ENGLISH PHRASAL VERBS - 1

English Phrasal Verbs -1

In English grammar, a phrase is a meaningful sequence of two or more words that work as a unit in a sentence or clause. It contains neither a subject nor a verb. It is not a complete sentence in itself.

        The Oxford Learner's Dictionary defines a phrasal verb as "a verb combined with an adverb or a preposition, or sometimes both, to give a new meaning". For example, win over, calm down, take off, etc. 

Simple Examples of Phrases

1.   the little boy (noun phrase)

2.   is singing (verb phrase)

3.   very loudly (adverb phrase)

4.   full of happiness (adjective phrase)

5.   in the school (prepositional phrase)

 

Phrasal Verbs

Act on

Meaning:

-         to take action because of something like information received

-         to take action as a result of advice or information

-         do something because of advice

-         to take action against something

Example:

1.   World leaders have repeatedly stated that we must act on climate change.

2.   The police were acting on a tip from an informer and caught the gang red-handed.

3.   Acting on information from a public member, the police raided the club.

4.   Different drugs act on different parts of our body in many different ways.

 

Ask out

Meaning:

-         ask someone out

-         invite someone

-         to invite someone to go with you somewhere socially

Example:

        

        1. Karthi asked Jeeva out to dinner and a movie.

2.   She said she was going to ask him out to lunch.

3.   John is too shy to ask Jennifer out.

4.   She likes him, but she is too shy to ask him out.

5.    You should ask her out sometime
.

Get Out

Meaning:

-         to leave a place

-         to become known

-         to escape from a place

-         to remove something

Example:

1.   I need to get out of the house.

2.   This meeting is so boring. I hope we get out of here soon.

3.   Once the news got out, it quickly spread around work.

4.   The monkey got out of its cage.

5.   She wants to go out with him.

6
.   I cannot get the stain out of my shirt.

 

Put together

Meaning:

-         to assemble something by joining its parts or pieces

-         to produce or organize something using many different things

-         to make something by joining all its parts

-         to choose people or things to form a team or group

For Example:

1.   He took it apart brick by brick and put it back together again.

2.   The exhibition has been put together by a group of young artists.

3.   Will you help me put this desk together?

4.   A team of experts has been put together to examine the effects of global warming.

5.   He knows more about computers than the rest of them put together.

Talk up

Meaning:

-         to speak enthusiastically about something, usually in order to   persuade someone to buy it or invest in it

-         to speak in a positive way about something or someone in order to persudae others. 

For Example:

1.   Feel free to talk up if you have any objections.   

2.   I am talking up about your teaching at my students.

3.   Your boss has been talking you up a lot recently, you must be doing something right!

4.   Finance Minister will be talking up his plans for the economy.