What are Phrasal Verbs?
Phrasal verb is the name given to an English verb which is composed of two or three words. One verb is combined with a preposition (like on, in, under) or an adverb (like up, down, away). Sometimes a phrasal verb can have a meaning that is very different to the meaning of at least one of those two or three words separately. Some text books call these verbs multi-word verbs. Phrasal verbs are used more frequently in everyday speech than in formal, official writing or speaking.
Here are some examples:
- To Feel Up To
- I don't feel up to going out tonight because I had a long day at work.
- To Disagree With
- Spicy food disagrees with me.
- To Look Up To
- He looks up to his father.
- To Stay Over
- It takes you so long to take the bus home, so why don't you just stay over?
- To Come To
- Don't worry! she faints all the time! She always comes to after a few minutes.