Phrasal Verbs Tips and Tricks for Government Exams

Introduction

A phrasal verb is a combination of a standard verb such as make or put. It is a combination of the first form of the verb with a preposition (V1+preposition). It can completely change the meaning of the Verb. A phrasal verb makes the language

• quick and crisp
• understanding to the beginners as well
• guessable for the new language learners

Phrasal verbs are extremely prevalent in daily usage. They are often used while speaking informally.

Theory

• Phrasal verbs can be said to be formed by the combination of a verb and an adverb or a preposition. In some cases, it is a combination of all the three parts of speech – verb, adverb and preposition. Though each of these parts of speech have different functions, they play the role of the verb when they are put together. They can also act as a phrase and that is why these verbs are called phrasal verbs.

Types

1. Transitive Phrasal Verbs

• Just like normal transitive verbs, a transitive phrasal verb can be identified by its demand for an object.

2. Intransitive Phrasal Verbs

• Intransitive phrasal verbs behave exactly like intransitive verbs. They do not require an object to complete the sentence they are used in or make sense of the context.

3. Separable Phrasal Verbs

• Separable phrasal verbs include transitive phrasal verbs which have the characteristic property of separating the phrasal verb with the object in between. There is, however, a word order which should be taken into account when separating the phrasal verb.

4. Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

• Inseparable phrasal verbs, as the name suggests, cannot be separated from each other and have to be used together, no matter what.

Tips

• Phrasal verbs, in many cases, in their meaning cannot be deduced from their elements. It is being used idiomatically i.e., its meaning does not change with the change of the context. (Like Idioms and phrases).
• Many phrasal verbs have more than one meaning.

Solved Example