So you have just learned a new phrasal verb!
Fantastic! Yeah! Great! But do you know if it is transitive
or intransitive? Eh? Is it separable or inseparable? No idea... Learning phrasal
verbs isn't just about learning the phrasal verb and the definition.
You also must know if it's transitive, intransitive
separable or inseparable. Otherwise you will
make some mistakes in your b2 first exam. My name is Toby, this is SMASH english
and here is all you need to know about transitive,
intransitive, separable and inseparable phrasal verbs for the
B2 First Cambridge exam.
A phrasal verb has two components: a verb and a preposition or
adverb. If a phrasal verb is separable it means we can separate the verb from the
adverb or preposition and put an object in the middle. For
example the phrasal verb "turn off". This means to stop the energy
or power to a device. I can turn
off the tv or I can turn the tv off.
I can separate the verb and the preposition
and put the object: "the tv" in the middle. But remember with
separable phrasal verbs we must put the object
pronoun in the middle. We cannot put an object
pronoun after the phrasal verb. If you don't know
object pronouns are me, you, him, her, it, us, them. Yeah?
Yeah! For example, I can say "turn it off" but i cannot say "turn off
it". If a phrasal verb is inseparable it means we cannot separate the verb
and the preposition or adverb and put an object
in the middle. For example the phrasal verb
"to come across". If you come across something it means you find it
accidentally, you were not looking for it. I can say
"I came across an old photo". (that means I found the photo
accidentally) but i cannot say "I came the old photo
across". That does not exist in english because
"come across" is inseparable: we cannot separate
the verb and the preposition or adverb. No object here. No! So again, a separable
phrasal verb is a phrasal verb where you can put an
object between the verb and the preposition or adverb.
An inseparable phrasal verb is when you cannot do this.
It's impossible! So what about transitive and intransitive phrasal
verbs? Well this rule applies to all verbs, not
just phrasal verbs. A transitive verb is a verb that requires an object to
make sense. Without an object I don't understand
what you are trying to say. Why did I hit myself?
I don't know. For example "love". Love is a transitive verb. I love.
Yeah? I love. What does that mean? It means nothing! Nothing! We need
an object. I love myself. I love you! Yes! You!
Without an object, without something to love
we cannot love. And this is also a philosophy lesson.
An example of a transitive phrasal verb is
"turn on". Turn on means to give power to a device. I cannot say
"I turn on". What? What are you turning on? I turn on the tv so I can watch SMASH
English! Yeah! Now it makes sense. "Turn on" is a transitive phrasal verb. It
requires an object. So we need to say what we turn
on. Another example is "to look forward to". I look forward to. What? What do you look
forward to? I look forward to the next SMASH English
video because SMASH english is so fantastic
I'm going to subscribe right now! Aren't you? Yes?
Yes! So a transitive verb is a verb that requires an
object to make sense. A separable and transitive phrasal verb is a phrasal
verb where you can put that object between the verb and the preposition.
A transitive but inseparable phrasal verb
is a phrasal verb that needs an object to make sense
but you cannot separate the verb and the preposition or adverb
to put an object in the space. An intransitive verb
is a verb that does not require an object to make sense.
For example: I am sitting. Well, no I'm... terrible example. I am
standing. Good. We understand. Standing is an intransitive verb because
it does not need an object to make sense. I
am eating. This is how I eat... Eat is an example of a verb that can be
transitive and intransitive. You can use an object
with eat but you don't have to. It's not necessary.
Like every other verb in english an intransitive
phrasal verb cannot take an object. This means that every intransitive verb
is inseparable because if the verb cannot take an
object then we cannot separate the verb and the preposition or adverb
for an object. An example could be the phrasal verb to
"come over". If I come over it means I'm coming to your house. "Turn
up" is another example of an intransitive
phrasal verb. I will turn up at seven. Great! I will
turn up your house, makes no sense. But of course
phrasal verbs are endless and one phrasal verb can have multiple
definitions and these definitions can change whether
the phrasal verb is separable or inseparable,
transitive or intransitive. For example
"turn up" can be separable and transitive. "Turn the volume up" that means increase
the volume but it can also mean to arrive unexpectedly.
"I will turn up tomorrow", and now the phrasal verb "turn up" is
inseparable and intransitive. Every new definition it's like learning
a new phrasal verb. This is why in all of
my videos on phrasal verbs I tell you if the phrasal verb is
separable or inseparable, transitive or intransitive.
Because it really is that important! If you haven't already watch my video on
the five most difficult phrasal verbs for the B2
First Cambridge exam! I'm sure you will learn
at least one new phrasal verb. I'm sure of it!
Anyway with that we are finished. If you liked the video don't forget to SMASH
that like button, subscribe if you haven't already, leave a comment
down below. My name is Toby and this was SMASH english.
you