Phrasal Verb – Show up.
Meaning 1 – To arrive somewhere, especially where someone or some people are waiting for you.
- This phrasal verb is not separable.
- “I waited all night, but she didn’t show up.”
Meaning 2 – Show (somebody) up – To make someone feel embarrassed by your silly or unacceptable behaviour when you are with them.
- This phrasal verb is separable.
- “Steve showed me up in front of my family last week.”
Meaning 3 – Show (something) up – To make something clearer or easier to notice.
- This phrasal verb is separable.
- “The sunlight showed up the marks on the window.”
The phrasal verb show off can be used when somebody is behaving in a way that is intended to attract attention.
In The News:
Floyd Mayweather fails to show up to Aaron Chalmers exhibition weigh-in
What is a phrasal verb?
A phrasal verb is a verb combined with 1 or 2 small words. These small words are particles. A particle can be a preposition or adverb. The phrasal verb has a different meaning from the verb alone because the particle changes the meaning of the verb.
Some phrasal verbs can be separated. When we change the tense of the phrasal verb we only modify the verb part. The particle remains the same.
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