Phrasal Verbs with “Give”

Phrasal Verbs with Give: Meanings, Examples, and Usage (B2–C1)

Hello, English learners. Welcome to a new lesson! Today, we are looking at phrasal verbs — how they work, how to use them correctly, and 8 common phrasal verbs with give that you will hear often in everyday English, exams, and professional situations.

What Are Phrasal Verbs?

A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and one or more particles (adverbs or prepositions). Together, they create a meaning that is often different from the original verb.

That’s what makes them powerful — and sometimes tricky.

Common Structures

Verb + preposition

look after (to take care of)

→ She looks after her younger brother.

Verb + adverb

break down (to stop working)

→ My car broke down yesterday.

Verb + adverb (+ object)

turn off

→ Turn off the TV.

→ Turn the TV off.

Separable vs. Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Separable

The object can go between the verb and the particle.

Turn off the TV.

Turn the TV off.

Note: If the object is a pronoun, it must go in the middle:

Turn it off. (NOT Turn off it)

Inseparable

The object cannot split the phrasal verb.

Look after your health.

(NOT Look your health after)

Phrasal Verbs with Give

Give up

Meaning: to stop doing something; quit; abandon hope or an attempt

• He gave up smoking to improve his health.
• After years of struggling, she gave up her dream of becoming an actor.
• She gave up trying to fix the old car.

Give in

Meaning: to surrender; accept defeat; agree after resistance; formally submit something

• After hours of arguing, she finally gave in.
• The rebels refused to give in without a fight.
• He gave in his resignation yesterday. (BrE)

Give out

Meaning: to distribute; announce; stop working due to exhaustion or damage

• The teacher gave out the test papers.
• The radio station gave out an emergency warning.
• His phone battery gave out during the trip.

Give away

Meaning: to donate; give something for free; reveal a secret; formally transfer ownership

• The company gave away free samples.
• Her smile gave away her true feelings.
• He gave away the property in the legal agreement.

Give off

Meaning: to emit (a smell, heat, light, or feeling)

• The flowers give off a pleasant scent.
• Burning plastic gives off toxic fumes.
• He gives off a calm, confident impression.

Give back

Meaning: to return something; repay kindness; restore what was taken

• I need to give back the book I borrowed.
• She volunteers to give back to the community.
• The land was finally given back to its owners.

Give over

Meaning: to stop doing something; surrender control; hand responsibility to someone else

• Oh, give over complaining and get on with it! (informal)
• The troops gave over after days of fighting.
• The project was given over to a new manager.

Give onto

Meaning: to open into or lead directly to another place (mainly British English)

• The balcony gives onto the garden.
• Our hotel room gives onto the sea.
• The hallway gave onto a small courtyard.

Final Tip for Learners

When learning phrasal verbs, always learn them in context — with examples, collocations, and typical situations. Trying to translate them word for word rarely works (English likes to keep us humble like that).

Do the quiz to perfect your knowledge of phrasal verbs with “give”

Learn 20 ways to use the verb TELL here

Learn 100 phrasal verbs for everyday use and download the PDF here

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