PHRASAL VERBS,PHRASAL VERBS, PHRASAL VERBS!


COME ON (1), GET UP (1), TRIP OVER

come on! = do it! (we encourage somebody to do something)

examples:
  • Come on! Call him! I know he will be very happy if you do.
  • Come on! Help him! He is your brother.
  • Come on! Stop crying! It wasn 't that terrible!
  • Come on! Hurry up!
  • Come on! Tell us the truth!
  • You can do it now! Come on!
  • Quickly! Come on! The train is about to leave.
get up =  stand up
  • I wasn 't feeling well but I got up to answer the phone.
  • Get up! Help me carry this. It 's too heavy.
  • We all got up when grandfather entered the room.
  • When the Judge comes into the Courthouse, everyone gets up out of respect.
  • Please, don 't get up. I can find what I want myself. I don 't need any help.
trip over (something) =  hit your foot against something and almost fall
  • While I was running to answer the phone, I tripped over a book and fell flat on the floor.
  • Don' t run in the house, you kids. You' re always tripping over and crying.
  • She tripped over and sprained her ankle.
  • Grandpa tripped over and broke his leg.
  • Pick up the magazines off the floor. Someone might trip over.

    4.comic strips for linguists and teachers of English


    ADD UP (2), SET UP (3)

    add up = accumulate, gather little by little and gradually become a lot

    examples:
    • Mary washes cars, cleans houses, irons people's clothes for money, babysits. With all these kinds of work money adds up and it is almost a regular salary. 
    • Money can' t add up if you keep spending all the time. 
    • Since my mother moved in with us, I 'm afraid our problems have added up.
    • If you save some euros every week you 'll see how quickly it adds up and you 'll be able to buy that motorcycle. 
    • He spends a lot on food, a lot on his amusement, a lot on drinks. By the end of the month when he receives bills too all expenses add up and he is left broke.
    • First, he was rude to me. Then he started making fun of me in front of others. Sometimes he teased me for my accent. It all adds up and now I don 't want to see him anymore.
    set up = build, put something in a place

    examples:
    • After the accident the police set up roadblocks on the road.
    • They should have set up a STOP sign here. It 's really dangerous.
    • The government set up tents for the people who were left homeless after the earthquake.
    • The Town Hall set up a medical unit near the block of flats that had caught fire.
    • When we reached the top of the mountain we set up a flag.
    • They set up a new branch of these clothes stores in our city.
    • Could you please set up your videocameras over there? You 're blocking the light here.
    • We set an iron fence up all around the garden.

    ORDER AROUND, ORDER ABOUT

    order about = order around = give orders all the time, tell others what to do all the time
    examples:
    • Stop ordering the children around. They know what to do.
    • The general ordered the soldiers around the first couple of weeks at the army from morning until night.
    • He just loves ordering people about. He 's so obnoxious!
    • Don 't just stand there ordering us about. Come and give us a hand!
    • A good boss doesn 't order people around.She or he inspires them and sets the example.

    LET OFF (1)

    let (somebody) off = let someone go without punishment
    examples:
    • I 'll let you off this time but next time be more careful.
    • We can 't just let him off. It 's not the first time we 've caught him stealing.
    • I 'll let you off with a warning now but if you drive your motorcycle without a helmet next time I will drive you to the traffic police myself!
    • They let him off lightly because he was only twelve years old.
    • The Court was very lenient. They let him off.
    • The traffic police let him off with just a fine for driving drunk. If you ask me, they should have removed his number plate. He was let off lightly, wasn 't he?
    • The boss let me off this time but said that if I ever make the same mistake, he 'll fire me.

    LAY DOWN (2)

    lay down = establish something, say what others must do
    examples:
    • The new government has laid down new laws.
    • The ministry is going to lay down new rules in the market.
    • The contract lays down the conditions for the sale.
    • It is laid down in the regulations that students are not allowed to bring mobile phones to school.
    • Teachers lay down the school rules in cooperation with the students.
    • Follow the instructions laid down in the booklet to fit the machine.
    • Great scientists have laid down the principles of Physics.
    • The Prime Minister laid down the general directions but nothing has been decided yet.
    • It is laid down what you have to do in this case. Just read the law.
    • Governments have to lay down tough standards for public health.

    SET UP (2)

    set up = organize

    examples: 
    • She set up an appointment with a doctor who specializes in her problem. 
    • They set up a committee to investigate the case. 
    • We set up a meeting but she never came. 
    • We set up an interview to hire a new assistant. 
    • They set up a fund for the victims of the earthquake.
    • Are you going to set up the food for the party yourself?
    • We set up the rooms for our guests. 
    • The army set up a mission to free the prisoners.
    • We must set up a new system in the company to advertise our work.

    SET ASIDE (1), HANG OUT (1)

    set aside =save a part of something in order to use it later
    examples:
    • If we want to go on holiday, we should set aside some money.
    • Good parents always set aside some time every day to play with their children.
    • I set aside some money every month.
    • We have set aside some money for a new car.
    • We have set aside a room for our guests. You can visit us any time you like.
    • Set aside some pizza for Tommy.
    • I 'll be late. Please, set aside some birthday cake for me.
    • I 'll be very busy this weekend but I 'll set some time aside for you.
    hang out (with somebody) = often spend time with somebody or at a place
    examples:
    • Why are you hanging out with such bad people?
    • My mum doesn't really like the people I hang out with.
    • If you want to find us, we usually hang out at the new sports club.
    • Teenagers like to hang out with people of their own age.
    • I know all the places my older brother hangs out and all the people he hangs out with.

      SELL OFF (1)

      sell off = sell something quickly and at a low price
      examples:
      • He needed money right away, so he sold off his car. 
      • I 'm not going to sell off my mother 's jewels! 
      • He lost all his money gambling and had even to sell off his house. 
      • We 're not selling off. If we get a good price on the house, we 're selling. Otherwise, we 're waiting.
      • He 's selling off property to pay his debts. 
      • Stores are selling off winter clothes during the summer.
      • The store is selling off products that are about to expire.
      • This new shop is selling off things at bargain prices! Let 's go and check it out!

      SET UP (1)

      set up = start (a business, a committee, an institution, a home)

      examples:
      • He set up a very successful business on the island.
      • They set up a new school in the village for local children.
      • The two brothers set up a company together in 2009.
      • After their marriage Mary and Tom set up their home in a nice village away from city life.
      • They set up a shop that sold fishing equipment.
      • He inherited a fortune and set up a home for abandoned children.