P h ra sa l Ve rb s L i st
Phrasal Ve rbs List (EnglishClub.com)
Ph ras al v erb s are u s u ally two -wo rd p h ras es co n s is tin g o f verb + adverb o r verb + prepos ition. Th in k o f th em as y o u wo u ld an y o th er
En g lis h v o cab u lary . Stu d y th em as y o u co me acro s s th em, rath er th an try in g to memo rize man y at o n ce. Us e th e lis t b elo w as a referen ce g u id e wh en y o u fin d an exp res s io n th at y o u d o n 't reco g n ize. Th e examp les will h elp y o u u n d ers tan d th e mean in g s . If y o u th in k o f each p h ras al v erb as a s ep arate v erb with a s p ecific mean in g , y o u will b e ab le to rememb er it mo re eas ily . Like man y o th er v erb s , p h ras al v erb s o ften h av e mo re th an o n e mean in g .
Th is lis t s h o ws ab o u t 200 co mmo n p h ras al v erb s , with mean in g s an d examp les . On ly th e mo s t u s u al mean in g s are g iv en . So me p h ras al v erb s may h av e ad d itio n al mean in g s .
A s well as learn in g th eir mean in g s , y o u n eed to learn h o w to u s e p h ras al v erb s p ro p erly . So me p h ras al v erb s req u ire a d irect o b ject
(so meo n e/so meth in g ), wh ile o th ers d o n o t. So me p h ras al v erb s can b e s ep arated b y th e o b ject, wh ile o th ers can n o t. Rev iew th is p h ras al v erb s g rammar fro m time to time s o th at y o u d o n 't fo rg et th e ru les !
Verb
Meaning
Example
as k so meo n e out
in v ite o n a d ate
Brian as k ed Ju d y out to d in n er an d a mo v ie.
as k around
as k man y p eo p le th e s ame q u es tio n
I as k ed around b u t n o b o d y h as s een my wallet.
add up to so meth in g
eq u al
Yo u r p u rch as es add up to $205.32.
back so meth in g up
rev ers e
Yo u 'll h av e to back up y o u r car s o th at I can g et o u t.
back so meo n e up
s u p p o rt
M y wife back ed me up o v er my d ecis io n to q u it my jo b .