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An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'pass out' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my website all about English phrasal verbs. Each week, I take a different phrasal verb and look at how it is used by native speakers, with a focus on the different meanings that it has and the expressions and idioms that it is used in. The phrasal verb 'pass out' is used both in British and American English and has three distinct meanings that we will look at in this post. In addition to the phrasal verb meanings, there is also the noun 'pass-out' that we will also cover. So, without further ado, let's get started.... QUICK ANSWER: What does the phrasal verb 'pass out' mean? The phrasal verb 'pass out' has three main meanings in English: To lose consciousness To distribute To graduate from military school Keep reading to learn how to use each of these like a native speaker. TABLE OF CONTENTS (Click to jump to each one) Pass Out - The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'pass' and 'out' Pass Out - Meaning 1: To lose consciousness Pass Out - Meaning 2: To distribute Pass Out - Meaning 3: To graduate from military school Pass Out - Bonus: The noun 'pass-out' I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback so I don't always know if it is helpful for you. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like and share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS PASS OUT: KEY INFORMATION Usage Medium Number of meanings 3 Past tense forms Passed out / Passed out Separable? Sometimes As is customary, let's start by taking a look at the components words that make up our phrasal verb of chose as these often give valuable clues to its meanings. The verb 'to pass' is a regular English verb and will likely be familiar to speakers of other European languages as it has cognate words in many of these languages. It is a very diverse verb in English and has a lot of different meanings, but one of the key concepts behind it is movement, especially the ideas of moving past something or leaving something behind you. The prepositional particle 'out' is, like the majority of English prepositions, one with a large number of different meanings and applications. The literal idea of 'out' is to refer to a position on, or a movement towards, the exterior of something. It has too many other meanings and uses to list here, however one to note that is particulartly relevant for the phrasal verb 'pass out' is when it is used as an adverb to mean 'unconscious' or 'sleeping'. Ok, so now we have covered those, let's take a look at the meanings of the phrasal verb 'pass out'... MEANING 1: To lose consciousness Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To faint, to lose consciousness, to black out, to zonk out Separable? No In the previous section I gave you a little clue regarding the first meaning of 'pass out', which is 'to lose consciousness' or 'to faint'. In my very humble opinion, I would say that this is definitely the most widespread and commonly used of the three meanings that we will cover in this post. As outlined above, we use 'pass out' to describe when we temporarily lose consciousness, which can be caused by medical conditions, emotional stress or responses to changes in our physical surroundings. In addition to this, we also use 'pass out' to describe someone who quickly falls into a very deep and often unexpected sleep and this is often used by native speakers to describe people who fall asleep in this way due to having drunk a lot of alcohol. On a grammatical level, this meaning of 'pass out' is intransitive and does not take a direct object. In terms of formality, it is relatively informal compared to the official medical terms that a doctor would use, however it is absolutely fine to use in most situations. If you wish to specify the cause of you passing out, then the additional preposition 'from' is required. Helen was in so much pain that she passed out whilst waiting for the ambulance to arrive. If someone passes out, it is important to act very quickly and seek medical advice. John drank so much rum at the party that he passed out on a chair in the corner. Roger passed out from illness and exhaustion. MEANING 2: To distribute Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B1 - Intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To distribute, to hand out Separable? Yes The second meaning of 'pass out' is 'to distribute something to a group of people', normally by hand. This usage is derived from the meaning of the verb 'to pass' where one thing is transferred from one person to another (e.g. the salt and pepper at a dinner table), with the prepositional particle 'out' adding the extra meaning of 'to a group of people'. As such, we don't use 'pass out' to describe passing an object to just one person, it's always to a group. The typical environment in which this application of 'pass out' is used is a classroom or an office environment where documents are often distributed to groups of people, but the usage is not limited to these and it can be used to describe when something is given to a group of people by hand. Unlike the previous example, this usage does require a direct object and is therefore transitive. The direct object can either go between 'pass' and 'out' or after them without changing the meaning. Lisa, can you please pass the test papers out to the rest of the class. On my birthday last year I walked around my office and passed out chocolate treats to all of my colleagues. The aid workers passed out water supplies to the victims of the disaster. MEANING 3: To graduate from military school Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Rare Where is it used? British English Potential synonyms To graduate Separable? No The third and final meaning of 'pass out' is a primarily British meaning and means 'to graduate from military school after finishing the initial training'. The idea here is that the serviceman or servicewoman in question is now qualified and is no longer a trainee and therefore takes part in a ceremony to mark this occasion. In addition to using 'pass out' for graduation from military school, we also use it to describe graduation from training in the police force. Moreover, the graduation ceremony for both these newly qualified police officers and military recruits is called a passing out parade. The noun 'passing-out' also exists in English to describe the act of graduating from police training or a military college. Similar to the first meaning, this usage of 'pass out' is also intransitive and does not require a direct object. A total of 1000 new servicemen and women have passed out of the Royal Military Training Academy so far this year. My son is due to pass out of his police training school next week, so my wife and I are going to his passing-out parade to celebrate with him. Photo: Pexels BONUS: The noun 'pass-out' As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, the noun pass-out also exists in English. It describes a type of ticket or other form of authorisation which allows a person to leave somewhere and re-enter it at a later point of time. This is often used in theatres and other performances where the doors tend to be closed for the show and movement in and out is restricted, however it can be used in a work environment too if you need to leave your place of work for a period of time e.g. for a doctor's appointment. If you wish to leave whilst the performance is ongoing, you will need to obtain a pass-out from a member of staff. My boss wouldn't give me a pass-out last week to go and see my child's school play. Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I hope that you have found it useful and that it has helped you to understand how to use the phrasal verb 'pass out' more confidently and naturally. Feel free to leave any comments, feedback or your own sentences using 'pass out' in the section below. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. Do you want to improve your phrasal verb skills ? If the answer is yes, check out my downloadable phrasal verb workbooks, which include clear explanations, common learner mistakes, exercises, speaking practice and answer keys to help you master the phrasal verbs that native speakers use every day. Browse the workbooks here. Thanks so much for reading and see you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'show up' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my blog all about English phrasal verbs. Each week, I take a different phrasal verb and look at how it is used by native speakers, with a focus on the different meanings that it has and the expressions and idioms that it is used in. 'Show up' is a well known and frequently used informal phrasal verb and I am sure that you know at least one meaning of it. It may actually surprise you that it has a total of five different meanings and in this post I will go through all of these to show you how native speakers use them, with plenty of examples to illustrate each usage. So, without further ado, let's get started.... QUICK ANSWER: What does the phrasal verb 'show up' mean? The phrasal verb 'show up' has five main meanings in English: To be clearly visible or noticed To expose the true nature of someone To arrive To embarrass someone To be there for someone TABLE OF CONTENTS (Click to jump to each one) Show Up - The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'show' and 'up' Show Up - Meaning 1: To be clearly visible or noticed 🇬🇧 Show Up - Meaning 2: To expose the true nature of someone Show Up - Meaning 3: To arrive Show Up - Meaning 4: To embarrass someone Show Up - Meaning 5: To be there for someone I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback so I don't always know if it is helpful for you. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like and share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS SHOW UP: KEY INFORMATION Usage Common Number of meanings 5 Past tense forms Showed up / Showed up Separable? Sometimes To begin with, let's take a look at the words 'show' and 'up' in order to gain an understanding of their key meanings, which in turn can help us better understand the phrasal verb meanings. 'To show' is a verb which means to allow or cause something to be visible or perceived by other people. This is often very visual in nature as when we show something to someone, we intentionally bring their attention to it, so that they can look at or watch it. The prepositional particle 'up' is used to describe a higher position or movement away from the ground and towards the sky or to a higher position. 'Up' also has many other usages in English and one that is noteworthy for this post is when it is used as an adverb to mean 'into view or attention', often used with other 'up' phrasal verbs such as 'bring up' and 'come up'. So, what meanings do we have in English when we combine these two words. Read on to find out more.... MEANING 1: To be clearly visible or noticed Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To be visible, to be conspicuous Separable? No Our first meaning of 'show up' is 'to be clearly visible or noticed'. In other words, if something 'shows up', we are able to see or notice it. With the visual aspect of this first usage, it is clear that it is derived from the verb 'to show', however the two do not mean the exact same and are used differently. The key difference between them is that when we show something, there is an intention behind our action, in other words we want it to be seen, whereas with 'show up' there is no intention to show anything or bring it to anyone's attention. In fact, it is frequently used when something is still visible despite efforts to try and hide it. On a grammatical level there is also a difference between the two. We often use the verb 'to show' with a direct object and also an indirect object, i.e. we show something to someone (e.g. "I showed my friend my new house"). On the other hand, we cannot use 'show up' with an object; it is rather used to say that something can be seen by other people and no object is required. 'Show up' is regularly used in the medical world to talk about tests for diseases and antibodies and also x-rays and scans. Moreover, we use it often in IT and computers when we talk about searches and things that are visible on our screen. Outside of these, we can use it to talk about anything that is visible or noticeable, especially after attempts have been made to hide or cover it such as stains on clothes or a credit enquiry on a credit report. I've just received the results of my scan and thankfully nothing bad showed up on it! If two lines show up on a pregnancy test, it means that it is a positive result. I've tried to delete this window on my computer screen but it keeps showing up and won't go away! Despite having washed her favourite shirt several times, the red wine stain still showed up on it. A strange transaction has shown up on my bank statement, so I am going to call the bank now and find out what it relates to. MEANING 2: To expose the true nature of someone Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium Where is it used? British English Potential synonyms To expose someone Separable? Yes Meaning number two of 'show up' is 'to expose the true nature of someone or something', normally when it is something bad. This meaning is not too different from the first one that we have just covered as it is also about something becoming visible to others, however in this case it is a person's true nature. Alternatively, this meaning of 'show up' can be used with reference to the true nature of something, such as an organisation. As I said previously, this application of 'show up' is usually used when someone or something is revealed to be bad or negative in some and you may therefore hear it used with nouns like 'liar', 'hypocrite', 'idiot'. For this application of 'show up' we can use the additional prepositions 'as' and 'for', as well as the verb infinitive 'to be', to specify what the exposed true nature of something is. In addition, if someone does something to expose themselves and show their own true nature, we can use the reflexive pronouns himself, herself, themselves etc. Through the publication of his private text messages, the politician was shown up to be an uncaring and horrible person. The newspaper reports have shown him up as a spoilt and petulant soccer player. During a stressful day in the office, Lisa showed herself up as the horrible and spiteful person that she really is. The government has shown itself up to be incompetent and ineffective. MEANING 3: To arrive Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B1 - Intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To arrive, to turn up Separable? No The third meaning of 'show up' is one that I think many of you will already be aware of as it is in common use in English: to arrive. When we use 'show up' in the sense of 'to arrive', it is often to talk about arriving at a planned event or gathering. It is commonly used when there is something unexpected about the arrival such as the person arrives later than expected, is wearing something strange or does not arrive at all and this usage is very similar to that of the phrasal verb 'turn up'. Moreover, we can also use 'show up' to talk about unexpected arrivals of any kind, such as when you have an uninvited guest at your house. In very informal English, it is also possible to omit the preposition 'up' for this meaning and just have the word 'show', e.g. "I had a party last night and hardly anybody showed". Please note that you cannot do the same with 'turn up'. John showed up to work this morning an hour late because he slept through his alarm. My friend didn't show up to the restaurant this evening, which is really unlike him! I hope he is ok. Everyone showed up to the school prom on time, except for the teachers! My cousin showed up at my front door at 3am this morning and woke me up. MEANING 4: To embarrass someone Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere - more British Potential synonyms To embarrass, to humiliate Separable? Yes Our fourth meaning of 'show up' is to 'embarrass or to humiliate someone' and for this one we have a direct object, which is the person who is being embarrassed. This direct object (the person) tends to go between 'show' and 'up' and in fact 'to show someone up' is a great synonym for 'to embarrass someone'. Please note that placing the object after 'show up' tends to sound wrong to native ears for the most part. In British English, we use 'to show someone up' when a person is embarrassed or humiliated due to somebody else's behaviour or conduct. This could be in a professional work situation but more often than not it is likely to be in a family or social situation. On a more global English level, 'show up' is often used when someone is made to feel embarrassed or stupid because somebody else does something better than they do. I can't believe you behaved like that in front of my colleagues. You really showed me up! Lisa really showed Helen up during the charity event when she told the guests that she had done all of the preparation work and Helen had done nothing. I don't want to play football amateurs, I'm too good and I will just show them up! When the two singers started singing, the older lady was much better than the younger lady and really showed her up. MEANING 5 : To be there for someone Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium British or American? Everywhere - more American Potential synonyms To be there for someone Separable? No Our fifth and final meaning of 'show up' is 'to be there for someone when they need it' and for this usage we need the extra preposition 'for' before the pronoun or person's name. If you are not sure what 'to be there for someone means', think of the theme tune from the 90s sitcom Friends if you know it. If you don't know it, here it is... To be there for someone basically means to be attentive, comforting and supportive to someone when they are having a bad time or are feeling sad, depressed or upset. In other words, to be a good friend or relative to someone. To 'show up for someone' to mean 'to be there for someone' is a relatively new usage of 'show up' and is found primarily in American English, although it would be certainly be understood by many British speakers, particularly younger ones. My best friends showed up for me when I broke up with my last boyfriend. When your husband or wife needs support, you should always be the first person to show up for them. Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I hope that you have found it useful and that it has helped you to understand how to use the phrasal verb 'show up' more confidently and naturally. Feel free to leave any comments, feedback or your own sentences using 'show up' in the section below. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. Do you want to improve your phrasal verb skills? If yes, check out my downloadable phrasal verb workbooks, which include clear explanations, common learner mistakes, exercises, speaking practice and answer keys to help you master the phrasal verbs that native speakers use every day. Browse the workbooks here. Thanks so much for reading and see you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'take on' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my website all about English phrasal verbs. Each week, I take a different phrasal verb and look at how it is used by native speakers, with a focus on the different meanings that it has and the expressions and idioms that it is used in. The phrasal verb 'take on' is a commonplace and diverse phrasal verb, in both the field of business English and general English. As such, you may already be familiar with at least one of its meanings. In this post we will cover the different uses that it has in English, as well as the classic 80s song that it features in (although used slightly incorrectly). So, without further ado, let's get started.... QUICK ANSWER: What does the phrasal verb 'take on' mean? The phrasal verb 'take on' has eight main meanings in English: Literal meaning To employ someone To accept or undertake a task or role To oppose someone or compete against them To acquire a quality To admit passengers (onto public transport) To show emotion To do something without approval or permission TABLE OF CONTENTS (Click to jump to each one) Take On - The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'take' and 'on' Take On - Meaning 1: Literal Take On - Meaning 2: To employ someone Take On - Meaning 3: To accept to undertake a task or role Take On - Meaning 4: To oppose someone or compete against them Take On - Meaning 5: To acquire a quality Take On - Meaning 6: To admit passengers (onto public transport) Take On - Bonus: The idiom 'to take something on board' Take Out - Meaning 7: To show emotion Take Out - Meaning 8: To do something without approval or permission Take Out - Bonus: Take on me - Let's go back to the 80s I love writing this blog & helping learners but I receive very little feedback as to how useful it is or if people enjoy & learn from it. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like & share it or leave a comment at the end. I'd be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS TAKE ON: KEY INFORMATION Usage Common Number of meanings 7 Separable? Yes Past forms Took on / Taken on As per usual, before we look at the different meanings of 'take on', let's quickly look at the individual words which make it up. Firstly, we have the verb 'to take', which I am sure will be very familiar to all of you. The verb 'to take' is extremely common and has a plethora of different uses and meanings in English such as to move something, to remove something from a place and also to accept something, which is the meaning that is relevant for the phrasal verb 'take on'. Secondly, we have the prepositional particle 'on', which has a large number of applications in English too, but perhaps the most relevant definition of it here is 'to be in contact with and supported by something'. So, now we have briefly looked at those, let's get started and see what the wonderful phrasal verb 'take on' actually means.... MEANING 1: Literal Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level A1 - Beginner Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To carry on Separable? Yes The first meaning of 'take on' that we will look at is the literal meaning of the combination of the two words 'take' and 'on', which is 'to transport or carry something with you when you are moving onto something'. This can be used with any noun for something that we can be 'on', however most of the time we use it in relation to mass transportation such as airplanes and trains, in a similar way to how we use the phrasal verb 'carry on'. It is also very common to use the similar preposition 'onto' here, without a change in meaning. The following items are strictly prohibited and must not be taken on a British Airways aircraft under any circumstance.... I am going to take my book on the train with me so that I can read during the journey. MEANING 2: To employ someone Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere (Business English) Potential synonyms To employ, to hire Separable? Yes We are starting the non-literal meanings of 'take on' with a business English usage, which is 'to employ or hire someone to work for you or your business'. This can normally be used interchangeably with the verb 'to hire' when talking about the process of advertising for, interviewing and employing new employees. Furthermore, it is used in businesses of all sizes, from huge multinational companies to sole traders who decide that they need some help in their business. As with most of the meanings that we will cover in this post, 'take on' is used transitively here, i.e. with a direct object, and it is absolutely fine to put the direct object (the new employee) either between 'take' and 'on' or after them both, which affects neither the meaning nor the intention. So, we have mentioned that businesses 'take on' new employees, however you should be aware that this can be used in a passive sense too; native speakers who have recently started new jobs often say that "they have been taken on by a company" instead of saying that they have been employed. We are looking to take on a new science teacher as one of our current teachers is on long-term sick leave. The company first took John on as an administrative clerk back in 2003 and now he is one of the company directors. Sorry, we are not taking on any new members of staff at the moment but please continue to monitor the Careers section of our website, in which any new job vacancies will be posted. My daughter has been taken on as trainee photographer with the local newspaper. MEANING 3: To accept to undertake a task or role Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper Intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To undertake, to accept Separable? Yes For meaning number three of 'take on', we are going to stay with business English as the meaning of it is 'to accept or undertake to do a role'. As you may have worked out, this third meaning is really just a shift in perspective from the employer to the employee, however there are some differences and they are not exact opposites.... In the first meaning, the use of 'take on' is limited to when a company hires a new employee from outside the company, i.e. they did not work for the company before. However, in this second meaning, where the perspective is shifted to the employee, it is used to express the action of accepting a new, often better, job within the same company, or alternatively accepting additional responsibilities and tasks in an existing job. It is also possible to use this to talk about accepting a job in a new company, or to talk about 'taking on' second jobs outside of your main work e.g. part time work in a restaurant at weekends. The central idea here is that you are accepting to do work, or more work than you currently do. My colleague is leaving the company in two weeks and I have agreed to take on some of her responsibilities until we can find a replacement for her. Due to changes in the management structure, we are pleased to announce that Lisa Smith will be taking on the role of Head of Export and we wish her every success this. Helen was struggling financially and had to take on a part time job as a waitress in a restaurant at weekends in order to make ends meet*. * To make ends meet is a an idiom that means to make just enough money to survive. MEANING 4: To oppose someone or compete against them Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate British or American? Both Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To oppose, to compete against Separable? Yes The fourth meaning of 'take on' means to oppose someone or something, or alternatively, it can mean to compete against them. Photo: Pexels In the sense of opposing something, we use 'take on' when there is something that we do not agree with or want to stop and therefore we take action in order to makethis happen. It is worth noting here that usually we use this when the person or thing that we are opposing is much bigger or powerful than us in some way. An example of this would be if a person or group of people decides to oppose something that a large multi-national company with billions of dollars is planning to do. In this instance we would say that "they are taking on the company" as the company is much more powerful than the person / group. As I mentioned, we can use 'take on' to talk about entering into competition with someone too. This is used a lot to talk about sporting matches and fixtures but can apply to any competitions where people compete directly against each other. The idea that the opponent is bigger or more powerful also applies here, but it is not always the case and 'take on' can equally be used to describe an ordinary match or competition without a big power imbalance. A common expression used with this meaning is 'to take on the might of*' when a so-called lesser or smaller opponent agrees to compete against or oppose a larger one. The women took on their company in an attempt to get equal pay and after a long legal battle, they won! Accrington Stanley FC are taking on the might of Manchester United in the lunchtime football game tomorrow. The British champion will take on the best long distance runners in the world next week in the London marathon. * To avoid any confusion, 'might' here is a noun meaning 'power' and is not being used as a modal verb of probability. MEANING 5: To acquire a quality Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To acquire Separable? Yes The fifth meaning of 'take on' is to 'acquire a quality or, in the case of words, a new meaning'. The idea of 'take on' here is that an object acquires or absorbs something, which then changes or adds an additional quality to it. In order to understand this meaning, I think it is helpful to think of an item as a collection of qualities. For example, let's imagine our item is a regular tomato soup and its qualities are that it is hot, red, tasty and filling. If we add some chilli flakes to it, it also becomes spicy and so we can then say that after adding the chilli flakes, the soup takes on a spicy quality too. In other words, the soup has absorbed the chilli, which has now changed it. To give you another example, you will have seen a chameleon in the gif for this section and the reason for this is that it is a case in point of something which acquires or 'takes on' the qualities of its environment and in the end resembles it. 'Take on' in this sense can also be used to talk about people, food, situations, stories or anything else where one thing can be integrated or absorbed into another, causing the original thing to change accordingly. The word 'gay' primarily used to mean happy and cheerful but during the twentieth century it took on a completely different meaning. The party was really crazy to begin with but it took on a much more relaxed feel after some of the younger people went off to another party. A large amount of dust from the Sahara desert caused the sky to take on a yellowish colour over much of northern Europe last week. MEANING 6: To admit passengers (onto public transport) Photo: Pexels ​CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Rare Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To admit, to board Separable? Yes The sixth meaning of 'take on' is a rarer meaning that is limited to public transport and it means specifically to stop and allow new passengers to board a vessel. This can be used with airplanes buses and trains, however I think it is most commonly used with boats and ships. In addition to 'taking on' passengers, it is also possible to 'take on' goods and cargo. Furthermore, If a ship or boat is damaged and has a hole in it, leading it to slowly fill with water, we say that the boat is 'taking on water'. Moreover, 'to take on water' is also an idiomatic expression used to describe a situation which is becoming more difficult or hazardous or when problems start arising which could cause you to fail in what you are doing. The cruise ship will stop in Montego Bay tomorrow to take on passengers and supplies. The crew sounded the alarm as soon as they realised that the boat was taking on water and they needed help. Photo: Pexels BONUS: The idiom 'to take something on board' I know that I have just given you a boat-based idiom with 'take on', but there is a second one that I want to tell you about. To take something on board is an idiomatic expression that we use and means 'to fully consider a new piece of information in order to understand and accept it'. The origins of this idiom arose from the need to thoroughly check cargo at seaports before it was accepted and loaded onto a ship, however these days we use it in many different situations. The radio DJ has taken on board the complaints that he received for his bad language and has promised to avoid using it in future. Whenever my wife is mad or upset with me, I always try to think about why and take it on board, so that I can avoid arguments in the future. MEANING 7: To show emotion Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Rare Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To get upset, to get emotional Separable? No The seventh meaning of 'take on' is a rare meaning that means to show emotion, which is normally negative such as crying and sadness. On a grammatical level, this application of 'take on' is unique compared to the others as it is the only meaning which is intransitive and does not take a direct object. As such, if a person is emotional, we would just say that they were 'taking on' with no need for an object. As I said above, this is certainly a rare meaning that I think is perhaps more literary and perhaps slightly archaic and it is not one that I use or hear people use in everyday English. Nevertheless, it is always good to know these things 😃. What are you taking on for? There is no reason to be sad or upset. MEANING 8: To do something without approval or permission Photo: Pexel CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Where is it used? Everywhere British or American? Both Separable? Always Now we come to our final meaning of the phrasal verb 'take on' and well done for making it this far! This last meaning is more of a common expression than an entire meaning, so I decided to dedicate a section to it as it is a useful one to be aware of. The expression here is 'to take it (up)on oneself to do something' and it means to decide to do something without approval or permission from other people. In other words, if you take it on yourself to do something, you decide that you are going to do something, or perhaps give yourself a responsibility of some sort, without checking with other people first. There are two variations of this expression which are 'to take it on yourself' and 'to take it upon yourself', which both mean exactly the same. Its just a matter of personal choice whether you choose 'on' or 'upon', however personally I prefer the 'upon' version, which is the one I use more frequently and is the more commonly used of the two variations in general. I had all of the wedding preparations under control but then my mother took it upon herself to start arranging the seating plan for the wedding breakfast. Our HR manager has taken it on himself to arrange a charity event to raise money for a good cause. BONUS: Take on me! Let's go back to the 1980s I couldn't finish this blog post without a little nod to a classic 1980s track featuring an amazing video that captivated me when I was very small : Take on Me by A-ha. Despite how well-known and successful this song is, it is quite interesting to note that the title and main lyric of the song 'take on me' is not actually grammatically correct and does sound wrong to a native speaker's ears. The reason for this is that the direct object pronoun (me) needs to go in the middle of the phrasal verb, i.e. 'take me on'. They also do sing the correct lyrics in the song, so they are forgiven; obviously the choice of words is just poetic licence for effect. Anyway, here is the video if you want to check it out. Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I hope that you have found it useful and that it has helped you to understand how to use the phrasal verb 'take on' more confidently and naturally. Feel free to leave any comments, feedback or your own sentences using 'take on' in the section below. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. Want to understand native speakers more easily and use phrasal verbs more naturally? If yes, check out my downloadable phrasal verb workbooks, which include clear explanations, common learner mistakes, exercises, speaking practice and answer keys to help you master the phrasal verbs that native speakers use every day. Browse the workbooks here. Thanks so much for reading and see you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'carry out' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my blog all about English phrasal verbs. Each week, I take a different phrasal verb and look at how it is used by native speakers, with a focus on the different meanings that it has and the expressions and idioms that it is used in. The phrasal verb 'carry out' is a commonly used phrasal verb, both in its literal and idiomatic applications. This is one that you have come across in a business or professional sense as it is very commonly used to describe to work and jobs. That is not its only meaning however, and in this post we will look at exactly how native speakers use it and in which situations. So, without further ado, let's get started.... QUICK ANSWER: What does the phrasal verb 'carry out' mean? The phrasal verb 'carry out' has 3 main meanings in English: Literal meaning (to carry something from inside to outside) To perform or complete an activity To implement a plan or threat Keep reading to learn how to use each of these meanings! TABLE OF CONTENTS (Click to jump to each one) Carry Out - The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'carry' and 'out' Carry Out - Meaning 1: Literal meaning Carry Out - Meaning 2: To perform or complete an activity Carry Out - Meaning 3: To implement a plan or threat Carry Out - Bonus: An extra meaning if you ever go to Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback so I don't always know if it is helpful for you. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like and share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS CARRY OUT: KEY INFORMATION Usage Common Number of meanings 3 Separable? Yes Past tense forms Carried out / Carried out To begin with, let's take a quick look at the words 'carry' and 'out' , in order to gain some background knowledge on the phrasal verb 'carry out'. Photo: Pexels The verb 'to carry' is a common verb with the core meaning of 'supporting something off the ground and moving with it from one place to another'. When we use this verb we are normally talking about transporting an object, person or animal and it can be used with any nouns for things that can be physically lifted and moved. It can also be used to talk about items which we have with us at all times in our pockets or on our person such as a wallet or an identity card. If you want to use 'carry' at an advanced level, you can use it to describe abstract nouns too, such as conviction, (prison) sentence, warning and guarantee. We then have the prepositional particle 'out', which has many usages in English. The central idea of 'out' is the opposite of 'in'. i.e. the exterior of something. Used as adverb 'out' often means movement from an interior space, which will certainly be relevant for the first meaning of 'carry out' that we will look at now.... MEANING 1: Literal Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level A1 - Beginner Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms ​To take out, to bring out Separable? Yes Our first meaning of 'carry out' is a nice and easy one as it is just the literal semantic combination of the two words 'carry' and 'out'. In other words, physically supporting something and moving with it from an interior space to an exterior space, or possibly to a different interior space (the key element is that the object is no longer in the original interior space). For this, the object can be any nouns for a thing that can lifted and carried. This literal version of 'carry out' is used mainly for human activity and therefore the indirect object (the inside space) can be any nouns that a person can be physically 'in', so that they can perform the action of 'carrying'. Don't forget the additional preposition 'of' is required for the indirect object. As such, nouns that are commonly 'carried out' include people, furniture, boxes, The list goes on and on but you get the point! Lisa fell over in her office and had to be carried out on a stretcher as she could not walk. Can you please help me carry these boxes out to the car? This bed is too big to be carried out of this room by just one person. MEANING 2: To perform or complete an activity Photo: Pexels ​CEFR Language Level B1 - Intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To do, to perform, to fulfil, to complete, to conduct Separable? Yes The second meaning of 'carry out' is an idiomatic one and means 'to perform or complete an activity'. I think that this is perhaps the most common application of this phrasal verb as it is used across all walks of life, especially in the world of work and business. 'Carry out' used this way is mainly used to talk about performing a specific task or job such as a car repair, building work, an audit or a review. It is not really used to talk about a general job, vocation or career. Outside of the world of work, it is used to talk about crimes, attacks and other unpleasant activities that some people get involved in. Nevertheless, I'm sure that you can imagine that this application of 'carry out' is used with a diverse and wide variety of different nouns. In many cases, this meaning of 'carry out' is exactly the same as 'to do' when talking about a specific task or job and, in fact, I think that this is one of the rare occasions that the phrasal verb equivalent sounds more formal and elevated than its non-phrasal verb synonym, perhaps because the verb 'to do', is such an ordinary and commonplace verb. We are planning to carry out some research next year on people's attitudes towards climate change. The criminal gang carried out a series of armed robberies over a three year period. The train company is carrying out an excavation of the site this week in preparation for the railway lines to be laid in the next few months. Essential roadworks will be carried out on this road from Monday 18th May for a period of six weeks, so please plan your journey accordingly. MEANING 3: To implement a plan or a threat Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper Intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To implement, to go through with, to put into action, to put into effect, to follow through on Separable? Yes The third and final meaning of 'carry out' is to implement a plan or a threat, but can also be used with any other nouns that signify our intentions. In fact, this usage of 'carry out' is all about our future intentions, good or bad, and whether or not we implement them or put them into action. In other words, if you have a plan to do something and then you go ahead and do everything that you planned to do, you can say that you have "carried out your plan". This is exactly the same when talking about threats (which I guess are a type of plan). Other nouns that are less commonly used with this application of 'carry out' are 'commitment', 'instruction', 'idea' and 'strategy'. Despite some unexpected setbacks, we still hope to carry out our plan to make this company the leader within its sector by the end of the decade. We never actually believed that John would carry out his threat to ban his children from watching television, but he has done it! It is essential that you develop a great marketing strategy and then it carry it out if you want your business to survive. Photo: Pexels BONUS: An extra meaning if you ever go to Scotland For anyone with a particular interest in Scottish English, the phrasal verb 'carry out' also has a noun version, 'carry-out', which is in common usage in Scotland to describe several different things related to food and drink. Photo: Freepiks Firstly, it can mean food that is bought at a restaurant and taken away to be eaten, which is called a takeaway in England and a takeout in American English (although I believe carry-out) is also used in the USA to mean the same thing). On the same theme, the restaurant where the 'carry-out' food is bought can be referred to as 'a carry-out' too (confusing I know!). The last meaning of 'carry-out' as a noun refers to alcohol that is bought in a shop or a pub and taken to a different place e.g. home or a party to be consumed. I don't want to cook tonight. Shall we get a carry-out for dinner instead? We didn't want to stay in the bar, so we bought some carry-out wine and took it home Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I hope that you have found it useful and that it has helped you to understand how to use the phrasal verb 'come off' more confidently and naturally. Please feel free to leave any comments, feedback or your own sentences using 'come off' in the section below. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. Want to understand native speakers more easily and use phrasal verbs more naturally? If yes, check out my downloadable phrasal verb workbooks, which include clear explanations, common learner mistakes, exercises, speaking practice and answer keys to help you master the phrasal verbs that native speakers use every day. Browse the workbooks here. Thanks so much for reading and see you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'look up' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my blog all about English phrasal verbs. Each week, I take a different phrasal verb and look at how it is used by native speakers, with a focus on the different meanings that it has and the expressions and idioms that it is used in. The phrasal verb 'look up' has a number of different meanings in English, some of which I am sure will be very familiar to you. In this post, I will look at each of its different applications and meanings, with examples of typical usage. So, without further ado, let's get started.... QUICK ANSWER: What does the phrasal verb 'look up' mean? The phrasal verb 'look up' has five main meanings in English: To look in an upwards direction To search for information To improve To visit someone To admire and respect someone Keep reading to learn more about how to use each one! TABLE OF CONTENTS (Click to jump to each one) Look Up - The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'look' and 'up' Look Up - Meaning 1: To look in an upwards direction Look Up - Meaning 2: To search for information Look Up - Meaning 3: To improve Look Up - Meaning 4: To visit someone Look Up - Meaning 5: To admire and respect someone I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback so I don't always know if it is helpful for you. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like and share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS LOOK UP: KEY INFORMATION Usage Common Number of meanings 5 Past tense forms Looked up / Looked up Separable? Yes Before we look at the different meanings of 'look up', let's take a second to consider its constituent parts as this can often be a useful way to understand some of the idiomatic meanings of a phrasal verb. The verb 'to look' is undoubtedly one that you will know very well and means to direct our vision in a particular direction, in order to see something. The prepositional particle 'up' is one that has featured in many posts on this blog already and is used to specify movement away from the ground or towards the sky. So, with those in mind let's take a look at the different phrasal verb meanings, starting with the literal meaning.... MEANING 1: To look in an upwards direction Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level A1 - Beginner Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms ​To stare up, to glance up, to peer up Separable? No This first meaning of 'look up' is the literal meaning of these two words combined and therefore simply means to look in an upwards direction. As you can imagine, this literal meaning is generally used to describe the action of moving your head back in order to see something that is higher than or above you. However, it is also used when we are looking down at something and move our heads to "normal" position, in order to see what is happening around us. In this latter case where we start in a looking down position, we need the extra preposition 'from'. This is used more and more in today's world as most people seem to spend a large amount of their time looking down at their smartphones. Photo: Pexels I heard a meowing noise above me and when I looked up I saw a cat in the tree that I was standing under. Look up there, can you see the shooting star? Lisa looked up from her phone and realised that all of her friends had left without her. MEANING 2: To search for information Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B1 - Intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To search, to find out Separable? Yes The second meaning of 'look up' is one that I think most of you will be very familiar with as it means to search for information, normally either in a book or online using a search engine or informative website. This application of 'look up' is separable and takes a direct object (the information that you want to find out) and this can be placed either between 'look' and 'up' or after 'up'. Alternatively, the pronoun 'it' can be placed in the middle of 'look' and 'up' if the object has already been specified, to avoid having to repeat it again unnecessarily. Before the rise of the internet, this usage of 'look up' was limited mainly to dictionaries and encyclopaedias and at the tie people said that they "looked something up in a dictionary". Nowadays however, the usage of this meaning has exploded with the rise of the internet and now instead of the dictionary the majority of people "look something up online". I had no idea what the phrase "make do*" meant in English, so I had to look it up! Helen wasn't sure about how to cook rice properly and despite looking up the information online, she still managed to get it wrong. We looked up the word 'set' in the dictionary and were really surprised to learn how many definitions it has in the English language. * To make do means to manage with what is available although it is not ideal or what you wanted. MEANING 3: To improve Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To improve, to get better Separable? No Our third meaning of 'look up' is a very positive and optimistic one, which is always welcome, and it means to improve or get better. It should be noted here that this usage is limited to describing general situations and is not used to talk about specific things or people improving. As such, it is very common to use the noun 'things' in collocation with 'look up' here. Something else to make you aware of with this application of 'look up' is that it is only used in the progressive or continuous ('ing) form to describe a situation which is or is not improving. It has been a really hard few months but things are looking up now and the future is bright! Business is really looking up and we are forecasting a very successful year this year. Things were looking up for me until I lost my job but hopefully I will find another one soon! MEANING 4: To visit someone Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level ​C1 - Advanced Usage Rare Where is it used? Everywhere - more American Potential synonyms To visit, to contact, to get in touch with Separable? Yes This fourth meaning of 'look up' is a rarer one than the meanings that we have looked at so far and means to visit a person, specifically when you are in the town or city in which they live. To clarify, this application is generally used for interactions with people who you know and who live far away from you and is used as an invitation to say come and see me if you are ever in the area where I live. In terms of the grammar here, this is separable and the object (the person who you are visiting) goes in between look and up, especially if you are the person inviting the other to visit you ('look up me' is completely wrong). We do use this meaning of 'look up' in British English and it would definitely be understood, however it does feel more American in usage to me. Look me up the next time that you are in Denver. It would be great to see you again! If you're ever in Liverpool, you should look my sister up. She will show you around the city and tell you the best places to go. When I am in New York next, I will be sure to look you up. MEANING 5: To admire and respect someone Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To admire, to respect, to idolise, to revere Separable? No This fifth and final meaning of 'look up' is to admire and respect someone and I've left it until last as it requires the additional preposition 'to' in order for it to be used. Photo: Pexels If we 'look up to someone' it is something very complimentary and positive and means that we want or aspire to be like that person in some way. This is often (but not always) used for people who are older than us, for people who are respected experts in a field that we are also in or perhaps for famous people who we are fans of or who inspire us in some way. In other words, these people are role models. Regardless of the specifics, the central idea is that we hold these people on a kind of pedestal above us in our minds and to see them we need to look up (as per meaning one). I really looked up to you when I was growing up and I am so pleased to be able to finally meet you in person. He is one of the greatest tennis players of all time and I have looked up to him ever since I started playing tennis myself. Roger desperately wants to a role model for his students and for them to look up to him. Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I hope that you have found it useful and that it has helped you to understand how to use the phrasal verb 'look up' more confidently and naturally. Please feel free to leave any comments, feedback or your own sentences using 'look up' in the section below. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. Want to understand native speakers more easily and use phrasal verbs more naturally? If yes, check out my downloadable phrasal verb workbooks, which include clear explanations, common learner mistakes, exercises, speaking practice and answer keys to help you master the phrasal verbs that native speakers use every day. Browse the workbooks here. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'set out' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my blog all about English phrasal verbs. Each week, I take a different phrasal verb and look at how it is used by native speakers, with a focus on the different meanings that it has and the expressions and idioms that it is used in. The theme of this post is 'set out', which is a phrasal verb that includes the word in English with the most different definitions, 'to set' (check it on Google if you don't believe me), along with the preposition 'out'. Unlike the verb 'to set', its phrasal verb offshoot 'set out' does not have a huge number of meanings, but the meanings that it does have are quite varied. So, without further ado, let's take a look at them.... QUICK ANSWER: What does the phrasal verb 'set out' mean? The phrasal verb 'set out' has five main meanings in English: To start a journey To start trying to do something To arrange To present ideas coherently To plant TABLE OF CONTENTS (Click to jump to each one) Set Out - The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'set' and 'out' Set Out - Meaning 1: To start a journey Set Out - Meaning 2: To start trying to do something Set Out - Bonus: The noun 'outset' Set Out - Meaning 3: To arrange Set Out - Meaning 4: To present ideas coherently Set Out - Meaning 5: To plant I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback so I don't always know if it is helpful for you. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like and share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS SET OUT: KEY INFORMATION Usage Common Number of meanings 5 Past tense forms Set out / Set out Separable? Sometimes The phrasal verb 'set out' is formed of the verb 'to set', which, as I previously mentioned, is the word with the most definitions in the English language - according to the Oxford Dictionary the word 'set' can be interpreted in 464 different ways as a verb, a noun and an adjective! Don't worry too much though as I do not think that the average native English speaker would know half of those definitions! The definition of 'to set' that will be relevant for the phrasal verb meanings is 'to place, put or lay something in a specific position'. The prepositional particle 'out' is one that you will certainly already know and also has many meanings in English (though far less than 'set'). I think that the meanings of 'out' that will be relevant for 'set out' are 'to move away from an inside space' and also 'to be visible', although both of these may need some imagination when we come to look at the different meanings of 'set out'. Ok, so now we have covered that, let's check out the different meanings of the phrasal verb 'set out'.... MEANING 1: To start a journey Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B1 - Intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To leave, to depart, to embark, to set off Separable? No The first meaning of 'set out' is to leave or depart somewhere in order to start a journey I believe that this meaning originated from the definition of 'set' meaning to place or to put your foot outside, which, when you think about it, is exactly what you do when you start a journey. For this meaning we often require either the additional prepositions 'on' or 'for' to add additional information. We use 'on' to link the type of journey or movement that we are starting such as journey, voyage or trip and we use 'for' to specify the destination at the end of our journey such as home, work, or the name of a town or city. Captain Cook set out on a voyage of discovery over 250 years ago. This morning we set out at 4.00am so that we could get to the top of the mountain in time to see the sunrise. Unfortunately you've missed Roger, he set out for work about half an hour ago! After a long, hard week working away, I am will be setting out for home in the morning. MEANING 2: To start trying to do something CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To start, to start out, to embark Separable? No Our second meaning of 'set out' is similar to the first meaning as it also means to start something, but rather than a journey, we use it to to describe when we start trying to do something, which is usually a long-term endeavour. In other words, this could be used to describe the start of a figurative journey, rather than a literal or a real one, e.g. to start training in a particular career. As mentioned above, 'set out' in this sense is commonly used to describe the action of starting something new, however it can also be used to talk about a person's aims or intentions when they start this new activity or career. For this, the additional preposition 'to' is required when specifying the thing that you are starting or the aim or objective that you had when setting out. When I set out in this business, I had no idea how difficult or stressful it was going to be. I wish someone had told me this when I first was setting out as a young architect. John didn't set out to be a teacher but he ended up becoming one nonetheless. He set out to change people's attitudes and he was very successful at doing so. Photo: Pexels BONUS: The noun 'outset' The noun 'outset', meaning the start or beginning of something, is linked to this phrasal verb meaning and is in common use among English speakers, especially when looking back at the past and talking about things in hindsight. This is normally used with either the prepositions 'from' or 'at'. The project was doomed to fail from the outset. I knew at the outset of the match that it was going to be a really good game. MEANING 3: To arrange Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper Intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To arrange, to organise, to lay out Separable? Yes The third meaning of 'set out' is to arrange something in an attractive or organised way. This can be used with both physical and non-physical objects, ranging from nouns as diverse as business documents to window displays in shops, in other words anything that can be organised for other people to view and understand. When talking about documents, we use 'set out' all the time when we design or produce the document such as CVs (resumes for American English learners), letters, certificates and personal statements. In the case of CVs (resumes) people are usually free to set them out as they wish but with letters etc. there are normally conventions which must be followed and therefore we need to set them out accordingly. Alternatively, if we set out physical objects such as window displays in shops, or tables for dinner, then we are referring to physically placing the objects in a way that is (hopefully) organised or attractive. It is also of course possible to set things out incorrectly in an unattractive manner, but generally that is not what people want to do I guess. One last thing to mention here is that the past participle 'set out' (an annoying irregular one) is commonly used as an adjective to describe how well something is structured or organised. The successful candidate for the job had set their CV out in a clear and concise way, which really impressed the hiring committee. The teacher set out the classroom in such a way that all the students had a clear view of the whiteboard. The checklist is really well set out. Everyone should be able to follow it easily. MEANING 4: To present ideas coherently Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate ​Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To structure, to organise, to establish, to define Separable? Yes Meaning number four of 'set out' is linked quite closely to the third meaning that we have just covered as it means to present ideas, arguments and facts coherently. This is really just an evolution of the third meaning, as instead of organising something so it is visually clear, we are instead organising it so that it is conceptually clear and understood by someone. Therefore, this meaning of 'set out' is often used when talking about academic or formal writing or discourse as it used to describe and evaluate how ideas, arguments and perspectives are structured and organised and ultimately how effective they are at conveying the intended message. Again, like in the previous meaning, the past particle 'set out' is often used here. Another way that 'set out' is commonly used in this way is when talking about rules, guidelines, procedures, protocols and regulations etc. 'Set out' is generally used here to describe when these are established and communicated to the people affected by them. The politician clearly set out her justification for why she feels that a referendum is necessary in the newspaper article that she wrote last week. The facts were set out in paragraphs 2 and 3 of the document. The management set out some new rules and guidelines on health and safety for all employees following new legislation that the government had passed. Without a well set out argument, you will never get the council to take notice of your plight. MEANING 5: To plant Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Rare Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To plant, to sow Separable? Yes This fifth and final meaning of 'set out' will probably only be useful for the green-fingered* among you as it means to plant and seeds and plants in the ground. I would say that due to the niche area in which it is used, this usage is a rare one, especially since it is more common to use the verbs 'to plant' and 'to sow' instead. However, it is always good to be aware of it, if for nothing else to be able to impress your English-speaking friends and colleagues. Try and ensure that the seedlings are set out on a cloudy day in moist soil. These plants must be set out at least 50cm apart from each other. *Green-fingered is an adjective used to describe people who enjoy gardening and who are good at growing plants. Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I just want to say thank you for clicking on my post and reading it. I hope that you've enjoyed it and have been able to learn something new about the phrasal verb 'set out'. If you enjoyed this post, please go ahead and check out some of my other posts. Now it is YOUR turn. Can you think of a sentence yourself using 'set out'. Write it in the comments section below if you can, or alternatively any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have....don't be shy!!! Sign up on the form below if you want to receive new blog posts directly by email every week as soon as they are published. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'put on' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my blog all about English phrasal verbs. Each week, I take a different phrasal verb and look at how it is used by native speakers, with a focus on the different meanings that it has and the expressions and idioms that it is used in. The phrasal verb 'put on' is an extremely common and diversely used phrasal verb in the English language. In this post we will look at its diverse range of meanings and particular uses, including placing clothes on your body, gaining weight and acting in an insincere way. So, without further ado, let's make a start.... QUICK ANSWER: What does the phrasal verb 'put on' mean? The phrasal verb 'put on' has six main meanings in English: To place something on a surface To place something on your body To make something operate To organise a show or event To be deceptive To trick someone TABLE OF CONTENTS (Click to jump to each one) The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'put' and 'on' Meaning 1: To place on a surface (literal) Meaning 2: To place something on your body Meaning 3: To make something operate Meaning 4: To organise an event or show Meaning 5: To be deceptive Bonus: The idiom 'to put on airs and graces' Meaning 6: To trick someone 🇺🇸 Bonus: Common expressions featuring 'put on' I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback so I don't always know if it is helpful for you. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like and share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS PUT ON: KEY INFORMATION Usage Common Number of meanings 5 Past tense forms Put on / Put on Separable? Yes Our phrasal verb of choice this week is made up of the common and diverse verb 'to put', along with the prepositional particle 'up'. The main meaning of the verb 'to put' is to place something in, or move something to, a particular place, and it is used frequently by English native speakers with a wide and varied selection of nouns, both physical and abstract. I think for this reason, there are also multiple meanings and uses of 'put on', which we will look at shortly. The prepositional particle 'on' is one that you will all be familiar with already and means 'to be in contact with and (usually) above a surface', often with the surface supporting the object. Ok, so now we have the basics covered, the first meaning should be a walk in the park.... MEANING 1: To place on a surface (literal) Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level A1 - Beginner Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To place, to set, to position Separable? Yes With the individual meanings of the component words in mind, it should be no surprise to you that the first meaning of 'put on' is the literal meaning of the combination of the two words i.e. to physically place an object onto a surface. As such, this is very commonplace language in everyday life and you will certainly hear it sooner or later if you spend time in an English speaking environment. As this one is a straightforward meaning, let's move on, but before we do, here are a handful of examples of typical usage.... Please can you pick up those books and put them on the bookshelf. Have you seen my keys? I put them on the table when I got home but they aren't there anymore. John put his coffee on his car roof and forgot all about it. MEANING 2: To place something on your body Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level A2 - Elementary Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To get dressed, to try on Separable? Yes The next meaning of 'put on' is a small departure from the literal meaning that we have just looked at but it is nonetheless a similar concept as it means, specifically, to place something on your body, rather than on a generic surface, like a table or a shelf. The majority of the time, 'put on' is used in this sense when we want to wear something and therefore it is used with all types of clothes, including glasses, watches, jewellery and wigs. It is also used to talk about applying make-up to your face. It should be noted that 'put on' is used specifically for the action of placing the item on your body and should not be confused with the verb 'to wear', which is used to describe the state of having an item on you body for a period of time. Will you put on some decent clothes, we have got visitors! Ok your eye test has finished, you can put your glasses back on again now. I was about to put on my trainers and go running this morning when it started raining. Helen put her best dress on and headed out to the office party. MEANING 3: To make something operate Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level A2 - Elementary Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To turn on, to switch on Separable? Yes The third meaning of 'put on' is to make something operate or function, normally by activating it with a button or switch. This usage derives from the adverbial meaning of 'on', to describe an electrical device that is in operation e.g. the television is on, and so this meaning of 'put on' is used to describe the action of making the device function. This is very similar to the other phrasal verbs 'turn on' and 'switch on'. Interestingly though, whilst you can also turn off and switch off a device, you cannot 'put off' a device.....I'm not sure why, but it does not sound correct at all. Sometimes we do not always refer to the physical device that we are 'putting on', but rather the end product. A prime example of this would be music, as it is normal to say that we 'put on music' rather than 'put on a CD player' (an outdated reference, I know). Another such example of this would be food and you can often hear native speakers talk about 'putting food on' to say they will start cooking it. This meaning is separable and the direct object can either go in the middle of the phrasal verb construction or at the end, without altering the meaning. It's so hot in here, can someone put the air conditioning on. Quick, put the television on, you're on the news! Sometimes I like to run a nice bath, put on some classical music and relax. I've put some pasta on, so it should be ready in about 15 minutes. What film shall I put on this evening? MEANING 4: To organise an event or show Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B1 - Intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To organise, to stage Separable? Yes This next meaning of 'put on' is to organise a public event, which people can attend and / or watch. This is used to talk about organising shows, plays, concerts, charity events, displays, exhibitions and festivals, as well any other events that I may have forgotten. In this sense 'put on' can be used to describe the act of organising the event as well as to talk about the performer(s) and how well or badly they performed. The local amateur dramatics society is putting on a charity play this week, shall we go? The company is putting on an exhibition to mark their 100th anniversary. The rock band Queen always put on a good show. Photo: Pexels BONUS: Putting on transport In British English 'put on' can also be used to talk about public transport when additional train or bus services are made available to people due to exceptional circumstances. See the examples below.... Due to the ongoing train strikes, the local council is putting on additional bus services to help people get around the city. The company put on extra trains before and after the football game to help disperse the crowds quickly. MEANING 5: To be deceptive Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Common British or American? Both Potential synonyms To deceive Separable? Yes The fifth meaning of 'put on' means to deceive people and is used to describe act in a way that is contrary to reality, to try and fool others (or sometimes themselves). This meaning of 'put on' is used when people change the way that they interact with, or appear, to others, such as purposely changing their accent to sound like they come from a different place (putting on an accent) or modifying their facial expressions to hide what they are really feeling. The expression 'to put on a front' can often be used here, specifically when someone appears positive or happy in a situation but in reality they are very sad, scared or nervous. In addition to appearance, we can also use 'put on' to talk about when someone is lying about something and subsequently behaving in a way to support the lie. An example of this would be if someone pretends to be sick and then acts like they are sick by coughing etc. to support the pretence. If other people don't believe that the illness is genuine, they may say that the person is putting it on. One other thing to note here is that we use the adjectival form 'put-on' to describe the fake or dishonest action. He's so good at putting on an American accent. He even fools actual Americans! I put on a brave face at work today but inside I felt like crying all day. John phoned in sick to work earlier today, however his boss believes that he is putting it on so that he can go to his child's sports day at school. Lisa does not come from Scotland, her Scottish accent is obviously put on. Photo: Pexels BONUS: The idiom 'to put on airs and graces' A nice idiom to make you aware of here is "to put on airs and graces", which means to behave in such a way as to impress people and make them think that you are more important or sophisticated than you really are. If you put on airs and graces, you generally want people to believe that you are from a higher social class and often come across as pretentious to other people. MEANING 6: To trick someone Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium Where is it used? Mainly American English Potential synonyms To trick, to fool, to prank, to have someone on Separable? Yes Our sixth and final meaning is 'to put someone on', which means to trick someone or play a joke on them, often by telling them something that is not true and making them believe it. This usage is primarily American and as such, is not something that I would normally use in my British English. Alternatively, in British English we would be likely to say 'to have someone on' to mean the same thing. Incidentally, 'put someone on' does exist in British English, however the meaning is totally different and would normally be used in the context of telephone calls when we want to request to speak to another person, often in the room. This can't be genuine! Are you putting me on? If you guys are trying to put me on, I think you should know that I can see through your tricks. Photo: Pexels BONUS: Common expressions featuring 'put on' Although we have now examined the different meanings of 'put on' in English, we are not done yet though as there are also a large number of expressions and specific situations in which 'put on' is used and here are some of the most commonly used ones.... To put money on something = To put money on something means to gamble or place a bet. For this, you can state the exact amount e.g. you could put $5 on a team to win a football game, or you can say that you would put money on something, if you are absolutely certain that something is true or will happen in the future. To put on weight = This is another way of saying that you gain weight or become heavier and is primarily British in usage. To be put on medication = If we are ever prescribed medication by a doctor or medical professional, we can say that we have been put on medication, in a passive sense. This applies for both humans and animals. To put a spell on someone = This is one that you may have come across if you are into the fantasy genre as it means to use magic on someone. To put on a (good) spread = If someone puts on a (good) spread, it means that they are hosting a dinner party or event and they provide a lot of food and drink. The word 'good' is an optional extra here but is often used by complimentary guests. To put on charge = Our final usage in this section means to plug something in to recharge, such as a cellphone or a battery of some kind. As you can imagine, this has become a very well-used expression since the rise of the cellphone and I must say it at least once a day. Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I just want to say thank you for clicking on my post and reading it. I hope that you've enjoyed it and have been able to learn something new about the phrasal verb 'put on'. If you enjoyed this post, please go ahead and check out some of my other posts. Now it is YOUR turn. Can you think of a sentence yourself using 'put on'. Write it in the comments section below if you can, or alternatively any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have....don't be shy!!! Sign up on the form below if you want to receive new blog posts directly by email every week as soon as they are published. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'play up' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my blog all about English phrasal verbs. Each week, I take a different phrasal verb and look at how it is used by native speakers, with a focus on the different meanings that it has and the expressions and idioms that it is used in. This post is all about the phrasal verb 'play up' and its different meanings and uses in English. 'Play up' has a few different meanings, however some of these tend to be more commonly used in British English and so are very familiar to me but they may not be to English speakers in the USA or elsewhere. So, without further ado, let's take a look at these different meanings.... QUICK ANSWER: What does the phrasal verb 'play up' mean? The phrasal verb 'play up' has four main meanings: To exaggerate the importance of something To not work properly To misbehave To influence someone to make them like you TABLE OF CONTENTS (Click to jump to each one) Play Up - The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'play' and 'up' Play Up - Meaning 1: To exaggerate the importance of something Play Up - Meaning 2: To not work properly 🇬🇧 Play Up - Bonus: My back is playing up! Play Up - Meaning 3: To misbehave 🇬🇧 Play Up - Meaning 4: To influence someone to make them like you Play Up - Bonus: The expression 'stop playing up for the camera!' I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback so I don't always know if it is helpful for you. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like and share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS PLAY UP: KEY INFORMATION Usage Common Number of meanings 4 Separable? Sometimes Past tense forms Played up / Played up As is customary at the start of each post, we'll start by looking at the component words which make up our phrasal verb under the spotlight. Firstly, we have the verb 'to play', which can mean to take part in a game or sport, as well as to portray a character in a performance in a theatre show or movie etc. This second meaning is the one that is more relevant for the phrasal verb meanings, as you will see shortly. Secondly, we have our prepositional particle up, signifying movement to a higher position away from the ground or towards the sky ⬆. So now we have covered the basics, let's move on to the phrasal verb meanings... MEANING 1: To exaggerate the importance of something Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Separable? Yes Potential synonyms ​To exaggerate, to emphasise, to big something up The first meaning of 'play up' that we will look up in this post requires a small amount of dishonesty, as the meaning is to exaggerate or emphasise something, in order to make it seem better, more important or more interesting to other people than it really is. In other words, if something is not very important or trivial, but we want other people to think that it is important, we can tell some white lies* and play it up in order to make them think that it is important. The extra emphasis that we place on something when we play it up can be used for both positive and negative purposes; on one hand something could be played up in order to raise publicity for a good cause and on the other hand a small, insignificant detail about someone's past could be played up by another person in order to make them look bad (this often happens in politics). Another key aspect of this meaning is expectation as things are often played up by people in order to increase people's interest levels about something upcoming in the future. A new TV show, a musical performance, a new product being launched onto the market or a baby gender reveal are all things which can be played up by people in order to generate interest. Photo: Pexels Additional nouns that you may come across with 'play up' are rumours or speculation, both of which could be 'played up' for humorous effect by the people who the rumours are about, especially if they are not true. In terms of sentence structure, this use of 'play up' requires a direct object, which can either be the noun specifying the thing being played up, or the pronoun 'it'. The government has been accused of playing up the significance of the tax cuts. It was obvious that the footballer was playing up his leg injury. The media has played up reports of the quarrel between the two politicians. *White lies are lies that people tell which are generally harmless or trivial in nature, often told in order to hide the truth from someone as it will make them unhappy - this is the good kind of lies 😝 MEANING 2: To not work properly Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Common Where is it used? British English Separable? No Potential synonyms To act up, to malfunction The second meaning of 'play up' is primarily used in British English and means 'to not work or function properly'. This is often used by (slightly annoyed) British people when they have problems with items such as their car, their computer or smartphone. When we use 'play up' in this sense, we do not mean that the problematic item has stopped working completely and is now out of order, but rather that it is working erratically, developing problems from time to time or is not working to 100% efficiency. This usage is quite an informal one and in more formal settings a verb such as 'to malfunction' may be more appropriate. Despite its informality however, this usage is in frequent usage among British people, so you are likely to hear it from time to time if you have British friends or colleagues. I am going to be late into work today as my car is playing up. My laptop has been playing up for the last couple of weeks, I think I should get a new one. Photo: Wix Media OUCH! MY BACK IS PLAYING UP! In addition to complaining about dysfunctional equipment or devices, it is also very common to use 'play up' to describe body parts that are not working properly and causing you health problems as a result. This is typically used to describe chronic problems which come and go, such as back pain or pain from a long term injury and, rather understandably, is used most frequently by the older generation. My back is playing up again, I am in agony! Speak up! My ears are playing up and I can't hear you properly! Moreover, with this usage it is also very common for people to add an object pronoun (me, you, him, her or them) to say that the particular malfunctioning body part is causing them pain or discomfort. My eyes play me up from time to time but that's just a normal part of getting old I guess! My feet have been playing me up something dreadful since I ran the marathon! MEANING 3: To misbehave Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Common Where is it used? British English Separable? Yes Potential synonyms To misbehave, to act up For our third meaning, we have another usage that is primarily used in British English and that is 'to misbehave'. Logically, this is really the same as the previous meaning, however instead of a device or body part not working in the way it should, we are rather talking about a person not behaving in the way that they should, in other words they are misbehaving. As this meaning is primarily concerned with bad behaviour, it will come as no surprise to you that it is used often to talk about naughty children. However, we can certainly also use it to talk about pets (my cats play up all the time) and occasionally even adults. Again, this usage is largely informal and more formal alternatives such as 'to misbehave' should be used in formal environments. Furthermore, it is also possible to play someone up. We use this variation when someone is responsible for looking after a child e.g. a babysitter, and the child misbehaves whilst in that person's care. We could then say that the child plays the babysitter up. The kids were so well behaved today, they didn't play up once! Our cats have started playing up ever since the building work on our home started. Ok children, we are off now so please do not play the babysitter up. MEANING 4: To influence someone to make them like you CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Rare Where is it used? Everywhere Separable? No Potential synonyms To curry favour, to suck up Our fourth and final meaning of 'play up' is a return to the dishonesty that we looked at in the first meaning of this post because it means to act in a certain way in order to make someone like you and treat you well. This could be by flattering them, doing something to help them or buying them gifts - regardless of the action however, the ultimate aim is to gain some sort of advantage from them. For this usage the additional preposition 'to' is required since we 'play up to' the person that we are trying to impress. A typical example of when this is used would be in work environments when someone wants to play up to the boss in order to get a promotion or special treatment of some sort. This usage is not limited to the world of work though and can be found in any situation where someone wants to gain an advantage with another person. Lisa is blatantly playing up to the boss, she's desperate to get his secretary's job! Photo: Pexels Bonus: Stop playing up for the camera! Before finishing this post, I want to give you one more expression which features our phrasal verb 'play up'. The expression in question is 'to play up for the camera', which is used to describe when a person acts in a certain way when they are being filmed, in order to come across well. The idea is that they do not not normally act that way in reality and their behaviour is all just for the camera. Another variation of this is also 'to play up to the camera'. Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I just want to say thank you for clicking on my post and reading it. I hope that you've enjoyed it and have been able to learn something new about the phrasal verb 'play up'. If you enjoyed this post, please go ahead and check out some of my other posts. Now it is YOUR turn. Can you think of a sentence yourself using 'play up'. Write it in the comments section below if you can, or alternatively any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have....don't be shy!!! Sign up on the form below if you want to receive new blog posts directly by email every week as soon as they are published. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'get by' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my blog all about English phrasal verbs. Each week, I take a different phrasal verb and look at how it is used by native speakers, with a focus on the different meanings that it has and the expressions and idioms that it is used in. This week's post is another phrasal verb featuring the ever-popular verb 'to get'; namely 'get by'. In this post, we will look at what native speakers mean when they use 'get by' in a literal sense, as well as its different figurative meanings, including to do the minimum possible required to succeed and to have just enough of something to manage. So, without further ado, let's get started.... QUICK ANSWER: What does the phrasal verb 'get by' mean? The phrasal verb 'get by' has four main meanings in English: To move past something To survive with the minimum possible To satisfy the minimum requirements To go unnoticed TABLE OF CONTENTS (Click to jump to each one) Get By - The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'get' and 'by' Get By - Meaning 1: To move past something Get By - Meaning 2: To survive with the minimum possible Get By - Meaning 3: To satisfy the minimum requirements Get By - Meaning 4: To go unnoticed Get By - Bonus: Some golden oldies songs featuring 'get by' I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback so I don't always know if it is helpful for you. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like and share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS GET BY: KEY INFORMATION Usage Medium Number of meanings 4 Past tense forms Got by / Got by / Gotten by Separable? No The phrasal verb 'get by' is made up of arguably the most popular verb amongst English native speakers, 'to get', and the prepositional particle 'by'. As we have seen in previous posts, the verb 'to get' has a wide range of different uses in English, however the meaning that is most relevant for the different usages of 'get by' is 'to move to and arrive at a different place or position'. The particle 'by' can be used both as a preposition and an adverb in English and the prepositional meaning which we are interested in for this post is 'movement past something'. Now, with the two individual elements of this phrasal verb explained, the first of the meanings should be an easy one to understand so let's go.... MEANING 1: To move past something Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level ​B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To move past, to get past Separable? No Following on from the previous section, this first usage of 'get by' is the literal meaning that is produced when we combine the two forms of 'get' and 'by', outlined in the previous section, i.e. to move past something so that you are on the other side of it. This is generally only ever used for physical movement and not in a symbolic or metaphorical way. In general, we use 'get by' in situations where it is difficult to move past something as there is some sort of obstruction, or in other words, when something is blocking your path. In contrast, if there is no obstacle present or we can move past something easily and without restriction, then native speakers are more likely to use another relevant verb of movement such as go, walk or drive. The verb 'to get' in this case implies an element of difficulty to the action. As such, here are some typical situations in which we use 'get by' in this way.... When a road is blocked by a car or another kind of obstruction and you cannot easily drive past it. When a person is blocking a path that you are walking on and you need to walk past them. When a road has been closed by authorities and you need to turn onto it in order to reach your destination. If you park your car here, you will make it difficult for other cars to get by. Sorry, do you need to get by? The police have sealed off the road where I live and will not let me get by to go home. MEANING 2: To survive with the minimum possible Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To make do, to cope, to make ends meet Separable? No The second meaning of 'get by' is 'to survive or manage with the minimum possible amount of something'. When we use 'get by' in this sense, the key idea is that we have only a small amount of something and it is just enough to meet our requirements. In other words, the amount that we have allows us to manage in the given situation, however if we had more of it, either the situation would be better or our lives would be more comfortable. 'Get by' can often have negative connotations, especially when talking about money, as it is often used when talking about financial difficulties, or in extreme cases poverty and deprivation. If we want to express or quantify the small amount that we have, we require the extra preposition 'on' to do this. Alternatively, we can also use 'to get by with' when specifying something that we have, which enables us to do something, but is not ideal for the job (i.e. there are better alternatives in existence). Aside from money, other common nouns which can be used with 'get by' when they are in short supply are sleep, food and knowledge. It is also commonly used in the expression 'get by on my own', meaning to manage without the help of other people, although it will not be easy. I don't earn a lot of money but I get by! It is said that Margaret Thatcher got by on four hours sleep a night. It was a tough situation but I got by with a little help from my friends and family. MEANING 3: To satisfy the minimum requirements Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Rare Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To scrape by Separable? No For our third meaning of 'get by', we do not have to make such a big leap from the second meaning that we have just looked at, as it means 'to satisfy the minimum requirements of something'. This is very much the same idea as the second meaning, but the focus here is that we achieve a certain requirement such as an examination pass, with the lowest possible mark. For example, if you needed a score of 50% in an exam in order to pass it and you got a score of 51%, you could say that you got by with 51%. Conversely, if you scored less than the requisite 50% mark, then you failed and 'get by' cannot be used here. As per the example above, this is commonly used with examinations and tests, however it can also be used for any other area where minimum requirements must be met in order to quality for something e.g. sports. I got by with low passes in my exams, so I can go to university but I won't be able to go the university or my choice. MEANING 4: To go unnoticed Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Rare Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To get past, to sneak by, to sneak past Separable? No Our fourth and final usage of 'get by' is one that links back to the literal usage that we covered earlier on in the post. The idea of this is more of an extension of the first meaning because it means 'to move past something or someone without being seen or noticed'. This usage is a good synonym of the phrasal verb 'to sneak past', as it essentially means to move past a person or group of people unnoticed, in order to get to where you want to be. This is something that you often see in action movies where the protagonist has to sneak past some people to get to the place where he or she can save the day! 'Get by' is used intransitively in this sense when the speaker is talking about 'getting by' a person without them being seen or noticed, however it can also be used transitively with a direct object when we want to talk about moving an object or another person past someone without being seen. Lastly, we can also use this meaning of 'get by' when talking about something passing checks or verifications without being noticed or spotted, typically when the thing in question would not normally 'get by' if it were spotted. If you want to get into the club, you are going to have to get by the bouncers. The visitor to the prison tried to get the cigarettes by the prison guards. Although there was an error on my passport application, it still managed to get by the verification checks. Photo: Pexels BONUS: Some classic old songs featuring 'get by' Before I finish this post, here are a couple of golden oldies featuring our phrasal verb of choice 'get by' for reference...enjoy! Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I just want to say thank you for clicking on my post and reading it. I hope that you've enjoyed it and have been able to learn something new about the phrasal verb 'get by'. If you enjoyed this post, please go ahead and check out some of my other posts. Now it is YOUR turn. Can you think of a sentence yourself using 'get by'. Write it in the comments section below if you can, or alternatively any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have....don't be shy!!! Sign up on the form below if you want to receive new blog posts directly by email every week as soon as they are published. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'come over' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my website for English learners all about phrasal verbs where I explain their different meanings to help you understand, learn and use them. This week it is the turn of the phrasal verb 'come over', which is a fairly common phrasal verb that shares some of its meanings with the common phrasal verb 'come across' (link here). 'Come over' does also have some other meanings of its own that we will also cover in this post. and so, without further ado, let's take a look at them.... QUICK ANSWER: What does the phrasal verb 'come over' mean? The phrasal verb 'come over has five main meanings: Literal meaning To visit someone's house To be perceived To suddenly feel different To change sides TABLE OF CONTENTS (Click to jump to each one) Come Over - The Basics: Key information & the individual words 'come' and 'over' Come Over - Meaning 1: Literal Come Over - Meaning 2: To visit someone's house Come Over - Bonus: Come on over Come Over - Meaning 3: To be perceived Come Over - Meaning 4: To suddenly feel different Come Over - Bonus: The expression 'I don't know what came over me' Come Over - Meaning 5: To change sides I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback as to how useful it is and if people enjoy & learn from it. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like & share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be most grateful. Thank you! 😊 James Photo: Pexels THE BASICS COME OVER: KEY INFORMATION ​Usage Common Number of meanings 5 Past tense forms Came over / Come over Separable? No Before we go any further, let's first consider the words which make up the phrasal verb 'come over'. This should hopefully give you some much needed logic to some of its idiomatic meanings that we will cover in the post. Our main verb is the extremely common verb 'to come', which is mainly used as a verb of movement to denote a movement towards the speaker or the place where the speaker is, was or will be. In this way, it functions as the opposite of the verb 'to go'. In addition to this, the verb 'to come' also has several other meanings, including to change into a different state and to happen. We then have the prepositional particle 'over', which has several different meanings, but the meaning that is relevant for this phrasal verb is to move across an area, normally from one side of it to the other. So now that we have covered the basics, let's move on to the different meanings of 'come over'.... MEANING 1: Literal Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Separable? No ​Potential synonyms To come across As per usual, let's start by looking at the literal meaning of our chosen phrasal verb. When used literally, 'come over' means to physically move across an area or space, towards where the speaker is, or depending on the context, where the listener is. Nouns commonly used with this application.... Room / Office Road / Street Bridge Field In addition, it can also be used to say that someone is coming towards you, normally with the intention of speaking to you. This is very similar to the literal meaning of the phrasal verb 'come across' but I would say that 'come over' is perhaps used more commonly by native speakers to express this particular meaning. A more advanced usage (C1) of this meaning of 'come over' is to travel over a long distance from one place to another, usually involving crossing a sea or an ocean. This is often used when talking about people visiting a far away country or emigrating from one country to another. Oh no! He's noticed that we're talking about him and he is coming over. Can you come over here for a second? I need your help. The teacher came over to our table to say hello. Paul saw me sitting alone and came over to talk to me. My parents came over to the UK in the 1960s and I was born here not long afterwards. When are you coming over to visit us in Australia? We miss you! MEANING 2: To visit someone's house Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Separable? No Potential synonyms ​To drop by, to visit The second meaning of 'come over' is not so different from the literal version that we have just considered, as it is an informal way to mean 'to visit somebody's house', with the idea that the visitor travels across an area to get to the speaker's (or possibly the listener's) home. This application is usually used when talking about somebody visiting you at your own home and is often expressed either as "come over to my house" or "come over to mine*". It is also absolutely fine to omit the 'to my house' or 'to mine' from the sentence as 'come over' on its own carries this implied meaning when used in the appropriate context. What are you doing later? Do you want to come over to watch a movie? I'll come over to yours next week and we can have catch-up! Do you want to come over for dinner tonight? Amanda usually comes over on Saturday nights to hang out. Thanks for coming over; it's been great catching up! I’m thinking of coming over later if that’s okay with you. * When talking about a person's house, it is normal for native speakers to use the possessive pronouns mine, his, hers, ours etc Photo: Pexels BONUS: Come on over Another variation of 'come over' that you may have heard before, especially in song lyrics, is 'come on over'. This is a common way of verbally inviting someone to join you where you are or to come to your house. Generally speaking, 'come on over' has the same meaning as 'come over', but we tend to use it when we are inviting someone to do something in the present, rather than at a point in the future. Moreover, I would say that it feels a little friendlier and softer than 'come over', which is also not hard or unfriendly. As such, 'come on over' is often used in an encouraging way, especially if the person being invited is reluctant to come for some reason. MEANING 3: To be perceived Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Separable? No Potential synonyms To come across, to seem, to be perceived Meaning number three of 'come over' means 'to be perceived' and again is very similar to the phrasal verb 'come across'. For this meaning, we are primarily concerned with how people, or the things that they say and do, are perceived or understood by others. It can be used to describe both how a person's behaviour and messages or information are interpreted and viewed by other people. When talking about how a person is perceived, we tend to use adjectives to describe a person's character or behaviour e.g. nervous, confident, shy and for this we require the extra word 'as'. Lisa came over as very self-assured in the interview but in reality she was very nervous. The politician comes over as weak and that is why people will not vote for him. She comes over a bit rude sometimes, but she's actually really kind. I don't want to come over as too eager, so I'll wait a bit before texting back. Conversely, when using 'come over' to describe how a message or information is perceived by people, we tend to use adverbs such as well, brilliantly and strongly. Did my speech come over well? Despite the social distancing during filming, the romantic scenes in the film came over brilliantly. The message didn’t come over clearly on the phone. As I mentioned, this application is a synonym of the phrasal 'come across' and whilst both of these are used fairly commonly in everyday English, I would say that 'come across' is used more frequently from my experience. MEANING 4: To suddenly feel different Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To suddenly feel, to be overcome with Separable? No The fourth meaning of 'come over' means to suddenly start to feel different to how you normally feel. Nouns commonly used with this application.... Feeling Chill Wave Sickness / Anger / Sadness / Happiness / Joy / Dizziness This can be in a physical way, for example when an English native speaker suddenly starts to feel sick, dizzy or faint, it is likely that they will use 'come over' to describe the sudden change. Furthermore, it can also be used for behavioural or emotional changes, for example when we begin to feel very angry or sad all of a sudden. Normally, with this application we talk about something that comes over us and therefore this is preceded by a noun. A strange feeling came over me as I walked into the old house. Suddenly, a wave of sadness came over her, and she started to cry. A chill came over Jerry when he heard the door creak open. Photo: Free Images As the singer stood on stage, a sense of calm came over him and his nervousness disappeared. An intense anger came over me when I saw what they had done. A feeling of guilt came over her when she saw the broken vase. A deep tiredness came over me after the long hike. A sense of joy came over the crowd as the band took the stage. BONUS: The expression 'I don't know what came over me' You may have heard a native speaker say "I don't know what came over me!", which is an expression that normally used in an apologetic way when we do not know why we started acting in a strange way. Alternatively, people often use "I don't know what came over him / her" to try and excuse the bad behaviour of another person and infer that they are not normally like that. I'm so sorry about my behaviour last night, I don't know what came over me! Jake was fine one minute and then suddenly he started shouting and screaming. I don't know what came over him! Alternatively, it is also possible for an adjective to follow 'come over'. When doing this, it is normal to include the word 'all' between the word 'over' and the adjective, perhaps to express that the feeling or emotion has taken over us entirely. I was fine one minute and then I came over all dizzy the next and had to sit down. She came over all sad in the middle of our conversation, so I hope I didn't upset her! Olive came over all faint when she saw the blood. I came over all emotional during the speech and had to stop myself from crying! Robert came over all shy when it was his turn to speak. I came over all nostalgic looking through those old photos. Katy came over all flustered when her crush complimented her. MEANING 5: To change sides Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Rare Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To change sides Separable? No The fifth and final meaning of 'come over' is an uncommon one that means to change allegiance to change sides from one side to an opposing or rival one. Additionally, it is used when people change their views on a particular subject, often in quite a radical way. This is not such a commonly used form of 'come over' but nevertheless you may come across it in the realms of politics, sport (teams) and debates (ideologies and beliefs). This meaning is certainly the rarest out of the ones that we have looked at but I wanted to make you aware of it nonetheless. One expression that you may hear with this application is 'to come over to someone's way of thinking', which is used to describe when someone changes their opinion to agree with someone else's with whom they did not agree with previously. What has made you come over to our way of thinking? Several members of the opposition party came over to support the new bill. Alan used to play for our rivals, but he came over to our team last season. The general came over to our side after realising the truth about the regime. Some of the rebels eventually came over and joined the government forces. During the debate, a few audience members came over to our point of view. Padma finally came over to our way of thinking after hearing all the evidence. Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I just want to say thank you for clicking on my post and reading it. I hope that you've enjoyed it and have been able to learn something new about the phrasal verb 'come over'. If you enjoyed this post, please go ahead and check out some of my other posts. Now it is YOUR turn. Can you think of a sentence yourself using 'come over'. Write it in the comments section below if you can, or alternatively any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have....don't be shy!!! Sign up on the form below if you want to receive new blog posts directly by email every week as soon as they are published. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊 THE END