What is a phrasal verb?

They’re not exactly idioms or expressions. But they can be very mysterious and confusing. Here are some tips!

When a preposition combines with a verb to create a unit that means something totally different than the individual parts, you have a phrasal verb. Here are some examples and their common meanings (yes, phrasal verbs can have several, totally different meanings)…

• Get on: To board or enter a vehicle (car, boat, airplane, etc). Mike got on his bike. 

• Put on: To apply something to your body (clothes, makeup, etc). Sam put on his hat.

• Take off: There are TWO common uses here. One, to remove something from your body (Sam took off his hat). And two, to leave (My flight takes off at 2PM). 

• Throw away: To discard something (trash, old furniture, etc). Kim threw away her old shoes. 

• Work out: To exercise.  I work out everyday at the gym. 

Note, the resulting meaning is totally different than the meaning of either the preposition or the verb. Example…

• The verb “call” means to cry out or contact

• The preposition “off” means to move away.

• The phrasal verb “call off” means to cancel.  

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