The small word in a phrasal verb often adds a pattern of meaning. Up can mean increase or finish, out can mean leave or disappear, on can mean continue or start, and off can mean stop or leave.
A particle often brings the same idea to many verbs. Sometimes it changes the meaning only a little: wake up is very similar to wake. Sometimes it changes it a lot: bring up can mean educate. The patterns help you guess a new phrasal verb. They do not always work, so check a dictionary for the exact meaning.
| Particle | Idea | Example |
|---|---|---|
| up | higher, increase | Prices went up last year. |
| up | finish completely | We ate up the soup. |
| down | lower, decrease | Please turn down the music. |
| down | stop working | The lift broke down. |
| Particle | Idea | Example |
|---|---|---|
| out | leave a place | They went out after dinner. |
| out | disappear, finish | The candle went out. |
| out | give to many | The teacher handed out the tests. |
| in | enter, arrive | The train pulled in at six. |
| in | send or give | Please hand in your homework. |
| Particle | Idea | Example |
|---|---|---|
| on | start, continue | The band played on after the power cut. |
| on | wear, switch on | She put on her boots. |
| off | stop, switch off | He turned off the engine. |
| off | leave | We set off at dawn. |
| Particle | Idea | Example |
|---|---|---|
| away | go to a distance | The bird flew away. |
| away | remove | She put away the toys. |
| back | return | I will come back at five. |
| back | reply, give again | He called me back. |
✗Please give the test back me.
✓Please give me the test back.
With give, the person comes straight after the verb: give me the test back, not give the test back me.
✗I will call back you.
✓I will call you back.
With a pronoun, put it between the verb and the particle: I will call you back.
See Phrasal verbs: what they are for what phrasal verbs are, Phrasal verbs: where the object goes for the object position, and Prepositions of movement: to, into, through, across and others for the same words as prepositions.
Eight questions. Choose one answer for each.