A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and a preposition, an adverb, or both. A phrasal verb therefore consists of a verb and one or two additional words such as on, in, up, off, about, down, away, after, with, etc.

Examples: give up, bring up, look after, turn down, pass away, break down, break into, carry on, carry out, put off, put out, look forward to, put up with, look down on.

Phrasal verbs often have a meaning that differs from the original meaning of the verb. The following examples illustrate the meaning of each phrasal verb in parentheses:

• She was brought up by her stepmother. (bring up: to raise a child).
• The old man passed away.         (pass away: to die).
• Our car broke down on highway. (break down: stop functioning).
• The nurse was looking after the patient. (look after: to take care of).
• He is trying to give up smoking.  (give up: to quit).
• Never look down on poor people. (look down on: to consider someone inferior).
• They set off for London.              (set off: to start a journey).
• They put off the meeting due to absence of some members. (put off: to cancel).

There are four types of phrasal verbs:

1. Transitive Phrasal Verb
2. Intransitive Phrasal Verb
3. Separable Phrasal Verb
4. Inseparable Phrasal Verb

A transitive phrasal verb is a phrasal verb that requires an object in a sentence to convey complete meaning. Without an object, the sentence cannot convey full meaning.

For example, the phrasal verb look after means to take care of someone or something.

Incomplete sentence:

• She looks after _______.

The above sentence is incomplete because the transitive phrasal verb looks after requires an object, which is missing. The sentence needs an object specifying whom or what she looks after in order to convey a complete meaning.

Correct sentences:

• She looks after her kids.
• She looks after the patient.

Examples of transitive phrasal verbs along with their meanings are as follows: (look after: to take care of), (carry on: to continue), (bring about: to cause something), (call off: to cancel), (give up: to quit), and (turn down: to reject or refuse).

Examples in Sentences:

• She looks after her children.
• They carried on their work.
• The flood brought about a huge disaster.
• They called off the meeting.
• He gave up smoking.
• She turned down his proposal.

An intransitive phrasal verb does not require an object. Even without an object, the sentence can convey complete meaning.

Examples of intransitive phrasal verbs along with their meanings are as follows: (pass away: to die), (get up: to wake from sleep), (run away: to escape), (grow up: to develop into an adult), and (break down: stop functioning).
Examples.

• The patient passed away.
• When do you get up?
• The thief ran away.
• The kid is growing up.
• The car broke down.

Separable phrasal verbs are those whose parts (verb and preposition/adverb) can be separated in a sentence. They can be used either in their joined form or separated form.

• Please turn on the heater.
• Please turn the heater on.
• He was trying to cut down his expenses.
• He was trying to cut his expenses down.
• Due to absence of some members, they had to call off the meeting.
• Due to absence of some members, they had to call the meeting off.
• I will pick up you from the airport.
• I will pick you up from the airport.
• The doctor advised her to cut down her sugar intake.
• The doctor advised her to cut her sugar intake down.
• Can you please fill in this questionnaire?
• Can you please fill this questionnaire in?

Note: Some transitive phrasal verbs are separable, while others are inseparable.

Non-separable or Inseparable phrasal verbs are those whose parts cannot be separated in a sentence. The verb and preposition/adverb remain together.

Examples of inseparable phrasal verbs along with their meanings are: (break into: to enter forcibly), (check in: to arrive at a hotel or airport and register), (check out: to pay the bill and leave a hotel), and (come across: to find something by chance).

• You should stay away from bad friends.
• They carried on their tasks.
• The nurse looks after the patient.
• A thief broke into the shop.
• Constant stress brought about negative changes in his behaviour.
• He is trying to give up his bad habits.
• The patient passed away yesterday.
• He gets up early in the morning.
• We have checked in at the hotel.
• They have checked out of the hotel.
• How did you come across such a good book?
• They set off for Paris.

Note. All the intransitive verbs are inseparable.