Phrasal Verbs & Multi-word Verbs

Multi-word verbs are extremely common in English. A verb such as take, put or carry can combine with a particle to create a new meaning. Some combinations are transparent, while others are idiomatic. Learning the whole pattern — meaning, grammar and register — is more useful than memorising the individual words separately.

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Understand

The whole expression carries the meaning

Look into can mean investigate; put off can mean postpone; carry out can mean perform.

The meaning is not always predictable from the verb and particle separately.

Separable phrasal verbs

Some phrasal verbs allow the object between verb and particle.

Turn off the light. / Turn the light off.

With a pronoun, separation is normally required: Turn it off, not Turn off it.

Inseparable patterns

Other combinations keep the particle or preposition with the verb.

Look after the child. / Look after them.

Not: Look them after.

Phrasal-prepositional verbs

Some verbs contain more than one particle, for example put up with, look forward to and come up with.

The full expression should be learned as one unit.

Register varies

Some multi-word verbs are informal; many are neutral and common in standard English.

Formal alternatives may exist: put off → postpone, look into → investigate, carry out → conduct.

Choose according to audience and purpose rather than avoiding phrasal verbs automatically.

Example

Everyday: The meeting was put off until Friday.

More formal: The meeting was postponed until Friday.

Both are correct. The choice is mainly about register.

Another pattern: Please turn the computer off. / Please turn it off.

How to do it

Learn the phrasal verb as a whole expression with one clear example.
Record whether it is separable or inseparable.
Check where pronoun objects go.
Note whether the expression is informal, neutral or common in formal contexts.
Learn common noun collocations around the verb.
When reading, use context before translating the particle literally.
When writing formally, replace only the phrasal verbs that do not fit the register.

Common mistakes

Mistake: Turn off it.

Better: Turn it off.

Mistake: Look the child after.

Better: Look after the child.

Mistake: Translating every particle literally.

Better: Learn the combined meaning.

Mistake: Replacing every phrasal verb in formal writing.

Better: Keep neutral expressions when they are natural and precise.

Try it

Which sentence has correct pronoun placement?

A. Please turn off it before you leave.
B. Please turn it off before you leave.
C. Please it turn off before you leave.
D. Please turn before it off you leave.

Answer: B. With separable turn off, a pronoun object normally goes between the verb and particle.

Key points

Learn multi-word verbs as complete units.
Some are separable and some are inseparable.
Pronoun placement is especially important with separable verbs.
Particles do not always have a literal meaning.
Register varies across different phrasal verbs.
A formal single-word alternative may be useful, but phrasal verbs are not automatically informal.

Continue with a related guide.

Vocabulary