Phrasal Verbs (2): Separability

1 Grammatically, phrasal verbs fall into three* groups. Some phrasal verbs can belong to different groups  sometimes with different meanings. For example, clear up:

• • Who’s going to clear up the mess? (= remove)
  • The weather soon cleared up. (= improved)

2 Verbs in the first group consist of verb + adverb and they have an object. When the object is a noun, there are two possible positions, e.g.:

• • Tim cleared up the mess.
  • Tim cleared the mess up.

However, when the object is a pronoun, it goes between the two parts of the verb, e.g.: Tim cleared it up. (NOT: Tim cleared up it.)

Some common verbs in this group are:

break off, carry on, draw out, get off, give up, knock down, lay off, let out, make up, pay in, put on, rub out, set up, shut down, sort out

3 Verbs in the second group consist of verb + adverb but there is no object, e.g.: Where did you grow up?

Some common verbs in this group are:

call in, come about, cut down, drop in, go on, hang on, look out, stay in

4 Verbs in the third group consist of verb + adverb + preposition and they have an object, e.g.:

I can’t put up with all this noise.

Some common verbs in this group are:

do away with, face up to, get away with, put up with

Practice

A Complete these dialogues with the phrasal verb and a pronoun.

▸ A: Has somebody put the lights on?

    B: I think Joe’s put them on.

1 A: When did they knock down the cinema?

  B: They………………… several months ago.

2 A: Look at this skirt! How can I get the ink off?

   B: I think the only way to ……….……… is to take it to the cleaner’s.

3 A: Somebody’s rubbed out my name.

   B: Well, I haven’t…………………….. .

4 A: Sally and Pete have broken off their engagement.

   B: Oh! When did they ……………………… ?

B Replace the expression underlined in each sentence with the correct form of one of the phrasal verbs below.

drop in, get away with, hang on, knock down, put up with, sort out

▸They’re going to demolish those old houses.

   They’re going to knock down those old houses.

1 The gang escaped taking 5 million pounds.

The gang……………. 5 million pounds.

2 I’m going out. I can’t stand the smoke in here.

   I’m going out. I can’t…………………… the smoke in here.

3 Marjorie says she’s going to visit us on Thursday.

    Marjorie says she’s going to……………………. on Thursday.

4 Wait! I’ve just got to get my jacket.

   ……! I’ve just got to get my jacket.

5 We still haven’t arranged who does the different jobs.

   We still haven’t ….. who does the different jobs.

C Complete this interview by putting the correct form of one of the phrasal verbs in each space.

carry on, come about, cut down, do away with, draw out, drop in, face up to, give up, go on, grow up, lay off, let out, make up, pay in, set up, shut down, stay in

Interviewer: I understand that your early life was not easy. Can you tell us a little about it? Where were you born?

Ruth: In Barnsley, in the north of England and that’s where I (▸) grew up.

Interviewer: Were you lonely as a child?

Ruth: I had three sisters and two brothers so it was never quiet. There was always something (1)……….. The house was never empty because neighbours (2)……….. all the time.

Interviewer: Do you remember any particularly happy moments?

Ruth: Yes, when we went to bed my mother always told us stories. She didn’t have a book- she just (3)…………. them ……………herself.

Interviewer: And then things went wrong. How did that (4)…………………….?

Ruth: Well, in the first place my father smoked a lot. He always said that he was going to (5)………….. , but he never did. He got very ill and he was in hospital for several weeks. Even when the hospital (6)……………………. him. ……………, he wasn’t well. He had to (7)……………….and keep warm so that his bronchitis wouldn’t start again. But at least he had the sense to finally (8)……………………. smoking.

Interviewer: But things got worse.

Ruth: Yes, while he was recovering we heard that the factory where he worked had (9)…………………… a lot of workers. At first he wasn’t affected but then we heard that they were going to (10)………….…. the factory…………… .

Interviewer: And then things got better.

Ruth: Yes, my parents had to (11)………….their new situation. They said that businesses could (12)……………factory workers but they would always need office staff. Luckily they had a savings account and every week they had (13)………….….. something……………….. . Now they decided to (14)…………their savings and (15)…………………… a little business selling office equipment. It did quite well and when they retired I decided to (16)……………………. it……… .

Interviewer: Well, that is a story with a happy end. Thank you for speaking to me.

Source: Oxford Practice Grammar

1. Answer key

A

1. knocked it down
2. get it off
3. rubbed it out
4. break it off

B

1. got away with it
2. put up with
3. drop in
4. Hang on
5. sorted out

C

1. going on
2. dropped in/ were dropping in
3. made (them) up
4. come about
5. cut down
6. let (him) out
7. stay in
8. give up
9. laid off
10. shut (the factory) down
11. face up to
12. do away with
13. paid (something) in
14. draw out
15. set up
16. carry (it) on