Phrasal verbs

I can hear you asking me : Why should I learn Phrasal verbs? 

Well, a word of advice : They are essential to understanding everyday/ naturally spoken English/films. Native speakers use phrasal verbs regularly and so, it will benefit you to understand them a dash better.





Tip: Try to learn at least 5 per week and then with that, 5 synonyms/ full verbs and their collocations. ( E.g : Get into + art,music, series = To start enjoying something.Come across + an old friend, a lost item, a book, a new word = find by accident.)

Nota bene: Full verbs are best used in writing/ formal conversation.


A phrasal verb by definition, is a two or three word verb: (a verb + a preposition or verb + adverb.) We can modify the use of a verb for more meaning/ to change the meaning of the verb by adding a particle/creating a phrasal verb. ( Examples of the particle : Up, On, In, At.Over.) 


Phrasal verbs can be transitive or intransitive.

NOTES:

Intransitive phrasal verbs have no direct object.(A direct object is “acted upon” by the verb).

Transitive phrasal verbs can be separable or inseparable.Transitive phrasal verbs have a direct object.



NB: Always place a pronoun between the verb and particle if you find it is seperable! ''Turn it on.'', NOT: ''Turn on it.''.


Let's look at some Phrasal verbs and then answer some questions as we go along ! 


Understanding the particle in English will help you understand Phrasal verbs even better: 


To pick up/ Pick + someone + up = Move in a car with someone -( To transport.)
Example: I will pick you up at 5p.m


Has a friend ever picked you up? Where did you go? Have you ever picked someone up before?




Pull up = To approach/To move closer to someone / somewhere. 
Example: I pulled up a seat to sit closer to the board.

Have you ever pulled up a chair for someone? When do you think we should? Do you think it is polite if a man pulls up a chair for a woman?




Move up = Movement /To literally stand and move towards the left or right. 
Example: Please move up, so more people can sit on the couch. 

Have you ever moved up for someone to sit next to you on a bench? 

Have you ever asked someone to move up because they were taking too much space? What happened? Were they polite?



Brighten up = To increase/improve or To provide more light into a dark space/ To become more cheerful/ happier.
Examples: The colourful flowers really brighten up the office! Brighten up, do not be sad - things will get better !

What do you do to brighten up when having a bad day? How can we brighten up someone's day?
Have you ever refurbished your home ? How did you brighten it up? ( Decorate/improve it.)


 

Clean up = To improve how a place/person looks.
Examples: You have really cleaned up the office, it looks much better! I think Sara cleans up well - she looks great in formal clothing !

Note: Clean up is a phrasal verb which means: to make (a room or space) clean and orderly. ... Clean out is a phrasal verb which means something such as a cupboard, room, or container, you take everything out of it and clean the inside of it thoroughly. Clean = can mean one item or many / used more frequently than ''clean up.''.

Do you have a regular schedule for cleaning up your home? Why? Does anyone help you clean up? Do you enjoy cleaning up?





Your turn ! Can you make two sentences with each of the above Phrasal verbs ?

These two examples show you things that help you remember phrasal verbs, according to http://www.phrasalverbdemon.com/:

Keep down:
Try to remember... Logic of the particle: Down sometimes means reducing. 

Example: Please keep your voice down, the neighbors are complaining. 

A Couple of collocations: you can keep down your voice, the noise, your weight,bad food.

Grammar: you can separate it. You can say ,‘’keep your voice down’’ and ‘’keep it down ‘’.


Come across:
Try to remember... Logic of the particle: Across sometimes means finding. 

Example: I came across an old school friend of mine when I was travelling in Zimbabwe. 

A Couple of collocations: you can come across a friend, an old photograph, a new place.

Grammar: you can't separate it. You can say come across an old friend but you can't say come an old friend across or come him across.

Grammar: The conditionals! A special gift for you all.

Good day, darling students and teachers of the online world of T.E.S.O.L ! I thought I would design a lesson on the conditionals.

They are so much fun to practice and really a walk in the park ( easy ) to understand ! 

To begin, I would like to ask you : What do you know about the conditionals? Can you tell me how many conditionals there are in English?  ( Look at my picture at the top for a clue ! ;) ) 

If you could improve your English by learning conditionals, would you practice them in class with your teacher? ( What conditional did I just use? ) Uncertain ? Keep reading and tell me at the end of the lesson!

Sending you much love and hugs aplenty, your teacher, 

Bernadette !

Let's go :

Zero conditional:

We use the zero conditional to talk about/ discuss things that are scientific facts/ general truths and even to tell people facts about ourselves. It is often used.

Examples: 

When I am hungry, I get angry ! ( So true for me. :))

If you stay in the sun too long, you get burnt !

When you buy a toy car, batteries are not always included.

When people are tired, they go to bed and sleep.

If you mix red and blue you get the colour purple.

Now categorize the sentences into the following :  general truth, a personal fact about someone and a scientific fact.

Can you tell me what the form of this conditional is ? What tense do we use in the condition and the result clauses?

Now, let's practice ! Challenge time !!!

Tell me four facts about yourself:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Can you make me two sentences that are scientific facts :

1.

2.

What about two general truths?

1.

2.

First conditional:

We use the first conditional to talk about a situation that is possible or likely to happen in the future. This is a commonly used conditional when making plans or agreements with people. 

Examples:

If he finishes his work early, he is going to join us at the concert. 

If my cab arrives on time, I will not be late!

When I have time, I will call you.

When you visit South Africa, I will pick you up at the airport.

Can you tell me what the form of this conditional is ? What tense do we use in the condition and the result clauses?

When vs if = Do you know the difference?

Finish the sentences and then tell me about the differences between ''when'' and ''if'':

If he passes his driver's licence test____________

If she gets the job she ______________

When I go on holiday______________

When I wake up tomorrow____________

Now, let's practice !

Questions using first conditionals

What will you do when you have free time?

What will you drink if you get thirsty?

What will happen if you are swamped with work?

What are you going to do tomorrow if the weather is good?

Second conditional:

Daydreaming/using our imagination to think of possibilities - We use the second conditional to talk about situations which are imaginary or unlikely to happen. It refers to the present or future - 

Examples:

If I were rich, I would travel more. ( I am not rich, but can dream/imagine ! ) 

If I met Brad Pitt, I would ask him for his autograph. ( Unlikely but maybe possible ! Who knows? ) 

Can you tell me what the form of this conditional is ? What tense do we use in the condition and the result clauses?

Note: We use ''were'' for all subjects in this conditional - it is the subjunctive mood! 

Subjunctive: A verb in the subjunctive mood deals with hypothetical situations or with ideas that are contrary to fact.

Finish the sentences

If I were the President, I….

If I won the lottery, I ….

Now, let's practice !

Questions using second conditionals:

What country would you choose if you decided to live abroad?

What would you do if you had the chance to travel around the world for two months (all expenses paid) but would lose your job in the meantime?

What would you do if you were given a choice between being given great wisdom or great wealth? which would you choose?

If you had only 24 hours to live, what would you do?

If you could be another person for a day, who would you be?

If you could change only one thing in the world, what would it be?

If you could meet any famous person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

If you could go back to any moment in history, where would you go?

If you had one wish, what would you wish for?

If you were asked to choose which time period you would like to live in, which century would you choose?

If you were going to a deserted island and could only take three things with you, what would you take? Why?

Third conditional

We use the third conditional to talk about imaginary or hypothetical situations in the past. One can also categorize it into two majour reasons for use : Regrets and blaming people !

Examples:

If you had set an alarm, we would not have been late !

If she had gone to the party, she would have met your friend.

If I had not eaten so much, I would not have felt sick.

We could have seen the show if you had bought tickets early enough !

Now, tell me - which sentences are regrets ( things we wish we did not do/ did in the past.) and which sentences show blame? ( Telling someone they caused a problem.) 

Finish the sentences

If he had studied for his test, he ….

If I had had more free time, 

Can you tell me what the form of this conditional is ? What tense do we use in the condition and the result clauses?

Now, let's practice:

Questions using third conditionals

Would you still have learnt English even if you hadn’t needed it ?

Would the Titanic have sunk if it had not hit the iceberg?

Would the dinosaurs have become extinct if a meteorite hadn’t hit the earth?

What are three things you regret / wish you had not done in the past - what would have been different if you had not done xyz?

1.

2.

3.

Have you ever been late ? Why? What could you have done differently, to be on time?

Prompt: If I had not / If I had_______ + I would not have been late !

Ever failed a test ? What could you have done differently?

Prompt: If I had not / If I had_______ +