About the Book

Red words – mark out the phrasal verbs you are most likely to need

Using data from our large language corpus, we have identified just over 1,000 of the most frequently-used phrasal verbs in English, and dealt with them in great detail. These words are shown in red and are divided into three bands (marked with one, two or three stars), each of about 350 verbs. We have used the same approach in the Macmillan English Dictionary and Macmillan Essential Dictionary, and students and teachers have told us how useful this information is.

Menus – the easiest way to find your way around

In entries with five or more senses, a menu at the top of the entry guides you quickly to the meaning you want. No more wading through long entries until you find your meaning.

Collocation boxes – for language that comes across as natural

Boxes at the end of some entries provide invaluable information about the words phrasal verbs typically occur with, to help you speak and write more naturally. Frequent collocations are also shown in examples and highlighted in bold type.

Particles – find out even more

Special entries on the 12 most common particles (away, back, down, out etc) explain how they contribute to the meaning of phrasal verbs.

Click here for an example of a particle entry:
Common Particles Chart downloadable pdf
Common Particles Diagram downloadable pdf

Single-word index – look up a phrasal verb alternative

An index of over 1000 single-word equivalents lets you find phrasal verbs by starting with single-word verbs which you already know. The equivalent phrasal verb may be more common and therefore may sound more natural.

Illustrations – catch on to the meaning with witty cartoons

Over 100 striking two-colour cartoons by Martin Shovel illustrate common phrasal verbs, reinforcing their meaning and making them more memorable.

Extra information within the entries

The dictionary entries contain a wealth of information to help you understand each phrasal verb and to use it well:

• Meanings are explained using simple language (a vocabulary of around 2,300 words), with easy-to-use descriptions of how phrasal verbs combine with other words, where the object can be placed, where the pronouns go, along with additional information on inflections, pronunciation and stress patterns.
• Example sentences taken from the corpus accompany the definitions, reflecting phrasal verbs as they are used today.
• The dictionary provides guidance on register (formal, humorous, impolite, informal, literary, offensive, old-fashioned or showing disapproval) and regional usage (British or American).
• Synonyms and opposites are given at the end of entries, and show if the alternative word should be used in a different context (e.g. if it is a more formal alternative to the headword).
• A subject label is included if the phrasal verb is used as part of the language of a particular subject area, rather than in everyday English. These labels indicate the use of the phrasal verb in business, Internet, computing, economics, health, linguistics and technical contexts.
• Derivatives of the phrasal verb (nouns, adjectives and adverbs) are shown at the end of the entry and help you build your vocabulary.

Click here to see two full-pages from the Macmillan Phrasal Verbs Plus.

Language Study pages

A 26-page Language Study section in the middle of the dictionary contains information written by experts on a range of relevant topics, to help students to understand phrasal verbs and to use them correctly.

·        The Syntactic Behaviour of Phrasal Verbs: how phrasal verbs combine with other words in a sentence

·        Metaphor and Phrasal Verbs: ways in which different phrasal verbs share similar metaphors
Language Study - Metaphor downloadable pdf

·        Phrasal Verbs and Other ‘Phrasal’ Vocabulary: the ways in which verbs, nouns and adjectives combine with particles to make new word forms

·        Register and Phrasal Verbs: what types of text phrasal verbs are typically used in
Language Study - Register downloadable pdf

·        Learners and Phrasal Verbs: the most common problems experienced by learners using phrasal verbs

·        Pronunciation and Phrasal Verbs: how phrasal verbs are pronounced and where the stress falls

·        ‘New’ Phrasal Verbs: the ways in which new phrasal verbs develop
Language Study - New Verbs downloadable pdf