Chapter
38
Phrasal
Verbs
362
Introduction
A. In modern English it is very usual to place
prepositions or adverbs after certain verbs so as to obtain a variety of meanings:
give away =
give to someone / anyone
give up = abandon (a habit or attempt)
look after = take care of
look for =
search for, seek
look out =
beware
The student need not try to decide
whether the combination is verb + preposition or verb + adverb, but should consider
the expression as a whole.
It is also important to learn whether
the combination is transitive (i.e. requires an object) or intransitive (i.e.
cannot have an object):
look for is transitive: I am looking for my passport.
look out is intransitive: Look
out! This ice isn’t safe!
Each of the combinations given in the
following pages will be marked ‘tr’ (=transitive) or ‘intr’ (=intransitive), and
the examples of the use of each will help to emphasize this distinction.
Note that it is possible for a combination
to have two or more different meanings, and to be transitive in one/some of these
and intransitive in others. For example,
take off can mean ‘remove’. It is then a transitive expression:
He took off his hat.
take off can also mean ‘rise
from the ground’ (used of aircraft). Here
it is intransitive:
The plane took off at ten
o’ clock.
B. Transitive expressions: the position
of the object
Noun objects are usually placed at
the end of these expressions:
I am looking for my glasses.
With some expressions, however, they
can be placed either at the end or immediately after the verb, i.e., before the
short word. We can say:
He took off his coat
or He took his coat off.
Pronoun objects are sometimes placed
at the end of the expression:
I am looking for them.
But they are more often placed immediately
after the verb:
He took it off.
This position is usual before the following
short words: up, down, in, out, away, off and on (except when used in the expression
call on = visit).
Examples given of the use of each expression
will sow all possible positions of noun or pronoun objects in the following way:
I’ll give this old coat
away. (give away this old coat / give I away)
i.e., with this expression the noun
object can come before or after the away; the pronoun object must come before
the away. When only one example is given
the student may assume that the pronoun object has the same position as the noun
object.
C. When these expressions are followed by
a verb object the gerund form of the verb is used:
He kept on blowing his
horn.
Where gerunds are usual this will be
shown by examples.
Note that some expressions can be followed
by an infinitive:
It is up to you to decide
this for yourself.
Some of the younger members
called on the minister to resign.
The lecturer set out to
show that most illness were avoidable.
go on can be followed by either infinitive or gerund but there is
a considerable difference in meaning.
363
Verb + preposition / adverb combinations
account
accont for (tr) = give a good reason
for, explain satisfactorily (some action or expenditure):
A treasurer must account for the money he spends.
He has behaved in the most
extraordinary way; I can’t account for his actions at all / I can’t account for
his behaving like that.
allow
allow for (tr) = make provision in advance for, take into account (usually
some additional requirement, expenditure, delay etc.):
It is 800 kilometres and I drive at 100k.p.h., so I’ll be
there in eight hours.
-
But you’ll have to allow for delays going through towns
and for stops for refueling.
Allowing
for depreciation your car should be worth $2,000 this time next year.
answer
answer back (intr), answer somebody back = answer a reproof
impudently:
FATHER : Why were you so late last night?
You weren’t in till 2 a.m.
SON : You should have been asleep.
FATHER : Don’t answer me back. Answer my question.
Ask
ask after / for somebody = ask for news of:
I met Tom at the party;
he asked after you. (asked how you were / how you were getting on)
ask
for
(a)
= ask to speak to:
Go to the office and ask for my secretary.
(b)
= request, demand:
The men asked for more pay and shorter hours.
ask
someone in (object before in) = invite him to enter the house:
He didn’t ask me in; he kept me standing at the door while he read the
message.
ask some out (object
before out) = invite someone to an entertainment or to a meal (usually
in a public place):
She had a lot of friends and was
usually asked out in the evenings, so she seldom spent an evening at home.
back
Back away (intr) = step or move
back slowly (because confronted by some danger or unpleasantness):
When he took a gun out
everyone backed away nervously.
back out (intr) = withdraw (from
some joint action previously agreed on), discontinue or refuse to provide previously
promised help or support.
He agreed to help but backed
out when he found how difficult it was.
Back somebody up = support
morally or verbally:
The headmaster never
backed up his staff. (backed them up) If a parent complained about a teacher he assumed that the teacher
was in the wrong.
be
be against (tr) = be opposed to
(often used with gerund):
I’m for doing nothing
till the police arrive. / I’m against doing anything till the police arrive.
be away (intr) = be away from
home / this place for at least a night.
be back (intr) = have returned
after a long or short absence:
I want to see Mrs. Pitt.
Is she in? –
No, I’m afraid she’s out
at the moment or
No, I’m afraid she’s away
for the weekend –
When will she be back?
–
She’ll be back in half
an hour / next week.
be for (tr) = be in favour of
(often used with gerund)
be in (intr) = be at home / in
this building
be in for (tr) = be about to
encounter (usually something unpleasant):
Did you listen to the weather forecast? I’m afraid we’re in
for a bumpy
flight.
If you think that the work is going to be easy you’re in for
a shock.
be over (intr) = be finished:
The storm is over now; we can go on.
be out (intr) = be away from home/from this building for a short
time – not overnight
be up (intr) = be out of bed:
Don’t expect her to answer
the doorbell at eight o’clock on Sunday morning. She won’t be up.
be up to (tr) = be physically
or intellectually strong enough (to perform a certain action). The object is usually it, though a gerund
is possible:
After his illness the
Minister continued in office thought he was no longer up to the work/up to doing
the work.
be up to something/some mischief/some
trick/no good = be occupied or busy with some mischievous act:
Don’t trust him; he is
up to something/some trick.
The boys are very quiet.
I wonder what they are up to.
Note
that the object of up to here is always some very indefinite expression
such as these given above. It is never used with a particular action.
it
is up to someone (often followed by an infinitive) = it is his responsibility
or duty:
It is upto the government to take action on violence.
I have helped you as much as I can. Now
it is up to you. (You must continue
By your own efforts).
bear
bear out (tr) = confirm:
This report bears out my theory, (bears my theory
out/bears it out)
bear up (intr) = support bad news bravely, hide feelings of grief:
The news of her death was
a great shock to him but he bore up bravely and none of us realized how much he
felt it.
blow
blow out (tr) = extinguish (a flame)
by blowing:
The wind blew out the
candle. (blew the candle out/blew it out)
blow up (tr or intr)
a) = destroy by explosion, explode, be destroyed:
They blew up the bridges
so that the enemy couldn’t follow them.
(blew the bridges
up/blew them up)
Just as we got to the bridge
it blew up.
b)
= fill with air, inflate, pump up:
The children blew up their
balloons and threw them into the air.
(blew the balloons
up/blew them up)
boil
boil away (intr) = be boiled
until all (the liquid) has evaporated:
I put the kettle on
the gas ring and then went away and forgot about it. When I returned, the water
had all boiled away and the flame had burnt a hole in the kettle.
boil over (intr) = to rise and
flow over the sides of the container (used only of hot
liquids):
The milk boiled over and there was a horrible smell of
burning.
break
break down figures = take a total
and sub-divide it under various headings so as to give additional information:
You
say that 10,000 people use this library. Could you break that down into age-groups?
(say how many of these are under 25, over 50 etc).
break down a door etc = cause
to collapse by using force:
The firemen had to break
down the door to get into the burning house.
(break the door
down/break it down)
break down (intr) = collapse,
cease to function properly, owing to some fault or
weakness:
a)
Used of people, it normally implies a temporary emotional collapse:
He
broke down them telling me about his don’s tragic death (He was overcome by his
sorrow; he wept)
b)
It can express collapse of mental resistance:
At
first he refused to admit his guilt but when he was shown the evidence he broke
down and confessed.
c)
When used of health it implies a serious physical collapse:
After
years of overwork his health broke down and he had to retire.
d)
It is very often used of machines:
The
car broke down when we were driving through the desert and it took us two days
to repair it.
e)
It can be used of negotiations:
The
negotiations broke down (were discontinued) because neither side would compromise.
break in (intr), break
into (tr)
a) = entry by force:
Thieves broke in and stole the silver.
The house was broken into when the owner was on holiday.
b) =interrupt someone by some sudden remark:
I was telling them about my travels when he broke in with a
story of his own.
break in (a young horse/pony etc) (tr) = train him for use:
You cannot ride or drive a horse safely before he has been
broken it off.
A piece of rock broke off and fell into the pool at the foot
of the cliff.
break off (tr) = terminate (used of agreements or negotiations):
Ann has broken off her engagement to Tom. (broken her
engagement off/
broken it off).
break off (intr) = stop talking suddenly, interrupt oneself:
They were in the middle of an argument but broke off when someone
came into
the room.
break out (intr)
a) = begin (used of evils such as wars,
epidemics, fires etc.):
War broke out on 4 August.
b) = escape by using force from a prison
etc.:
They locked him up a room but he broke out.
(smashed the door and escaped)
The police are looking for two men who broke out of prison
last night.
break up (tr or intr) = disintegrate, cause to disintegrate:
If that ship stays there she will break up / she will be broken
up by the waves.
The old ship was towed away to be broken up and sold as scrap.
Divorce breaks up a lot of families. (breaks families
up/breaks them up)
break up (intr) = terminate (used school terms, meetings, parties
etc):
The school broke up on 30 July and all the boys went home for
the holidays.
The meeting broke up in confusion.
Appendix
- 6.B.II
A
PRACTICAL ENGLISH GRAMMAR:
EXERCISE
BOOK 2 : (SELECTED) EXERCISES
Verb
+ preposition / adverb combinations
97
Combinations with get and be
Put
in the correct prepositions or adverbs.
1.
Is Mary in?
No, she’s ………….. and won’t be……………….. till nine o’clock.
What shall we do now?
2.
What shall we do now?
I’m ……….. keeping quiet and saying nothing.
3.
If you got………….. your work instead of talking you’d be finished in half
the time.
4. He promised to act as chairman, so I’m
afraid he can’t get……….. it now.
There’s no one else to do it.
5. She wants to do all the work herself but
I don’t think she is ………….. it.
6. He leaves his car at a parking meter for
over two hours and always gets ………… it. When
I do that, I am fined.
7. I don’t think they’ll be ……... yet.
It’s only five o’clock in the morning.
8. They didn’t want the news of their engagement
to get …………. At five o’clock instead of six.
9. The office closes early on Fridays and
we get ………. At five o’clock instead of six.
10. If you don’t give the children something
to do, they’ll be …….. some mischief.
11. The car stopped in front of the bank messenger
and two men with guns got ……….
12. She is a friendly girl who gets …………. Everyone
she meets.
13. As soon as the examinations are …………………
we are going away on holiday.
14. It took her a long time to get ……….. the
death of her husband.
15. We usually get ………….. a play among ourselves
at the end of the term.
16. I’m going to Berlin on business and I shall
be …………. for a week.
17. Tom hasn’t been working, he won’t get ………….
his examination.
18. The police knew he had committed the crime
but he got …………… as there was not enough evidence against him.
19. Shall I marry him?
Well it is …………….. you. I can’t very well decide for you.
20. I tried to ring him up but I couldn’t get…………..
I think some of the lines are down after last night’s storm.
21. She talks so much that it is difficult to
get ……….from her.
22. Why not have your operation at one and get
it………………?
23. He got …………. His bicycle to pick up his
pump.
24. Mary wants to study medicine but she is
not very clever. I don’t think she is
…………. it.
25. The train was delayed and only got ……………
at midnight.
26. When winter is ………….. I am going to have
the house painted.
27. If you don’t get ………………… I’ll send for the
police (leave).
28. I am ………….. doing the washing up first watching
TV afterwards.
29. Get ………….. the bus at Victoria station.
30. How are you getting ………….. with your work?
31. I don’t think she is ………….. the level of
the rest of the class.
32. I left my umbrella in the bus but I got
it ……… from the Lost Property Office.
33. I am not getting …………… very fast because
I can only type with two fingers.
34. The dog got …………… a string of sausages from
the butcher’s.
35. We got …………… late because we had to walk.
36. Don’t worry about my snake. He can’t get ……….. his box.
98 Combinations with look and keep
Put
in the correct prepositions or adverbs.
1. He wanted to talk to me but I kept ……………..
working and refused to listen.
2. She is a good secretary but she is kept
…………… by her ignorance of languages.
3. The country was in a state of rebellion
and was only kept ………….. by repressive measures.
4. Look ………….the baby while I am out.
5. She kept the children ……………all day because
it was so wet and cold.
6. You must look ……………and make plans for
the future.
7. ‘Keep ……….!’ He said. ‘Don’t come any nearer’.
8. If you look ……….it carefully you will
see the mark.
9. I told the children to keep …………..the
room that was being painted.
10. Looking ………., I see now all the mistakes
I made when I was younger.
11. I have started getting up at five a.m. to
study but I don’t know if I can keep this …………….
12. He had an unhappy childhood and he never
looks ………….. on it with any pleasure.
13. The man walked so fast that the child couldn’t
keep …………….him.
14. She looked ………..to see who was following
her.
15. There were so many panes of glass broken
that the windows couldn’t keep …………. the rain.
16. I’ve been looking ……………..a cup to match
the one I broke.
17. Look ……………..me at the station. I’ll be at the bookstall.
18. Look ………..! You nearly knocked my cup out of my hand.
19. He was kept ………….. in his research by lack
of money.
20. Tom is looking ……………… his first trip abroad.
(excepting with pleasure)
21. Look…….on your way home and tell me
what happened.
22. Before putting any money into the business,
we must look very carefully …………….the accounts.
23. I look ………her as one of the family.
24. My windows look………….the garden.
25. He asked me to look……………..the document and
then sign it.
26. He looked …………..the book to see if he had
read it before.
27. If you can afford a new car your business
must be looking……………..
28. You can always look …………..her address in
the directory if you have forgotten it.
29. He looked me ………..and…………..before he condescended
to answer my question.
30. I am looking …..seeing your new house.
31. Children have a natural inclination
to look…………..their parents.
32. You will see I am right if you look………..the
matter from my point of view.
33. He looks …………….me because I spend my holidays
in Blackpool instead of going abroad.
34. If he doesn’t know the word he can look
it ………. In a dictionary.
35. The crowd looked ………..while the police surrounded
the house.
36. Since our quarrel she looks……….me whenever
we meet.
105 Mixed combinations
Put
in the correct prepositions or adverbs.
1. Blow ………….the candles on the cake before
you cut it.
2. He used to be very shy but he has grown
………..it now.
3. After the war, many warships were laid
………….as they were not needed any longer.
4. Don’t let him order you…………..like that;
he’s not your employer.
5. I can pay………the money you lent me after
I’ve been to the bank.
6. Applications for the job must be sent…………..before
next Wednesday.
7. The fireworks factory was practically
wiped ……………by the explosion.
8. We must keep on working; it’s too soon
to sit……………..
9. They blew …………..the railway line to prevent
the transport of enemy troops.
10. He wanted to ask her to marry him but he
was too shy to do it at once. He led …………..it
by saying he often felt lonely.
11. I had to send …………..an electrician to mend
the switch.
12. After nursing the whole family when they
had ‘flu she was completely worn …………..
13. My nephew wants to be an explorer when he
grows…………..
14. The house stood………………in the dull street
because of its red door.
15. After the owner’s death the business was
wound ………and the shop sold.
16. The little girl couldn’t blow…………..the balloon.
17. Children’s clothes have to be strong
to stand …………….hard wear.
18. As soon as the decorators have finished
work in my new house, I shall move ………..
19. He was laid ………..for six weeks with two
broken ribs.
20. The idea has gradually grown …….that the
State should look after every citizen from the cradle to the grave.
21. They always lay………...a large supply of tinned
food in winter in case they are snowed up.
22. You can’t move into this flat till I move………………..
23. He thinks I broke his window and threatens
to pay me……….for it.
24. I asked the hotel to send …………….any letters
which came after I had gone.
25. BBC stands ……………British Broadcasting Corporations.
26. The inscription on the tombstone had been
worn ………………by the weather and could scarcely be read.
27. Shall we sit this dance …………..? I’m feeling rather tired.
28. My shoes wear …………..very quickly since I
started walking to the office.
29. As soon as my new house is finished I shall
start laying ……………..the garden.
30. On a touring holiday you can move ………..to
a new place everyday if you want to.
31. The lifeboat is standing ………..in case it
is necessary to take of the crew of the damaged ship.
32. Don’t sit………….for me. I shall probably be back very late.
33. New shoes are not very comfortable until
the first stiffness has worn………..
34. She was the only one to stand……………..me.
No one else said anything in my defence.
35. He was sent………..from the university because
he kept breaking the regulations.
36. The strike was called …………when the management
agreed to the strikers’ demands.
109 Substituting verb + preposition/adverb
combinations for other expressions
Replace
the underlined words or phrases by phrasal verbs.
Some of the sentences may sound awkward as they stand.
1. Can he give a good explanation for
his extraordinary behaviour?
2. He mended the tyre of his bicycle and
then filled it with air.
3. They were having a violent quarrel but
stopped suddenly when I came in.
4. The meeting was cancelled because
of the flue epidemic.
5. If you refuse to perform my orders
you’ll be dismissed.
6. I don’t think you can overtake
them; they left two hours ago.
7. Sherlock Holmes was often able to solve
a mystery without leaving his rooms in Baker Street.
8. I found a five-pound note by
chance in the street. What should
I do with it?
9. If my scheme had succeeded, I should
have made a profit of a thousand pounds.
10. He recovered consciousness when the
doctor had applied artificial respiration.
11. The road safety campaign had succeeded in
reducing road deaths by 10 percent.
12. Three thousand students are candidates
for the examination every year but very few pass.
13. He tried to alright from the bus
while it was still moving and was badly hurt.
14. My sister promised to sing at the concert
and though she doesn’t want to now, she can’t free herself from the obligation.
15. They announced the names of the winning
horses on the radio.
16. If cigarettes get any dearer, I shall have
to abandon the habit of smoking.
17. Prices always increase; they never
become less.
18. The police investigated the case
very thoroughly but finally said there was no suspicion of foul play.
19. He started his journey in a great
hurry.
20. He needs more exercise; he should start
playing tennis.
21. It is difficult to train children
well.
22. The train was delayed by fog and
arrived late.
23. I waited for her for ages but she didn’t
come.
24. She is good at languages. She learnt Spanish without effort,
in a few months.
25. It is your responsibility to make
a success of your own life. (It is … …
you, etc.)
26. Anyone who was offered a chance like that
would accept, it with enthusiasm.
27. Don’t walk on the grass.
28. He dictated so quickly that his poor secretary
couldn’t go as fast as he did. (couldn’t ……….him).
29. I hit him so hard that he fell
unconsciousness.
30. If I don’t punish you this time,
will you promise never to do it again?
31. She was very upset over her failure but
now she is recovering from it.
32. You mustn’t omit the difficult sentences;
do them all.
33. She kept asking me all the difficult words
instead of searching for them in a dictionary.
34. I took the children to the zoo today to
compensate for the party they missed yesterday.
35. Students of English often confuse
the words ‘lie’ and ‘lay’.
36. He swore to revenue himself on me
for the wrong I had done him.