Phrasal Verbs for Class 9: A Comprehensive Guide
Phrasal verbs are an essential part of the English language, especially for students in Class 9. They consist of a verb combined with a preposition or an adverb, creating a new meaning that is often different from the original verb. Mastering phrasal verbs will help you sound more natural in both spoken and written English.
What Are Phrasal Verbs?
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs) that function as a single unit of meaning. The meaning of a phrasal verb is often idiomatic and cannot be deduced from the individual words.
Common Phrasal Verbs for Class 9
Below is a list of commonly used phrasal verbs along with their meanings and examples.
1. Break Down
Meaning: To stop working (for machines) or to lose control of emotions.
- The car broke down on the highway.
- She broke down in tears after hearing the sad news.
- The old computer broke down after years of use.
2. Call Off
Meaning: To cancel something.
- They called off the meeting due to bad weather.
- The match was called off because of rain.
- She called off her wedding at the last minute.
3. Find Out
Meaning: To discover or learn something.
- I need to find out the train schedule.
- He found out that his friend was moving abroad.
- Did you find out who won the competition?
4. Give Up
Meaning: To stop doing something or quit.
- She gave up smoking last year.
- Don’t give up on your dreams.
- He gave up trying to fix the broken toy.
5. Look After
Meaning: To take care of someone or something.
- Can you look after my dog while I’m away?
- She looks after her younger brother every evening.
- He looked after the garden while his parents were on vacation.
6. Put Off
Meaning: To postpone or delay something.
- They put off the trip until next month.
- Don’t put off your homework until the last minute.
- She put off making a decision until she had more information.
7. Take Off
Meaning: To remove clothing or to leave the ground (for aircraft).
- He took off his jacket when he entered the room.
- The plane took off on time.
- She took off her shoes before entering the house.
8. Turn Down
Meaning: To refuse an offer or request.
- She turned down the job offer because of the low salary.
- He turned down the invitation to the party.
- They turned down our proposal without any explanation.
Exercises
Test your understanding of phrasal verbs with the following exercises.
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Choose the correct phrasal verb from the list to complete the sentences.
- break down, call off, find out, give up, look after, put off, take off, turn down
- She decided to _____ her bad habits and start a healthy lifestyle.
- The concert was _____ because the singer was ill.
- Can you _____ my plants while I’m on vacation?
- He _____ his hat when he entered the building.
- They _____ our request for a meeting.
- The car _____ in the middle of the road.
- We need to _____ the truth about what happened.
- They _____ the project until next year.
Exercise 2: Match the Phrasal Verb with Its Meaning
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Break down | To stop working (machine) or lose control (emotionally) |
| Call off | To cancel |
| Find out | To discover |
| Give up | To quit |
| Look after | To take care of |
| Put off | To postpone |
| Take off | To remove clothing or leave the ground (aircraft) |
| Turn down | To refuse |
Answer Key
Exercise 1 Answers:
- give up
- called off
- look after
- took off
- turned down
- broke down
- find out
- put off
Exercise 2 Answers:
The table already provides the correct matches.