We often use verbs with the following words:
in out on off up down away back round through about along over forward by
So you can say put out/get on/take off/run away etc. These verbs are phrasal verbs. We often use out/off/up etc. with verbs of movement. For example:
get on: * The bus was full. We couldn't get on.
drive off: * A woman got into the car and drove off.
come back: * Sally is leaving tomorrow and coming back on Saturday.
turn round: * When I touched him on the shoulder, he turned round.
But often the second word (out/off/up etc.) gives a special meaning to the verb. For example:
break down: * Sorry I'm late. The car broke down. (= the engine stopped working)
look out: * Look out! There's a car coming. (= be careful)
take off: * It was my first flight. I was nervous as the plane took off. (= went into the air)
get up: * I was very tired this morning. I couldn't get up. (= get out of bed)
get on: * How was the exam? How did you get on? (= how did you do?)
get by: * My French isn't very good but it's enough to get by. (= to manage)
Sometimes a phrasal verb is followed by a preposition. For example:
* Why did you run away from me?
* You're walking too fast. I can't keep up with you.
* Are you looking forward to your holiday?
* Jack is trying to cut down on smoking. (=reduce smoking)
Sometimes a phrasal verb has an object. Usually there are two possible positions for the object. So you can say:
I turned off _the light._(object) or I turned the light off.
If the object is a pronoun (it/them/me/him etc.), only one position is possible:
I turned it off. (not 'I turned off it')
Some more examples:
* Could you fill in this form?
* Could you fill this form in?
but They gave me a form and told me to fill it in. (not 'fill in it')
* The police got into the house by breaking down the door.
* The police got into the house by breaking the door down.
but The door wasn't locked. Why did the police break it down? (not 'break down it')
* I think I'll throw away these newspapers.
* I think I'll throw these newspapers away.
but Do you want these newspapers or shall I throw them away? (not 'throw away them')
* Don't wake up the baby.
* Don't wake the baby up.
but The baby is asleep. Don't wake her up. (not 'wake up her')
EXERCISES
136.1 Complete the sentences using one of these phrasal verbs (in the correct form):
break down
drop out (= stop taking part in something)
clear up (= become brighter-for weather)
move in (= start living in a house etc.)
close down (= go out of business)
show off (= show how clever you are)
doze off (= fall asleep)
turn up (= appear/arrive)
1. Sorry I'm late. The car _broke down_ on the way here.
2. I arranged to meet Jane after work last night but she didn't ---.
3. 'We've bought a new house.' 'Oh, have you? When are you ---?'
4. There used to be a shop at the end of the street but it --- a year ago.
5. I ran in a marathon last week but I wasn't fit enough. I --- after 15 kilometres.
6. We all know how wonderful you are. There's no need to ---.
7. I was very tired. I sat in an armchair and ---.
8. The weather is horrible at the moment, isn't it? I hope it --- later.
136.2 Complete the sentences using a word from List A and a word from List B. You need to use some words more than once.
A: away back forward on out up,
B: at of to with
1. You're walking too fast. I can't keep _up with_ you.
2. My holidays are nearly over. Next week I'll be --- work.
3. We've nearly run --- money. We've got very little left.
4. Martin isn't very happy in his job because he doesn't get --- his boss.
5. I love to look --- the stars in the sky at night.
6. Are you looking --- the party next week?
7. There was a bank robbery last week. The robbers got --- 30,000 pounds.
136.3 Complete the sentences using one of these verbs (in the correct form) + it/them/her/you:
cross out give away, make up, turn down (= refuse) fill in, give back, show round see off (= see somebody leave)
1. They gave me a form and told me to _fill in it._
2. If you make a mistake on the form, just ---.
3. The story she told you wasn't true. She ---.
4. I don't like people who borrow things and don't ---.
5. Katy is going to Australia tomorrow. I'm going to the airport to ---.
6. I had a lot of books that I didn't want to keep, so I --- to a friend.
7. Would you like to see the factory? Would you like me to ---?
8. Sue was offered a job as a translator but she ---.
136.4 Complete the sentences. Use the word in brackets (away/up etc.) with one of the following: that box your cigarette a jacket the television a word it it them him
1. Don't throw _away that box(or that away)._ I want to keep it. (away)
2. 'Do you want this box?' 'No, you can throw _it away._' (away)
3. Shhh! The children are asleep. Don't wake ---. (up)
4. We can turn --- Nobody is watching it. (off)
5. Tom got very angry and started shouting. I tried to calm --- (down)
6. I tried --- in the shop but I didn't buy it. (on)
7. Please put --- This is a no-smoking area. (out)
8. It was only a small fire. I was able to put --- quite easily. (out)
9. You can look --- in a dictionary if you don't know what it means. (up)
10. You're doing very well. Keep ---! (up)
136.1
2 turn up
3 moving in
4 closed down
5 dropped out
6 show off
7 dozed off
8 clears up
136.2
2 back at
3 out of
4 on with
5 up at
6 forward to
7 away with
136.3
2 cross it out
3 made it up
4 give them back
5 see her off
6 gave them away
7 show you round
8 turned it down
136.4
3 them up
4 the television off or off the television
5 him down
6 a jacket on or on a jacket
7 your cigarette out or out your cigarette
8 it out
9 a word up or up a word
10 it up
