As you know, we look up at something that is above us. For example you can look up at a tall building or look up at a bird in the sky. But did you know that it can also be used in the following way:
Look Up- get better; improve.
'The weather was terrible earlier, now it's starting to look up.'
'After a terrible start, sales for the month are finally looking up.'
You probably know the verb to act used for actors acting in a film or in the theatre. When used as a phrasal verb with the preposition up it has a different meaning:
Act up- Misbehave; behave badly or strangely.
'My computer has been acting up recently. I need to get it repaired. It's probably got a virus.'
"The prisoner managed to break ___ of prison."
As you know, a phrasal verb is a verb and a preposition used together. In the English language there are hundreds of phrasal verbs and no short-cut to learning them; however, the more you practise them, the easier they become to understand.
"Even though it was raining, she wanted to stay out."
Here are some phrasal verbs using the word stay:
Here we take a look at the phrasal verb hold up. Like most phrasal verbs it has more than one meaning. Here's how we can use hold up:
to hold up- to hold something / someone up in the air.
'When we landed in the airport our driver was waiting for us; he was holding up a sign with our names on it.'
to hold up - to stop / delay someone for a moment.
Are you planning to take a flight anytime soon? Here are some of the questions you'll probably hear in the airport and some example answers:
How many pieces of luggage do you have?
Only one.
Did you pack your luggage yourself?
Yes, I did.
Has anyone given you anything to take on the flight?
No, they haven't.
Do you have any hand-luggage?
Yes, I have one bag.
This month's phrasal verb, see through, has two meanings. You can probably guess both meanings from the picture. Here's an explanation to help you out, just in case.
Of course, we can use see through to mean 'look through':
'The window is too dirty. I can't see through it.'
Move away: To move away means that you leave one place to go and live in another.
'I was born in London, but we moved away to Liverpool when I was very young.'
Let's take a look at the phrasal verb fall out. Like most phrasal verbs, it has more than one meaning. Here's how we can use fall out:
to fall - to separate. When one thing separates from another thing. In the cartoon the birds might separate from their nest (fall from the nest onto the ground), or you might fall out of your bed at night!
'When you get old your hair and teeth start to fall out.'
'Turn on the TV.'
Let's help to build your vocabulary by looking at 11 phrasal verbs that use the word turn:
Turn Down: to lower the volume.
'The TV is too loud. Can you turn it down?'
Turn Down: to refuse or decline a request.
