Phrasal Verb Grammar
B1 · IntermediatePhrasal VerbsPut up with, look forward to, get away with — some phrasal verbs add a second linking word, becoming a fixed three-word unit.
What you'll learn
- A phrasal-prepositional verb has three parts: verb + particle + preposition (put up with, look forward to, get away with)
- These three-word verbs are always inseparable — the object always comes after the whole expression
- A phrasal verb's particle is not the same as an ordinary preposition, even when they look identical — look after (phrasal verb, fixed meaning 'take care of') is different from a literal preposition use
- The verb before a phrasal-prepositional verb's final preposition follows the ordinary preposition + -ing rule from the Prepositions category
Beyond two words
Most phrasal verbs have two parts — a verb and a particle (give up, turn off). But some add a second linking word, becoming a three-word phrasal-prepositional verb: verb + particle + preposition.
Phrasal-prepositional verbs are always inseparable
Unlike two-word phrasal verbs, which can be separable or inseparable, three-word phrasal-prepositional verbs are always inseparable — the object, whether a noun or pronoun, always comes after the whole three-word unit.
Particle vs. ordinary preposition
A phrasal verb's particle can look exactly like a preposition, but it isn't playing the same grammatical role. In 'look after the kids', after isn't showing a time relationship (as in 'after lunch') — it's a fixed part of a phrasal verb meaning 'take care of'. Context and meaning tell you which role it's playing.
The final preposition still follows the -ing rule
Since a phrasal-prepositional verb ends in a genuine preposition, any verb that follows it still has to take the -ing form — the same rule covered in Preposition + -ing.
Real English
Watch out
Phrasal-prepositional (three-word) verbs are always inseparable — the object always comes after the whole expression.
The to in 'look forward to' is a preposition, not part of an infinitive — the following verb must be -ing.
Real life — Talking about work stress
"How do you put up with such a long commute?"
"Honestly, I just look forward to the podcast I listen to on the way."
"That makes sense. I always fall behind on emails when I'm stuck in traffic."
"Same — I spend the whole weekend trying to catch up with everything."
Practice
Exercise 1 · Choose the correct answer
'Put up with' (meaning tolerate) is followed by:
Exercise 2 · Choose the correct words
I don't know how she puts ___ all that noise every day.
Exercise 3 · Choose the correct word
We're really looking forward ___ the concert.
Exercise 4 · Choose the correct answer
How many words make up a phrasal-prepositional verb like 'look forward to'?
Exercise 5 · Choose the correct answer
In 'look after the kids', 'after' is functioning as:
Exercise 6 · Identify the phrasal-prepositional verb
Which of these is a phrasal-prepositional (three-word) verb?
Exercise 7 · Choose the correct word
I can't believe he got ___ with cheating on the test.
Exercise 8 · Choose the correct sentence
Choose the correct sentence.
Exercise 9 · Complete the sentence
Fill in the missing word(s): She came ___ with a great idea. (invented)
Exercise 10 · Complete the sentence
Fill in the missing word: I'm really looking forward ___ the weekend.
Exercise 11 · Put the words in the correct order
Quick challenge
Five quick questions to check what stuck.
Question 1 / 5
Score: 0/0
Which of these three-word combinations is a phrasal-prepositional verb?
You learned
- A phrasal-prepositional verb has three parts: verb + particle + preposition (put up with, look forward to).
- Phrasal-prepositional verbs are always inseparable — the object always comes after the whole expression.
- A phrasal verb's particle can look identical to a preposition but plays a different grammatical role — context tells them apart.
- Any verb after a phrasal-prepositional verb's final preposition still takes the -ing form.
Related grammar lessons
Transitive vs Intransitive Phrasal Verbs
Learn which phrasal verbs need an object (turn off the lights) and which never take one (the car broke down) — a separate question from whether a phrasal verb is separable.
Particles and Meaning
Discover the recurring shades of meaning behind common phrasal verb particles — up often means 'completely', out often means 'discovering', and on often means 'continuing'.
Common Phrasal Verb Groups
Group everyday phrasal verbs by situation — daily routine, phone calls, travel, study and work — and discover why phrasal verbs, not their formal one-word synonyms, are the natural choice in everyday spoken English.
Separable vs Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
Learn the difference between separable phrasal verbs (turn off the light / turn the light off) and inseparable ones (look after the kids, never look the kids after) — and the one rule that's never optional.