Mastering Phrasal Verbs: Unlocking the Hidden Meanings
Phrasal verbs are notorious for causing headaches among English learners. With their ever-changing meanings, understanding and using them correctly can be quite challenging. However, fear not! With practice and dedication, you can become a phrasal verb pro.
In this article, we’ll delve into some commonly used phrasal verbs and their meanings. So, let’s roll up our sleeves, embrace the challenge, and conquer the world of phrasal verbs together!
Phrasal verbs
Get on
Meaning: To have a good relationship or rapport with someone.
Example: Sarah and her brother get on really well. They are always laughing and joking together.
Look up to
Meaning: To admire and respect someone.
Example: I’ve always looked up to my parents because they’ve achieved so much in their careers.
Put up with
Meaning: To tolerate or endure something or someone unpleasant.
Example: I don’t know how she puts up with her noisy neighbors. They play loud music all night long!
Lay into
Meaning: To criticize or scold someone harshly.
Example: The teacher laid into the students for not completing their assignments on time.
Chat up
Meaning: To engage in a friendly and flirtatious conversation with someone.
Example: He tried to chat up the girl at the party by offering to buy her a drink.
Hit it off
Meaning: To quickly establish a positive connection or rapport with someone.
Example: When they met at the conference, they discovered shared interests and immediately hit it off.
Fall out
Meaning: To have a disagreement or argument with someone, leading to a strained relationship.
Example: Laura and her best friend fell out over a misunderstanding, but they eventually made up.
Back out
Meaning: To withdraw from or cancel a commitment or agreement.
Example: Tom promised to help with the event, but he backed out at the last minute.
Catch up
Meaning: To reach the same level or progress as others, often after falling behind.
Example: After missing a few classes, she needed to catch up on the coursework to be prepared for the exam.
Call off
Meaning: To cancel or postpone a planned event or activity.
Example: Due to the heavy rain, the outdoor concert was called off for safety reasons.
Fall through
Meaning: To fail to happen or be completed as planned.
Example: The business deal fell through because they couldn’t agree on the terms.
Pick on
Meaning: To repeatedly tease, criticize, or target someone unfairly.
Example: The older kids at school used to pick on him because of his glasses.
Stand up to
Meaning: To resist or confront someone or something in a bold and confident manner.
Example: She decided to stand up to her boss and express her concerns about unfair treatment.
In Conclusion
Phrasal verbs may seem like a maze at first, but with perseverance and practice, you can navigate through them like a language pro. Remember, understanding the individual words might not always help you grasp the meaning of the whole phrase.
By memorizing commonly used phrasal verbs, such as “get on,” “look up to,” “put up with,” and others, and using them in context, you’ll gradually develop a natural feel for their usage. So, don’t back out of this linguistic challenge! Embrace it, practice, and soon you’ll hit it off with phrasal verbs like a true language ninja!
