

How do you know if a phrasal verb is transitive or intransitive and separable or inseparable? Inseparable phrasal verbs, which must have the direct object at the end, and not in the middle: They’re looking after our children.If we use a pronoun like me, you, him, her, us, them, or it, then it MUST go in the middle and not at the end. Separable phrasal verbs, which can have the direct object or the pronoun in the middle: I took my hat off / I took it off.Transitive phrasal verbs, which do have a direct object: I took off my hat.Intransitive phrasal verbs, which have no direct object, like wake up: I woke up at 6:00.= They’ll pick him up from the airport.Am.) estar por - to be in favour of (Spa.) to be about to (Lat. = They’ll pick John up from the airport. However there are a lot of verbs which commonly take a preposition which gives a slightly different (but not unpredictable or non- compositional) meaning than the verb on its own: estar para - to be about to (Spa.) to be in the mood for (Lat.However, when the direct object is a pronoun (me, you, him, her, us, them, it), then it MUST go in the middle: When the direct object is the specific name of a thing or person, it can be located after the phrasal verb or in the middle: I’ll look your dog after while you’re on vacation – INCORRECTĬlick here for a list of 15 separable phrasal verbs with example sentences.Ĭlick here for a list of 15 inseparable phrasal verbs with example sentences.I’ll look after your dog while you’re on vacation.

Inseparable Phrasal Verb Example: LOOK AFTER If it is inseparable, then you can’t do this. If a phrasal verb is separable, it means you can separate the two words and put the direct object in the middle. Transitive phrasal verbs can be separable or inseparable. Check out that website – it’s really great!.I’m going to cut down on fast food this year.You need to fill out this form to register for the course.Transitive phrasal verbs have a direct object.Įxamples of transitive phrasal verbs (direct object is in blue): You can come over to my house after school.Ĭlick here for a list of 15 intransitive phrasal verbs with example sentences.(A direct object is “acted upon” by the verb). Intransitive phrasal verbs have no direct object. The transitive phrasal verbs can be separable or inseparable, but the Intransitive phrasal verbs cannot be separated. Phrasal verbs in English are transitive or intransitive.
