Phrasal Verbs - Are they okay in formal writing?

You have probably heard, or read in a textbook, that phrasal verbs should be avoided in formal writing. While it is true that many phrasal verbs have an informal nature, such as hurry up, cool off or hit it off; many phrasal verbs are either neutral, such as carry out or in fact formal, such as account for.

Part of the confusion over phrasal verbs is that they are so common in spoken (and therefore informal) English. In fact, as a learner, you will not get anywhere without learning phrasal verbs, even at a basic level - just think of switching on a light or a computer. However, just as it is true that you will not get anywhere at a lower level without learning phrasal verbs, it is also true that to truly develop as an advanced writer, you need to master the formal use of phrasal verbs.

It is also important to understand the concept of register — the level of formality in a piece of writing or speech. Some phrasal verbs can shift register depending on context. For example, set up might sound casual in “We set up the tent in the garden,” but formal in “The government set up a commission to investigate the incident.” Being aware of register will help you choose phrasal verbs that fit the tone and purpose of your writing.

Let us consider the following sentence:

A committee has been set up to look into the causes of the fire.

This sentence is not only formal in nature, but it would also be quite difficult to construct without the use of phrasal verbs. Any other version would seem wordy and not professional.

Another typical example would be:

After the company was taken over, many workers handed in their notices.

I have created a selfstudy handout dealing with typical phrasal verbs seen in formal writing (see the downloadable PDF and key at the bottom). These are by no means the only ones and I encourage you to check them out yourself as they will really aid your writing.

A Cambridge University Blogpost on this subject can be found here.

Formal Phrasal Verbs Handout PDF.pdf

Download PDF • 451KB

Formal Phrasal Verbs Key PDF.pdf

Download PDF • 473KB