Phrasal verbs

WHY do many people who have been studying English for years and reached fluency in speech experience difficulty in listening comprehension?

There are some strong grounds for supposition that incomprehension or misunderstanding takes place because of phrasal verbs, which are mainly used in spoken English.

FORMATION

Phrasal verbs are common verbs which, being combined with different prepositions or adverbs, acquire new meanings, which may be unguessable.

The most common kind of phrasal verb is a verb which is followed by an adverb such as about, along, around, away, back, down, over and so on. If an adverb is a part of a phrasal verb this adverb is called a particle.

For example:

Verb + Particle = Phrasal verb

put + forward = put forward

A phrasal verb can also be followed by a preposition which either changes the meaning of a verb or adds to its meaning.

For example:

He looked round for a chair and, since there wasn’t one, sat on the floor.

I am quite looking forward to seeing you again.

A phrasal verb may be a two-word verb or a three-word verb. The basic combinations of verb, adverbial particle and preposition are the following:

Verb + particle

Verb + preposition

Verb + particle + preposition

DO & MAKE

Collocations and phrasal verbs

DO vs. MAKE: collocations

First of all revise collocations here: (with subtitles)

DO vs. MAKE: phrasal verbs

LOOK- Choose your mind map:

(1)

(2)

Create a similar or different map for SEE

Study these examples of using the phrasal verbs from diagram 1 (look) in context and their meanings:

1. Does your husband accept that he ought to be looking after the baby?

2. I’d like Doctor Wells to look at my swollen ankle.

3. They are arrogant and aggressive people. They look down on us.

4. Detectives are still looking for the prisoner who escaped a week ago.

5. I looked forward to leaving school.

6. I think I’ll look in on my parents on the way home from work.

7. The causes of these misunderstandings and anxieties should be looked into.

8. His parents looked on with a triumphant smile as he collected his prize.

9. I’ve always looked up to Bill for his courage and determination.

10. We are looking to you to advise us how to proceed.

Exercise 1. Complete each of the sentences with the appropriate preposition from the diagram 1.

1. They looked ____ the government for additional support.

2. Only one man tried to help us, the rest just looked ____ in silence.

3. My mother says she is looking __ __ meeting you.

4. He has not been looked ____ at all.

5. The priest has found the book he was looking _____.

6. He looks ___ __ anyone who hasn’t had a college education.

7. Can you look ____ my car. There is a strange noise coming from the front wheel.

8. I promised to look ____ on Dad to see if he is feeling any better.

9. Police are looking ____ the disappearance of two children.

10. The students look ______you and admire you.

Phrasal verbs: GET

Verbs of movement to introduce… COME & GO

Be more precise:

Phrasal verbs: COME (a map with examples)

/ EXERCISES
Phrasal verbs with COME:

with GO:
1)
2)

A dictionary of English phrasal verbs:

Quiz yourself here (by verb):

Quiz yourself here (by preposition):

Random quiz:

More EXERCISES

Practice also here: / etc.

Prepositions: