Phrasal verbs:  separable and inseparable

 

Phrasal verbs are multi-word verbs that have two parts: a verb and one or two adverb particles or prepositions that have a special meaning. The most common adverb particles or prepositions are:  at, down, in, off, out, over and up.

• The alarm went off at 6:30. (make a sound)
• My professor can go on for hours about astrology.  (continue)
• The price of gas has gone up over 50%.  (increase)
• We like to go out on Friday nights.  (go to a bar or club)

 

Many phrasal verbs take an object. Some of these phrasal verbs are separable (the verb and the preposition can be separated, putting the object in the middle), while others are inseparable (the object must come at the end because the verb and the preposition must stay together).

‘Write down’ is an example for a separable verb.

• His students write down everything he says.
• His students write everything he says down.

 

Separable	Inseparable
When are you going to ask Melissa out? (ask someone to go on a date)	We need to check out of the room by 1:30. (leave a hotel room)
I am need to drop a package off at the post office. (leave something somewhere)	Do you get along with your parents? (have a good relationship with)
I need you to fill this form in before your appointment. (complete spaces on a form)	She is just starting to get over the flu. (recover)
You should put your clothes away after you fold them. (put in the correct place)	She passed away after a long battle with cancer. (die)
It is hot in here.  I am going to take my sweater off. (remove)	I have decided to take up skydiving. (start a new activity)
Let’s think this over before making a decision. (consider)	Please don’t throw up in here. (vomit)
Please turn the lights off when you leave. (switch off)	Can you look after my dog while I am away? (care for)

 

There is no rule that makes a phrasal verb separable or inseparable, but here are some general tips to take into consideration.  

 

1. Longer objects go after the particle.

• I don’t want to take on more than I can handle right now.

 

2.  For separable phrasal verbs, objects that are personal pronouns (me, you, him, her, us, them) always go between the verb and particle.

• Do you want to take them off?

 

3.  Phrasal verbs that have two particles/prepositions are always inseparable.  

• I don’t get along with my sister.
• I will catch up with you later.
• She has to put up with a lot of trouble from her boss.

 

4.  There are some phrasal verbs that cannot take an object, so these are always inseparable.

• The alarm goes off at 7:30.
• I wake up at 8:30.

 

Phrasal verbs are a common part of spoken English and informal written English, so it is necessary to learn them a little bit at a time.  

 

 Common separable and inseparable phrasal verbs to remember:

 

Separable

Write down – to make a note of something with a pen and paper, for example. Jane has so many ideas! She wants to write them all down before she forgets them!

Pick up – to go and get someone in your car. It can also mean to lift something up with your hands. Ron is driving to the airport. He’s going to pick his daughter up at 8pm.

Put on – used for clothing. Once we have put something on, we are now wearing it. Henry was in such a rush before work this morning that he left without putting his jacket on!

Turn down – to refuse an offer. Doug proposed to Claire! He sure hopes she won’t turn him down.

Make up – to invent a story or an excuse. She always has some excuse for arriving late, but I think she makes them up.

 

Inseparable

Get on/off – to enter or exit a bus, a boat, a plane, a bike, etc. Get off that motorcycle if you don’t have a helmet!

Run into – to meet someone by chance when you were not expecting to. I’m always amazed when I run into someone I know on the street.

Run out of – when we had something, but we have used it all, and now it is all gone. Chet was having a lovely afternoon drive until he ran out of gas!

Look after – to take care of. Lisa and Matthew are going to look after the kids this weekend.

Put up with – to endure a person or situation that we don’t like. Alfred smokes outside so that his co-workers don’t have to put up with the smell of his cigarettes.

 

Modal verbs:  obligation (‘need’)

 

One common way to express obligation or a lack of obligation is with the semi-modal ‘need’. A semi-modal is a word that acts like both a modal verb and a main verb.

 

Present and Future

 

As a modal verb, ‘need‘ is most typically used in negative sentences or in affirmative sentences with a negative meaning. It expresses absence of obligation or necessity, and it is followed by a bare infinitive:

• Nobody need think that we are rich. 
• She need not arrive (needn’t arrive) so early.
• If you want good results, you will need to work harder.

‘Need‘ as a modal verb also occurs in interrogative sentences, but this use is much more formal:

• Need you make so much noise?

 

We can use main verb ‘need‘ as an alternative to semi-modal ‘need’. Main verb ‘need’ is followed by to and it changes with person, number and tense:

• I, you, we, they – need to
• She, he, it – needs to
• I, you, she, he, it, we, they – needed to

‘Need‘ as a main verb expresses that something is necessary. It can be used in affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences.

• Do you have a minute? I need to talk to you about something.
• I don’t need to be told that I should lose weight.
• Do you need to use the hairdryer?

 

Compare:

Semi-modal need	Main verb need
Need it be so dark in here? (formal)	Does it need to be so dark in here?
You needn’t mention this to your father.	You don’t need to mention this to your father.

In these examples, the meaning is the same for semi-modal need and main verb need + to.

 

Past

 

The past tense of the main verb ‘need to’ is ‘needed to‘:

• I needed to have my hair cut.
• Why did they need to change the lock?

In the simple past negative form, we use ‘didn’t’ with ‘need’ to denote no obligation in the past.

• I didn’t need to arrive so early. 

‘Need‘ as a modal does not have a past tense form. ‘Needn’t + perfect bare infinitive‘ (have + past participle), however, is used for actions which were performed but were unnecessary:

• We needn’t have bought any milk. We still have plenty at home. (we bought some milk, but it wasn’t necessary)
• She needn’t have given me such an expensive present.

 

 

Passive Voice

 

‘Need’ can also be used with the passive voice. It is used to refer to tasks that the speaker is probably not going to do personally or when it is not important to know who is going to complete the action.

• My car needs to be washed.
• The dog needs to be fed.
• The building needs to be inspected by the city.
• My hair doesn’t need to be cut yet.

 

Note: The negative form uses ‘do/does/did’.

 

We can use a gerund with ‘need’. This structure is used in the same way as above. In this case, the gerund carries a passive meaning. Usually, the situations involve fixing or improving things:  

• My house needs painting.
• My house needs to be painted.
• This floor needs fixing.
• This floor needs to be fixed.
• The house doesn’t need painting right now.

Future Perfect Continuous

 

The Future Perfect Continuous is normally used to predict the length of an activity — as if looking back at such activity from some finished time in the future:

• By July, Cindy will have been working in this office for a year (‘for a year’ is an imagined finished time in the future, but Cindy will still continue her work after it).

 

To make the Future Perfect Continuous, use will have been + the ‘-ing’ form of the verb.

 

Singular	Plural
I will (’ll) have been doing You’ll have been doing He/she/it’ll have been doing	We’ll have been doing You’ll have been doing They’ll have been doing

 

• By the time I arrive home, I will have been driving for six hours.
• By this time next month, I’ll have been studying English for a year.
• Melissa will have been cooking all day long before the wedding cake is ready.

 

 

 

Future Perfect

 

The Future Perfect is used to talk about an event or action that will be finished before a certain event or time in future:

• They will have built the house (the house will be ready) by February (‘by’ here means ‘before’).

 

To make the Future Perfect, use will have + the past participle.

 

Note: For regular verbs, this is the “-ed” form of the verb. For the list of past participle forms of irregular verbs see Verbs: irregular in the Pre-Intermediate course.

 

Singular	Plural
I will have (’ll have) finished You’ll have finished He/she/it ’ll have finished	We’ll have finished You’ll have finished They’ll have finished

 

• Jack will have read all his books by next month.
• The next time you see me, I’ll have had a haircut.
• We are late! The play will have started by the time we get to the stadium.

 

 

Future Continuous

 

The Future Continuous is used to describe an event or action that will be in progress at a given time in the future.

This event or action will start before the given time and may continue after it.

• Right now Daniel is working in a cafe. (Present Continuous)
• In 3 years’ time he hopes he will be running his own restaurant. (Future Continuous)

 

To make the Future Continuous, we use will be + the “-ing” form of the verb:

 

Singular	Plural
I will (’ll) be waiting You’ll be waiting He/she/it’ll be waiting	We’ll be waiting You’ll be waiting They’ll be waiting

• This time next week I’ll be walking in the parks of Versailles.
• Tom will be starting school in September.

 

The Future Continuous is also used in  neutral questions — to ask for information, but not to make a request.

Consider the following examples:

 

Neutral question	Request
Will you be passing by the new grocery store? They have a wide selection of tea on sale.	Will you pass by the new grocery store, please? We’ve run out of tea.
Will you be attending the meeting this afternoon? Several interesting speakers are expected.	Will you attend the meeting this afternoon, please? They’ll discuss the topics of your interest.

 

 

The Future Continuous can sometimes be formed with ‘going to’ instead of ‘will’, but this is less common.

Use am/is/are + going to be + the “-ing” form of the verb:

• I’m going to be studying all day long.
• Do you want to go to a concert tonight? My wife’s going to be performing.
• Shall we have lunch together on Friday? Peter and Jessica are going to be visiting our city.

 

Present Perfect Continuous or Past Perfect Continuous?

 

 

How do you choose between the Present Perfect Continuous and Past Perfect Continuous?

 

The Present Perfect Continuous is used to talk about an action in progress that was taking place until the present moment.

• I’m really tired. I have been carrying those bags for half an hour.

 

The Past Perfect Continuous is used to talk about an ongoing action that was taking place until another specified moment in the past.

• I had been carrying those bags for half an hour when I met Peter and he helped me.

 

Consider the following examples:

 

Present Perfect Continuous	Past Perfect Continuous
I‘m really thirsty. I have been cycling for three hours.	I was really thirsty. I had been cycling for three hours.
They have been playing all day long and now they are tired.	They had been playing all day long before they got tired and went home.
Mary haven’t been doing well at school last month and the results of her tests are poor.	Mary hadn’t been doing well at school last month, so she failed her final tests.

 

Past Perfect Continuous: questions

 

To make questions in the Past Perfect Continuous, put had before the subject and add been + the “-ing” form of the verb:

 

Singular	Plural
Had I been skating? Had you been skating? Had he/she/it been skating?	Had we been skating? Had you been skating? Had they been skating?

 

• Had it been snowing for a long time before you went for a walk?
• Had you been playing chess with Timothy when your mom called you for dinner?
• Had she been studying Spanish for three years by the time she went to Madrid?  

 

Note: In short positive answers to the Past Perfect Continuous questions we use only full forms of had. In short negative answers we can also use short forms of had.

 

• Had you been playing football?
• Yes, I had (No, I hadn’t).

 

• Had she been watching TV at that moment?
• Yes, she had (No, she hadn’t).

 

Present Perfect or Past Perfect?

 

How do you choose between the Present Perfect and Past Perfect?

 

The Present Perfect is used to talk about an action that took place in the recent past and is still relevant to the present moment.

• The bus has left and we have to wait for another one.

 

The Past Perfect is used to talk about an action that took place before another moment in the past.

• The bus had left before we arrived to the station.

 

Consider the following examples:

 

Present Perfect	Past Perfect
I am so excited. I have just passed my exam.	I was so excited. I had passed my exam.
We’ve finished the game and now we have dinner.	We’d finished the game when mom called us for dinner.
His team has won and he’s very happy.	His team had won, so he went to the bar to celebrate their victory.

 

Past Perfect: questions

 

To make questions in the Past Perfect, put “had” before the subject and add the Past Participle form of the verb:

 

Singular	Plural
Had I seen? Had you seen? Had he/she/it seen?	Had he seen? Had she seen? Had they seen?

 

• Had you seen Helen playing squash with Nicole before the rain started?
• Had he made any mistakes before the teacher asked him to hand in the test?
• You looked pale. Had anybody scared you?

 

Note: In short positive answers to the Past Perfect questions we use only full forms of had. In short negative answers we can also use short forms of had.

 

• Had you made your homework before the movie started?
• Yes, I had (No, I hadn’t).

 

• Had he already finished cleaning when you came in?
• Yes, he had (No, he hadn’t).

 

Past Perfect: negative

 

To make negative statements in the Past Perfect, use:

had not + Past Participle:

 

Singular	Plural
I had not (hadn’t) left You hadn’t left He/she/it hadn’t left	We hadn’t left You hadn’t left They hadn’t left

 

• Nick hadn’t attended our meeting, so we discussed everything without him.
• I hadn’t read the play before I went to the theatre to see it.
• They were so excited. They hadn’t danced together since 2014.