1. PHRASAL VERBS
AND
PREPOSITIONS

2. • We often use verbs with the following
words
IN ON UP AWAY ROUND ABOUT
OVER BY OUT OFF DOWN BACK
THROUGH ALONG FORWARD
Look out / get on / take off / run away

3. • Often the second word (on/off/out etc.) gives a special
meaning to the verb. For example:
Break down - Sorry I’m late. The car broke down.
(= the engine stopped working)
Look out – Look out! There is a car coming.
(= be careful)
Take off – It was my first flight. I was nervous as the plane took off
(went into the air)
Get by – My french isn’t very good, but it’s enough to get by
(= manage)

4. • Sometimes a phrasal verb is followed by a
preposition.
Run away from – Why did you run away from me?
Keep up with – You’re walking too fast. I can’t keep up
with you.
Look up at – We looked up at the plane as it flew
above us
Look forward to – Are you looking forward to your
holiday?

5. • Sometimes a phrasal verb has an object.
Usually there wo possible positions for the
object.
I turned on the light or I turned the light on.
If the object is a pronoun (it/them/me/him
etc. ) only one position is possible
I turned it on. (not I turned on it )

6. Phrasal verbs + up
BRING UP a topic
Introduce it in a conversation
I don’t want to hear any more about this
matter. Please don’t bring it up
COME UP = Be introduced in a conversation
Some interesting matter came up in our
discussion yesterday

7. MAKE UP - make something up
Invent something that is not true
What Devin told you about himself wasn’t true.
He made it all up
CHEER UP = Be happier, cheer somebody up
Make somebody feel happier
Helen is depressed at the moment. What can
we do to cheer her up?

8. SAVE UP for something / to do something
Save money to buy something
Dan is saving up for a trip round the world
CLEAR UP = Become bright (for the weather)
It was raining when I got up, but it cleared up
during the morning

9. BLOW UP – explode, blow something up
Destroy it with a bomb etc.
The engine caught fire and blew up
The bridge was blown up during the war
TEAR UP – TEAR something UP
Tear in to pieces
I didn’t read the letter. I just tore it up and
threw it away.

10. BEAT UP – BEAT somebody UP
Hit someone repeatedly so that they are badly
hurt
A friend of mine was attacked and beaten up a
few days ago. He was badly hurt and had to
go to hospital
BREAK UP / SPLIT UP (with somebody)
= separate
I’m surprised to hear that Sue and Paul have
split up. They seemed very happy together
when I last saw them.

11. DO UP a coat, a shoelace, buttons etc.
= fasten, tie etc.
It’s quite cold. Do up your coat before you go
out
DO UP a building, a room etc.
= Repair and improve it
The kitchen looks great now that it has been
done up

12. LOOK UP – LOOK something UP in a
dictionary/ encyclopaedia etc.
If you don’t know the meaning of a word, you
can look it up in a dictionary
PUT UP WITH something
Tolarate it
We live on a busy road, so we have to put up
with a lot of noise from the traffic

13. HOLD UP a person, a plan etc. = Delay
Don’t wait for me. I don’t want to hold you up
MIX UP people/things, get people /things
mixed up
= You think one is the other
The two brothers look very similar. Many
people mix them up. (or ... Get them mixed
up)

14. PREPOSITIONS

15. ADJECTIVE + PREPOSITION
ADJECTIVE + OF (1)
Afraid/frightened/terrified/scared OF ...
Are you afraid of spiders? Yes, I’m terrified of them.
Fond/proud/ashamed/jealous/envious OF ...
Why are you always so jealous of other people?
Suspicious/critical/tolerant OF ...
He didn’t trust me. He was suspicious of my
intentions.

16. ADJECTIVE + OF (2)
Aware/conscious OF ...
Did you know he was married? No, I wasn’t aware of
that.
Capable/incapable OF ...
I’m sure you are capable of passing the examination.
Full/short OF ...
The letter I wrote was full of mistakes.
I’m a bit short of money. Can you lend me some?
Typical OF ...
Hes late again. It’s typical of him to keep everybody
waiting.

17. Tired/sick OF ...
Come on, let’s go! I’m tired of waiting.
Certain/sure OF or ABOUT
I think she’s arriving this evening, but I’m not sure of
that.

18. ADJECTIVE +
at/to/from/in/on/with/for
Good/bad/brilliant/better/hopeless etc. AT ...
I’m not good at repairing things. (not good in)
Married/engaged TO ...
Linda is married to an American. (not married with)
Similar TO ...
Your writing is similar to mine.
Dfferent FROM or different TO ...
The film was different from what I’d expected. ( or
different to what I’d expected.)

19. Interested IN ...
Are you interested in art?
Keen ON ...
We stayed at home because Chris wasn’t very keen on
going out.
Dependent ON ... (but independ OF ...)
I don’t want to be dependent on anybody.
Crowded WITH (people etc.)
The streets were crowded with tourists. (but full of
tourists)

20. Famous FOR ...
The Italian city of Florence is famous for its art
treasures.
Responsible FOR ...
Who was responsible for all that noise last night?

21. GAME!
I don’t want hear anymore
about this matter. Please
don’t ______ it ______ again.
Beth is vey creative. She
always ___________new ideas

22. Martin is depressed at the
moment. What can we do to
_______ him_____

23. In the morning the weather was
rainning but it __________during
the afternoon.

24. I didn’t read the letter. I just
____it ____ and threw it away.

25. I’m surprise to hear that Angelina and
Brad have _______. They seemed very
happy together.

26. We live on a busy road, so we have to
______________ a lot of noise from the
traffic.

27. Don’t wait for me. I don’t want
to _______ you _______

28. These two Actress look very
similar. Many people
_____them _____

29. Are you afraid ________spiders?
I’m not good ____ playing football.
Why are you always so jealous
_____ other people?
Tatiana is married ____ a British
man.
I’m a bit short _____money. Can
you lend me some?
I don’t want to depedent ____

30. Thank you!
Mary do Socorro Aby Martins
Currículo de Língua Inglesa