This is a phrasal verbs guide to help you understand their meaning, importance in real life with the help of sentences and examples to see their different variations.
So, now that you’ve truly decided to learn phrasal verbs, we’ll be moving ahead with our learning, perhaps this time more broadly and doing some phrasal verbs with taking sentences as examples.
We really need to kick off the term phrasal verb today. Since the term is as complicated as it’s usage. When you come across a phrasal verb do you also feel, what I felt, woozy and confused? If so, then it was only till I showed no interest, once I did, believe me it has become my favorite thing to work with everyday. Down are some ways I am pulling out for you to understand better and me to learn more.
Definition of phrasal verbs and What do They Mean
Indeed, It is exactly, what you understood after squeezing the literal meaning, that is a verb in a form of phrase. To be formal and precise, it is a phrase that combines different words to deliver one meaning. The words which are combined are, a verb and a preposition or a verb and a particle.
Why learning phrasal verbs can be burdensome?
The meaning that the phrase deliver is perhaps different from the elements used in the phrase, for instance, brought up, the meaning here is to raise, sometimes a phrasal verb has more than one meaning, for instance put down itself has three meaning:
- To make someone feel small.
- To kill.
- To stop, quash or put an end.
Lastly, there are difficulties with the grammar of phrasal verbs, particularly with the position of the particles.
Why are they important for daily communication ?
Despite of the hurdles(which are also part of one’s life) phrasal verbs are important, not as important as your life, but important, You see! The reason that makes it important, is the frequent occurrence we tend to come across in our day to day life. Nontheless, phrasal verbs give our writing and speech a natural touch, the one who doesn’t use it sounds, plain and ridiculous, for instance think of your friend telling you to “stop using your mouth to produce sounds” instead of “shut up” which sentence would you accept without any smirk?
Though we know now, what phrasal verbs are, we’ll still jump back to the flashback, because, practice makes a man perfect and a woman too! So what are phrasal verbs? Yes… it is a phrase that combines different words to deliver one meaning, the words which are combined are, a verb and a preposition or a verb and a particle.
Phrasal verb is an interesting topic to have fun with, because it makes any dull piece vibrant. Using them is difficult because it demands a lot of learning and understanding the fact that, every time you cannot absorb what’s written but take it in a way that it is built to be taken.
To give you an example like when you listen “run into” you really don’t need to run because the meaning is to meet someone unexpectedly, ex. “I ran into my school teacher at the airport, she was happy to know I made it to the college.”
Now, similarly we’ll be doing some more sentences which will help us understand better.
Example Sentences of Phrasal verbs with Their Meaning
- back out of (something): fail to keep a commitment.
The client backed out of the deal at the last minute.
- come across (something):find accidentally.
While cleaning the house, I came across check I had forgotten to deposit.
- count on (something / someone):depend on, rely on.
I’m counting on you to send me the information by the end of the day, I need it as soon as possible.
- fill in for (someone):substitute for.
The president of the company is traveling, so the vice-president is filling in for him at the meeting.
- get rid of (something): eliminate, throw away.
We have rats in the house, we need to call the exterminator to get rid of them.
- go over (something):review.
Before the test, let’s go over the topic of phrasal verbs.
- look after (something / someone):take care of.
I can’t go out tonight because I’m looking after my sister’s children.
- look into (something):investigate.
I’m looking into the possibility of taking an intensive English course in Australia next year.
- put up with (something / someone):tolerate something/someone unpleasant.
One of my colleagues is not very nice, but we put up with him because he does excellent work.
- look forward to (something):feel happy/excited about something in the future.
I’m really looking forward to our family vacation in Florida, it’s going to be awesome!
- settle on (something): decide on, choose.
I was debating what type of fitness class to take, and I finally settled on yoga.
- take after (someone):resemble in looks or personality.
She’s very friendly and extroverted, she takes after her mother.
- touch on (something):mention briefly during a speech or discussion.
We touched on the issue of employee satisfaction during the meeting, but we didn’t go into much detail.
- turn into (something):become.
The caterpillar turned into a butterfly.
To note, always check the tense and don’t just pick and place any phrasal verb into any sentence.