... to the terrorists' threats.
3I didn't have a pen so I couldn't ... the car's license plate.
4She got ... the bus and walked home.
5Be quiet and ... with your work.
6They ... pamphlets with information on COVID19.
7The door was broken and we couldn't ... .
8I need to ... my old sofa. It's in my garage, but I need the space.
9"Did you ... your homework?" "No. I'll do it tomorrow."
10Give me that ... . It's mine!

VI. Choose the correct words.

1. Would you mind holding … out/on/back while I call Mr Smith?

2. He’s not here at the moment. Can I ask him to call you… up/back/out
3. I’ll get … back/out/on to you soon with my decision.
4. The photo is very unclear – I can’t make it … out/up/over very well.
5. He asked her to go to the cinema with him but she turned him … out/back/down.
6. I’ve got a proposal I’d like to put … through/to/with you.

VI. Fill in with the right phrasal verbs.

BELIEVE IN - BREAK DOWN - DROP IN - LIVE UP TO - MAKE UP -

OBJECT TO - PUT UP WITH - SHOW OFF

1. When I was a child I ... Father Christmas, but that was a long time ago.
2. She always keeps ... about how much money she has and all the things she can buy.
3. He is such an arrogant colleague. I don't want to ... his behaviour any longer.
4. The book I read didn't ... my expectations, but maybe I was influenced by too many people.
5. The mayor offered his version of the plan but local residents ... it at once.
6. After 8 hours of meetings, the trade talks finally ... without an agreement.
7. After our quarrel we decided to go for a meal and ... .
8. They happened to be in the city for a short holiday so they just ... without calling in advance.
 VII. Choose the right one:

1. The truth finally __________ me. (dawned on/dawned about)

2. He __________ as if nothing had happened. (carried on, carried through)
3. He __________ all struggle. (gave up / gave out)
4. __________ the light, please. (Switch on, switch for)
5. She __________ her mother. (takes in, takes after)
6. Children __________ whatever they hear. (blurt out, blurt about)
7. Junoon has just __________ a new winter collection. (brought up, brought out)
8. The Panda is in danger of __________. (drying out, drying in)
9. All the tickets of the Barcelona Cup have been __________. (sold away, sold out)
10. Why are you __________. (looking around, looking for)
11. Please, __________ your shoes. (take off, take out)
12. Have the factory workers __________ the strike? (called of, called off)
13. He did not __________ my request. (accede to, accede for)
14. He __________ drinking after his failure in love. (took to, took in)
15. You can __________ this deficiency. (make out, make up)
16. Girls __________ to greet their favorite teacher. (turned on, turned out)
17. He __________ book of all kinds. (deals in, deals of)
18. The government has __________ all projects. (cast by, cast aside)
19. All the fruit in the basket has __________. (gone off, gone out)
20. His oratory __________ the feelings of the crowd. (worked up, worked out)