subject: Phrasal Verb Tests How Well Did You Do Your Verbs? [print this page] Phrasal verbs are becoming more and more prominent with the ever spreading clout of the English language. For understanding, speaking, reading and writing good English is to get skilled in to learn your phrasal verb lessons well. More and more people can now achieve this because of a large number of English grammar websites that explain phrasal verb meanings to you and make you take phrasal verbs tests. These websites generally provide to the English grammar enthusiast, a complete list of the prevalent phrasal verbs in English and their meanings in alphabetical sequence.
This term was coined by a great English grammarian, Logan Pearsall Smith. It is a combination of a verb and a preposition, a verb and an adverb, or a verb with both an adverb and a preposition. This is why it is often defined as a multi word verb or two word verbs. The preposition can add extra meaning to the verb or give it more emphasis. Some prepositions change the meaning of different verbs in a similar way. Phrasal verbs are mainly used in spoken English and informal texts. The more formal a conversation or text, the fewer phrasal verbs are found. There are no rules that might explain how phrasal verbs are formed correctly - all you can do is look them up in a good dictionary and study their meanings to learn your phrasal verb lessons. Phrasal verbs are often considered idioms or components of idioms because the meaning of phrasal verbs doesnt always make sense from the words used in the phrase. Some phrasal verbs have multiple meanings, so that makes it even more difficult for language students and they find it hard to score in phrasal verb tests. You also have to remember if you are allowed to split the verb from the preposition. Although phrasal verbs are made of two or three separate words when you use them as verbs, you squish them together as a closed compound or use a hyphen when you turn them into nouns or adjectives.
There are four types of phrasal verbs which are tested in phrasal verb tests. Phrasal verbs can be separable or inseparable. They can take an object or not take one. Phrasal verbs which take objects can be separable or inseparable. Separable phrasal verbs can remain together when using an object that is a noun or noun phrase. Separable phrasal verbs must be separated when a pronoun is used. Inseparable phrasal verbs always remain together. It makes no difference if a noun or pronoun is used. Some phrasal verbs do not take objects. These phrasal verbs are always inseparable. Good English teachers usually give a good piece of advice to their students to make them perfect their phrasal verb lessons if you are not sure whether a phrasal verb is separable or inseparable, always use a noun or nouns phrase and do not separate. In this manner, you will always be correct. Some verbs are followed by two prepositions (or adverbs). These phrasal verbs are always inseparable.
