subject + phrasal verbUse the verb and particle together as one expression. Do not drop the particle.
Phrasal Verbs — Basics
A2A phrasal verb is a verb plus a short word like on, down, or after. Together they make one meaning: turn on, sit down, look after.
What you'll learn
- Recognize the whole meaning of a common phrasal verb.
- Use turn on, sit down, find out, and look after in sentences.
- Keep the object after inseparable phrasal verbs like look after.
- Choose the right phrasal verb for a real-life context.
Structure
subject + phrasal verb + objectWith common inseparable phrasal verbs in this rule, keep the object after the full verb.
Build a sentence
Subject
Phrasal verb
Lisaturns on
Lisa turns on the lamp every evening.
Learn turn on as one unit: start a light or machine.
When to use
Devices and lights
Use turn on when you start a machine, screen, lamp, or TV. Lisa turns on the kitchen light at 6 a.m.
Taking a seat
Use sit down when someone moves into a seated position. Please sit down here, Maria.
Care and responsibility
Use look after for taking care of a person, animal, or place. Tom looks after his daughter on Fridays.
Getting information
Use find out when you learn or discover something. Anna finds out the meeting time from an email.
Markers
ondownafterout
Common mistakes
Wrong
Please turn the light.
Correct
Please turn on the light.
Turn on is the full expression. Without on, the sentence loses the intended meaning.
Wrong
Maria looks on her brother after school.
Correct
Maria looks after her brother after school.
Look after is one phrasal verb meaning take care of. The particle after cannot change.
Wrong
Anna looked the baby after yesterday.
Correct
Anna looked after the baby yesterday.
With look after, keep the object after the full phrasal verb.
Wrong
Tom turned on the TV. = Tom moved onto the TV.
Correct
Tom turned on the TV. = Tom started the TV.
Read turn on as one unit with its own meaning, not as separate words.
Common misconceptions
❝ I can always understand a phrasal verb word by word. ❞
Many common phrasal verbs have a whole meaning you must learn together: find out, look after, turn on.
❝ The small word is extra, so I can leave it out. ❞
In a phrasal verb, the particle is part of the verb. Removing it often makes the sentence wrong or changes the meaning.
Skills in this rule (4)
RECOGNIZE_NEW_MEANINGw5Recognize that verb + particle can have a new meaning
Some verb + particle combinations do not keep the base verb meaning. Learn them as one unit, like turn on = start a machine or light.
USE_COMMON_PHRASAL_VERBSw5Use common phrasal verbs as one expression
Choose the full expression for everyday actions and relationships: turn on, sit down, find out, look after. The particle is part of the verb.
PUT_OBJECT_AFTER_PHRASAL_VERBw4Put the object after common inseparable phrasal verbs
With phrasal verbs like look after and find out, keep the object after the full expression: look after the baby, find out the answer.
PICK_EVERYDAY_CONTEXTw3Match common phrasal verbs to everyday situations
Use turn on for machines and lights, sit down for taking a seat, look after for care, and find out for getting information.