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A phrasal verb is a multi-word verb that consists of a verb plus a preposition/adverb (e.g. at, on, in, away) which creates a meaning different from the original verb. For example – The concert’s been put off (postponed) because the lead singer was ill. (put off – different meaning from put) Usually you can’t guess the meaning of a phrasal verb from the individual words but you can determine its’ meaning from the context.
Remember: Phrasal verbs are used in both informal and formal situations. However, they are used more commonly in spoken English than in written English.
Example: Some common phrasal verbs
Two years ago I went to Rome. It was an unforgettable holiday as it was my first time abroad. I travelled with my best friend, Maria, as I really get on with her. We set off for the airport early, to avoid the morning traffic. When we got there we had plenty of time to check in for our flight. Unfortunately, soon after the plane took off I felt sick and I had a terrible headache. Luckily, Maria looked after me. She was very patient and helpful. When we were about to land my headache wore off and I immediately cheered up as I was really looking forward to our holiday together. When we got to Rome, it was a bit cloudy but after a while it cleared up. A taxi picked us up from the airport and took us to our hotel. After we dropped off our luggage we went for a stroll and we came across a lovely Italian restaurant. We were starving so we had dinner there. We tried out all the local specialities and everything we tasted was simply delicious. It was the start to an amazing holiday that I always look back with pleasure.
Let’s start the test now: Choose the best phrasal verb for each meaning, according to the text above!
created by Tess Giordmaina
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