Separable phrasal verbs

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What are phrasal verbs? Phrasal verbs or compound verbs are idiomatic expressions formed by a verb accompanied by a preposition or an adverb, or even both, which change the meaning of the verb. In English, there are separable and inseparable phrasal verbs. Separable phrasal verbs are those in which the verb and its complement can be separated by a direct object.

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ABA on Air · Ep. 59 Phrasal Verbs | ABA on Air

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WHY IT IS ESSENTIAL TO LEARN SEPARABLE PHRASAL VERBS

To know which phrasal verbs are separable and which are not, it will be necessary to learn some concepts of English grammar. This way you will achieve using the structures correctly. Learning the grammar of a language is the foundation to achieve a good command of it, and with ABA English it will be easier than you imagine.

SENTENCES WITH SEPARABLE PHRASAL VERBS

Here are some examples of separable phrasal verbs that may be useful.

Fill out conjugated in simple present

‘Please fill the application out.’

(‘Please complete the application’).

Look up conjugated in present perfect

‘She has already looked the word up in the dictionary.’

(‘She has already looked up the word in the dictionary’).

Put off conjugated in future

‘I am sure he will put the meeting off.’

(‘I am sure he will postpone the meeting).

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Separable and inseparable phrasal verbs

Below we share a summary of the different types of phrasal verbs, separable and inseparable:

Intransitive:

They do not need an object.

The verb + particle that form the phrasal verb are always inseparable:

You should come back as soon as possible. (You should come back as soon as possible).

Transitive:

They need an object. There are 2 types:

Separable: Verb + object + particle.

I took off my socks.
I took my socks off.
(I took off my socks).

If you use the pronoun them instead of the object my socks, you always have to place it in the middle.

I took them off. (I took them off).

Inseparable: Verb + particle + object.

Zoe broke down the radio. (Zoe broke the radio).

Practice with separable phrasal verbs

A) Fill in the blanks with the correct phrasal verb and with the correct form depending on whether it is a pronoun or object.

The Government (call off) (the concert)______________________ due to the strong storm. (The Government called off the concert due to the strong storm).
When I arrived at home, my mother (fill in) (the movie) (me)___________.
(When I arrived home, my mother filled me in on the movie).
If you come earlier, you should (pick up) (her)___________________. (If you come earlier, you should pick her up).
I made a mistake with this text, thus, I have to (do over) (it)______. (I made a mistake with this text, therefore, I have to do it over).
You shouldn’t (give up) (the studies) _______________________ since you are about to finish them. (You shouldn’t give up the studies since you are about to finish them).
We had to (give out) (them) ________before seven o’clock. (We had to give them out before seven o’clock).
Please, (turn off) (the engine)______________________ because I can hear nothing. (Please turn off the engine because I can hear nothing).
These new shoes don’t fit me in. I will (give away) (them)_______________. (These new shoes don’t fit me. I will give them away).
My boss (hand in) (a lot of documents)____________________ and he left. (My boss handed in a lot of documents and left).
If I were you, I would (write down) (all the messages)______________. (If I were you, I would write down all the messages).

Answers: 1. called off the concert / called the concert off, 2. filled me in on the movie, 3. pick her up, 4. do it over, 5. give the studies up / give up the studies, 6. give them out, 7. turn the engine off / turn off the engine. 8. give them away, 9. handed in a lot of documents / handed a lot of documents in. 10. write down all the messages / write all the messages down.