PHRASAL VERBS: A FEW FACTS AND A SHORT QUIZ

Winston Churchill once said: ‘Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never,

never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense...’

We hope you don’t give in in your pursuit of excellence in English. And if you are firm in your intentions, you should learn to use phrasal verbs because in many cases phrasal verbs are the commonest way of communicating meaning and if you opt for a non-phrasal alternative, you will not sound natural. 

For example, which alternative best fits the sentences below?

1. My parents and I don't a. get on  b. have a friendly relationship.  

2. I have decided to a. put off b. delay going shopping till next week.

3. ' a. Cheer up b. try to be happier,' he said. 'It can't be that bad.'

What is the difference between the ordinary verb and the phrasal verb? The phrasal verb consists of a verb and one or two particles. 

For example:          give in ( a verb+ one particle) 

                             put up with ( a verb+ two particles)

However, some ordinary verbs can be typically followed by prepositions. The difference then lies in the transperancy of meaning. 

For example: 

Are you accusing me of lying? ( 'accuse' is an ordinary verb followed by 'of' - its meaning can be easily understood)

I put her anger down to stress. ('put down to' is a phrasal verb - its meaning is idiomatic and cannot be guessed by putting together the meanings of 'put', 'down' and 'to'.)

Not all phrasal verbs have a completely opaque meaning. In some cases it can help you if you know the core meaning of some particles. 

'on' often indicates continuation.  

Get on with your work. - Continue doing it.
Carry on reading.  - Don't stop doing it.

'up' can emphasize the idea of completing or finishing something.

Andy has just had a bath and used up all the hot water.  - There is nothing left.
I couldn't eat up all the rice. - I couldn't finish eating the rice that was on my plate.

'through' sometimes suggests going from the beginning to the end of something.

I'd like to go through the homework. = I'd like to discuss it carefully from start to finish.

'up, down' can describe something getting bigger or smaller.

All the pressure built up. - It increased, became greater.
Break down the amount into monthly payments. - Divide it into smaller parts.

'back' indicates rerturning to a previous point or a previous condition

He is sad about his wife leaving him, but he'll bounce back.  - He will return to his previous happy frame of mind.

It is often believed that phrasal verbs are informal and typical of speaking rather than writing. It is not absolutely true. Most phrasal verbs are neutral (neither formal nor informal) and a good many are formal. Look at the examples of phrasal verbs commonly found in formal writing.

a. account for (explain): The differences in achievement between the pupils are partly accounted for by differences in age.

b. bear out (confirm): The theory is not borne out by the facts.

c. subscribe to (agree with): He subscribes to the view that children benefit from being independent.

d. embark on (begin): She decided to embark on a diplomatic career.

e. adhere to (obey): We must strictly adhere to the terms of the contract. 

Phrasal verbs are at the heart of English and if you make an effort to master them, you will without a doubt come closer to the goal of achieving native-like proficiency.

Do a short quiz below to find out what you already know. Supply the missing particles of the phrasal verbs looking at their equivalents.

1. to stop doing sth - to give it _____

2. to produce an idea - to come ____   ____it 

3. to admire somebody - to look ____  ____them

4. to refuse an invitation - to turn it _______

5. to be loyal to sb - to stand ______them

6. to stop working - to break _________

7. to employ new staff - to take them ______

8. to meet sb by chance- to run ___them

9. to start learning sth - to take it _______

10. to start a journey - to set _______

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