The Phrasal Verb:
How many kinds are there?
There is more than one kind of phrasal verb. By the way, they are
ordinary english verbs with a preposition added after them, to change
the meaning, often in unexpected ways. You can divide them
into
three big groups.
Depending on what comes after the verb we can divide them into these groups:
Here is a little more information...
Read More »
... on each of these groups, with some examples
Be careful with this last group. The object can go after the preposition unless it is a pronoun.
So...
After the company turned
down Anna, she
decided she had to go and make money for herself.
After the company turned her
down , she
decided she had to go and make money for herself.
After the company turned
down her, she
decided she had to go and make money for herself.
I want to emphasize: the best way to remember these verbs is by listening to them many times in context, until it 'sounds right'. Then you do not have to spend time trying to remember rules when you are speaking. You will be a much better speaker.
And if you shadow the stories, you will learn and remember the verbs faster and deeper than if you only listen.
My teachers told me, "The key to mastery is repetition."
I tell my students, "Listen to the story. Shadow it. Each time you hear a phrasal verb, write it down. Put this list in your pocket."
When you take this list out of your pocket, read it carefully. Remember the story. Remember how the phrasal verb was used.
Can you use the phrasal verb yourself? Make a sentence you can say using the phrasal verb.
Depending on what comes after the verb we can divide them into these groups:
- there is no object after the verb
- there is an object that can come after the verb, always at the very end
- there is an object after the verb, but sometimes it comes before the preposition (the second word in the phrasal verb)
... on each of these groups, with some examples
No Object
Like the title, these have no object (they are intransitive, if you like grammar). An example is 'catch on' (= understand).The
boys were studying a second language because their teachers were
confident they would catch
on quickly.
Object at the Very End
Like the title, here there is an object but it comes at the very end of the sentence, after the verb and its preposition. An example is 'break down'.She
listened to their jokes for years, secretly hating them, but finally
she broke
down.
Object Always After the Main Verb
There is an object after these verbs, and it is after the main verb or after the preposition in the expression. An example is 'turn down'.After
the company turned Anna down, she
decided she had to go and make money for herself.
Be careful with this last group. The object can go after the preposition unless it is a pronoun.
So...
Yes
Yes
No
I want to emphasize: the best way to remember these verbs is by listening to them many times in context, until it 'sounds right'. Then you do not have to spend time trying to remember rules when you are speaking. You will be a much better speaker.
And if you shadow the stories, you will learn and remember the verbs faster and deeper than if you only listen.
My teachers told me, "The key to mastery is repetition."
I tell my students, "Listen to the story. Shadow it. Each time you hear a phrasal verb, write it down. Put this list in your pocket."
When you take this list out of your pocket, read it carefully. Remember the story. Remember how the phrasal verb was used.
Can you use the phrasal verb yourself? Make a sentence you can say using the phrasal verb.
Nervous Times
Verb list1. help out to give somebody some help, e.g. by doing some work or giving money
2. fall through to fail to happen in the expected way
3. run out of to consume all of a supply of something
4. leave out to fail to include somebody or something, whether by choice or accident
5. count on to rely on somebody to do something
This text will be replaced
Read the story here: »
The twins Anna and May were confident they were going to be rich until their plans fell through. They counted on their husbands not coming home during the day, and they planned to poison them and collect the insurance. They left out the possibility that their husbands might finish work early, and one day their husbands did. Now they are running away, and they are running out of places to run to. They are doing tough physical jobs while they are in hiding. They are hoping that some relatives will help them out, but it is not fun while they wait.
You can get your own copy of this recording in mp3 format here - (at no charge).
