What are Phrasal Verbs?

If you ask most native English speakers to explain phrasal verbs, you will likely get the response, ‘What is a phrasal verb?”

It’s true. We use them all the time, but we aren’t even taught what they are called or how they work.

A phrasal verb is the combination of a verb and a preposition that function together as a single verb. The function of phrasal verbs is not just to make English more confusing for ESL learners, but to express more specific meaning.

For instance, “give up” means to quit or stop trying, while “look after” refers to taking care of someone or something. Other examples include “run into,” which means to encounter someone unexpectedly, and “turn down,” meaning to reject an offer or request.

Mastering phrasal verbs is challenging, but understanding even a handful of them will greatly improve your English fluency, because they enhance both spoken and written communication by providing nuanced ways to express actions and intentions.

Let’s take a look at how phrasal verbs are structured first.

How Phrasal Verbs are Constructed

Phrasal verbs are multi-word expressions that consist of a verb combined with a preposition:

phrasal verb = verb + preposition

These are then divided into two categories: separable vs. inseparable. Wait! Don’t panic! These two words’ bark is worse than their bite. All this means is that you can put the preposition part of some phrasal verbs in different orders.

For example, in the sentence “She picked up the book,” it is also correct to say “She picked the book up.” Both sentences have the same meaning, the only thing that has changed is the location of the preposition “up”.

When you can move the position of the preposition in a sentence with a phrasal verb, this is called a separable phrasal verb.

As you may have guessed, when you can’t move the preposition in the sentence, this is called an inseparable phrasal verb. An example of this is “run into,” as in “I ran into my friend,” which cannot be altered to “I ran my friend into.”

Determining which phrasal verbs can be separable and inseparable will sometimes make sense, and other times it might be difficult to distinguish. Don’t worry about memorizing every one of these. In time, you will be able to determine which phrasal verbs are separable and inseparable more easily. The good news is that you will likely be understood even if you misplace the preposition in a sentence with an inseparable phrasal verb.

The Importance of Phrasal Verbs for ESL Learners

Phrasal verbs play a major role in everyday English conversation, serving as essential components that enhance natural fluency and understanding in English. These verb phrases can be confusing at first, but with some practice and a little patience, the ESL learner will pick up new phrasal verbs daily.

Using phrasal verbs will immediately make your English sound more advanced. Don’t get overwhelmed. Instead, pick just a few phrasal verbs that you could frequently use in your everyday speech.

Englishclub.com has a fantastic list of 200 phrasal verbs that you can choose from to start learning today. What I like about this list is that they include phrasal verbs with multiple meanings such as “break up”, which can mean to burst out in laughter or end a relationship with someone. You can find their list of phrasal verbs here:

https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/phrasal-verbs-list.php

Common Mistakes ESL Learners Make with Phrasal Verbs

The misuse of phrasal verbs often leads to confusion, particularly when speakers use similar expressions that may have distinct meanings (like the example of “break up” mentioned above).

For instance, the phrases “look up” and “look into” can be easily mixed up.

While “look up” refers to searching for information, such as “I will look up that word in the dictionary,” “look into” means investigating or examining a matter more closely, as in “I want you to look into their account.”

This kind of confusion can be frustrating for ESL learners, but just remember it is through using phrasal verbs that you will become fluent with them. Again, my best advice is to take a few of them at a time. Choose two or three phrasal verbs that are relevant to your daily routine, make flash cards of them, and use them as you go about your usual activities.

Phrasal verbs spruce up your your vocabulary and make English conversation more interesting, so let go of perfection and just have fun trying out these new phrases!

Vocabulary Sips

• nuance – subtle meaning
• bark is worse than its bite – sounds scary or dangerous but is just loud (this idiom comes from saying, “That dog’s bark is worse than its bite,” meaning it barks loudly and is scary, but won’t actually bite or hurt you.)
• pick up – learn, usually through practice and repitition
• spruce up – to make something or someone seem more attractive or smarter