Phrasal verbs: verb + adverb

Some verb + adverb phrasal verbs have no object, i.e. they are intransitive, for example, get up, go away, hold on:

Mary went away.

Helen sat down.

The students came back.

Others do require an object, i.e. they are transitive, for example, blow something up, close something down, pick someone up:

We could make out a figure in the distance.

He tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

Could you put your clothes away, please?

If the object is a noun, many verb + adverb phrasal verbs will allow the adverb to come either:

  • BEFORE the object,

picked up Jim on my way home.

He blew out the candle.

She tidied away her things.

  • or AFTER the object.

I picked Jim up on my way home.

He blew the candle out.

She tidied her things away.

If the object is a pronoun, it must come BEFORE the adverb.

I picked him up.

He blew it out.

She tidied them away.

Sometimes you can guess the meaning of these verbs from the meanings of the parts.

  • to sit down = sit + down
  • to go away = go + away

Sometimes you have to learn the new meanings, or use a dictionary.

  • to make up (an answer) = to invent
  • to turn down (an invitation) = to decline
  • to work out (a problem) = to resolve

For further information on English Grammar, visit: https://grammar.collinsdictionary.com/easy-learning

Come back for other blogs on using English in everyday situations:

https://blog.collinsdictionary.com/language-learners/learning-english

All opinions expressed on this blog are those of the individual writers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company, HarperCollins.

Other Articles

Spanish words of the week: tinta or tinto?

Another opportunity to look at the commonest senses of some similar-looking nouns with different endings and genders and ink in their differences. This week’s words are tinta (feminine) and tinto (masculine), and perhaps we should throw in tinte… Read More

French word of the week: aussi

This series of weekly blogs takes a closer look at words from our French dictionaries. The word we're focusing on this week is the French adverb 'aussi'. Read More

What’s the difference between its and it’s?

Its and it’s are homophones that are often confused by learners and native speakers of English alike. Here is a short guide to help understand the difference between them. its Its is a possessive determiner. You use its to show that something belongs or relates to a thing, place, animal, or child. The… Read More