PHRASAL VERBS

A. Un phrasal verb es un verbo seguido de una o dos partículas. Esta partícula

puede ser una

preposición, un adverbio o una combinación de ambos. Un phrasal verb es una

unidad con un significado especial, distinto de las palabras que lo forman tomadas
separadamente.

Our washing-machine broke down last week. (dejó de funcionar, se averió)

After winning the pools, they looked down on us. (nos despreciaban)

A) Underline the phrasal verb in each sentence.

1. I have to call off tomorrow´s meeting.

2. Please put down your hands.
3. I give up!
4. Keep out of my room!
5. The plane can´t take off in this weather.
6. She doesn´t get along with her neighbours.
7. He ran out of the room.
8. My trousers have become worn out at the knee.

B) Translate the sentences above into your native language.

C) Choose the correct answer.

1. I am looking (for, into, like) the library. How do I get there?

2. The door is made (up, of, off) metal.
3. Please let her (up, down, in). I can´t answer the door now.
4. The price of the car has come (by, down, on). Let´s buy it.
5. They are planning to go (in, by, away) for the holidays.
6. My dog has run (out of, away, over). Have you seen him?
7. Do you think we should put (up, off, on) our raincoats?
8. When I get home, I´ll turn (open, on, over) the air-conditioning.
D) Choose the correct answer.

1. Turn (into, out, off) the radio.

2. She´s very upset. Her cat was run (out of, over, in)by a car.
3. My brother is going to take (up, to, on) the organ.
4. My friend came over and sat (down, up, on) next to me.
5. She felt sick and called (off, on, for) help.
6. If you don´t know a word, you can look it (down, for, up).
7. Did you try (on, off, in) your new clothes?
8. My car broke (up, out, down) on the way home.

E) Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the phrasal verbs in the list below.

break down go through put up with try on

get along with look forward to run over

give up look up to take off

1. After trying to solve the algebra problem three times without success,
he ................................

and went to play football.

2. You boyfriend has got such terrible habits – I don´t know how
you....................................him.
3. She..........................................going on holiday next week.
4. The child cried bitterly when he heard that his dog..............................................
5. If you want to buy furniture, I recommend that you .......................................this
catalogue.
6. The plane crashed shortly after it ........................................
7. If their car......................................., they wouldn´t have been late for the
wedding.
8. My sister and I never......................................each other – we always argue.
9. She spent two hours........................................clothes in the department store, and
didn´t buy anything.
 10. The little girl always .........................................her big brother – even when he
treated her badly.

B. PHRASAL VERBS: SEPARABLE

OR INSEPARABLE –
LOS PHRASAL VERBS SEPARABLES O INSEPARABLES

Los phrasal verbs que son transitivos, es decir, que tienen complemento directo de
objeto, pueden ser separables o inseparables.

a) Los phrasal verbs separables pueden llevar la partícula junto al verbo o con el
complemento intercalado.

Cuando el objeto es un nombre, acepta las dos posiciones.

We are throwing away our old sofa.

We are throwing our old sofa away.

b) Los phrasal verbs inseparables toman un complemento pero no se puede separar el

verbo

y su partícula. El objeto tiene que ir detrás de la partícula.

She ran into her neighbours after the film.

She ran into them after the film.

Recuerda:

1. Si un phrasal verb es separable, el pronombre va delante de la partícula.

2. Si es inseparable, el pronombre va después de la partícula.

 La dificultad estriba en que no hay reglas para orientarte qué tipo de phrasal verb
es. No hay otro medio que aprender su uso y su significado juntos.

Nota: Los phrasal verbs que toman dos partículas, como por ejemplo look
forward to, get along with, etc. son inseparables.

EXERCISES

F. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the phrasal verbs in brackets. Add a
pronoun

in each case.

1. What about this old coat? Aren´t you going to ...........................................? (throw
away)

2. Do you want to see my new exercise bike? Here, .......................................(try out)

3. Susan´s outside. Let´s ...................................(invite in)

4. We made a mistake when we sacked Jim and now we can´t................................(get

back)

5. I´m sorry I was so rude to John. Please...........................................(call back)

6. Look at the mess you left in the kitchen. You must......................................(clean

up) before the guests arrive.

7. Show me how to use this computer program. I just can´t ...................................

(work out)

8. Why are they demolishing these buildings? Is the government................................?

(pull down).

G. In the sentences below, decide whether the phrasal verb is separable or

inseparable.

Rewrite the ones which are separable, showing the alternative word order.

1. They have closed down many factories since 1990.

 ...................................................................................................................................
...

2. We can get round this problem by employing more workers.

...................................................................................................................................
...

3. I´m going to use my dictionary to look up this word.

...................................................................................................................................
...

4. Her house was pulled down to make way for a new motorway.

...................................................................................................................................
....

5. The finance minister´s most important job is to bring down inflation.

...................................................................................................................................
....

6. The water company cut off our water because we hadn´t paid the bill.

...................................................................................................................................
.....

7. Laura picked out a new suit to wear for the wedding.

...................................................................................................................................
.....

8. She takes after her grandmother, who was a very good-looking woman.

...................................................................................................................................
......

9. Martin looked through the classified ads in the newspaper for a new flat.

...................................................................................................................................
......

10. John, please clear up your desk

...................................................................................................................................
.......

11. Donna, my younger sister, has always looked up to me.

 ...................................................................................................................................
.......

12. Alice will find it hard to live up to her father´s expectations of her.

...................................................................................................................................
.......

H. Choose the correct answer.

1. Jean is so rude; I can´t put ................................her any more.

up with through off

2. The company turned ......................my application because I didn´t speak Spanish.

down away off

3. She has taken ......................swimming in order to keep fit.

for to up

4. The police broke into the empty flat because they saw lights and suspected
something

was going......................

round along on

5. The hall was so full that they had to turn people............................

away out off

6. The price of fruit will go ....................this summer because there´s a shortage.

down up ahead

7. Getting stuck on a dark road is a horrible experience; I never want to

go ...................it

again.

through in for after

8. He always turns ...................when you least expect him.

 in on up

9. The police are looking ........................the theft of cars from the carpark.

at into for

10. After the accident, we turned .......................our insurance agent for help.

to away on

11. While I was sick, my mother looked ...................to see if I needed anything.

ahead after in

12. My brother lit a fire and we had to call the fire brigade to put it......................

down out away

13. Mike takes .........................his mother. They both have blue eyes and fair hair.

off to after

14. His parents put...........................a few pounds each week for their annual holiday.

up aside in

15. Jerry is very arrogant. He looks ........................everyone else.

up to down on out for