Separable and Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Separable and Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a preposition or adverb (or both) that means something different from each of the words that make up the verb. There are two types of phrasal verbs. Separable phrasal verbs can be broken up by other words, while inseparable phrasal verbs cannot be separated by other words.

Separable Phrasal Verbs

You can insert other words into the middle of a separable phrasal verb. Consider the following example, using the phrasal verb take back:

I need to take back the shirt I lent you.

Where’s that shirt I lent you? I need to take it back .

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Inseparable phrasal verbs can be transitive (i.e., they can take a direct object), but you can’t insert that direct object into the middle of the phrasal verb. In other words, they can’t be separated, thus their name. Consider the following examples:

If you focus your education solely on one area, you’ll have nothing to fall back on if you change your mind.

Each child should have at least one older child to look up to .

What does i.e. stand for ? It stands for id est, or that is.

Phrasal Verb	Separable or Inseparable	Meaning
Ask out	Separable	To ask someone to go out on a date.
Bring about, bring on	Separable	To make something happen
Bring up	Separable	1) To raise children 2) To raise a topic
Call back	Separable	Return someone's telephone call
Call in	Separable	Ask someone into an official place or office
Call off	Separable	Cancel
Call on	Inseparable	1) Ask someone to do something 2) Visit
Call up	Separable	Call someone on the telephone
Catch up	Inseparable	To become equal or reach the same level
Check in, check into	Inseparable	Register at a hotel or travel counter
Check out	Inseparable	Leave a hotel
Check out of	Inseparable	Leave a hotel
Cheer up	Separable	Make someone happy
Clean up	Separable	Tidy, make clean
Come across	Inseparable	To find
Cross out	Separable	Eliminate
Cut out	Separable	Remove something or stop doing something annoying
Do over	Separable	Repeat
Drop by	Inseparable	Visit unexpectedly
Drop in	Inseparable	Visit unexpectedly
Drop off	Separable	Leave something somewhere
Drop out	Inseparable	Stop attending a class
Figure out	Separable	Understand
Fill out	Separable	Complete a form
Fill in	Separable	Complete spaces on a form
Get along with	Inseparable	Have a good relationship with
Get back from	1) Inseparable 2) Separable	1) Return from somewhere 2) Receive something originally lent to another person
Get in	Inseparable	Enter
Get off	Inseparable	Leave a bus, train, airplane
Get on	Inseparable	Enter a bus, train, airplane
Get out of	Inseparable	Leave a car
Get over	Inseparable	Recover
Get through	Inseparable	Survive
Get up	Inseparable	Stand up
Give back	Separable	Return
Give up	Separable	Stop trying
Go over	Inseparable	Review
Grow up	Inseparable	Become an adult
Hand in	Separable	Give an assignment or project to a teacher
Hang up	Separable	Replace the telephone in the receiver
Have on	Separable	Wear
Keep out	Separable	Not enter
Keep up with	Inseparable	Stay at the same level
Kick out	Separable	Ask to leave
Look after	Inseparable	Take care of
Look into	Inseparable	Investigate
Look out for	Inseparable	Watch for
Look over	Separable	Review
Look up	Separable	Try to find information
Make up	Separable	Invent
Pass away	Inseparable	Die
Pass out	1) Inseparable 2) Separable	1) Faint 2) Distribute
Pick up	Separable	Lift
Pick out	Separable	Choose
Point out	Separable	Identify
Put away	Separable	Put in the proper place
Put back	Separable	Return
Put off	Separable	Delay
Put on	Separable	Get dressed or dress someone
Put out	Separable	Extinguish
Put up with	Inseparable	Tolerate
Run into	Inseparable	Find or meet
Run across	Inseparable	Find or meet
Run out of	Inseparable	Come to the end of something
Show up	Inseparable	Appear
Show off	Separable	Demonstrate something of envy
Shut off	Separable	Stop something from running
Take after	Inseparable	Be like someone
Take off	Separable	Remove
Take out	Separable	1) Remove 2) Go on a date with someone
Take over	Separable	Take control
Take up	Inseparable	Begin
Tear down	Separable	Demolish or destroy
Tear up	Separable	Rip into pieces
Think over	Separable	Consider, ponder
Throw away	Separable	Discard
Throw out	Separable	Discard
Throw up	Inseparable	Vomit
Try on	Separable	Test
Turn down	Separable	Reduce
Turn in	Separable	Go to bed
Turn off	Separable	Stop a machine
Turn on	Separable	Start a machine
Turn out	Separable	Put out a light
Turn up	Separable	Increase

Principio del formulario

1.     turn on →

 He turned on the light.

 He turned the light on.

2.     hand in →

 Hand in your homework on time.

 Hand your homework in on time.

3.     get on →

 They got on the bus.

 They got the bus on.

4.     look up →

 Look up the words in a dictionary.

 Look the words up in a dictionary.

5.     grow up →

 He grew up in North Carolina.

 He grew in North Carolina up.

6.     check in →

 We checked in at our hotel.

 We checked at our hotel in.

7.     give up →

 They gave up smoking.

 They gave smoking up.

8.     ask out →

 Henry asked Jenny out.

 Henry asked out Jenny.

9.     mix up →

 We mixed up the numbers.

 We mixed the numbers up.

10. look after →

 Dennis looked after his brother.

 Dennis looked his brother after.

Final del formulario