How Can I Come Up With Good Phrasal Verbs?
Phrasal verbs often appear in informal language. But should I really avoid using them in my writing, or are some appropriate?
- Try not to use informal (mostly figurative) phrasal verbs.
- Go for neutral phrasal verbs in your writing.
- Only use formal phrasal verbs in reasonable settings.
- If you have the choice, take the non-phrasal verb instead.
What Is a “Phrasal Verb”?
Phrasal verbs are actually quite common in English. These verbs consist of a proper verb and one or more preposition(s), such as up, in, or about. As units, they can express either similar or very distinct meanings from those of their stem alone.
Compare:
Are There Many Phrasal Verbs?
Please note two things: Sometimes the preposition may appear at the end of the sentence (e.g., in sentences with a direct object). Not every preposition following a verb indicates a phrasal verb.
- With “up”: cheer up, clear up, dress up, fill up, grow up, keep up, stand up, step up, turn up, warm up, wake up
- With “off”: back off, blow off, cut off, show off, walk off, wear off
- With “down”: back down, break down, close down, shut down
- With “on”: carry on, hang on
Should I Use Phrasal Verbs in My Formal Writing?
You can’t give general advice on using or not using phrasal verbs. There are some which are very informal, and therefore not appropriate in writing:
However, many phrasal verbs are considered to be neutral. So, there’s no need to avoid them. Some of them are even a better option than a single-word verb would be:
There are even examples of really formal phrasal verbs. You should be aware of these and only use them in a suitable context:
Is It Appropriate to Include Phrasal Verbs in My Written Texts?
In some cases, you’ll encounter two synonymous verbs, one being a single word and the other one being a phrasal verb. You should prefer the single word—at least in your written language.
LanguageTool always knows which phrasal verbs are too informal or too formal. Whenever you aren’t sure about the best preposition for your verb, the writing assistant offers you guidance. To wrap up this article: sit down now, reason out phrasal verbs, and come up with nice idioms for your writing.
