PREPOSITIONAL VERB & PHRASAL VERB

PREPOSITIONAL VERB PHRASAL VERB

Definition
A prepositional verb is a combination of a verb A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and a
and a preposition. preposition or an adverb or both.
For Example: For Example:
laugh at, bring up,
look at, give up,
listen to, pass away,
knock at, look after,
agree to, look down upon,
agree with. looking forward to

Structure
verb + adverb verb + preposition 
verb + preposition

Meaning of the verb

A prepositional verb has a meaning which similar On the other hand, A phrasal verb has a
to the meaning of its original verb. meaning that is different from the meaning of
its original verb. Read the following examples
■ They are laughing at the joker. with meaning for each phrasal verb.
■ She is listening to music.
■ They are looking at the stranger. ■ The patient passed away. (pass away: to die)
■ He was brought up by his aunt. (bring up: to
raise a child)
■ He is trying to give up smoking. (give up: to
quit)
■ She turned down his proposal. (turn down: to
reject)

Separable & Non- Separable Nature

All the prepositional verbs are non-separable. Its On the other hand. Most of phrasal verbs are
verb and preposition cannot be separated. separable. Its verb and preposition can be
■ The kids are laughing at joker. separated to be used in different places in a
■ Someone is knocking at the door. sentence. They can be used as in joined-form as
■ The dog is barking at a stranger. well as in separated-form.
■ The people requested to cut down the prices.
■ The people requested to cut the prices down.
■ She turned down his request.
■ She turned his request down.

Requirement of an object for the verb

All the prepositional verbs require an object in the On the other hand, some of the phrasal verbs do
sentence. Without an object, the sentence having a not require an object, and some of them require
prepositional phrase cannot express complete an object to express complete meaning.
meaning. The object comes right after the
preposition of prepositional phrase in sentence. ■ The patient passed away. (no object)
The place of object cannot be changed in ■ When do you get up? (no object)
sentence. ■ The thief ran away. (no object)
■ The kid is growing up. (no object)
■ They are laughing at joker.
■ She is listening to music. Some of the phrasal verbs require object in
■ Someone is knocking at the door. sentence. The place of object can be changed in
■ The dog is barking at a stranger. sentences.

■ The people requested to cut down the prices.

■ The people requested to cut the prices down.
■ She turned down his request.
■ She turned his request down.

A LIST OF COMMON PHRASAL VERBS

Verb Meaning Example

ask someone out invite on a date Basuru asked Jina out to dinner and a movie
back someone up support My wife backed me up over my decision to quit my
job.
blow up explode The racing car blew up after it crashed into the
 fence.
break in force entry to a Somebody broke in last night and stole our
building jewelries
break down stop functioning Our car broke down at the side of the highway in
(vehicle, the rain.
machine)
break up end a My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved to
relationship America
bring someone up raise a child My grandparents brought me up after my parents
died
catch up get to the same You'll have to run faster than that if you want to
point as catch up with Malaka.
someone else
call someone back return a phone I called the company back but the offices were
call closed for the weekend
call on someone ask for an The teacher called on me for the question in the
answer or book.
opinion
calm down relax after being You are still mad. You need to calm down before
angry you drive the car.
check in arrive and We will get the hotel keys when we check in.
register at a
hotel or airport
check out leave a hotel You have to check out of the hotel before 11:00
AM.
cheer up become happier She cheered up when she heard the good news.
count on rely on I am counting on you to make dinner while I am
someone/something out.
come across something find I came across these old photos when I was tidying
unexpectedly the closet.
Drop take I have to drop my sister off at work before I come
someone/something someone/someth over.
off ing somewhere
and leave
them/it there
eat out eat at a I don't feel like cooking tonight. Let's eat out.
restaurant
figure something out understand, find I need to figure out how to fit the piano and the
the answer bookshelf in this room.
find out discover We don't know where he lives. How can we find
out?
get away go on a vacation We worked so hard this year that we had to get
away for a week.
get back return We got back from our vacation last week
get up get out of bed I got up early today to study for my exam.
give something up quit a habit I am giving up smoking as of January 1st.
go ahead start, proceed Please go ahead and eat before the food gets cold.
go out leave home to We're going out for dinner tonight.
 go on a social
event
grow up become an adult When Jack grows up, he wants to be a fireman.
hang up end a phone call He didn't say goodbye before he hung up.
hold on wait a short time Please hold on while I transfer you to the Sales
Department.
keep on doing continue doing Keep on stirring until the liquid comes to a boil.
something
let someone in allow to enter Can you let the cat in before you go to school?
look after take care of I have to look after my sick grandmother
someone/something
look for try to find I'm looking for a red dress for the wedding.
someone/something
look forward to something be I'm looking forward to the Christmas break.
excited about
the future
pass away die His uncle passed away last night after a long illness.
pick something out choose I picked out three sweaters for you to try on.
put something off postpone We are putting off our trip until May because of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
put something out extinguish The neighbors put the fire out before the firemen
arrived.
run out have none left We ran out of shampoo so I had to wash my hair
with soap
show off act extra special He always shows off on his bike
for people
watching
(usually
boastfully)
sort something out organize, We need to sort the bills out before the first of the
resolve a month.
problem
take off start to fly My plane takes off in five minutes.
work out Exercise I work out at the gym three times a week

EXERCISES

Use the words in the box to complete the sentences with phrasal verbs!
ACROSS – AFTER - AWAY - BACK - DOWN – INTO – OFF – ON - OUT – OVER - UP

1) We were lucky that the bomb didn’t blow _______________.

2) He missed so much at school that he found it difficult to catch _______________.
3) As a single mother, she brought _______________ her two sons on her own.
4) When I read the book I came _______________ a word I had never seen before.
5) Would you like to stay at home or eat _______________ tonight?
6) Could you turn the volume _______________ . - I’m trying to work.
7) The woman finally calmed _______________ and told everything to the police.
8) I’ll call you _______________ later when I’m not so busy.
9) Could you look _______________ the baby for a few hours?
10) Burglars broke _______________ the new house on High Street.
11) Jinadari hung _______________ without even saying goodbye.
12) I asked the author when her new book was coming _______________.
13) I don’t think you can do something that’s wrong and get _______________ with it.
14) I was looking _______________ my briefcase, but I couldn’t find it.
15) We watched as the planes took _______________ from the airport.
16) I don’t feel well. I think I’ll lie _______________ for a while.
17) Cars should be kept _______________ of the city center. They don’t belong there.
18) You need to get _______________ the bus opposite the supermarket.
19) It can take weeks to get _______________ an illness like that.
20) Don’t get nervous. We’ll work _______________ a solution to the problem.
21) I trusted him but then he let me _______________.
22) He pointed _______________ that there was no sense in playing if four of us were ill.
23) I had to look _______________ that word in the dictionary.
24) Put your clothes and scarfs _______________ - it’s cold outside.
25) Many hospitals are running _______________ of money.
26) My dad is going to set _______________ a new taxi company next year.
27) Do you want to write _______________ my phone number?
28) The firefighters were able to put _______________ the fire.
29) Did you pay _______________ the money I gave you?
30) Please try _______________ these shoes to see if they’re the right size.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of one of the phrasal verbs from the box!
BREAK UP – CALL OFF - COME OUT - COME UP WITH – FIND OUT - GET ON – GO
UP - LIE DOWN – LOOK AFTER - LOOK FOR - LOOK UP – SET UP – TAKE AFTER -
TURN UP - WAKE UP -
1) Sithum ____________________ a story about catching an enormous fish, and almost everyone
believed him.
2) I’m self-employed now. I’m going to ____________________ my own office.
3) My friend has been thinking about it all morning, but she simply can’t ____________________
a solution to the problem.
4) He ____________________ when the alarm clock rang.
5) I’ll ____________________ his number in the phone book.
6) The novel 1948 first ____________________ in 1948.
7) We have ____________________ the meeting until we can find someone who can write a
protocol.
8) They ____________________ last month, after being together for over ten years.
9) Prices have ____________________ in the supermarket, so everything is much more expensive
than a year ago.
10) Yesterday, Jaliya ____________________ that he had passed his test.
11) I’d like you to ____________________ all the words you don’t know.
12) Could you ____________________ the radio. I can’t hear anything,
13) She ____________________ well with her father. He was such an amazing guy.
14) Shirley ____________________ her mother. She’s got the same blue eyes.
15) When she ____________________ she saw that she was going to be late for work, so she forgot
to brush her teeth.
16) I’m surprised that you ____________________ with your sister because you are very different
17) The police are trying to ____________________ where the robbers hid the money.
18) Why don’t you ____________________ on the sofa a bit until you feel better.
19) Keep ____________________ the keys. They have to be somewhere.
20) The third game of the series was ____________________ because it was raining.
21) The temperature ____________________ a few degrees as soon as the sun came out.
22) Don’t worry about it. I’ll ____________________ a meeting between Jake and you when I get to
the office.
23) I must get someone to ____________________ my dog when I go on holiday.