Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs can be difficult for English language learners to learn. Many learners find them challenging; their meaning and their use. In this blog we will break down phrasal verbs and explain how you can become better at using and understanding these pieces of vocabulary.

First of all, it's very important to note that phrasal verbs are vocabulary. Just like walk is a word that describes an action (verb), take on is a collocation that describes an action (verb). Therefore, it is important to record phrasal verbs in the same way your record all your other vocabulary. For more tips on recording vocabulary, look at our post about vocabulary notebooks.

Another important thing to remember when working with phrasal verbs is; you should always use an English - English dictionary to check the meaning of the phrasal verbs. Trying to understand phrasal verbs on online translators or electronic translators can be a problem because the translator may translate the verb and the preposition or adverb separately rather than as one unit. I recommend the advanced learner dictionaries for English language learners.

                         

First, what is a phrasal verb?

A phrasal verb is a multi-part verb. It is made up of a verb and a preposition or an adverb.

Why use phrasal verbs?

Phrasal verbs are often used in informal speech. However, this is not always the case as you can also use phrasal verbs in more formal situations, for example in business English or presentation English. Quite often, a lot of the verbs we use everyday are phrasal verbs. It is much more 'normal' for a native English language speaker to say

"Take off your coat and hang it up over there." 

instead of 

"Remove your coat and suspend it on the hook over there."

So how can I recognise or know phrasal verbs?

There are four types of phrasal verbs:

Type 1

Intransitive phrasal Verb

This means that the phrasal verb does not need a direct object to be used, for example

Examples of Type 1 Phrasal verbs

to work out = to do exercise 

e.g. I work out at the gym twice a week.

to freak out - to get very stressed, angry and annoyed with a person, thing or situation.
e.g. The students were freaking out because the university exams were starting that week.

Type 2

Transitive inseparable phrasal verb

This is a phrasal verb that needs an object in order for the phrasal verb to make sense (transitive). the The two parts of the phrasal verb cannot be separated. That is, the object must come after all parts of the phrasal verb e.g.

Without an object we are left guessing what happens next, for example

This sentence has no meaning because the type of phrasal verb used must have an object.

Examples of Type 2 Phrasal Verbs

to be into = to be interested in, to like and to do as a hobby 

e.g. I'm into rock music. I go to gigs all the time.

to pick on = to bully and be mean to
e.g. The children in the playground picked on Mark because he was the smallest.

Type 3

Transitive separable phrasal verb

This is a phrasal verb that needs an object in order for the phrasal verb to make sense (transitive).  However, unlike Type 2 this phrasal verb can be separated. This means that the object can go between the verb part and the preposition or adverb part of the phrasal verb.
Below is an example of a phrasal verb in a sentence that is not separated.

Below is an example of the phrasal verb separated by the object.

Quite often when we use transitive separable phrasal verbs, we use a pronoun between the verb and the preposition of adverb (usually because the object is known from a previous reference).

Examples of Type 3 Phrasal Verbs

to work out = to fix a problem, resolve an issue or dispute

e.g. We are having a difficult time in our relationship, but we will work it out.

        Let's work out the cause of this issue for once and for all.

to make up = to create something (usually a story, gossip or scandal)
e.g. He made up the story about the car crash.
       Did you make that up, or is it true?

Type 4

Three part phrasal verbs

These are phrasal verbs that have three parts to their form. Because of the three parts, they cannot be separated and are usually always used with an object.

Example of Type 4 Phrasal Verbs

to fall out with = to have a disagreement with, to have a dispute with, to have an argument with

e.g., I fell out with my friend two weeks ago, and we haven't spoken since.

to give out to = to scold or discipline for doing something wring, naughty or bold
e.g. His father gave out to him for throwing stones at the neighbors car.

So how do I use phrasal verbs?

Phrasal verbs follow the same rules as all other verbs. Therefore, to use phrasal verbs in the past, you change the verb part of the phrasal verb into the past form e.g.

Past simple

Last week I got up later than usual because I was on holidays.

Past Progressive
I was getting up early but my timetable changed.

Present Simple

I get up early every morning.

Present perfect progressive

I have been getting up early lately.

Future aspects

She is going to get up early tomorrow to get an earlier train. (plan)

I will get up early to collect you for the station. (intention)

Questions

Whats time do you get up at? (present simple)

Do you enjoy getting up early? (gerund form)



Remember !
Phrasal verbs need to be conjugated just like all other verbs:
I wake up early every morning.
You wake up early every morning.
He / She / It wakes up early every morning.
We wake up early every morning.
You (plural) wake up early every morning.
They wake up early every morning.

How do  know the meaning of phrasal verbs?

Some phrasal verbs' meaning is very near to the meaning of the verb. These are easier to remember and to understand when you read or hear them e.g. to hang up your coat means to hang your coat on a hook or clothes hanger. However some other phrasal verbs' meaning is completely different and unrelated to the verb e.g. to come up with a great idea means to think of a great idea.

So how can I learn phrasal verbs?

Like I mentioned before, it is important to treat phrasal verbs like vocabulary. Note them into your vocabulary notebooks and write example sentences of how they work. 

Another great idea is to give yourself a number of phrasal verbs to learn each week. I usually pick an easy number, like 5, and focus on those new verbs all week. In that week, I try to use them as much as possible in my communication practice, and I refresh them in my mind at least once a day.

The last thing to remember about phrasal verbs - phrasal verbs can be learned by all levels of English language learners. If you are learning English for the first time, it is essential that you learn phrasal verbs from the start. Many people make the mistake and think that phrasal verbs are for higher level learners only - this is not true. Phrasal verbs are for all levels.

Hope you enjoyed our post on phrasal verbs. If you have any questions you would like to ask, just add to the comments below. 

Thanks for learning with Solas English!

The Vocabulary Notebook

In this week's blog post we are going to look at tips for keeping a vocabulary notebook. Vocabulary notebooks are a great tool to help you increase your vocabulary when learning a second language. 

English has lot of vocabulary ranging from formal to informal phrases. Learning vocabulary can be overwhelming for students, and they often ask teachers for advice on how they can improve their level and knowledge of vocabulary. Many teachers will agree that a vocabulary notebook is a great tool for students. However, many teachers will also agree that students often start a vocabulary notebook, but they do not continue it. The reason for this may be that students don't know how to keep a vocabulary notebook or what should go into a vocabulary notebook. Here are some ideas to help you.

Methods

This is probably the most important thing about keeping a vocabulary notebook. There are different ways of recording new words. Remember that your vocabulary notebook is for you and no one else, so find a method or methods that work best for you. Here are some methods students use in their vocabulary notebooks:

Translation - a lot of students like to write the new word into their notebook with the translation next to it. This is good for a quick reference, but can limit students' learning of how to use the word.

Dictionary definition - a dictionary definition can offer you a little more extra information about the word than just it's meaning. Dictionaries show you how to say the word with phonetic symbols. They also tell you what word class the word belongs in, e.g. noun, verb, adverb

Example sentence - A very good way to learn how to use the word is to write an example sentence. This works very well for phrasal verbs or word collocations (words that often go together).

Organisation

We all have different ways of organising things, and we are all learning English for different reasons. It's important that you have a system in place in your vocabulary notebook, so that you can easily find words when you need them. There are a number  of ways to organise your notebooks.

Alphabetically - Just like a dictionary, you can divide your notebook up alphabetically to record your new words. 

By word class - Some students like to record their words by word class. They like to keep their verbs in one section, adjectives in another, adverbs in a different section etc. In this way students know more about how to use the words in sentences.

By context - For many people this is the best way to record and save vocabulary. You put all the words and phrases into one section according to how you will use them. For example, maybe you are going on holidays, and you have learned new phrases and words for booking a hotel. You can note all these phrases and words in the one section so they are easy to find when you need them. Likewise, if you are learning vocabulary for academic writing, you can save linking words and expressions in one section, so it's easy to refer to them when you are practicing your writing skills. It's important that you give each section a title, and having an index at the start of the notebook our using colour paper bookmarks can help you find the different sections easily.

By book unit and page - For students who are studying English in school and are using a course book, recording your vocabulary by the unit and page can be a great way to remember where the word came from. You can always return to the unit or page to practice the listening or the reading where the word came from.

Revision

So we have our vocabulary notebook, and we have saved some words and phrases in it - so what now? Well, use it! Take out your notebook and read through your notes every few days. Go back over the words you have recorded until you know them, and you don't need to look at them in your notebook anymore. Keep adding to the notebook and keep reading back over your notes. Use your notebook in conversations and when you are writing. Use your notebook in class and at language exchange meetings. The more you use it, the more your knowledge of vocabulary will grow.

We hope you enjoyed our tips for keeping a vocabulary notebook. Please comment below and tell us if you have any other tips for keeping a vocabulary notebook. What do you do in your notebook? Do you think vocabulary notebooks are a good idea? We would love to hear from you ...