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THE FLATMATES
Language point:
Phrasal verbs
BBC Learning English – The Flatmates
The Flatmates – Phrasal verbs
You can see this language point online at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode33/languagepoint.shtml
Phrasal verbs are composed of two words: a main verb and a particle. Look at these
examples from this week's episode:
To turn something off – to stop something working, to switch something off
To work on something – to concentrate on a task, to do a task
To cut something off – to stop the supply of something, to disconnect something
To get on with something – to do something without delay
To carry on – to continue
To put someone off – to distract someone
To put up with something – to tolerate something
There are four different types of phrasal verb:
Type A
These phrasal verbs take a direct object (they are transitive):
I turned off the water
I cut off the water
He picked up Spanish easily
You can separate the two parts of the phrasal verb with the object:
I turned the water off
I cut the water off
He picked Spanish up easily
If you use an object pronoun (me, you, him, her, it, us, them) you must
separate the two parts of the phrasal verb:
I turned it off
I cut it off
He picked it up easily
Type B
These phrasal verbs take a direct object (they are transitive) but you cannot
separate the two parts of the verb:
I’m working on a new project
I’m working on it
Keep off the grass!
Keep off it!
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Type C
These phrasal verbs do not take a direct object (they are intransitive) and you
never separate the two parts of the verb:
Tim didn’t stop. He carried on
The water finally ran out
Type D
These phrasal verbs are composed of three words. They always have a direct
object and you never separate these words with the object or the object pronoun:
I put up with it for too long
She is looking forward to the weekend
One verb, two types
Some phrasal verbs can be both Type C and Type D. You can add a new particle so
that the verb can then take a direct object:
To carry on/ to carry on with something
Even though he was tired, he carried on
Even though he was tired, he carried on with his work
To check out/to check out of somewhere
She checked out at 10 o'clock
She checked out of the hotel at 10 o'clock
Verb patterns
If you have another verb after a phrasal verb, you always use the gerund form (ing) of the second verb:
He carried on working
I’m looking forward to meeting you
Vocabulary:
a tap:
the thing you turn to let water run into a sink
a spanner:
a tool used to turn nuts
to drip:
when small drops of water fall regularly, from a tap or a leaking roof
to cut something off:
to stop the supply of something, to disconnect something
to get on with something:
to do something without delay
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to carry on:
to continue
to put someone off:
to distract someone
to put up with something:
to tolerate something
Would you like to try an online quiz about this language point? Go to:
http://bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode33/quiz.shtml
Or you can download the quiz from:
http://bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode33/quiz.pdf
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