Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Phrasal verbs combine a verb with a particle (like 'up' or 'out') to create a brand new meaning.
- The meaning is often idiomatic: 'give up' doesn't mean 'give' something upwards.
- Separable verbs allow objects in the middle: 'Turn the light off' or 'Turn off the light'.
- Pronouns MUST go in the middle: 'Turn it off', never 'Turn off it'.
Overview
to delay（推迟），母语者更常使用 to put off。look（看，将目光投向）加上 up（一个方向，向上）构成了 look up（查找信息，如在字典中 look up a word）。这个小词从根本上改变了动词的语义范围，超越了其字面上的空间或方向意义。这种现象源于英语的日耳曼语系根源，其中复合词和使用小词非常普遍。take 为例。单独的 take 意思是“拿取”或“接受”某物。但是，当它与不同的词组合时，它的意思会完全改变。take off 可以表示“脱下（衣物）”，例如 Please take off your shoes.（请脱鞋）。The plane took off on time.（飞机准时起飞）。off 并非字面上指示向下运动或分离（不像在 jump off a chair 中介词 off 的用法）；相反，它构成了动词新定义的一个不可分割的部分。这个整合的小词起到了修饰作用，创造了一个词汇单元，其含义常常是无法从其组成部分预测的。短语动词可以是及物动词 (transitive)，需要宾语（如 turn on the light），也可以是不及物动词 (intransitive)，不需要宾语（如 wake up）。- 1动词 + 副词 (Verb + Adverb) - 纯粹的短语动词:
- 可分示例:
turn on turn the light on（把灯打开）turn it on（把它打开——注意代词it必须在中间）- 不及物示例:
get up（起床） I get up early every day.（我每天起得很早。）——没有宾语，所以永远不可分。- 表格：动词 + 副词 的可分性
pick up the book | pick it up |pick up the book | 错误: pick up it |- 1动词 + 介词 (Verb + Preposition) - 介词动词:
- 示例:
look after（照顾） look after your children（照顾你的孩子）- 绝不能:
look your children after - 这里的介词支配着它后面的名词或代词，就像一个常规的介词短语一样，但它在语义上与动词融合在一起。
- 1动词 + 副词 + 介词 (Verb + Adverb + Preposition) - 三部分短语动词:
- 示例:
look forward to（期待） I look forward to meeting you.（我期待见到你。）get along with（与…相处融洽）They get along with their neighbours.（他们与邻居相处融洽。）
Let's hang out this weekend. （这周末出来玩吧。）——比 Let's socialize（社交）更自然。I'll look into that issue for you. （我会帮你调查那个问题。）——比 I will investigate 更常用。We need to follow up on the client's request. （我们需要跟进客户的请求。）Did you check out that new movie? （你看那个新电影了吗？）I need to figure out what to do. （我得想明白该怎么办。）Could you turn on the light? （你能开下灯吗？）I need to pick up some groceries. （我需要去买些杂货。）come up with 是 to conceive（构思）或 to invent（发明）的一个动态替代词，它提供了一种创造或发现的感觉，这是非常地道的。掌握常见的短语动词能展示你对英语节奏和用法的更深层次理解，超越单纯的语法正确性，达到真正的语言熟练度。它们是母语者交流中连接思想的语言“粘合剂”。The committee put off the decision（委员会推迟了决定），不如说 The committee postponed the decision。Researchers brought up a new theory（研究人员提出了一个新理论），不如说 Researchers proposed a new theory 或 Researchers introduced a new theory。We need to find out the results（我们需要找出结果），不如说 We need to ascertain the results（我们需要查明结果）。set up，任务中的 carry out），但 B1 级别的学习者在撰写学术论文、正式提案或官方文件时，通常应优先选择更正式的单一动词。- 1字面解释习语含义: 最常见的错误是试图从构成短语动词的单个词的字面意思来推断其含义。例如，
run into并非字面上的“撞进”；它通常意思是“意外遇到某人”。学习者常常把look up理解为“向上看”，而不是“查找信息”。务必将短语动词作为单个、不可分割的语义单元来学习。 - 2错误的可分性处理:
I looked the children after 而不是正确的 I looked after the children 就是一个错误。I turned on it 而不是正确的 I turned it on。这条规则对代词来说是绝对的。- 1过度正式化或过度非正式化: 在高度正式的学术语境中使用短语动词，而此时更适合使用单一的、更正式的动词；或者反之，在休闲对话中总是使用正式动词，这会显得生硬。理解语境和语域是关键。
- 2误识别小词: 将副词小词与引入介词短语的介词混淆。这会导致对动词含义或其可分性的理解错误（参见“Contrast With Similar Patterns”部分）。
- 3假设及物性: 并非所有短语动词都是及物动词；有些是不及物动词（如
wake up、break down）。尝试将宾语用于不及物短语动词是错误的（例如，The car broke down the engine是错误的；正确的应该是The car broke down）。 - 4忽略搭配 (Collocations): 短语动词常常与特定的名词或特定类型的宾语一起使用。使用不恰当的宾语会听起来不自然（例如
come up with a decision不如make a decision自然；而come up with an idea则很自然）。
pick up，不如学习 pick up the kids（接孩子）、pick up a skill（学会一项技能）或 pick up the phone（接电话），这些都提供了即时的语境。get along with | get along with your colleagues/family | 与某人关系好 |run out of | run out of milk/money/time/patience | 用完某物的储备 |put up with | put up with noise/bad behaviour/traffic | 容忍，忍受不愉快的事情 |come up with | come up with an idea/solution/plan | 提出，想出（想法或计划） |take after | take after your mother/father/sibling | （外貌或行为）像（父母或长辈） |look forward to | look forward to the weekend/meeting you | 期待（某事发生） |break down | car/machine breaks down, break down barriers | 停止运转；瓦解/克服障碍 |point out | point out a mistake/detail/solution | 指出，强调（某事） |- 1短语动词 (动词 + 小词):
- 小词（副词或介词）是动词不可分割的一部分。
- 它与动词结合形成一个新的、单一的语义单位。
- 含义通常是习语性的，不能仅从字面意思推断。
- 可分性: 副词小词的短语动词可能可以被宾语分开（如果宾语是名词），但代词宾语必须放在中间。
- 示例:
look up（查找信息），turn on（打开）。
- 1动词 + 介词短语:
- 动词和后面的介词是独立的单元。
- 介词后面跟着一个名词短语（作为介词的宾语），形成一个标准的介词短语。
- 动词的含义是字面的，介词表示其常规的空间、时间或方向关系。
- 不可分性: 动词和介词之间不能插入任何东西，宾语必须紧跟介词。
- 示例:
look at（看，目光投向某物），listen to（听）。
look after)， “查阅” (look up) | “看（某物）” (look at something)， “听（某事）” (listen to something) |She looked up the word. She looked the word up. | She looked at the picture. (不能说 She looked the picture at.) |He turned on the TV. He turned it on. | He listened to the music. (不能说 He listened the music to.) |look up（查找）当作 look up（向上看）会完全误解句子意思。run into（意外遇见）是一个短语动词，而 run into the building（跑进大楼）是一个动词加介词短语。前者是习语，后者是字面描述。- 1循序渐进: 先专注于最常用的。比如
get up,turn on,turn off,look for,give up等。 - 2语境学习: 不要孤立地记单词。在阅读或听力中遇到时，留意它所在的句子和具体含义。比如，看到
run out of milk，就记住“牛奶用完了”。 - 3分类记忆: 按动词（如所有关于
look的短语动词）或按小词（如所有关于up的短语动词）来记忆，可以帮助建立联系。 - 4多加练习: 在写作和口语中有意识地使用你学到的短语动词。用得越多，记得越牢。
turn on the light / turn the light on）。look at the picture，不能说 look the picture at）。postpone 而不是 put off），但有些短语动词已经非常普遍，甚至在正式场合也可能被接受，例如 carry out（执行）或 set up（建立，设置）。give up（放弃），中文可以说“放弃”；英语的 put off（推迟），中文可以说“推迟”。Conjugating Phrasal Verbs (Example: 'Pick up')
| Tense | Subject | Verb Form | Particle | Object |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
I
|
pick
|
up
|
the phone
|
|
Present Continuous
|
She
|
is picking
|
up
|
the phone
|
|
Past Simple
|
They
|
picked
|
up
|
the phone
|
|
Present Perfect
|
We
|
have picked
|
up
|
the phone
|
|
Future (will)
|
He
|
will pick
|
up
|
the phone
|
|
Negative (Past)
|
I
|
did not pick
|
up
|
the phone
|
|
Question (Present)
|
Do
|
you pick
|
up
|
the phone?
|
|
With Pronoun
|
I
|
pick
|
it
|
up
|
Meanings
A phrasal verb is a combination of a standard verb and an adverb or preposition (a particle) that functions as a single semantic unit with a meaning distinct from its individual parts.
Literal Movement
The particle indicates a literal direction or physical action.
“She stood up when the teacher entered.”
“Please put the book down on the table.”
Idiomatic/Figurative
The combination creates a completely new meaning that cannot be guessed from the parts.
“I give up; I can't solve this puzzle.”
“We ran out of milk this morning.”
Aspectual/Completion
The particle indicates that an action is finished or done thoroughly.
“Drink up! We have to leave soon.”
“Eat up your vegetables.”
Reference Table
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Intransitive
|
Verb + Particle
|
The car broke down.
|
|
Transitive (Separable)
|
Verb + Object + Particle
|
Turn the light off.
|
|
Transitive (Separable)
|
Verb + Particle + Object
|
Turn off the light.
|
|
Transitive (Pronoun)
|
Verb + Pronoun + Particle
|
Turn it off. (Required)
|
|
Transitive (Inseparable)
|
Verb + Particle + Object
|
I'm looking for my cat.
|
|
Three-word
|
Verb + Particle + Particle + Object
|
I look up to her.
|
|
Negative
|
Auxiliary + not + Verb + Particle
|
Don't give up.
|
|
Question
|
Auxiliary + Subject + Verb + Particle
|
Did you find out?
|
正式程度
The committee decided to cancel the meeting. (Professional/Social)
They decided to call off the meeting. (Professional/Social)
They called the meeting off. (Professional/Social)
They axed the meet. (Professional/Social)
The Many Meanings of 'PICK'
Up
- Collect someone Pick up the kids
- Learn naturally Pick up a language
Out
- Choose Pick out a dress
On
- Bully Don't pick on him
Separable vs. Inseparable
Where does the object go?
Is the object a pronoun (it/them)?
Is the verb separable?
Common Particles & Meanings
UP (Completion)
- • Eat up
- • Clean up
- • Use up
OFF (Departure)
- • Take off
- • Set off
- • See off
ON (Continuance)
- • Go on
- • Carry on
- • Keep on
按水平分级的例句
Please sit down.
Por favor, siéntate.
I get up at 7 AM.
Me levanto a las 7 AM.
Turn off the light.
Apaga la luz.
Come in, please.
Adelante, por favor.
Can you pick up the kids?
¿Puedes recoger a los niños?
I need to fill out this form.
Necesito rellenar este formulario.
She is looking for her keys.
Ella está buscando sus llaves.
Don't give up!
¡No te rindas!
We ran out of milk.
Se nos acabó la leche.
I get along with my boss.
Me llevo bien con mi jefe.
He turned the job down.
Él rechazó el trabajo.
I'll look into the problem.
Investigaré el problema.
The deal fell through at the last minute.
El trato fracasó en el último minuto.
I can't make out what he's saying.
No alcanzo a entender lo que dice.
She really takes after her mother.
Ella realmente se parece a su madre.
We need to cut down on sugar.
Necesitamos reducir el consumo de azúcar.
The evidence doesn't bear out his theory.
La evidencia no respalda su teoría.
I was completely taken in by his lies.
Fui completamente engañado por sus mentiras.
He managed to gloss over the mistakes.
Logró pasar por alto los errores.
The meeting was called off.
La reunión fue cancelada.
He's always harking back to the 'good old days'.
Siempre está recordando los 'viejos tiempos'.
The effects of the drug began to wear off.
Los efectos de la droga empezaron a desaparecer.
I had to knuckle down to finish the report.
Tuve que ponerme manos a la obra para terminar el informe.
She eked out a living as a street performer.
Se ganaba la vida a duras penas como artista callejera.
容易混淆
Learners confuse 'look for' (phrasal) with 'look at' (prepositional).
Not knowing if you can put the object in the middle.
Trying to add an object to a verb that doesn't take one.
常见错误
I get up at 7 yesterday.
I got up at 7 yesterday.
Sit you down.
Sit down.
Turn off it.
Turn it off.
I look my keys for.
I am looking for my keys.
He is looking his brother after.
He is looking after his brother.
I ran out milk.
I ran out of milk.
I will pick up you.
I will pick you up.
The plane took off the ground.
The plane took off.
I look forward to meet you.
I look forward to meeting you.
He brought up it.
He brought it up.
He glossed the errors over.
He glossed over the errors.
句型
I need to ___ my ___.
Don't forget to ___ it ___.
I'm really looking forward to ___.
He ___ the meeting because he was sick.
Real World Usage
I'll hit you up later.
I'm looking for a role where I can grow.
What time do we check in?
Check out my new video!
Do you want to eat in or take out?
Try turning it off and on again.
Learn in Context
The Pronoun Rule
Particle Logic
Don't be too formal
Smart Tips
Always put the pronoun in the middle. It's the safest bet for separable verbs.
Replace 'continue', 'cancel', and 'search' with 'go on', 'call off', and 'look for'.
Check if it means 'completely'. Often, 'up' just adds emphasis to finishing something.
Use 'look forward to' + -ing. It's the perfect professional closing.
发音
Stress the Particle
In phrasal verbs, the stress usually falls on the particle, not the verb.
Linking
If the verb ends in a consonant and the particle starts with a vowel, they link together.
Rising on Particle
Did you wake UP? ↗️
Standard question intonation focusing on the action.
记住它
记忆技巧
P.V.P: Pronouns Visit the Phrasal-middle! (Always put it/them in the middle of separable verbs).
视觉联想
Imagine a phrasal verb as a sandwich. The Verb and Particle are the bread. If the object is a small 'pronoun' olive, it must go inside the sandwich. If it's a big 'noun' steak, it can go inside or on the side.
Rhyme
If it's a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', / Put it in the middle, not at the end!
Story
I woke up and got up. I turned on the light and put on my clothes. I ran out of coffee, so I went out to the store. I ran into a friend and we caught up.
Word Web
挑战
Look around your room. Find 5 things you can do using phrasal verbs (e.g., 'turn on the lamp', 'pick up a pen') and say them out loud using pronouns ('turn it on', 'pick it up').
文化笔记
BrE often uses 'fill in' a form, while American English uses 'fill out'.
AmE uses 'figure out' very frequently for solving problems, whereas BrE might use 'work out'.
Aussies often use 'reckon' combined with particles in unique ways, though standard phrasal verbs remain the same.
Phrasal verbs are a core feature of Germanic languages (like Old English, German, and Dutch).
对话开场白
What time do you usually get up on weekends?
Have you ever turned down a job offer?
Who do you look up to the most in your life?
What is something you've recently found out?
日记主题
常见错误
Test Yourself
Which one is correct?
I'm looking ___ my glasses. Have you seen them?
Find and fix the mistake:
Yesterday, I find out the truth.
We had to cancel the match.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: Can you hear that noise? B: No, can you turn the radio ___?
Look after (someone)
up / the / pick / kids / I / will
Score: /8
练习题
8 exercisesWhich one is correct?
I'm looking ___ my glasses. Have you seen them?
Find and fix the mistake:
Yesterday, I find out the truth.
We had to cancel the match.
Give up
A: Can you hear that noise? B: No, can you turn the radio ___?
Look after (someone)
up / the / pick / kids / I / will
Score: /8
Practice Bank
13 exercisesDon't forget to `put ___` your coat before you go out.
I need to `look ___` my little brother while my parents are away.
Could you `run through` the instructions me one more time?
Which sentence is correct?
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'No dejes que el problema te desanime.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the verb with its particle to form a common phrasal verb:
Match the phrasal verb to its correct meaning:
I can't `put up with` her anymore.
Let's `put ___` the meeting until next week.
Translate into English: 'Necesito deshacerme de estos viejos documentos.'
Score: /13
常见问题 (8)
There is no simple rule. You must learn them individually. However, most phrasal verbs with 'up', 'off', and 'out' are separable.
It's better to use one-word equivalents (e.g., 'postpone' instead of 'put off') in formal essays, but they are fine in business emails.
'Look for' means to search for something lost. 'Look at' means to direct your eyes toward something.
It's an idiom! The meaning of phrasal verbs is often figurative and doesn't relate to the physical words.
Yes! Examples include 'get along with', 'look forward to', and 'run out of'. They are always inseparable.
Usually, you stress the particle: 'He grew UP in London.'
It can change the meaning entirely. 'Take off' (leave) is very different from 'Take in' (understand).
Yes, 'go on' is the more natural, spoken way to say 'continue'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Verbos con preposición
Spanish verbs are usually one word; English phrasal verbs are two or three.
Verbes à particules (rare)
French uses prefixes or different verbs entirely to express direction.
Trennbare Verben
In German, the particle goes to the very end of the clause, whereas in English, it stays near the verb.
複合動詞 (Fukugō-dōshi)
Japanese uses Verb+Verb; English uses Verb+Particle.
Verbs with fixed prepositions
Arabic prepositions are fixed and never separate from the object.
Resultative Verb Complements
Chinese complements are more about result/direction than idiomatic shifts.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
相关视频
Related Grammar Rules
短语动词 'Face up to'（面对现实）
Overview 这个短语动词的核心在于从逃避到承认的心理转变。它专门指接受一些困难、不愉快，甚至是有点尴尬的事情。你不会 `face...
时间介词：in, on, at 的用法
### Overview 在英语学习的初期，介词（Prepositions）就像是我们句子里的“胶水”，把不同的时间点和动作粘在一起。对于我们中文...
短语动词：Take off（脱下和起飞）
### Overview 动词短语（Phrasal Verbs）是英语学习中一个极具挑战性但又充满魅力的部分。对于我们母语为中文的学习者来说，动...
等一下！使用 'Hold on'
### Overview 在英语交流中，我们经常需要暂停一下，或者请别人稍等片刻。这时候，一个非常实用且常用的短语就是 `hold on`。它...
盛装打扮：正装与戏服 (Dress up)
### Overview 在英语学习的进阶过程中，动词短语（Phrasal Verbs）往往是让中国学习者感到最头疼的环节之一。今天我们要深入探...
