Phrasal Verbs in English

Importance of Phrasal Verbs

• Phrasal verbs: Common in everyday English; essential for fluency.
• Challenges for Romance language speakers:
  • Romance languages (e.g., Spanish, French) do not have phrasal verbs.
  • Makes English feel informal and casual compared to formal verbs in Romance languages.

Definition

• Phrasal verb: A regular verb combined with a preposition or adverb.
  • Examples:
    • Extinguish → put out
    • Investigate → look into
    • Renounce → drop out

Categories of Phrasal Verbs

Common Examples

1. Ask for - Request something.
   • Example: "I asked my boss for a raise."
2. Back off - Leave an emotional situation.
   • Example: "She asked me to back off."
3. Blow off - Cancel a plan abruptly.
   • Example: "She blew off our date."
4. Break down - Something stops working suddenly.
   • Example: "My car broke down."
5. Bring back - Return something borrowed.
   • Example: "Bring back my PlayStation controllers."
6. Calm down - Become less nervous or angry.
   • Example: "Dude, calm down."
7. Check in - Register at a hotel or airport.
   • Example: "I’m just going to check in our bags."
8. Come across - How someone is perceived.
   • Example: "He comes across as a humble guy."
9. Cut back - Reduce something.
   • Example: "You need to cut back on Starbucks."
10. Do over - Do something again to improve it.
    • Example: "We’ll have to do it all over again."

More Examples

• Get away - Escape from something.
• Hang out - Spend time casually.
• Look forward to - Anticipate a future event positively.
• Take off - Remove something.
• Turn down - Decrease volume or intensity.

Tips for Learning Phrasal Verbs

• Practice regularly: Use them in sentences.
• Watch for context: Understand how they fit into conversations.
• Use resources: Leverage books, videos, and online materials.

Conclusion

• Phrasal verbs are integral to mastering English.
• Key takeaway: Keep practicing, stay consistent, and don’t give up!
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