A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb with an adverb or a preposition, and in some cases with both an adverb and a preposition, which together function as a single verb in a sentence. For instance, in She looked after the child, the verb look and the preposition after combine to express the idea of taking care, a meaning that is different from the literal meanings of the individual words. Some phrasal verbs consist of three parts, as seen in He looked forward to the holiday, where the verb looked, the adverb forward, and the preposition to together convey the sense of anticipation. Although the individual words belong to different parts of speech, when used together, they act as one verb, as in Please turn off the light, where turn off means switch off. A key feature of phrasal verbs is that their meanings are often idiomatic and cannot be understood by interpreting each word separately; for example, She gave up the job means she quit the job, not that she gave something upward. Phrasal verbs also function as verb phrases within sentences, as in They carried on with the discussion, where carried on means continued. Major dictionaries such as the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, and Cambridge Dictionary emphasise that phrasal verbs create new meanings that differ from the meanings of their individual components. Because of their flexibility and frequent use, phrasal verbs like go in for, take off, look down on, and run into are an essential part of everyday spoken and written English.
Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan is a teacher, bilingual writer and artist with over two decades of experience in teaching English language and literature. She currently serves as Assistant Professor of English at NSS College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Her blog, ashlit.in brings together academic resources, creative writing in Malayalam and English, and visual art. The platform features lecture notes, study materials, poems, reflections, short prose, and a curated collection of her paintings. Through this space, she seeks to foster learning, creativity, and meaningful engagement with literature and the arts.
Discover more from ashlit.in
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.