Phrasal verbs are really common in informal English. They are verbs and particles (could be a preposition or adverb) that work together to change the meaning of the verb. It sounds more complicated than it is, and there aren’t many English speakers who can tell you what a particle is anyway! Just know that they’re words that work together to make one meaning.
- Some phrasal verbs are pretty easy to understand because they mean exactly what they say (literal):
go out (which is, of course, going out of the house somewhere)
We go out to the movies every Friday night.
- Others are trickier because there is no way you can figure out what they mean just by knowing all the words:
make up
In a good relationship, it’s important to make up after a disagreement.

This is not to be confused with the noun makeup (one word), which means cosmetics. Isn’t English fun?!
- Some phrasal verbs are separable, which means you can separate the verb from the particle:
let down
Tom is never around to help when I need him.
He lets me down all the time.
- Some phrasal verbs are inseparable, which means you can’t separate the verb and particle.
go out
We go out together every weekend.
Never say, We go together out.
- Some phrasal verbs are transitive, which means they need a direct object.
put off
You should put off the separation.
Never say, You should put off. You must put off something!
- Some phrasal verbs are intransitive, which means no direct object is necessary.
make up
Maybe you two will make up.
Nothing else is needed.

Okay, so how do you figure all this out? (Figure out is another phrasal verb!) Okay, we admit it’s tricky.
- Try to learn phrasal verbs in context as you hear them.
The more you practice, the easier they become. We promise! If all else fails, look them up in a dictionary.

Ha! Did you spot it? Look up, used in this way, is a nonliteral, separable, transitive phrasal verb! We bet you already knew that . . .