Hey there! This is TOP episode 171. Why Is English Hard To Learn? (1)
My name’s Ola, I am an English teacher. I know you can eliminate your language blockade. I record this podcast’s episodes with worksheets, to help you start speaking faster and achieve fluency and enjoy all the things that come with it. Easy, light, pleasant communication. Visit my shop at teacherola.com, get your Worksheet Sets and enjoy your journey to fluency! Happy learning! And hey! Thank you for joining TOPeople!
Hello and thank you for joining me today. Here’s the first episode of a series on reasons why English is in fact a hard language to learn. What’s your first thought? Why is English hard to learn? What first jumped to my mind was phrasal verbs. Oh my, who doesn’t hate phrasal verbs? Today you’ll hear 5 reasons why we hate them. Hating phrasal verbs won’t make them go away, but it’ll you more aware of the problems so that the solutions will come. That’s my intention.
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Phrasal verbs are never easy. Never. Nobody is safe when it comes to using them fluently, not even native speakers. We all mix them up, they are so hard, you have to be really smart and strategic in learning them. I am absolutely positive Phrasal Verbs are one of the major reasons for English being a hard language to learn. You are absolutely redeemed if you struggle with them. You have every excuse to struggle. Now, let’s see what makes them so damn hard.
By the way, there are some episodes of this podcast revolving around phrasal VERBS. Refresh your knowledge or learn new vocabulary in episode 161: Phrasal Verbs with LOOK (1) and 165: Phrasal Verbs with LOOK (2). 161 and 165.
Let’s list the reasons why phrasal verbs are so tough:
One.
A phrasal verb consists of a verb like ‘look’ and a particle or two particles. The particle often changes the meaning of the verb. Not always, but it happens. So you think you know what the word ‘look’ means, but then you come across ‘look for’ and the meaning changes, now it’s ‘to search’. That’s in my view number one reason why phrasal verbs are so confusing. One sentence to help you memorise ‘look for’:
She’s looking for her car keys.
Two.
Certain phrasal verbs have multiple meanings. For instance, put off. It might mean ‘to postpone something’, like a meeting. secondly, to put off means ‘to make somebody dislike something’, and actually there are two more meanings, check a good dictionary! Multiple meanings. Two examples to remember:
Long queues put me off shopping at the weekend.
I’m afraid I have to put off our meeting.
Three.
There are separable and non-separable phrasal verbs. Let me explain it roughly. Separable phrasal verbs are those in which the verb and the particle can be apart or together. For example:
Please fill in this document.
Please fill this document in.
Both correct.
Besides, if you use a personal pronoun, hm, your separable phrasal verb must be separated. Listen to this example:
I filled it in.
I filled the document in.
I filled in the document
but
I filled it in.
not: I filled in it.
I filled it in.
On the other hand, we have non-separable phrasal verbs and they are always put together. Even with a personal pronoun. They cannot be separated. Hear some examples:
She turned into a witch.
I can look after your kids.
Did you come across anything interesting?
Four.
There are phrasal verbs which take two particles. Two frigging particles. Here come examples:
I have to get rid of this clutter.
How do you get on with your neighbours?
I look forward to seeing you.
Five.
Idiomatic phrasal verbs. Yup, some phrasal verbs have idiomatic meanings. That boils down to this, you cannot predict the meaning of the phrasal verb by looking at the verb or the particle. There’s no hint whatsoever. A few examples:
We have to work this problem out.
Why didn’t you bring this topic up?
I know I can count on you.
He came down with the flu.
Let’s practice now. Listen and repeat these sentences:
She’s looking for her car keys.
Long queues put me off shopping at the weekend.
I’m afraid I have to put off our meeting.
I filled the document in.
I have to get rid of this clutter.
How do you get on with your neighbours?
I look forward to seeing you.
She turned into a witch.
I can look after your kids.
Did you come across anything interesting?
We have to work this problem out.
Why didn’t you bring this topic up?
I know I can count on you.
He came down with the flu.
Here you have it. Phrasal verbs are one of many reasons why English is so hard to learn. I have just listed 5 reasons why we all hate Phrasal Verbs. Let’s recap those 5 reasons:
One. The meaning of the verb often changes with different particles.
Two. Multiple meanings.
Three. Separable and non-separable phrasal verbs.
Four. Two particles.
Five: Idiomatic meaning.
Now, go to your inbox and get the worksheet to test yourself. Translate the sentences into English. If you aren’t a member of TOPeople download the worksheet from teacherola.com/171. By doing that you’ll become a member and receive my weakly newsletter.
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