ÉlèvesParentsEnseignantsZone d’entraideAllofrançais
Élèves
ParentsEnseignantsZone d’entraide
Mon compte
Créer un compte
Accueil
Poser une question
Matières
Mathématiques
Français
Chimie
Sciences et technologies
Histoire
Physique
Géographie
Anglais
Contenus autochtones
Éducation financière
Monde contemporain
Niveaux
Primaire 1
Primaire 2
Primaire 3
Primaire 4
Primaire 5
Primaire 6
Secondaire 1
Secondaire 2
Secondaire 3
Secondaire 4
Secondaire 5
Explorer
Fiches
Exercices
Jeux
Vidéos
MiniRécups
Examens et trucs d'étude
Mathématiques
Français
Chimie
Sciences et technologies
Histoire
Physique
Géographie
Anglais
Contenus autochtones
Éducation financière
Monde contemporain
Primaire 1
Primaire 2
Primaire 3
Primaire 4
Primaire 5
Primaire 6
Secondaire 1
Secondaire 2
Secondaire 3
Secondaire 4
Secondaire 5
Fiches
Exercices
Jeux
Vidéos
MiniRécups
Examens et trucs d'étude
Anglais
Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verbs

Fiche | Anglais
Secondaire
1-5
Table des matières

Phrasal Verb Uses

Phrasal verbs are short phrases used as expressions. These familiar expressions replace more formal formulations.

Using phrasal verbs makes the message automatically more natural.

Comparison between the sentence the wheel became detached and the wheel fell off. A man is on a bicycle with a wheel coming off.

Phrasal Verb Forms

Rules

Phrasal verbs are a combination of a verb with 1 or 2 additional words.

The added words can be:

  1. a preposition

  2. an adverb

  3. an adverb and a preposition

The sentences “Buster broke through the door, tripped and fell down” and “Then, he came out of the room laughing.”

Phrasal Verb Meanings

Be careful!

Combining the same verb with different words will affect the meaning of the phrasal verb.

A comparison between turning on and turning off a lamp. Another between jumping up and jumping down.

Some verbs are used in many phrasal verb combinations. They create expressions with different meanings.

It is the case for the verbs to get and to go.

Phrasal Verbs with to Get

Phrasal verbs with the verb to get.

Phrasal Verbs with to Go

Phrasal verbs with the verb to go.
Click here to download.

Phrasal Verbs with Different Meanings

Some phrasal verbs can take on a different meaning depending on the context.

Buster blew up a balloon.

Person inflating a balloon.

The balloon blew up.

A balloon exploding in a person's face.

Buster blew up.

An angry person.

Phrasal Verbs Exercise

'

Separable & Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Rules

Some phrasal verbs are separable: they can be split up by other words. Others are inseparable, and cannot be split up.

Separable Phrasal Verbs

Comparing the sentences: “Buster wrote down some ideas for his movie” and “Buster wrote some ideas down for his movie.” Then comparing the sentences: “He’s sorting out the story elements” and “He’s sorting the story elements out.”

Separable phrasal verb:

  • keep the same meaning when they are split up.

  • can be split up, but do not have to: it is a choice.

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Comparing the sentences: “Buster came up with a great scene idea” and “Buster came with a great scene idea up.” Then comparing the sentences: “That scene will call for a lot of work” and “That scene will call a lot of work for.”

Inseparable phrasal verb:

  • make no sense if they are split up.

  • must always be kept together.

Be careful!

Always Separable: Pronouns with Phrasal Verbs

When a separable phrasal verb is used with a pronoun as an object of the verb: it must always be split up.

Not splitting it up changes the intended meaning. In some cases it makes no sense.

Comparing the sentences: “Buster hit the camera and knocked it over” and “Buster hit the camera and knocked over it.” Then comparing the sentences: “It’s a mess he got himself in” and “It’s a mess he got in himself.”

Finding the Right Phrasal Verb

Tips

How to find the right phrasal verb when there are thousands of possibilities?

Phrasal verbs are usually organized in 1 of these 4 ways.

  1. Organized by Verbs

This way lists phrasal verbs according to the verb present in them.

Helpful when:

Examples

to take

to go

the expression is familiar to you.

take in
take out
take on
take off
take over

go away
go out
go off
go through
go for

a verb by itself has a similar meaning as the expression.

  1. Organized by Particle

This way lists phrasal verbs according to particles added to the verb.

Generally the particles added are prepositions or adverbs.

Helpful when:

Examples

in

away

the particle influences the meaning of the expression.

go in
burst in
drop in
barge in
come in
let in

run away
go away
get away
walk away
drive away
pull away

looking for synonyms.

  1. Organized by Meaning or Theme

This way lists phrasal verbs according to their meaning.

Helpful when:

Examples

for cleaning

for separating

looking to replace a verb.

clean up
clear off
tidy up
mop up
wash away
sweep up
dust off

break up
break away
break off
come apart
fall apart
split up
cut out

looking for synonyms for other phrasal verbs.

  1. Organized in Alphabetical Order

This way lists phrasal verbs according to the alphabet, from A to Z.

Helpful when:

Examples

looking for the meaning of a phrasal verb.

ask for
blow up
check out
drop in
eat away
fall off
give away
hold on
insist on
join up
knock out
look around
monkey around

note down
open up
put aside
quiet down
run out of
sort out
think through
use up
vouch for
wait up
yank out
zero in on

searching by verb used in the expression.

Common Phrasal Verbs

Here are some examples of common phrasal verbs, with their meaning.

Phrasal Verbs for Movement

Click to Expand List

Phrasal Verbs for Problems & Solutions

Click to Expand List

Phrasal Verbs for Using & Handling Objects

Click to Expand List

Phrasal Verbs for Tasks

Click to Expand List

Phrasal Verbs for Interactions

Click to Expand List

Click here to download phrasal verb list.

See Also