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Phrasal verbs (basic)

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English Learning: Basic Phrasal Verbs

Dialogue

Alice: Bob, did you remember to turn off the TV before you left this morning? Your cat was watching a documentary!

Bob: Oh, Alice! I completely forgot! I was in such a hurry to put on my new bright orange socks. They’re very important for my “lucky day” ritual.

Alice: (Laughing) Lucky day, huh? Well, you might need some luck if you forget to take out the trash. It’s starting to smell a bit… lively.

Bob: You’re right! I’ll clean up that mess as soon as I get home. I promise!

Alice: And don’t forget to pick up your dry cleaning. It’s been there for ages. They might start charging rent for your shirts!

Bob: (Sighs dramatically) So much to do! I’m always looking for my keys, too. They just love to play hide-and-seek.

Alice: Maybe you should write down your tasks. It helps me!

Bob: That’s a good idea! I tried to once, but then I couldn’t find out where I put the pen.

Alice: (Shaking her head) Classic Bob. Hey, are you planning to go out tonight? There’s a new café.

Bob: I’d love to, but I have to look after my sister’s dog. He’s a very demanding chihuahua.

Alice: A chihuahua? That sounds like a full-time job! Make sure he doesn’t chew up your new socks.

Bob: Oh no! I hadn’t even thought about that! Maybe I should put away anything important.

Alice: Definitely! And when you finally sit down tonight, don’t forget to relax.

Bob: I will, Alice. Thanks for always reminding me. I appreciate you looking out for me!

Alice: Anytime, Bob! Now, go turn on your brain before the dog eats your homework!

Current Situation

Phrasal verbs are a huge part of everyday English, especially in casual conversations. They combine a verb with a preposition (like ‘on’, ‘off’, ‘up’, ‘down’) or an adverb to create a new meaning. For beginners, they can seem tricky because the meaning often isn’t obvious from the individual words (e.g., ‘look’ means to see, but ‘look for’ means to search). Mastering basic phrasal verbs is essential for sounding more natural and understanding native speakers.

The dialogue above uses many common phrasal verbs that you’ll encounter all the time. Learning them in context, like with Alice and Bob’s funny mishaps, can make them easier to remember!

Key Phrases

  • turn off: To stop a machine or a light from working.

    My mom always tells me to turn off the lights when I leave a room.

  • put on: To place clothes or accessories on your body.

    It’s cold outside, put on a jacket!

  • take out: To remove something from inside a place; to remove trash.

    Please take out the garbage when it’s full.

  • clean up: To make a place tidy and neat.

    We need to clean up the kitchen after the party.

  • pick up: To lift something from a surface; to collect something or someone.

    Can you pick up some milk on your way home?

  • look for: To try to find something or someone.

    I’m looking for my glasses, have you seen them?

  • write down: To record information on paper.

    Don’t forget the address, write it down.

  • find out: To discover information.

    I need to find out what time the movie starts.

  • go out: To leave your house to go to a social event.

    Let’s go out for dinner tonight.

  • look after: To take care of someone or something.

    Can you look after my cat while I’m on vacation?

  • chew up: To bite food or something else into small pieces.

    My dog likes to chew up his toys very quickly.

  • put away: To return something to its proper place.

    Please put away your clothes when they’re clean.

  • sit down: To move from a standing position to a sitting position.

    Please sit down and make yourself comfortable.

  • look out for: To take care of someone and make sure they are alright.

    A good friend always looks out for you.

  • turn on: To start a machine or a light working.

    Please turn on the air conditioning, it’s hot in here.

Grammar Points

1. What are Phrasal Verbs?

A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a preposition or an adverb (or sometimes both) that creates a new meaning. This new meaning is often different from the original verb alone.

  • look (to see with your eyes)
    vs. look for (to search for something)
  • turn (to rotate)
    vs. turn on (to activate an appliance)

2. Structure of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs consist of two or three parts:

  • Verb + Preposition: (e.g., look for, look after, go out)

    Example: I look for my phone every morning.

  • Verb + Adverb: (e.g., turn off, put on, clean up)

    Example: Please turn off the light.

3. Separable vs. Inseparable Phrasal Verbs (Simplified)

Some phrasal verbs can be separated by their object, and some cannot. For beginners, it’s good to just notice this pattern.

  • Separable Phrasal Verbs: You can often put the object (the thing the action is happening to) between the verb and the particle. If the object is a pronoun (like it, him, her, them), it must go in the middle.

    Examples:

    • turn off the TV. OR turn the TV off.
    • turn it off. (You cannot say “turn off it.”)
    • pick up your clothes. OR pick your clothes up.
    • pick them up.
  • Inseparable Phrasal Verbs: The verb and the particle always stay together. You cannot put the object in the middle.

    Examples:

    • look after the baby. (You cannot say “look the baby after.”)
    • go out with friends. (go out is intransitive, so it doesn’t have an object)
    • look for your keys. (You cannot say “look your keys for.”)

Don’t worry too much about remembering “separable” and “inseparable” at first. Just try to learn common phrasal verbs with their typical usage, and you’ll naturally get used to their patterns through practice and listening!

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Match the Phrasal Verb to its Meaning

Draw a line or match the letters.

  1. Turn off
  2. Look for
  3. Put on
  4. Take out
  5. Clean up

a. Search for something
b. Remove something from inside
c. Stop a device from working
d. Make a place tidy
e. Place clothes on your body

Answers Exercise 1:

  1. c
  2. a
  3. e
  4. b
  5. d

Exercise 2: Complete the Sentences with the Correct Phrasal Verb from the Box

Use each phrasal verb once: turn on, pick up, go out, look after, put away

  1. It’s dark. Please ______ the light.
  2. My room is messy. I need to ______ my clothes.
  3. Can you ______ the kids while I run to the store?
  4. Don’t forget to ______ your friend from the airport.
  5. Let’s ______ for dinner tonight!
Answers Exercise 2:

  1. turn on
  2. put away
  3. look after
  4. pick up
  5. go out

Exercise 3: Write a Sentence

Write one complete sentence using each phrasal verb below. Try to use your own ideas!

  1. clean up
  2. look for
  3. take out
Example Answers Exercise 3:

  1. I will clean up my desk after work.
  2. She is looking for a new job.
  3. Please take out the garbage before you leave.

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