*What are Phrasal Verbs?* 1. A phrasal verb is a verb plus a preposition or adverb which creates a meaning different from the original verb.
Example: I *ran into* my teacher at the movies last night. [*run + into = meet*] He *ran away* when he was 15. *[run + away = leave home]* 2. Some phrasal verbs are intransitive. An intransitive verb cannot be followed by an object. Example: He suddenly *showed up*. *["show up" cannot take an object]* 3. Some phrasal verbs are transitive. A transitive verb can be followed by an object. Example: I *made up* *the story*. [*"story" is the object of "make up"]* 4. Some transitive phrasal verbs are separable. The object is placed between the verb and the preposition. In this Phrasal Verb Dictionary, separable phrasal verbs are marked by placing a * between the verb and the preposition / adverb. Example: I *talked* *my mother* *into* letting me borrow the car. She *looked* *the phone number* *up*. 5. Some transitive phrasal verbs are inseparable. The object is placed after the preposition. In this Phrasal Verb Dictionary, inseparable phrasal verbs are marked by placing a + after the preposition / adverb. Example: I *ran into* *an old friend* yesterday. They are *looking into* *the problem*. 6. Some transitive phrasal verbs can take an object in both places. In this Phrasal Verb Dictionary, such phrasal verbs are marked with both * and + . Example: I *looked* *the number* up in the phone book. I *looked up* *the number* in the phone book. 7. WARNING! Although many phrasal verbs can take an object in both places, you must put the object between the verb and the preposition if the object is a pronoun. Example: I *looked* *the number* up in the phone book. I *looked up* *the number* in the phone book. I *looked* *it* *up* in the phone book. *correct* I *looked up* *it *in the phone book. *incorrect* --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "English Learner's Cafe" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/english_learners?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
