Phrasal verbs
In modern English it is very common to place prepositions or adverbs after certain verbs so as to obtain a variety of meanings: this is referred to as a phrasal verb.
Phrasal verbs: an idiomatic phrase consisting of a verb and another element, typically either an adverb, as in break down, or a preposition, for example see to, or a combination of both, such as look down on
Give away = give to someone/anyone
Give up = abandon (a habit or attempt)
Look after = take care of
Look for = search for/ seek
Look out = beware
Don’t worry about whether it is a verb + adverb or verb + preposition, the aim with learning about phrasal verbs is to understand the over all meaning.
An important thing to know about a phrasal verb is whether it is transitive (requires an object) or intransitive (can not have an object). It is possible for a phrasal verb to have two or more meanings, being transitive in one sense and intransitive in another.
For example take off can mean ‘remove’; it is a transitive expression in this instance:
He took off his hat.
Take off can also mean ‘rise from the ground’ (like an aircraft). Here it is intransitive:
The plane took off at 10 o’clock.
Transitive expressions: the position of the object
Noun objects are usually placed at the end of these expressions:
I am looking for my glasses
With some expressions, however, they can be placed either at the end or immediately after the verb, i.e. before the short word. We can say:
He took off his coat or He took his coat off.
Pronoun objects are sometimes placed at the end of the expression:
I am looking for them.
But they are more often placed immediately after the verb:
He took it off.
This position is usually before the following short words: up, down, in, out, away, off and on (except when used with the expression call on = visit).