1. 4. THE PHRASAL VERBS
4.1. Definition and examples
4.2. Various combinations
Summary
Self-evaluation tests
Bibliography
Specific objectives:
At the end of the chapter you will be able to:
• correctly translate the phrasal verbs from English into Romanian
• use them in sentences of your own
• choose the right phrasal verbs as synonims of some given verbs
Estimated time for individual study: 4 hours

2. Alina Cheşcă The Phrasal Verbs
4.1. Definition and examples
A phrasal verb is a group of verb + adverbial particle. The meaning of phrasal verbs is
either independent of that of the component elements taken separately (e.g. give
in=yield, make out=decipher, understand), or a result of the meaning of the verb and
that of the adverbial particle.
With transitive verbs, the position of the adverbial particle depends on the type of
object:
A. If the object is expressed by a pronoun, the particle is placed after the object:
e.g. He rang me up last night.
B. If the object is expressed by a noun, the particle may be placed either before or
after the object:
He rang up Mary last night.
He rang Mary up last night.
B. If the object is made up of two or more words (noun+determinatives or
noun+determining clause), the adverbial particle is always placed immediately after
the verb:
C. He rang up his friend Tom last night.
He rang up the friend he had just made as soon as he got home.
4.2. Various combinations
Add up (make sense): His evidence just does not add up.
Ask after (inquire about): Jim was asking after you.
Back down (yield in an argument): Sheila was right, so Paul had to back down.
Bear out (confirm the truth): Helen’s alibi was borne out by her sister.
Break down (lose control of the emotions): David broke down and wept when he
heard the news.
Break off (stop talking): He broke off to answer the phone.
Break up (come to an end): The party finally broke up at 3.00 a.m.
Bring about (cause to happen): The crisis was brought about by her resignation.
Bring off (succeed in doing something):The team tried for years to win the
competition and they finaly brought it off.
Bring on (cause the onset of an illness): Sitting in the damp brought on his
rheumatism.
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3. Alina Cheşcă The Phrasal Verbs
Bring round (influence someone to your point of view): After much discussion, I
brought the committee round to my point of view.
Bring up (mention): I feel I ought to bring up another small matter.
Call up (mobilise for military service): Mark was called up when the war broke out.
Carry off (complete successfully): Jane had a dificult role to play, but she carried it
off.
Carry out (complete a plan): The attack was successfully carried out. Catch on
(become popular): This new hair style is beginning to catch on
Come about (happen): Let me explain how the situation came about.
Come down to (be in the end a matter of): It all comes down to whether you are
prepared to accept less money.
Come in for (receive-especially criticism, blame): The Government has come in for a
lot of criticism over the decision.
Come off (take place successfully): I am afraid that deal did not come off after all.
Come out against (meet a difficulty): We have come out against a bit of a problem.
Come up to (equal-especially expectations, standard): The play did not come up to
expectations.
Crop up (happen unexpectedly-colloquial): I cannot come to your party, something
has cropped up.
Do up (decorate): We are having our living-room done up.
Draw up (come to a stop; organize, especially a document): A white sports car drew
up outside the door; The contract is being drawn up at the moment.
Activity 1
Match the two columns:
1. Drop off somebody a) leave your passenger at a
point
2. Tell off somebody b) to find something by accident
3. Play down something c) reach the same level or pace
4. Come by something d) educate in a family
5. Call off something e) disappoint by not helping
6. Catch up with somebody f) provide accommodation
7. Give up somebody g) report to the police
8. Put up somebody h) cancel
9. Let down somebody i) pretend it is unimportant
10. Bring up somebody j) reprimand and blame
Match the two columns:
Take off . a) start a journey
Go for b) cause an accident to someone
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4. Alina Cheşcă The Phrasal Verbs
Set out c) put petrol into your tank
Touchdown d) stop the car
Stopover e) stay for a few hours
(between two flights)
Pull up f) land
Check in g) leave the ground
Fill up h) come unexpectedly
Turn up I) register with your documents
Run over j) take advantage of something
For a better understanding of grammar and vocabulary practice
1. Translate the following phrasal verbs:
Break down - a machine fails
- an idea, plan fails
- a person loses control of himself
Break in - to interrupt another speaker
- to enter a building, using force
Break off - to stop a relationship (e.g. engagement)
Break out (of) - to get away from an unpleasant situation
Break through - to overcome a big problem
(also a breakthrough)
Break up - to split up (e.g. marriage, a band)
(also: a breakup)
Break with - to depart from (e.g. traditions, beliefs)
Activity 2
1. Combinations with DOWN.
BRING, CLOSE CUT, DIE, GET, GO, LAY, PUT, STAND, TAKE
1. You should......... on smoking.
2. The uprising was ..... in two days.
3. There was a lot of noise, but gradually it.... ...
4. Could you .... that phone number for me?
5. Inflation will have to be.....soon.
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5. Alina Cheşcă The Phrasal Verbs
6. Job descriptions should always be ........clearly.
7. Shall we .... to business now?
8. I don't think the Government's latest announcements .......... very
well.
9. Another loss-making factory had to be ....... last week.
10. The president had to ..... in favor of another candidate.
2. Combinations with UP:
BLOW, BRING, COME, GIVE, KEEP, LOOK, PUT, SHOW, STAND,
STAY
1. Various problems ...... at our meeting last week.
2. It's high time people ........their bad habits like heavy drinking, drugs
and, naturally, cigarettes.
3. If you don't know the word,….it ..........
4. Last night I ... until three to rewrite my paper.
5. You should be .... for yourself!
6. Who was the man that was going to ...... Parliament?
7. I was surprised to see the large number of people who .... at the rally.
8. You will go bankrupt unless you can ..... high standards.
9. I can't possibly ... with this behaviour.
10. It would be useful for us to ..... that question.
3. Combinations with IN and INTO:
BURST, FILL, FLOOD, GET, GIVE, HAND, JOIN, LOOK, SET, TAKE
1. Someone should ………......... this complaint.
2. All right. I . ……. : I accept your point.
3. Spring ... ……………. very early this year.
4. The deadline for .... …………….. applications is the end of the
current month.
5. It is the secretary's job to …………….. all the forms.
6. We need four card players. Would you like to ……………….. ?
7. When she heard the terrible news, she ........……… tears.
8. People inquiring about the job have been ….……… since the advert.
9. I left the keys at home. I don't know how we'll ………………
10. I have lost some weight, so I will …………. my skirts.
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6. Alina Cheşcă The Phrasal Verbs
Activity 3
1. Combinations with OFF:
CUT, GET, GIVE, LIFT, PAY, RUN, TAKE, TURN, SEE, SHOW
UT,
1. All the friends were at the airport, when they were …………. Kate.
2. Quite often people buy expensive cars just to …………..
3. Dinner is ready. Can you …………….. the cooker?
4. The smells it ……………. are rather mouth-watering.
mouth
5. I am calling back because we were …………… a minute ago.
6. We will have …………………. all our debts by the end of the year.
7. Five, four, three, two, one, …………. The rocket is launched.
8. Would you believe it that his wife ………….. with the local
postman?
9. Would you like to …………… your coat and have some tea or
coffee?
10.Where shall I …………. for the National Theatre?
Where
Summary
This chapter has approached the Phrasal Verbs, i.e. the Verb+Adverbial
Combination. You have been given examples of verbs combined with adverbial
particles and have been requested to analyze how their meaning change with
every combination.
Assessment exercises
1. Combinations with OUT:
BURN, FALL, FIND, CARRY, GO, LOOK, MAKE, PASS, RUN, SORT
1 …………. There's something coming along the road.
2. It is a very complicated plan. I hope it can be ……………
3. I can't light my cigarette, as I have ……………. of matches.
4. That heap of clothes will have to be ………….. before we put them away.
5. The map is too old. It is difficult to ………….. which direction to start in.

7. Alina Cheşcă The Phrasal Verbs
6. Who does your sister ……………… with?
7. They say that the famous composer has ………….. himself …………, so he
won't produce anything for some time.
8. It was so hot and stuffy I thought I was going to ……………
9. I wish someone would ………… why he has been so sad for some time.
10. Children are usually upset when their parents …………
2. Combinations with ON:
CALL, CARRY, COME, COUNT, GET, HIT, HOLD, PUT, TAKE, TURN
1. You can always …………. me for help.
2. The UN …………… the fighting armies to put down their arms.
3 ……… a second. I'll get the phone number for you.
4. It was purely by accident that I …………… the right answer.
5. "Polly, …………… the kettle …………… " is my children's favourite song.
6. Do you find it hard to ………….. with your boss?
7. Don't let it bother you. Just ……………. with the cleaning!
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You

8. Alina Cheşcă The Phrasal Verbs
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