Grammar
Phrasal verbs: learn the basic patterns
A light can go off, you can pick up a parcel, and you can find out some news. The small word after the verb helps create the meaning, so read the whole phrase together.
Recognize common phrasal verbs as complete units and use basic meaning, context, and object-position patterns in a sentence.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
Could you turn it off before you leave? /kʊd juː tɜːn ɪt ɒf bɪˈfɔː juː liːv/
The short answer
Learn a phrasal verb as a complete phrase. Use the situation to choose its meaning, then check whether its object can move or must stay after the phrase.
Please turn off the kitchen light before you leave.
Why it works: Turn off means stop a light or device from operating. The words work together as one useful phrase.
5 more examples
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The alarm went off at six this morning.
Go off can mean that an alarm starts making a sound.
Not this:The lights
went offduring the storm. What changes: With lights as the subject, go off means stop operating. The surrounding words choose the meaning. -
Could you pick up the parcel on your way home?
Pick up can mean collect something from a place.
Not this:Could you
pick the parcel upon your way home? What changes: The parcel is a noun object, so both positions can work with this meaning of pick up. -
Please write the appointment down in your calendar.
Write down means record information. The noun object is between the verb and particle.
Not this:Please
write it downin your calendar. What changes: It is a pronoun, so it goes between write and down. -
I found out that the meeting starts at ten.
Find out means discover or learn information.
Not this:I
looked forthe meeting room on the map. What changes: Look for means search. The speaker is trying to find a place, not saying that they already learned a fact. -
Nadia looks after her neighbour's dog on weekends.
Look after means take care of someone or something.
Not this:Nadia
looks for her neighbour's dogat the park. What changes: Look for means try to find the dog. It does not mean provide care.
Read the full guide
Start by reading the verb and particle together. Next, look at the people, things, and situation in the sentence. They help you choose the right meaning. If the phrase has an object, learn its word order with the phrase. Some common phrases let a noun object move, while others keep the object in one position.
Read the whole phrase first
A phrasal verb has a main verb and a particle. The particle is a short word such as up, off, or out. Do not decide the meaning from the main verb alone. In put away, away changes put into the idea of storing something. In find out, the whole phrase means discover.
Marta put the clean dishes away after dinner.
Put away means place the dishes in their usual storage place.
In 'I found out the office was closed,' does find out mean discover or search?
It means discover. The speaker learned new information about the office.
Let the situation choose the meaning
One phrasal verb can have more than one meaning. Pick up may mean lift an object, collect a person in a vehicle, or learn a skill gradually. The subject, object, and situation usually make one meaning clear. Read the complete sentence before you choose a meaning.
The taxi will pick us up outside the station.
Here, pick up means collect people in a vehicle.
Omar picked up some Italian while working in Rome.
Here, pick up means learn something gradually and informally.
What does go off most likely mean in 'The smoke alarm went off'?
It means started making a loud sound. A smoke alarm is something that can give a warning.
Move a noun object with some phrases
Some phrasal verbs take an object and allow a noun object in two places. You can say turn off the fan or turn the fan off. You can say write down the address or write the address down. The meaning stays the same because the verb and particle still belong together.
Please turn off the fan before the presentation.
Please turn the fan off before the presentation.
The noun object the fan comes after off in the first sentence and before off in the second.
Which sentence can you use with a noun object: pick up the package or pick the package up?
Both can work. The package is a noun object, so both usual positions are possible with pick up.
Put pronouns in the middle of separable phrases
With a separable phrasal verb, put a pronoun between the verb and particle. Say turn it off, write them down, and pick her up. Do not put the pronoun after the particle in these patterns. This rule helps you choose the order quickly in speaking and writing.
The music is too loud. Turn it down.
It replaces the music, so it sits between turn and down.
I have the instructions. Write them down.
Them replaces the instructions and comes before down.
Complete the sentence: The screen is bright. Turn ___ off.
Use it: Turn it off. The pronoun goes in the middle.
Keep the object after other multi-word verbs
Not every multi-word verb lets the object move. Look after means take care of, so say look after the child or look after her. Run into can mean meet unexpectedly, so say run into a colleague. Learn the phrase with its object pattern, because a pronoun does not always go in the middle.
Leo looks after his aunt's cat during her trip.
His aunt's cat stays after look after. The phrase does not separate.
I ran into my old teacher near the library.
Run into means meet unexpectedly here. The person comes after the full phrase.
Which order is natural: She looks after them or She looks them after?
Use She looks after them. Look after keeps its object after the complete phrase.
Before you go
Remember this
Read the verb and particle as one phrase. Use the situation to choose the meaning. Learn one full example with every new phrase, including its object pattern. With many separable phrases, a noun object can move, but a pronoun goes in the middle.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Phrasal verbs: learn the basic patterns"
What is a phrasal verb?
A phrasal verb combines a verb with a short word called a particle, such as up, off, or out. The complete phrase has its own meaning or pattern. For example, find out means discover, while turn off means stop a device from operating.
The alarm went off at six this morning.
How can I learn phrasal verbs more easily?
Learn each phrase as a complete unit with one short example. Record its meaning in that example and its object pattern. A note such as pick up a parcel, collect, noun can move gives you more help than learning pick and up separately.
The lights went off during the storm.
Can one phrasal verb have more than one meaning?
Yes. Pick up can mean lift something, collect someone, or learn a skill gradually. The subject, object, and situation help you choose the meaning. Read the whole sentence before you decide which meaning is intended.
Could you pick up the parcel on your way home?
Where does a pronoun go in a separable phrasal verb?
Put a pronoun between the verb and particle. Say turn it off, write them down, and pick her up. Do not say turn off it or write down them. This middle position is the reliable pattern for separable phrases.
Could you pick the parcel up on your way home?
Do all phrasal verbs have the same word order?
No. Some phrases let a noun object move, as in turn off the radio or turn the radio off. Others keep the object after the full phrase, as in look after the child. Check the pattern for each phrase in a learner dictionary and keep one example with your note.
Please write the appointment down in your calendar.