English Within Reach

Phrasal verbs

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In modern English, it is very usual to place prepositions or adverbs after certain verbs so as to obtain a variety of different meanings: 

give away = give to someone/anyone 

give up = abandon (a habit or attempt) 

look after = take care of 

look for = search for, seek 

look out = beware 

The student need not try to decide whether the combination is verb + preposition or verb + adverb, but should consider the expression as a whole. 

It is also important to learn whether the combination is transitive (i.e. requires an object) or intransitive (i.e. cannot have an object): 

look for is transitive: l am looking for my passport. 

look out is intransitive: Look out! This ice isn't safe! 

take off can also mean 'rise from the ground' (used of aircraft). Here it is intransitive: 

The plane took off at ten o 'clock. 

With some expressions, however, they can be placed either at the end or immediately after the verb, i.e. before the short word. We can say: 

He took off his coat or He took his coat off. 

Pronoun objects are sometimes placed at the end of the expression: 

l am looking for them. 

But they are more often placed immediately after the verb: 

He took it off. 

This position is usual before the following short words: up, down, in, out, away, off and on (except when used in the expression call on = visit). 

go on can be followed by either infinitive or gerund but there is a considerable difference in meaning.

account 

account for (tr) == give a good reason for, explain satisfactorily (some action or expenditure): 

A treasurer must account/or the money he spends. 

He has behaved in the most extraordinary way; I can't account for his actions at all/I can't account for his behaving like that. 

allow 

allow for (tr) = make provision in advance for, take into account (usually some additional requirement, expenditure, delay etc.): 

It is 800 kilometers and I drive at 100 k.p.h., so I'll be there in eight hours. ~ But you'll have to allow for delays going through towns and for stops for refueling. 

Allowing for depreciation your car should be worth £2,000 this time next year. 

answer 

answer back (intr), answer somebody back = answer a reproof impudently: 

FATHER: Why were you so late last night? you weren't in till 2a.m. 

SON: You should have been asleep. 

FATHER: Don't answer me back. Answer my question. 

ask 

ask after/for somebody = ask for news of: 

I met Tom at the party; he asked after you. (asked how you were/how you were getting on) 

ask for 

(a) = ask to speak to: 

Go to the office and ask for my secretary. 

(b) = request, demand: 

The men asked/or more pay and shorter hours. 

ask someone in (object before in) = invite him to enter the house: 

He didn't ask me in: he kept me standing at the door while he read the message. 

ask someone out (object before out) = invite someone to an entertainment or to a meal (usually in a public place): 

She had a lot of friends and was usually asked out in the evenings, so she seldom spent an evening at home. 

back 

back away (intr) = step or move back slowly (because confronted by some danger or unpleasantness): 

When he took a gun out everyone backed away nervously. 

back out (intr) = withdraw (from some joint action previously agreed on), discontinue or refuse to provide previously promised help or support: 

He agreed to help but backed out when he found how difficult it was. 

back somebody up = support morally or verbally: 

The headmaster never backed up his staff, (backed them up) If a parent complained about a teacher he assumed that the teacher was in the wrong. 

be 

be against (tr) = be opposed to (often used with gerund): 

I'm for doing nothing till the police arrive./I'm against doing anything till the police arrive. 

be away (intr) = be away from home/this place for at least a night. 

be back (intr) = have returned after a long or short absence: 

I want to see Mrs Pitt. Is she in? ~ No. I'm afraid she's out at the moment or 

No, I'm afraid she's away for the weekend. ~ When wilt she be back? ~ She'll be back in half an hour/next week. 

be for (tr) = be in favor of (often used with gerund). 

be in (intr) = be at home/in this building. 

be in for (tr) = be about to encounter (usually something unpleasant): 

Did you listen to the weather forecast? I'm afraid we're in for a bumpy/light. 

If you think that the work is going to be easy you're in for a shock. 

be over (intr) = be finished: 

The storm is over now; we can go on. 

be out (intr) = be away from home/from this building for a short time-not overnight. 

be up (intr) = be out of bed: 

Don't expect her to answer the doorbell at eight o 'clock on Sunday morning. She won't be up. 

bear 

bear out (tr) = confirm: . 

This report bears out my theory, (bears my theory out/bears it out) 

bear up (intr) = support bad news bravely, hide feelings of grief: 

The news of her death was a great shock to him but he bore up bravely and none of us realized how much he felt it. 

blow 

blow out (tr) = extinguish (a flame) by blowing: 

The mind blew out the candle, (blew the candle out/blew it out) blow up (tr or intr) 

(a) = destroy by an explosion, explode, be destroyed: 

They blew up the bridges so that the enemy couldn't follow them. (blew the bridges up/blew them up) Just as we got to the bridge it blew up. 

(b) = fill with air, inflate, pump up: 

The children blew up their balloons and threw them into the air. (blew the balloons up/blew them up) 

boil 

boil away (intr) = be boiled until all (the liquid) has evaporated: 

I put the kettle on the gas ring and then went away and forgot about 

it. When I returned, the water had all boiled away and the flame had 

burnt a hole in the kettle. 

boil over (intr) = to rise and flow over the sides of the container (used only of hot liquids): 

The milk boiled over and there was a horrible smell of burning. 

Break 

break down figures = take a total and sub-divide it under various 

headings so as to give additional information: 

You say that lO.OWpeople use this library. Could you break that 

down into age-groups? (say how many of these are under 25, over 

50 etc.) break down a door etc. = cause to collapse by using force: 

The firemen had to break down the door to get into the burning 

house, (break the door down/break it down) break down (intr) = collapse, cease to function properly, owing to some fault or weakness: 

(a) Used of people, it normally implies a temporary emotional collapse: 

He broke down when telling me about his son's tragic death. (He was overcome by his sorrow; he wept.) 

(b) It can express collapse of mental resistance- 

At first he refused to admit his guilt hut when he was shown the evidence he broke down and confessed. 

bum 

bum down (tr or intr) = destroy, or be destroyed completely by fire (used of buildings): 

They burnt down the embassy, {burnt the embassy 

down/burnt it down) 

The hotel bumf down before help came. 

Situation: A concert organizer is talking to a member of a band about their

upcoming performance.

Harry, I’m sorry to bring this up again, but we might have to call off your

performance next weekend. Tickets just aren’t selling. We’ve even tried giving

some tickets away, but no one wanted them. I think your band just isn’t well

known enough in this city for people to come and watch you. Anyway, we’ll

wait for another few days before deciding for sure. I’ll keep you filled in about

everything as it happens.