Dziś zajmiemy się mało wdzięcznym, a wręcz znienawidzonym przez wielu uczniów tematem – Phrasal verbs, czyli czasownikami złożonymi (lub frazowymi) w języku angielskim. Jakkolwiek straszne by owe czasowniki nie były i jakich uczuć grozy czy odrazy by nie budziły, prędzej czy później trzeba stawić im czoła, albowiem rodowici Anglicy złośliwie używają tychże konstrukcji gdzie popadnie, siejąc zamęt w i tak wystarczająco chaotycznym języku. By jeszcze odrobinę uprzykrzyć egzystencję wszystkich nieboraków zgłębiających tajniki języka angielskiego dodam, iż wiele czasowników złożonych posiada kilka znaczeń, często nijak ze sobą niezwiązanych.
W tym momencie zapewne zastanawiacie się, czy istnieje jakaś sprytna, łatwa i przyjemna metoda nauki tej pokrętnej części słownictwa? Czy buduję napięcie, by potem jednym zdaniem z powrotem przywrócić uśmiechy na twarze mych dzielnych Czytelników (i Czytelniczek)? Cóż, powiem krótko – nie. Trzeba zacząć wkuwać, ot co. Zatem do roboty moi drodzy! Poniżej (na rozgrzewkę) lista 25 popularnych, przydatnych i powszechnie stosowanych czasowników frazowych, które po prostu trzeba znać. Każdy czasownik opatrzony jest definicją w języku angielskim i ilustrującym znaczenie przykładem.
1. Add up
To be added together and equal the expected or correct total.
Example: “We have added up the plums and there are 17 in total″
To make sense : to seem to be logical or true.
Example: “Her story didn’t add up, I think she was lying, it didn’t make any sense at all”
2. Blow up
To fill (something) with air or gas
Example: “Please could you blow up those balloons for me?”
To explode or to cause something, such as a bomb to explode.
Example: “The hangar was blown up by a bomb”
To become very angry.
Example: “When Josh said he couldn’t visit Jill in the evening, she blew up”
3. Bring up
To take care of and look after a child who is growing up.
Example: “His grandparents brought him up because his parents were always travelling”
To mention something when talking : to start to talk about a new subject.
Example: “Don’t bring up this embarrassing subject ever again, please!”
4. Call off
To stop doing or planning to do something.
Example: “Cathy called off the wedding, because she decided she didn’t love her fiancé”
To cause or tell a person or animal to stop attacking, chasing, etc.
Example: “Call off your crazy dog! He’s attacking my poor little kitty.”
5. Carry on
To continue to do what you have been doing
Example: “Sorry I interrupted, please carry on explaining the subject”
To behave or speak in an excited or foolish way.
Example: “The naughty little girl was carrying on shouting and kicking all day long”
6. Come across
To seem to have a particular quality or character; to make a particular impression.
Example: “Sarah came across as an extremely selfish person”
To be expressed to someone.
Example: “I tried to appear cheerful but it came across as over-excited”
To meet or find something or someone by chance.
Example: “Michael was leaving the restaurant and he came across Terry, which was quite a coincidence”
7. Come up with
To get or think of something that is needed or wanted.
Example: “We finally came up with a solution to this difficult and challenging problem!”
8. Fall apart
To break into parts in usually a sudden and unexpected way,
Example: “Unfortunately my cake completely fell apart when I tried to cut it”
To become unable to live in a normal way because you are experiencing a lot of confusion or emotional pain
Example: “After the divorce, Eve fell apart and had a lot of problems with her life.”
9. Get along
To be or remain friendly
Example: “We’re not together anymore with my ex-girlfriend, but we get along great, so we are both happy.”
To make progress while doing something.
Example: “How are you getting along at playing the piano?”
To leave a place
Example: “It was a real pleasure to see you, but my friend has to get along, because she has some lessons soon”
10. Get away
To go away from a place.
Example: “I can’t wait to get away from the city and visit the countryside.”
To avoid being caught : to escape
Example: “The robbers somehow managed to get away in a stolen car”
11. Get over
To stop being controlled or bothered by something, such as a problem or feeling.
Example: “I got over my fear of spiders, but I am still afraid of snakes.”
To stop feeling unhappy about something.
Example: “At last! Sandra got over her ex-boyfriend”
12. Give up
To stop an activity or effort; to admit that you cannot do something and stop trying
Example: “We all gave up smoking on January 1st, which was our resolution for that year.”
13. Go on
To continue.
Example: “They arrived in Cracow and then went on to Warsaw.”
To happen
Example: “What’s going on? What’s happening?”
Used in speech to urge someone to do something
Example: “Go on! Try it, it’s delicious and I am sure you will like it!”
14. Hold on
To have or keep your hand, arms, etc., tightly around something.
Example: “Hold on to the railing, that way you won’t fall.”
15. Look after
To take care of someone or something.
Example: “The nurse looked after the patient for weeks, until he got better”
16. Look forward to
To expect something with pleasure.
Example: “Andy is really looking forward to spending the weekend in the mountains”
17. Look up
Improve.
Example: “The economic situation of that country is finally looking up”
To search for something in a reference book, on the Internet, etc.
Example: “Let’s look up this difficult word in a dictionary.”
18. Make out
To hear and understand something
Example: “I can’t make out what you’re saying, can you speak more clearly please?”
To kiss and touch for a long time in a sexual way.
Example: “We made out after the party in the park nearby.”
19. Pass out
To fall asleep or become unconscious.
Example: “Monica was so tired, she got home and passed out on the sofa while the TV was still on.”
to give something to several or many people.
Example: “I passed out leaflets with information on our meeting next Sunday.”
20. Pull over
To move a vehicle to the side of the road and stop.
Example: “That looks like a pleasant cafe, can you pull the car over and park?”
21. Put down
To place someone or something that you have been holding or carrying on a table, on the floor, etc.
Example: “You can put all the luggage down in the corridor”
To write something; to record something in writing
Example: “He put down all the details of the meeting in order not to forget anything.”
22. Put off
To decide that something will happen at a later time; postpone.
Example: “David was so exhausted that he put the shopping off until Tuesday”
To cause someone to dislike someone or something
Example: “You’re putting me off my dinner, stop talking about spiders, bugs and other creepy-crawlies!”
23. Put up with
To allow someone or something unpleasant or annoying to exist or happen.
Example: “My neighbor won’t put up with any bad language in his house”
24. Turn up
To arrive at a place
Example: “As always, Sally turned up late at the meeting.”
To increase the volume, temperature, etc., of something by pressing a button, moving a switch, etc.
Example: “Please turn the music down, I cannot concentrate with all that noise.”
25. Watch out
To be aware of something dangerous.
Example: “Watch out in the mountain, there are bears, wolves and other dangerous animals there!”