Separable and inseparable phrasal verbs
Separable: the object can go before or after the particle. "Fill in the form" and "Fill the form in" are both fine. Examples include turn off, put off, set up, pick up, carry out and turn down.
With a pronoun, you must separate: "Switch it off", not "Switch off it". "I picked them up", not "I picked up them".
Inseparable: the object always comes after the particle. Examples include look after, come across, get over, deal with and rely on. "She looked after it", not "She looked it after".
No object: some phrasal verbs are intransitive, such as grow up, break down, show up and take off (for a plane).
Three-word phrasal verbs
These have a verb and two particles and are never separated. When the last word is to, it is a preposition, so it is followed by a noun or an -ing form: "I look forward to meeting you."
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| look forward to | be happy about something coming | I look forward to hearing from you. |
| put up with | tolerate | I can't put up with the noise. |
| come up with | think of an idea | She came up with a solution. |
| run out of | have none left | We ran out of time. |
| cut down on | reduce | Try to cut down on sugar. |
Phrasal verbs and formal alternatives
Phrasal verbs are normal in all English, including academic writing. Some are informal, though, and a one-word verb is sometimes more precise in an essay.
| Phrasal verb | Formal alternative |
|---|---|
| look into | investigate |
| set up | establish |
| put off | postpone |
| bring about | cause |
| find out | discover |
| go up / go down | increase / decrease |
Common mistakes
Wrong: Please switch off it before you leave.
Right: Please switch it off before you leave.
A pronoun object goes between the verb and the particle.
Wrong: Students must cope up with exam stress.
Right: Students must cope with exam stress.
Cope with is correct. "Cope up" is common in South Asian English but not standard.
Wrong: I look forward to meet you.
Right: I look forward to meeting you.
To is a preposition here, so it takes an -ing form.
Wrong: He gave up to smoke last year.
Right: He gave up smoking last year.
Give up is followed by a noun or an -ing form.
Using this in IELTS and PTE
In IELTS Speaking, natural phrasal verbs such as grow up, get on with and take up help you sound fluent, but use them only when you are sure of the meaning. In IELTS Writing Task 2 and PTE Write Essay, neutral ones such as carry out, set up and bring about are fine, while very informal ones are better replaced with a single verb. In Task 1, "went up" is acceptable, but rose or increased gives more variety. For Indian learners, "fill in a form" is the British form, while "fill up" usually means filling something such as a tank.
5 questions
Exercise
Try each one, then open it to check your answer.
1. Correct this: "Can you pick up me at the station?"
Can you pick me up at the station?
A pronoun object splits a separable phrasal verb.
2. Separable or inseparable? look after
Inseparable.
The object always follows after: "look after the children".
3. Give a formal one-word verb for put off.
postpone
Both mean move something to a later time.
4. Complete this: "We have run ___ ___ paper."
out of
Run out of means have none left.
5. Correct this: "I am looking forward to visit London."
I am looking forward to visiting London.
Look forward to is followed by an -ing form.
Frequently asked questions
What is a phrasal verb?+
A verb combined with one or two particles, such as up, out, on or off, whose meaning often can't be guessed from the parts. Give up means stop doing something, not give something upwards.
What is the difference between a phrasal verb and a prepositional verb?+
Some grammars use phrasal verb only for verbs with an adverb particle (turn off), which can often be separated, and call verbs like look at or depend on prepositional verbs, which can't. Other books call them all phrasal verbs. What matters in practice is whether the object can move.
Can I use phrasal verbs in IELTS Writing?+
Yes. Neutral ones such as carry out, set up and point out are normal in academic writing. Avoid slangy ones and don't swap in a formal verb if it changes your meaning.
How do I know if a phrasal verb is separable?+
A good learner's dictionary shows it. If the entry is written "turn sth off", the object can go in the middle. If it is "look after sb", it can't.
Keep going
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