3.98 ergative phrasal verbs

Just as with ordinary verbs, some phrasal verbs are ergative verbs; that is, you can use the object of the transitive verb as the subject of the intransitive verb.

• The guerrillas blew up the restaurant.
• The gasworks blew up.
• I won't wake him up just yet.
• He woke up in the middle of the night.

See paragraphs 3.60 to 3.68 for information about ergative verbs.

3.99

Here is a list of ergative phrasal verbs:

• back up, block up, blow up, book in, break off, break up, buck up, build up, burn up, check in, check out, cheer up, close down, dry up, get off, heat up, hurry up, line up, move on, open up, peel off, pull through, rub off, shut up, sign up, slow down, spread out, start off, thaw out, wake up, warm up, wear down, wear out

3.100

In the case of some ergative phrasal verbs, the second word can be a preposition if the other thing involved needs to be mentioned, or can be an adverb if the other thing involved is clear from the context.

• ...leaves that had been blown off the trees.
• My hat blew off.

3.101

Here is a list of ergative phrasal verbs whose second word can be a preposition or an adverb:

• blow off, chip off, get down, get through, get up, move down, move up, peel off, poke through, stick in, stick on