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| Phrasal verbs (also known as multi-word verbs) are verbs made of two or more words. The first word is a verb and the second word (known as a particle) is either a preposition or an adverb. Some phrasal verbs can have two particles.
Phrasal verbs with one particle: let down, stand up, fall for, ask out, settle down
Phrasal verbs with more than one particle: go out with, take care of
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Phrasal verbs which must take an object are known as transitive phrasal verbs. In the examples below the object must go after the verb and particle.
to go out with (somebody): to have a romantic relationship with somebody
They had been going out with each other for 5 years when he asked her to marry him.
Is she really going out with him?
to fall for (somebody): to fall in love with
He's not her usual type, but she fell for him after dating for a couple of months.
He fell for her on the first date.
to cheat on (somebody): to secretly have a romantic or sexual relationship with somebody other than your boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife.
She found out that he had been cheating on her for 3 years.
He cheated on her with her best friend.
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Sometimes the object of a transitive phrasal verb must be placed between the verb and particle. The following phrasal verbs are separable.
to ask (somebody) out: to invite someone to something, such as dinner or the theatre, for a romantic date.
He felt nervous about asking her out.
In my country, women never ask men out. It's the men who make the first move.
let (somebody) down: to disappoint somebody by failing to do what you were expected to do, or promised to do
He promised to spend more time with her but he let her down. He kept on working late most evenings.
If you let me down again I will leave you.
stand (somebody) up: to fail to keep an appointment with someone, especially a romantic date
I waited for her for half an hour before I realised she had stood me up.
You shouldn't stand people up. If you can't keep a date you should call them.
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Some phrasal verbs do not take an object . These are called intransitive phrasal verbs. The phrasal verbs below do not have objects.
settle down: to begin living a stable and orderly life as an adult
He settled down as a farmer with a family.
I am too young to settle down. I want to travel around the world before I get married.
break up: to end a romantic relationship or marriage
Maria and Peter have broken up .
They broke up after she saw him with another woman.
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to need some space:
to want to spend more time alone because a relationship is too intense, or because you do not want a committed relationship
to have a place in someone's heart:
to be loved by someone
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