Three-Part Phrasal Verbs 1

We all look forward to the weekend! We can come up with ideas for a party, we can get around to doing something we have been putting off, and we can spend time with someone we look up to. Take care of yourself and have fun!

Today's phrasal verbs will be:

• Look forward to

• Come up with

• Look up to

• Take care of

• Look down on

• Get around to

Three-Part Phrasal Verbs

Three-part phrasal verbs have three parts! They contain a verb with a particle (adverb or preposition) and a preposition. They are transitive which means they need an object, and are inseparable which means they always go together.

• "Get along with": To have a harmonious and friendly relationship with someone. Example: "She gets along well with her coworkers."

• "Run out of": To deplete or exhaust the supply of something. Example: "We ran out of milk, so I need to go to the store."

• "Catch up on": To bring oneself up to date by learning or completing something missed or postponed. Example: "During the weekend, I plan to catch up on my reading for the course."

Look Forward To

Look forward to is a phrasal verb commonly used in emails, and most people do not even realize that is a phrasal verb! We can look forward to many things such as meetings, vacations, catching up with old friends, or even home time.

The phrasal verb "look forward to" is used to express anticipation or excitement about something that is going to happen in the future. Here's how it's used in a sentence:

"I look forward to [noun/gerund phrase]."

For example:

1. "I look forward to the weekend."

2. "She looks forward to meeting her friends."

3. "They look forward to the new movie release."

In these examples, "look forward to" is followed by a noun (weekend) or a gerund phrase (meeting her friends, new movie release) to indicate what the speaker is anticipating or excited about.

Come up with

Do you come up with good ideas or plans? When you are bored, can you come up with ways to entertain yourself? What about when something goes wrong, do you come up with excuses? I hope you can come up with some examples of phrasal verbs by the end of this lesson.

The phrasal verb "come up with" is used to express the act of generating, creating, or producing something, often referring to ideas, solutions, or plans. Here's how it's used in a sentence:

"I will come up with [something]."

For example:

1. "He needs to come up with a creative concept for the advertising campaign."

2. "They came up with a brilliant solution to the problem."

3. "She's struggling to come up with a suitable topic for her research paper."

In these examples, "come up with" is followed by a noun (a creative concept, a brilliant solution, a suitable topic) to indicate what the speaker is trying to generate or create.

Look Up To

When you were a kid, who did you look up to? Did you look up to your dad or mom? Did you look up to an athlete or even an artist? Who was your hero? In other words, who did you want to be like, and who did you admire and respect greatly?

The phrasal verb "look up to" is used to express admiration, respect, or regarding someone as a role model or authority figure. Here's how it's used in a sentence:

"I look up to [someone]."

For example:

1. "I look up to my parents for their wisdom and guidance."

2. "She looks up to her older sister as a mentor."

3. "Many people look up to him for his achievements in the field."

In these examples, "look up to" is followed by a person (my parents, her older sister, him) to indicate who the speaker admires or regards as a role model.

Take care of

Once again we are going back to childhood! When you were a kid, who took care of you? I am guessing it was your parents that took care of you. They provided for you, loved you, and cared for you. If you have a pet, you also take care of your pet. You give your pet love and affection, and provide for it.

The phrasal verb "take care of" is used to express the act of managing or handling responsibilities, tasks, or ensuring the well-being of someone or something. Here's how it's used in a sentence:

"I will take care of [someone/something]."

For example:

1. "I will take care of the kids while you're at work."

2. "She took care of her grandmother during her illness."

3. "He takes care of his plants by watering them regularly."

In these examples, "take care of" is followed by either a person (the kids, her grandmother, himself) or a thing (plants) to indicate what the speaker is responsible for managing or looking after.

Look down on

What is the opposite of look up to? Well, unfortunately, it is look down on.

The phrasal verb "look down on" is used to express a sense of superiority or contempt towards someone or something, often indicating a negative attitude or judgment. Here's how it's used in a sentence:

"I look down on [someone/something]."

For example:

1. "She looks down on people who don't share her educational background."

2. "He looks down on manual labor jobs as less important."

3. "They look down on anyone who doesn't conform to their fashion standards."

In these examples, "look down on" is followed by a person (people who don't share her educational background, anyone) or a concept (manual labor jobs, those who don't conform) to indicate who or what the speaker views with a sense of superiority or disdain.

Get around to

What is a task that you need to do, but still have not completed yet? In other words, what task have you not gotten around to?

The phrasal verb "get around to" is used to express finally finding the time or opportunity to do something that you intended to do for a while. Here's how it's used in a sentence:

"I will get around to [doing something]."

For example:

1. "I'll get around to cleaning the garage this weekend."

2. "She's been meaning to read that book for months but hasn't gotten around to it."

3. "They'll get around to addressing the issue at the next meeting."

In these examples, "get around to" is followed by a gerund phrase (doing something, read that book, addressing the issue) to indicate the action or task that the speaker has been delaying but plans to do in the near future.