Skype English School

 Particles in phrasal verbs

This lesson looks at the role of particles in phrasal verbs. A particle is either a preposition (e.g. from, to, with) or an adverb (e.g. out, up, about). You can create phrasal verbs by adding different particles to a basic verb.

What do particles mean?

In some phrasal verbs the particle has a clear basic meaning.

Jack invited me out. - Let's go out together.

Rosie invited me in. - Please come in 

Jill invited me over. - Come to our place.

Mark invited me up. - Come upstairs to my flat / apartment . 

Susie invited me along. - Come with us !

What other meanings can particles have?

Most particles convey a number of different senses. For example, over can have various meanings, including:

(a) changing position, e.g. in fall over [fall to the ground] or move over [change the place where you are sitting or standing to make room for someone else].

(b) an idea of thoroughness, e.g. in read over [read throughly] or talk over [discuss something thoroughly before making a decision]

Where does the particle go?

With verbs that have an object:

Sometimes the particle has to go before the object of the verb

e.g. I'm looking for my keys - not I'm looking my keys for .

Sometimes it must go after the object

e.g. I have a lot of work. - not I have on a lot of work.

Sometimes the particle may go either before or after the object

e.g. The thunder woke up the children or The thunder woke the children up.

Note that if the object is a pronoun (e.g. him, them), then the particle must go after it,

e.g. Ths thunder woke them up.- not the thunder woke up them.

Answer these questions:

1. My brothers were going to the circus and they asked me along.

Did the speaker go the circus on her own, with her brothers or do we not know for sure?

2 When I took Di a birthday present, she asked me in but I had to get to my lecture.

Did the speaker go into Di's house?

3 When I saw Mark on the balcony, he asked me up.

Who was in a higher position, Mark or the speaker?

4 When the Richardsons asked me back after the concert I was happy to accept.

Where did the speaker go after the concert?

5 My cousin has asked me to go over to his flat this evening.

What word could replace over with no change in meaning?