Hey there! This is TOP episode 207. 5 English Phrasal Verbs You Need to Know
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Hello there! Thank you for pressing play! English phrasal verbs can be quite challenging, right? I understand. As an English learner, you might not always feel excited about studying them. But don’t worry! In today’s lesson, I promise to help you master five essential English phrasal verbs that you absolutely must know. Are you ready? Great! Let’s get started.
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5 English Phrasal Verbs You Need to Know
One. Act like. Repeat please: act like. Act like.
“Act like” means to behave or imitate someone’s behaviour.
Imagine you have a job interview coming up, and you want to make a good impression on your potential employer. You decide to act like a confident and experienced professional during the interview. You dress smartly, maintain good posture, and speak clearly and assertively. By acting like a confident individual, you leave a positive impact on the interviewer and increase your chances of getting the job. Listen to these examples:
Don’t act like you know everything; it’s okay to ask for help.
She tends to act like a leader, taking charge in challenging situations.
Two. Back down. Repeat please: Back down. Back down.
“Back down” means to withdraw or yield from a position or argument, usually due to pressure or a change in circumstances. To give up.
You and your friend have a disagreement about which movie to watch. You both have strong opinions, but as the discussion continues, you notice that your friend is getting upset. Instead of escalating the argument, you decide to be the bigger person and back down. You suggest watching the movie your friend wants, showing that you value your friendship more than being right about the movie choice. You back down. Listen to two more example sentences:
When faced with opposition, he didn’t back down.
She stood her ground and didn’t back down from her position.
Three. Carry on. Repeat please: carry on. Carry on.
“Carry on” means to continue with an activity, task, or journey, despite facing challenges or obstacles.
Imagine you are in the middle of a difficult project at work, and you encounter unexpected setbacks. Instead of giving up or getting discouraged, you decide to carry on with determination and perseverance. You seek help from colleagues, adjust your approach, and keep working until you successfully complete the project. You carry on. Two more sentences:
Despite the challenges, we’ll carry on with our plans.
He told his team to carry on with the project while he was away.
Four. Come across. Repeat this phrasal verb: come across. Come across.
“Come across” means to encounter or find something or someone unexpectedly. Think about it. While cleaning out your attic, you come across an old box filled with your childhood belongings. As you rummage through the box, you find a handwritten letter from your best friend from elementary school. Reading the letter brings back fond memories and reminds you of the strong bond you once shared.
I came across a lost puppy on my way home.
While organizing my closet, I came across my favorite childhood book.
Five. Figure out. Say it after me: figure out. Figure out.
“Figure out” means to solve a problem, understand a complex situation, or find a solution to a challenging task. Let’s say you receive a DIY furniture kit with no instructions included. At first, you feel overwhelmed and unsure about how to assemble the furniture. However, you take your time and use your problem-solving skills to figure out the pieces and steps required for assembly. Eventually, you successfully put together the furniture. Cause you’ve figured it out! Two more sentences:
Give me some time; I’ll figure out the solution.
She couldn’t figure out the puzzle, so she asked for help.
Practice makes better, so let’s repeat the sentences out loud. Later grab your Worksheet and complete it. Let’s do it right away:
Don’t act like you know everything; it’s okay to ask for help.
She tends to act like a leader, taking charge in challenging situations.
When faced with opposition, he didn’t back down.
She stood her ground and didn’t back down from her position.
Despite the challenges, we’ll carry on with our plans.
He told his team to carry on with the project while he was away.
I came across a lost puppy on my way home.
While organizing my closet, I came across my favorite childhood book.
Give me some time; I’ll figure out the solution.
She couldn’t figure out the puzzle, so she asked for help.
That’s all for today! I hope you enjoyed learning these five important English phrasal verbs. Let’s list them once more:
Act like
Back down
Carry on
Come across
Figure out
Remember, if you want to delve deeper, check out the Worksheet which is in your inbox. If you aren’t a member of TOPeople download the worksheet from teacherola.com/207. I’ll be back next week with more exciting content. As always, keep practicing and speaking English. Also, join my newsletter! Every Wednesday I’ll send an email that’ll remind you to practice speaking, it will give you a practical speaking exercise and of course, the new podcast episode with a Worksheet. It’s at teacherola.com/newsletter.
Thank you for listening! I’ll see you next Wednesday! Happy learning. Take care! Stay fearless and say it out loud! Bye!