A PHRASAL VERB is a verb + particle (adverb or preposition) which together create a different meaning from the original verb. They are very common, especially in informal spoken English in a wide variety of contexts. They are best learned in ‘chunks’, as it is often difficult to guess the meaning, even when you know the meaning of each individual part.
Example: I
ran into my teacher at the mall
yesterday. Run + into= To meet s.o by chance
He ran away when he was 15.
Run + away= To leave home because of a problem
They often have a one-word equivalent which is
more formal or literary. For example, you can come across a new phrasal verb or you can encounter it. Many phrasal verbs have multiple meanings, either figurative (idiomatic) or literal. For example, you can pick up a language, pick up the phone, pick your pencil up, pick someone up at the airport, pick up
a discussion in class, pick up a
girl at a bar, the weather and the economy can pick up, the radio/cell phone can pick up a signal or your
mom can pick some milk up at the supermarket.
There is no magic formula to learning them, but
it takes practice and more practice. In order to master phrasal verbs, you need
to go beyond understanding them and incorporate them into your own speaking and
writing naturally. Pay attention to
English around you! Whenever you read, watch TV/movies and listen to songs,
be on the lookout for when they show up. The
more contact you have with phrasal verbs, the easier it will become to
understand and use them!
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