Phrasal Verbs

Infinitive: let in on
PRESENT TENSE
-ING FORM
PAST TENSE
PAST PARTICIPLE
let in on & lets in on letting in on
let in on
let in on
1. let . . . in on p.v. When you tell people information that is secret or not widely known, you
let that person in on the information.
General Chambers let me in on the top secret information.
I’m going to let you in on something not many people know about me.
Infinitive: open up
PRESENT TENSE
-ING FORM
PAST TENSE
PAST PARTICIPLE
open up & opens up
opening up
opened up
opened up
1. open . . . up p.v. When you open something up, you reveal what is inside so that people
can see it.
Sofia opened the box up and looked inside.
Mike’s going to open up his computer to try to find the problem.
2. open . . . up p.v. When you open a room or building up, you unlock or open the doors so
that people can enter.
The office closes at 12:00 for lunch and opens back up at 1:00.
The manager was late and didn’t open up the store until 10:30.
3. open . . . up p.v. When a new business starts, it opens up or is opened up by someone.
I was driving through town, and I noticed that a new book store has opened up
on Maple Street.
Jimmy wants to open a restaurant up near the new office building.
Infinitive: put together
PRESENT TENSE
-ING FORM
PAST TENSE
PAST PARTICIPLE
put together & puts
together
putting together
put together
put together
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1. put . . . together p.v. When you assemble the parts of something, you put it together. Put
together is the opposite of take apart.
Sally got a bicycle for her birthday, and her father put it together after dinner.
It was easy taking my car’s engine apart, but putting it back together was a lot
harder.
2. put . . . together p.v. When you organize some ideas, plans, or suggestions in order to
show them to someone or discuss them with someone, you put them together.
Mr. and Mrs. Flores want to redecorate their house, so they asked an interior
designer to put some ideas together.
I have an interesting idea for a new business, and I’m putting together a
proposal.
3. put . . . together p.v. When you position people or things so that they are close to each
other or touching, you put them together.
The teacher told Timmy and Mike to put their desks together so they could work
on their project.
When you plan your dinner party seating arrangement, put Heather and Jimmy
together.
Infinitive: shut off
PRESENT TENSE
-ING FORM
PAST TENSE
PAST PARTICIPLE
shut off & shuts off
shutting off
shut off
shut off
1. shut . . . off p.v. When you shut off an electrical or mechanical device, you cut the power
going to it so that it stops operating. Turn off and switch off are similar to shut off.
Timmy’s mother told him to shut off the TV and go to bed.
I’m freezing. Would you mind shutting the air conditioner off?
shut off part.adj. After you shut off an electrical or mechanical device, it is shut off.
Turned off and switched off are similar to shut off.
Now I know why it’s so cold in here—the heat’s shut off.
shutoff n. When you shut off something, or when something shuts off, this action is a
shutoff. When you shut off something, you use the shutoff switch, button, valve, etc.
The electricity shutoff lasted twenty minutes.
In case of emergency, turn this shutoff valve here.
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Infinitive: start up
PRESENT TENSE
-ING FORM
PAST TENSE
PAST PARTICIPLE
start up & starts up
starting up
started up
started up
1. start . . . up p.v. When an electrical or mechanical device starts up or someone starts it
up, it begins to operate.
My car’s engine died at a red light, and it wouldn’t start up again.
You push this button here to start the computer up.
start-up n. When you start up something, or something starts up, this action is a start-
up. When you start up something, you use the start-up switch, button, etc.
To start the computer up, push this start-up button.
If your computer’s hard disk crashes, you can use this CD as the start-up disk.
2. start . . . up p.v. When you start up a new business or company, you take the steps
necessary to begin a new business or company.
You should have a detailed business plan before starting a business up.
Jane borrowed the money she needed to start up her business from her uncle.
start-up n. A start-up or business or company start-up is a new business or company.
Most business start-ups aren’t successful.
PRACTICE
26-1. On a separate piece of paper, complete the sentences with phrasal verbs from this
unit. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense and person.
1. Your important papers are all over the house. You should _____________ them
_____________ and keep them in a safe place.
2. It was so cold this morning that it took half an hour to _____________ my car
_____________.
3. This is awfully complicated. Could you _____________ _____________ it one more
time?
4. The police ordered the people in the house to _____________ the door _____________.
5. The sergeant _____________ _____________ the hill to look for the enemy soldiers.
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6. The account executive was asked to _____________ some ideas _____________ for a
new advertising campaign.
7. I’m trying to sleep. Would you please _____________ _____________ the lights?
8. Linda saw her favorite movie star, but she was too shy to _____________
_____________ to him and ask him for his autograph.
9. I’ll _____________ you _____________ _____________ a little secret.
10. I’m going to _____________ back _____________ to Todd’s house to return his tools.
11. This calendar is useless—it _____________ _____________ only to August.
12. Thank you for your application. I will _____________ _____________ it carefully and
call you in a few days.
13. This jigsaw puzzle has 1,000 pieces. It’ll take forever to _____________ it
_____________.
14. If that big discount store _____________ _____________ outside of town, all these little
shops will go out of business.
15. The level of water in the river always falls during the summer but _____________ back
_____________ the next spring.
16. Sam’s idea of giving all the workers a 10 percent pay raise didn’t _____________
_____________ well with management.
17. I know you’re upset, but you have to _____________ yourself _____________.
18. On Saturday nights Mike usually _____________ _____________ with some friends
and plays poker.
19. As soon as we arrived at the party, David _____________ _____________ to the buffet
table and grabbed a plate.
20. Without the combination, there’s no way to _____________ this safe _____________.
21. _____________ all your Spanish books _____________ on the same shelf.
22. This road _____________ _____________ to the next town, but that’s where it ends.
23. I’ll need around $25,000 to _____________ _____________ my new business.
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