Verbs Lesson 38

Common Phrasal Verbs


Here is a list of common phrasal verbs.
Account for
This is an inseparable phrasal verb.
To account for something is to give a reason or explanation for it.
  • How will you account for the money you spent on that fancy dress?
  • How do you account for the sudden improvement in your grades?
  • The student was brought before the principal to account for his behavior.
  • Exports account for nearly 60% of our revenue.
Act out
To act out is to express your feelings through your words or actions.
  • She was acting out her feelings of insecurity by being overly possessive.
Act up
When children act up, they behave badly. When machines act up, they fail to work properly.
  • My kids act up whenever we have guests.
  • The car is acting up again.
Add in
To add in something is to include it.
  • If you add in the information about his family background, you will understand why he behaves so strangely.
Add up
When something adds up it makes sense.
  • Your arguments just don’t add up.
  • There is something about his behavior that just doesn’t add up.
To add up is to calculate the total.
  • Add up those numbers.
Allow for
To allow for something is to take it into consideration.
  • The survey does not allow for the fact that many students drop out of school before they turn fourteen.
Answer back
To answer back is to reply rudely.
  • Her children are very badly brought up. They answer back all the time.
Answer for
To answer for something is to take responsibility for something you have done.
  • You will have to answer for your actions.

Nhận xét

Đăng nhận xét

Bài đăng phổ biến từ blog này

English Short Story 5

Belling The Cat There lived many mice in a grocer’s shop. They ate plenty of grains and the grocer suffered heavy loss. So, he brought a fat cat to catch the mice. The mice were worried. They held a meeting to drive away the cat. A smart-looking mouse suggested that the cat moved softly and swiftly. They decided to tie a bell round its neck. So that when the cat moves, the mice would become aware of the cat. All the mice agreed to this decision. The old mouse said, “Can you tell me who is to bell the cat?" There was no reply. Their decision is not yet executed.
Đọc thêm

What are adverbs?

Adverbs are words like  now, then, today, tomorrow  and  carefully . An adverb modifies the meaning of a verb, an adjective or another adverb. Read the following sentences: Alice smiled  sweetly. Those mangoes were  very  sweet. He spoke  quite  loudly. In sentence 1, the adverb  quickly  shows how (or in what manner) Alice smiled. It modifies the verb  smiled. In sentence 2, the adverb  very  says something about the sweetness of the mangoes. It modifies the adjective  sweet . In sentence 3,  quite  says something about the manner in which he spoke. It modifies the adverb  loudly. Note that  adverbs  standing at the beginning of sentences sometimes modify the whole sentence, rather than a particular word. Unfortunately  no one was present there. (= It was unfortunate that no one was present there.) Probably  I am mistaken. (= It is probable that I am mistaken.) Kinds ...
Đọc thêm

Adverbs Part 2

Adverbs of degree or quantity Adverbs of degree  answer the question ‘how much’ or ‘in what degree’ or ‘to what extent’. Examples are:  very, too, fully, quite, rather, enough, any, partly, almost, utterly, as, entirely etc. That was  very  tragic. I have  almost  finished. He was  rather  busy. Is he  any  good? You are  partly  right. You are  entirely  wrong. Adverbs of reason Adverbs of reason  answer the question ‘why?’. Examples are:  therefore, hence, consequently etc. Consequently  he refused to go. Therefore  they decided to boycott the meeting. He is  hence  unable to refute the charge. Adverbs of affirmation or negation Examples are:  surely, certainly, not, probably, indeed etc. You are  certainly  right. I am  not  going. He is a fool  indeed. Interrogative adverbs Adverbs which are used for asking questions are c...
Đọc thêm