§ 8 Phrasal, Prepositional Verbs and

Phraseological Units in Passive Structures

Special care should be taken with the passive forms of verbs and phraseological units taking prepositional objects: the verb and the preposition following it always stay together while the noun-object (or pronoun) becomes the subject of the passive construction.

Active	Passive
They laughed at him.	He was laughed at.
They looked down upon him.	He was looked down upon.
They did away with the old rules.	The old rules were done away with.

NOTE: When phrasal (compound) verbs are followed by a direct object without a preposition, remember to keep the two parts of the phrasal verb together in a passive structure.

Active	Passive
They knocked down old buildings in the centre of the town.	Old buildings in the centre of the town were knocked down.

Prepositional Verbs

1. account for – to give an explanation or reason for

His foolish behaviour could not be accounted for.

The late arrival of the steamer is accounted for by a storm on the sea.

2. arrive at (a decision, conclusion, agreement) – to reach, to come to

After many hours’ talk the decision was arrived at.

After an interesting discussion about the problem the agreement was arrived at.

3. ask for – to make a request for

Have I been asked for at the hotel?

4. approve of – to consider good, right, wise

(disapprove of – to consider bad, wrong or unwise)

His request was disapproved of.

His behaviour can’t be approved of.

5. break into – to enter by force: to break into a house

Their house was broken into last night but nothing was stolen.

At night his car was broken into and a few things were stolen from it.

6. call for – a) to demand: to call for the waiter, to call for the bill

At the end of the meal the bill was called for.

b) to collect (someone or something)

You’ll be called for at 7 o’clock.

7. comment on – to make a remark, give an opinion

The election results were widely commented on in the newspapers.

8. deal with – to do business

This store has been dealt with for twenty years.

The matter should be dealt with as soon as possible.

9. depend on – to trust (usually someone)

You’ll be depended on to do it.

The map was depended on but it was wrong.

10. hear from – to receive news from someone usually by letter

She hasn’t been heard from since she went to live in France.

11. hear of – 1) to know of (a fact, existence of something or somebody)

2) to hear about

This young tennis player has been heard of quite a lot lately.

12. insist on (upon) – to declare firmly (when opposed)

Punctuality is insisted on in this office.

Higher rates of pay were insisted on.

13. interfere with – to get in the way of another, to prevent from happening

My work was constantly being interfered with.

He doesn’t like to be interfered with while he is working.

14. laugh at – to treat as foolish, worthless or an object of fun

You look stupid with this haircut. You’ll be laughed at.

Don’t say such foolish things. You’ll be laughed at.

15. listen to – to give attention in hearing

I like to be listened carefully.

He was listened to attentively.

16. look at – to give attention in seeing, use the eyes

She felt she was being looked at and it pleased her.

She was looked at with surprise.

17. look after – to take care of someone or something

Are you being well looked after?

I hope the child will be well looked after while the parents are away.

Albert is 85. He lives with his son’s family and is well looked after.

18. look for – to try to find

The missing keys had been looked for everywhere but were never found.

The boy who disappeared from home last week is still being looked for.

19. look into – to examine the meaning or causes of something

The matter will be looked into in the near future.

20. mock at – to laugh at (someone or smth.) when it is wrong to do so

His strange way of expressing himself is always mocked at.

21. object to – to be against something or someone

His proposal was strongly objected to.

22. provide for – to support, supply with necessary things

She was well provided for in her husband’s will.

23. read to – to say printed or written words especially to give pleasure to others

Little children like to be read to.

24. refer to – to mention, speak about

Later the Minister’s report was referred to.

Your sister shouldn’t be referred to like a fool.

25. rely on – to trust someone to do something

He can be relied on to help you.

Jill can always be relied on. She never breaks her promises.

26. send for – to give a command, request

The child looks ill and I think the doctor must be sent for at once.

When they found her lying on the floor the doctor was sent for.

27. shout at – to give loud cry, speak or say very loudly

I hate to be shouted at. I like people to be nice to me.

28. think highly (well, little, poorly) of someone or somebody – to have a good (bad, etc) opinion of someone or something

He was highly thought of in his town.

29. wait for – to stay somewhere without doing anything until somebody or something comes or something happens

“Hurry up. You are being waited for downstairs.”

30. write to – to produce and send (a letter)

Will Bill be written to and informed about the changes?