ENGLISH PHRASAL VERBS

English Phrasal Verbs – 4

Abide by

        Meaning:

-         to follow a rule or obey the law

-         to obey all the rules of something

-         to accept the rule

For Example:

                                    

1.   You must abide by the rules

2.   Always abide by your promise

3.   Competitors must abide by the judge’s decision.

4.   We have to abide by what the teacher says.

5.   There are rules that you must live by. If you cannot abide by them, you will be punished.

6.   There is no talking during class. If you don’t abide by that, you will be asked to leave.

Act like

        Meaning:

-         to behave

-         behave in a specific way

-         behave like another person or display those characteristics

For Example:

    

1.   The mind acts like an enemy for those who don’t control it.

2.   Why is Ravi acting like a 5-year-old?

3.   Stop that! You are acting like an idiot!

4. Don’t act like you didn’t see this.

5.  Kishore is acting like a fool today.

Account for

        Meaning:

-         explain in a satisfactory way

-         give a reason for something

-         to give an explanation of something

-         to be the reason for something exists or happen

For Example:

                                                                             

        1.   I hope you can account for all the money you spent.

2.   I can’t account for his unusual behaviour in this matter.

3.   They had to account for all the money that had gone missing.

4.   He was unable to account for the error.

5.   The increase in carbon dioxide emission may account for changes in the climate.

Minor in

Meaning:

-         Minor in something

-         To study something in college, but not as your main subject

-         To study another subject at university or college in addition to your main subject

-         To study something as your second most important subject

For Example:

                                    

1.   At university I majored in history and minored in music.

2.   She wants to major in English, but she is not sure what she will minor in yet.

3.   I minored in Hindi in college.

4.   When she was in college, Priya minored in geography.

5.   In college, he is majored in English and minored in Mathematics.  

Author: 

 

Dr.M. Selvam

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science

Coimbatore