Phrasal verbs are mainly used
in spoken English and informal texts. They consist of a verb plus a
particle (preposition, adverb). The particle can change the meaning of the verb
completely, e.g.:
look for = seek (look for her ring)
look up = consult a reference book (look a word up in
a dictionary)
look forward = anticipate with pleasure (look forward
to meeting someone)
The particle is placed either
after the verb or after the object.
Example:
Write down the
word. / Write the word down.
If the object is a pronoun,
however, the particle has to be placed after the pronoun (object).
Example:
Write it down.
There are no rules that might
explain how phrasal verbs are formed correctly - all you can do is look them up
in a good dictionary and study their meanings.
