Unit 8 : Grammar: Phrasal Verbs : cours 1 Bac SM

1Course Learning Objectives

This section outlines the specific skills and knowledge that students are expected to acquire by the end of the lesson on phrasal verbs, aligned with the 1st Year Baccalaureate English programme.

Objective 1 — Define and Identify

Skill

Define a phrasal verb and identify its two constituent parts: the main verb (e.g., give, look, put) and the particle (a preposition or adverb such as up, out, in, on).

Objective 2 — Literal vs. Idiomatic Meaning

Skill

Distinguish between the literal meaning of a word combination and its idiomatic meaning as a phrasal verb. Example: give up does not mean to physically hand something upward — it means to stop trying .

Objective 3 — Classify Three Types

Skill

Recognize and classify phrasal verbs into the three main grammatical types: intransitive (no object), transitive separable (object can split the verb and particle), and transitive inseparable (object must follow the particle).

Objective 4 — Pronoun Placement Rule

Skill

Apply the pronoun placement rule correctly: with separable phrasal verbs, a pronoun object (it, them, him, her) must be placed between the verb and the particle — never after it. Example: Turn it off ✓ — NOT Turn off it ✗.

Objective 5 — High Frequency Thematic Vocabulary

Skill

Use high-frequency phrasal verbs linked to the four core baccalaureate themes in context: Education : hand in, drop out, look up, catch up Environment : cut down on, run out of, throw away, clean up Citizenship : stand up for, give up, take part in, call for Technology : log in, set up, break down, switch off

Objective 6 — Exam Task Types

Skill

Solve the four key exam-style task formats successfully: Gap-filling : insert the correct phrasal verb in the right form. Sentence transformation : rewrite a sentence using a given phrasal verb without changing meaning. Matching : pair phrasal verbs with their correct definitions. Error correction : identify and fix incorrect particle choice or word order.

	$Learning Objective$	$Key Focus$	$Exam Relevance$
$1$	$Define a phrasal verb$	$Structure: verb + particle$	$All task types$
$2$	$Literal vs. idiomatic meaning$	$Semantic awareness$	$Matching, error correction$
$3$	$Classify three types$	$Grammar categories$	$Gap-fill, transformation$
$4$	$Pronoun placement rule$	$Word order$	$Error correction, gap-fill$
$5$	$Thematic vocabulary$	$Education, environment, citizenship, technology$	$Gap-fill, matching$
$6$	$Exam task strategies$	$Gap-fill, transformation, matching, error correction$	$Direct exam application$

Overview of the six course learning objectives for Unit 8 — Phrasal Verbs (1st Year Baccalaureate)

Why These Objectives Matter

Phrasal verbs are frequently tested in the Moroccan baccalaureate English exam. Mastering them improves your reading comprehension, writing accuracy, and spoken fluency. These six objectives progress from recognition \to classification \to application \to exam performance .

Before beginning this lesson, students should confirm they are comfortable with the following foundational grammar concepts, as phrasal verbs build directly on them.

Parts of Speech

The grammatical categories of words. For phrasal verbs, students must recognize verbs (the action word), nouns (often the object), adverbs (e.g., up, down, away), and prepositions (e.g., after, into, with). A phrasal verb is always built from a verb + particle, where the particle is either an adverb or a preposition.

Basic Sentence Structure (S V O)

Every sentence has a Subject (who acts), a Verb (the action), and often an Object (what receives the action). Example: She [S] turned off [V] the light [O] . Understanding this pattern is essential for knowing where to place an object around a phrasal verb.

Transitivity

A transitive verb requires a direct object (She gave up the idea), while an intransitive verb does not (He gave up — no object needed). Phrasal verbs are classified partly according to this distinction.

Direct Object & Object Pronouns

A direct object is the noun that receives the action (the plan, the job). Object pronouns replace those nouns: me, you, him, her, it, us, them . Knowing these is critical because, with separable phrasal verbs, a pronoun must go between the verb and the particle — never after it.

Verb Tenses

Phrasal verbs are conjugated exactly like ordinary verbs. Students must be confident with the Present Simple (give up), Past Simple (gave up), and Present Perfect (has/have given up). The particle never changes form — only the base verb is inflected.

Particles

Small words that attach to a verb to form a phrasal verb. Common adverb particles : up, down, away, off, on, out, back . Common preposition particles : after, for, into, with, at, on . The same word (e.g., on) can function as either, depending on context.

Quick Self Check: Are You Ready?

Parts of speech

Can you identify the verb, noun, adverb, and preposition in this sentence? — She carefully looked after her younger brother. ✔ If yes, you are ready.

S-V-O structure

Can you label Subject, Verb, and Object in They called off the meeting ? ✔ If yes, you are ready.

Object pronouns

Can you replace the meeting with the correct pronoun in They called off the meeting ? (Answer: it) ✔ If yes, you are ready.

Verb tenses

Can you conjugate give up in the Past Simple and Present Perfect? (Answers: gave up / has given up) ✔ If yes, you are ready.

Key Particles to Know

Adverb particles

up, down, away, off, on, out, back — these follow the verb and do not take a noun directly after them when used as adverbs.

Preposition particles

after, for, into, with, at, on — these are always followed by a noun or noun phrase (they cannot stand alone without an object).

$Concept$	$What to Remember$	$Quick Example$
$Parts of speech$	$Identify verb + particle in any combination$	$turn (verb) + off (particle) \to phrasal verb$
$S-V-O structure$	$Object placement around the phrasal verb depends on this$	$She [S] switched off [V] the light [O]$
$Transitivity$	$Does the phrasal verb need an object or not?$	$sit down (no object) vs. pick up the bag (object needed)$
$Object pronouns$	$Pronouns go BETWEEN verb and particle (separable type)$	$pick it up ✔ / pick up it ✗$
$Verb tenses$	$Only the verb form changes; the particle stays the same$	$give up \to gave up \to has given up$
$Particles$	$Adverbs vs. prepositions — determines separability rules$	$up, off (adverb) / after, into (preposition)$

Summary of prerequisite concepts and their direct relevance to phrasal verbs.

If any of the concepts above feel unfamiliar, take a few minutes to review them before continuing. A solid command of these building blocks will make every rule about phrasal verbs — especially the pronoun placement rule and the separable / inseparable distinction — straightforward rather than confusing.

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Dans la classe

3What Is a Phrasal Verb? Structure and Key Terminology
4Type 1 — Intransitive Phrasal Verbs
5Type 2 — Transitive Separable Phrasal Verbs
6Type 3 — Transitive Inseparable Phrasal Verbs (Including Three-Part Phrasal Verbs)
7Key Rules and Common Pitfalls to Avoid
8Exam Practice: Four Solved Examples
9Summary and Exam Preparation Tips