Grammar of English phrasal verbs – Type 3 and 4

Grammar of phrasal verbs – Type 3 and 4

 Phrasal verbs can be:

 Type 3

Form – verb + preposition + object

Examples: break into, pick on, turn into, get over

Phrasal verbs are an important part of English grammar using the same grammatical structures. With this type of phrasal verbs in English Grammar  it is not possible to separate the preposition from the verb.

• John Wilkins picked on little Mary
• John Wilkins picked on her

         But not

• John Wilkins picked little Mary on
• John Wilkins picked her on   

Type 4

Form – verb + adverb + preposition + object

Examples: put up with, do away with, come out in, come up against 

The phrasal verbs in this category have 2 particles. They cannot be separated from the verb.

• The government want to do away with tax on children’s food
• Fred came up against a serious problem of hacking on his computer
• She can’t put up with the students arriving late to class
• She can’t put up with them arriving late to class

It is important to practise understanding and using Phrasal verbs.

Sometimes an alternative to the phrasal verb may sound too formal:

 Example: put down (make someone feel inferior)

• The teacher likes making the students feel inferior

Is too formal for every day situations

• The teacher likes putting the students down

Is more usual between friends 

For more information about phrasal verbs look at Grammar of English phrasal verbs – type 1 and 2 or  here you can find an introduction to English Phrasal Verbs in the English language.

Go to Phrasal verbs Index

Go to English grammar lessons