A phrasal verb is a verb plus a small word such as in, out, on, off, up, down, away, back, over or round. The small word often shows direction: get in, get out, fall off, stand up, sit down, run away, come back, climb over, look round.
A What a phrasal verb is
A phrasal verb = a verb (go, look, be etc.) + in / out / up / down etc.
- go in, look out, sit down, come back
B in, out, on, off
in = into a place. out = out of a place. on = onto a bus, train etc. off = down from something.
- Sam opened the car door and got in. (= into the car)
- I waited in the garden. I didn't go in.
- The taxi stopped and a man got out. (= out of the taxi)
- I went to the door and looked out.
- The tram came and I got on.
- Careful! Don't fall off.
C up, down
up = higher. down = lower.
- She stood up and walked out of the room.
- I usually get up at seven. (= get out of bed)
- We looked up at the fireworks.
- Please sit down.
- The shelf fell down.
- Lie down on the mat.
D away or off, back
away / off = leaving a place. be / go away = in or to another place.
back = returning. be back = have returned.
- The burglar ran away. (or ... ran off)
- Kate got into her van and drove away. (or ... drove off)
- Kate has gone away for the weekend.
- We went out for a pizza and then went back to the flat.
- Go away and don't come back!
- Kate is away. She'll be back on Tuesday.
E over, round
over = from one side to the other, above. round (or around) = turning to face the other way, or in a circle.
- The gate was locked, so we climbed over.
- Turn over and read the questions on the back.
- I heard footsteps behind me, so I looked round (or around).
- We walked for an hour, then turned round (or around) and headed home.
Exercises
114.1 Read each scene and complete the sentence. Use one of these verbs + in, out, up etc.: got, got, looked, looked, rode, sat, turned, went.
A woman pulling back the curtains and peering at the street below.
I heard shouting in the street, so I opened the curtains and looked out.
I heard shouting in the street, so I opened the curtains and looked out.
Two people walking through an open front door into a house.
The door was open, so we .
The door was open, so we went in.
A man in a field, raising his head towards a plane overhead.
He heard a helicopter, so he .
He heard a helicopter, so he looked up.
A girl climbing onto her bike and cycling off down the road.
She got on her bike and .
She got on her bike and rode away.
A man walking past. Someone behind him says "Hello!" and he swings to face them.
I said hello and he .
I said hello and he turned round.
A bus at a stop. A woman steps down onto the pavement.
The bus stopped and she .
The bus stopped and she got off.
A tired shopper lowering herself onto a park bench.
Her feet were aching, so she found a bench and .
Her feet were aching, so she found a bench and sat down.
A car pulling up. Two doors open and two men climb out.
A car stopped and two men .
A car stopped and two men got out.
114.2 Complete the sentences. Use out, away, back etc.
"What happened to the shelf in the kitchen?" "It fell down."
"What happened to the shelf in the kitchen?" "It fell down."
Please don't go ! Stay with me.
Please don't go away! Stay with me.
He heard footsteps behind him, so he looked .
He heard footsteps behind him, so he looked round.
I'm going now to get some milk. I'll be in ten minutes.
I'm going out now to get some milk. I'll be back in ten minutes.
I've got a headache. I'm going to lie for a bit.
I've got a headache. I'm going to lie down for a bit.
When you've finished this side, turn and do the questions on the back.
When you've finished this side, turn over and do the questions on the back.
Ana is from Brazil. She lives in Leeds now, but she wants to go to Brazil one day.
Ana is from Brazil. She lives in Leeds now, but she wants to go back to Brazil one day.
We've locked ourselves out, so we can't get .
We've locked ourselves out, so we can't get in.
I was so tired this morning. I just couldn't get .
I was so tired this morning. I just couldn't get up.
Omar is going on holiday in July. He's going on the 3rd and coming on the 17th.
Omar is going on holiday in July. He's going away on the 3rd and coming back on the 17th.
114.3 Complete the sentences. Use one of these verbs + on, off, up, down or over: break, carry, fall, get, give, hold, slow, speak, take, wake. Put the verb into the correct form if necessary.
I fell asleep at eleven and woke up at seven the next morning.
I fell asleep at eleven and woke up at seven the next morning.
"Come on, we're leaving." " a second. I can't find my shoes."
"Come on, we're leaving." "Hold on a second. I can't find my shoes."
The lorry and finally stopped at the lights.
The lorry slowed down and finally stopped at the lights.
I don't mind flying, but I always feel nervous when the plane .
I don't mind flying, but I always feel nervous when the plane takes off.
How was your interview? How did you ?
How was your interview? How did you get on?
I can barely hear you. Could you a bit?
I can barely hear you. Could you speak up a bit?
This van is so unreliable. It has three times this month.
This van is so unreliable. It has broken down three times this month.
When toddlers are learning to walk, they often .
When toddlers are learning to walk, they often fall over.
I asked him to stop talking, but he just . Maybe he didn't hear me.
I asked him to stop talking, but he just carried on. Maybe he didn't hear me.
I tried to fix the computer myself, but in the end I . It was hopeless.
I tried to fix the computer myself, but in the end I gave up. It was hopeless.