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Phrasal verbs: let's start - English lesson
Learners of English are quickly confronted to an important phenomenon that has to be understood, and then used if they want to speak genuine English. Indeed, there's a particularity in English: phrasal verbs which correspond to a verbal form built with the "basic" (usual) verb + a particle (adverb) or preposition.
This arrangement doesn't have the original meaning of the verb: the particle modifies that meaning. Therefore, you'll have to learn these particles too, knowing that they give a new meaning to the phrasal verbs.
These new constructions are duplicates of other verbs, which are often of Latin origin and give a more formal style to the speech. (to transform= to turn into; to despise= to look down on, etc.)That's why in conversations, those PHRASAL VERBS will be heard and used very often in daily life, at work and in private lives. You might as well learn them...
I) How are those verbs built?
Phrasal verbs are either followed by a noun, or by a verb in the -ing form = a GERUND (a verbal noun)
- To LOOK + like = to resemble: Paul really looks like his father : same eyes, same mouth and same expression...( feel + like [preposition ]+ nominal group)
- To FEEL + like = have a desire for: I 'm feeling like dancing tonight, I'm so happy! (Feel like [particle= adverb] + verb+ ing)
II) Here are a few very usual phrasal verbs:
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To break into | To call off= to cancel | To catch up with |
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To come across | To do away with | To find out= to discover |
- to break into a place= to enter a property by force
- to call something off= to cancel
- to catch up with= to overtake someone or something moving
- to come across= to meet somebody (by chance)
- to do away with= to get rid of
- to find out= to discover
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To get/ be used to | To give up | To get along/ on with... |
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To look forward to | To put up with | To put off |
- to get used to/ to be used to= to get/ to be accustomed to
- to give up= to stop, to abandon
- to get along with someone/ to get on well with someone= to be on good terms with
- to look forward to= to anticipate with pleasure
- to put up with someone/ something= to bear, to tolerate
- to put off= to postpone, to procrastinate/ to disconcert
These are only very few phrasal verbs... and there are many... I hope you'll remember them and will be able to use them in the following test!

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