Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs where the object must come after the particle: look after the children (not look the children after)

intermediate

When to Use

•When the verb and particle cannot be separated by the object.
•Common inseparable verbs: look after, look for, look into, run into, get over, come across, go through.
•The object (noun or pronoun) always follows the particle.
•Many three-word phrasal verbs are inseparable: look forward to, put up with, get along with.
•Test: if 'it' sounds wrong between verb and particle, it's inseparable.

How to Form

Affirmative (+)

Verb + particle + object (always this order)

Negative (-)

Don't/Didn't + verb + particle + object

Question (?)

Did you + verb + particle + object?

💡 Unlike separable verbs, the object never goes between verb and particle.

Examples

✓She looks after her grandmother.

✗She looks her grandmother after.

Look after is inseparable.

✓I ran into an old friend.

✗I ran an old friend into.

Run into is inseparable.

✓We're looking forward to the party.

✗We're looking the party forward to.

Look forward to is inseparable.

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

• Object always after particle: look after her (not look her after).
• Common inseparable: look after/for/into, run into, get over, come across.
• Three-word phrasal verbs are usually inseparable.
• Memorize whether each phrasal verb is separable or inseparable.

phrasal-verbs-separable stative-verbs prepositions-movement 📝 verbs-intermediate 📝 phrasal-verbs-quiz

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs where the object must come after the particle: look after the children (not look the children after)

intermediate

When to Use

•When the verb and particle cannot be separated by the object.
•Common inseparable verbs: look after, look for, look into, run into, get over, come across, go through.
•The object (noun or pronoun) always follows the particle.
•Many three-word phrasal verbs are inseparable: look forward to, put up with, get along with.
•Test: if 'it' sounds wrong between verb and particle, it's inseparable.

How to Form

Affirmative (+)

Verb + particle + object (always this order)

Negative (-)

Don't/Didn't + verb + particle + object

Question (?)

Did you + verb + particle + object?

💡 Unlike separable verbs, the object never goes between verb and particle.

Examples

✓She looks after her grandmother.

✗She looks her grandmother after.

Look after is inseparable.

✓I ran into an old friend.

✗I ran an old friend into.

Run into is inseparable.

✓We're looking forward to the party.

✗We're looking the party forward to.

Look forward to is inseparable.

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

• Object always after particle: look after her (not look her after).
• Common inseparable: look after/for/into, run into, get over, come across.
• Three-word phrasal verbs are usually inseparable.
• Memorize whether each phrasal verb is separable or inseparable.

phrasal-verbs-separable stative-verbs prepositions-movement 📝 verbs-intermediate 📝 phrasal-verbs-quiz

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

Related

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

Related

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

✗I look her after.

✗He got the flu over.

✗I came a solution across.

💡 Practice Tips

Related

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

✗I look her after.

✗He got the flu over.

✗I came a solution across.

💡 Practice Tips

Related