IDIOM CONNECTION

English Idioms and Quizzes

IDIOM CONNECTION

What is a phrasal verb?

A phrasal verb is a two-part or three-part verb that consists of a verb plus a particle (adverb or preposition). It can be a combination of a verb and an adverb, a verb and a preposition, or a verb and an adverb and a preposition.

Verb and Adverb (run + around)

to run around (something) - to run in a circle around something
The dog ran around the tree.

Verb and Preposition (run + into)

to run into (someone or something) - to hit or crash into someone or something
The car ran into the truck on the busy street.

Verb and Adverb and Preposition (run + around + with)

to run around with (someone) - to be friends and do things with someone or with a group of people
The boy is running around with a bad group of people.

Transitive Phrasal Verbs

Transitive phrasal verbs need an object.

to look into (something) - to investigate the facts about something
The teacher will look into the problem.

Separable/Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

If the phrasal verb has an object, sometimes you can separate the phrasal verb and put the object between the verb and the particle.

to pick up (something) or to pick (something) up - to take something that has fallen on the floor or the ground and put it someplace
This is a separable phrasal verb.

Some phrasal verbs with an object cannot be separated. These are inseparable phrasal verbs. You can look into (something) but you cannot look (something) into

Intransitive Phrasal Verbs

Intransitive phrasal verbs do not need an object.

to come up - to rise (used for the sun)
I like to watch the sun come up in the morning.
You cannot come up the sun

Phrasal Nouns

Phrasal nouns are nouns that are made from phrasal verbs.

to hand out (something) or to hand (something) out - to give something of the same kind to several people
The teacher will hand out the papers soon.
We received a handout in our class today.

The phrasal verb is to hand out and the phrasal noun is a handout

Phrasal Adjectives

Phrasal adjectives are adjectives that are made from phrasal verbs.

to go on - to continue
The problem has been going on for many months.
It is an ongoing problem.

The phrasal verb is to go on and the phrasal adjective is ongoing

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