Which sentence uses 'come across' correctly?

I came across an old photo while cleaning the attic

I came across the street to meet you

I came across an old photo while cleaning the attic

The bridge came across the river

Which sentence uses 'come across' correctly?

She comes across as very confident in interviews

He came across the finish line first

Which sentence uses 'come by' correctly?

Good jobs are hard to come by these days

The bus will come by this route

Good jobs are hard to come by these days

I come by the office every morning at 8

Which sentence uses 'come by' correctly?

Can you come by my house later for coffee?

The train came by the station too fast

She comes by the grocery store home

Which sentence uses 'come out' correctly?

The new iPhone will come out next month

I need to come out from the house now

The new iPhone will come out next month

Which sentence uses 'come out' correctly?

The truth finally came out after the investigation

The students came out to the classroom

Three-Word Phrasal Verbs: Complete Guide with Examples -

📐 Lesson 3 - Syntax Rules

Three-Word Phrasal Verbs

While most phrasal verbs consist of two words (verb + particle), English also has a special category of three-word phrasal verbs. These are fixed expressions that combine a verb, a particle, and a preposition to create a specific meaning. They're essential for sounding natural in English, especially in informal conversation.

Understanding three-word phrasal verbs is crucial because they follow strict rules and cannot be broken apart or rearranged.

The Structure Formula

VERB + PARTICLE + PREPOSITION

Example: look (verb) + forward (particle) + to (preposition)

Three Unbreakable Rules

Critical Rules for Three-Word Phrasal Verbs

Rule #1: ALWAYS Inseparable - You can NEVER split the three parts. The structure is completely fixed.
Rule #2: ALWAYS Transitive - They always require an object. You must specify what or who.
Rule #3: ALWAYS Fixed Order - You cannot change the order of the three parts or substitute words.

Let's see these rules in action with the most common three-word phrasal verb: look forward to.

✓ Correct

I'm looking forward to the weekend.

All three words stay together, object comes after.

✗ Incorrect

I'm looking the weekend forward to.

Cannot separate the parts!

✗ Incorrect

I'm looking forward.

Needs an object! Looking forward to WHAT?

Most Common Three-Word Phrasal Verbs

Here are the three-word phrasal verbs you'll encounter most frequently in everyday English:

look forward to

to be excited about something in the future

"I look forward to meeting you."

get along with

to have a good relationship with someone

"She gets along with everyone at work."

run out of

to use all of something and have none left

"We've run out of milk."

put up with

to tolerate or accept something unpleasant

"I can't put up with this noise anymore."

look after

to take care of someone or something

"Can you look after my cat while I'm away?"

look up to

to admire and respect someone

"Children look up to their parents."

look down on

to think you're better than someone

"Don't look down on people less fortunate."

get away with

to do something bad without being punished

"You won't get away with lying."

keep up with

to stay at the same level as someone/something

"It's hard to keep up with technology."

come up with

to think of an idea or solution

"She came up with a brilliant plan."

catch up with

to reach the same point as someone ahead

"I need to catch up with my work."

do away with

to get rid of or abolish something

"They did away with the old system."

Three-Word Phrasal Verbs by Category

Relationships & Social Interactions

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
get along with	have a good relationship	I get along with my neighbors.
get on with	have a friendly relationship (UK)	She gets on with her colleagues.
put up with	tolerate	I won't put up with rudeness.
look up to	admire and respect	I look up to my teacher.
look down on	consider inferior	Don't look down on others.

Actions & Responsibilities

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
look after	take care of	Please look after my plants.
catch up with	reach the same point	I need to catch up with my emails.
keep up with	maintain the same pace	Keep up with the latest news.
come up with	create an idea	Can you come up with a solution?
get away with	avoid punishment	He got away with cheating.

Time & Resources

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
run out of	have no more left	We've run out of time.
look forward to	anticipate with pleasure	I look forward to the holidays.
cut down on	reduce consumption	I'm cutting down on sugar.
do away with	eliminate/abolish	Let's do away with these rules.

The Golden Rule

Three-word phrasal verbs are ALWAYS inseparable and ALWAYS transitive. Think of them as a single, unbreakable unit that requires an object.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't Make These Mistakes!

Mistake #1: Separating the parts
✗ I'm looking the meeting forward to.
✓ I'm looking forward to the meeting.

Mistake #2: Forgetting the object
✗ We ran out of.
✓ We ran out of coffee.

Mistake #3: Changing the word order
✗ I get with along my boss.
✓ I get along with my boss.

Learning Tip

When learning three-word phrasal verbs, memorize them as complete units. Don't try to understand each word separately - learn the whole expression and its meaning together. Create example sentences for each one to help remember the context.

Key Takeaways

Remember

1. Three-word phrasal verbs = verb + particle + preposition
2. They are ALWAYS inseparable - never split the three parts
3. They are ALWAYS transitive - they always need an object
4. The word order is ALWAYS fixed - cannot be rearranged
5. Learn them as complete units, not separate words

Ready to Practice?

Test your knowledge with interactive exercises on three-word phrasal verbs!

Practice Exercises Next Lesson