Hold on! Think it over. Try it out. Drop by. These are examples of phrasal verbs.
A phrasal verb is a verb with usually one preposition or adverb. Prepositions and adverbs are sometimes together called particles. Sometimes a phrasal verb might have two particles, thus being a three-word phrasal verb. For example, the phrasal verbs “live up to” and “stand up for.” Phrasal verbs are used very often in English, especially in spoken English. It is very important that you understand and know how to use phrasal verbs correctly if you want to speak English well. After sifting through hundreds of web pages on the Internet, the best online explanation that I found on English phrasal verbs is this web page at englishpage.com. I like this explanation very much because it is short, well-organized, and very clear.
Another good explanation page on phrasal verbs can be found here at englishclub.com. It has some tables that divide example sentences into parts that clearly show the differences between transitive, intransitive, separable, and inseparable phrasal verbs.
To begin learning some frequently used phrasal verbs, you might want to start with this list sponsored by the Capital Community College Foundation. This list has about 100 phrasal verbs, which the web page says are commonly used.
Unfortunately this web page, like all the other web pages with such lists that I found, don’t explain how the verbs included were determined to be frequently used. Nonetheless, this web page is a good starting place. Itorganizes the phrasal verbs into four sections: separable, transitive inseparable, three-word transitive, and intransitive phrasal. Within each list, the phrasal verbs are listed alphabetically. Each phrasal verb is given a clear short definition and is followed by an example sentence. In the Separable Phrasal Verbs section, another similar example sentence is provided, using a pronoun with the phrasal verb. These additional example sentences demonstrate the rule that a pronoun must always be placed between the verb and its particle, never after the verb and particle set.Next you could go to the phrasal verb list provided by englishclub.com. This list has about 200 phrasal verbs. The verbs are sorted alphabetically in one long list, without being divided into different groups, like separable and intransitive. However if a phrasal verb is transitive (i.e., it takes an object), this is indicated in the list when the phrasal verb entry has the word(s) something and/or someone in it. Each phrasal verb entry has a short, clear definition and one example sentence. You will see that many of the phrasal verbs from the Capital Community College list are also on the englishclub.com list. This is not a problem; this repetition will help you learn those verbal phrases better.
Another useful resource is a 32-page .pdf file/e-book entitled 50 Phrasal Verbs for Work and Business, authored by British English teacher Angela Boothroyd. It is an excellent resource explaining phrasal verbs often used in business settings. The Table of Contents lists each phrasal verb, and you can click on the page numbers on the right side to navigate directly to the page of the verbal phrase that you want to study. Each phrasal verb entry includes a definition, 3 to 6 example sentences, and different forms of the verb (such as infinitive, present simple, past simple, and past participle forms).
This phrasal verb blog list includes short audio clips on how to pronounce many phrasal verbs. The link above is to the first of five pages of phrasal verbs listed in alphabetical order. You can view the second, third, fourth, and fifth pages of phrasal verbs by clicking links in the blog on the right side.
The biggest online resource for English phrasal verbs that I found is the Dictionary of English Phrasal Verbs at UsingEnglish.com. More than 3000 phrasal verbs are included in this online dictionary. With this dictionary, you can study phrasal verbs alphabetically or search for phrasal verbs by the base verb or by its preposition. The web site also has lots of quizzes so that you can test your knowledge of the phrasal verbs you want to learn.
I recommend these online resources for your study of English phrasal verbs. What are some phrasal verbs you saw or heard recently? Are there any phrasal verbs you have learned so far that you find interesting or funny? I would love for you to share your thoughts in the comments below!
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