Intransitive
The first type of
phrasal verb in English is the intransitive
phrasal verb. Intransitive phrasal verbs are as defined as phrasal verbs that cannot or do not take objects. The prepositional functioning as a particle must directly follow the verb. For example, the following italicized phrasal verbs are examples of intransitive phrasal verbs:
My car broke down on the interstate. (malfunction)
What time did you get up today? (arise)
The rain finally let up enough to take out the trash. (lessen)
Our neighbor recently passed away. (die)
The puppy woke up at the crack of dawn. (awake)
Nonseparable Transitive
The second type of
phrasal verb in English is the nonseparable transitive
phrasal verb. Transitive phrasal verbs are defined as phrasal verbs that require direct objects and may also take indirect objects. The preposition functioning as a particle must also directly follow the verb in nonseparable transitive phrasal verbs. For example, the following italicized phrasal verbs are examples of nonseparable transitive phrasal verbs:
You should bone up on English grammar. (review)
He came across his missing sock in the dryer. (discover)
My mom dropped by my house this afternoon. (visit)
Most children look forward to Christmas morning. (anticipate)
The cat puts up with the dog. (tolerate
Optionally Separable Transitive
The third type of
phrasal verb in English is the optionally separable transitive
phrasal verb. Optionally separable transitive phrasal verbs also require objects, but the preposition functioning as a particle can follow either the verb or the direct object. For example, the following italicized phrasal verbs are examples of optionally separable transitive phrasal verbs:
The Dean will call off the meeting due to the weather. (cancel)
The Dean will call the meeting off due to the weather.
Please hand out this brochure to new clients. (distribute)
Please hand this brochure out to new clients.
My grandfather always mixes up the cousins. (confuse)
Obligatorily Separable
The fourth type of
phrasal verb in English is the obligatorily separable transitive
phrasal verb. Optionally separable transitive phrasal verbs become obligatorily separable phrasal verbs when the direct object is in the form of a pronoun meaning the preposition functioning as a particle must follow the pronoun functioning as the direct object. For example, the following italicized phrasal verbs are examples of obligatorily separable transitive phrasal verbs:
Can you add up the bill? (total)
Can you add the bill up?
Can you add it up?
*Can you add up it? (incorrect)