Grammar - Topic 8(a) Phrasal Verbs and More...

Grammar – Topic 8(a)

Phrasal Verbs and More... (Part I)

Have you used words like 'on', 'to', 'in', 'under', 'through', 'across' and 'at' when you converse and write in English? These words are prepositions. When you first use them, you might be told that they tell you about position and direction.

For example,

Let's put the books on the table.
The cat crawled through the open window.
We walked across the street.


You can probably think of many more examples to show position and direction using prepositions. However, there are also other ways we use prepositions in the English language. You might have used them frequently too.

Here are some examples. The prepositions can be at the end or the beginning of a phrase.

George certainly takes after his father. Both of them enjoy watching Star Wars movies.
The new citizens are not accustomed to life in the new country.
This flea market is for a good cause. Proceeds will go towards helping the needy.

If you do not use these phrases often, you might not be familiar with them. (That's another phrase - familiar with!)

It might be difficult to remember these phrases simply by memorising a list. However, you might be able to remember better if you learn them, then practise using them either by conversing, writing or completing exercises on them. Most importantly, you should learn just a few of them at a time and build up your vocabulary by adding more phrases daily. Remember to revise what you have learn before as well.


In Paper 2 of the PSLE English paper, such phrases can be tested in the Grammar MCQ section, the Grammar Cloze section and the Editing section.

This shows just how important it is to learn these phrases.


There will be several parts to this post so that you can keep practising these phrases and learning new ones. You might want to print out the list below on a card and keep it with you at all times.

Let's get started! There will be lots in store for you! (Another phrase - in store!)

Here are the first 8 phrases. Happy learning!

List A

Phrase	Meaning
put up	tolerate built stay somewhere for a short time
die out	disappear or stop existing
famous for	known for
come between	cause people to feel angry with each other
act up	behave badly unable to work properly
cover up	prevent others from discovering one’s mistakes put something over something
suspect (somebody) of	think that someone is guilty of a crime
at high speed	travelling very fast

Let's Practise

Fill in the blanks with the correct phrasal verbs.

1. Please __________ when you go out to play in the snow as it is very cold.

2. When I could no longer __________ with the noise from my neighbour's house, I decided to make a police report.

3. The toddler will __________ in public so that he can get his mother to buy him whatever he wants.

4. This restaurant is __________ its beef noodles.

5. The police announced that a middle-aged man is __________ committing the recent robberies.

6. The driver travelled __________ along the narrow road and almost crashed into a tree.

7. I am certain that the public's interest in the latest online game will __________ after a year.

8. When I visited Australia for a week, my aunt __________ me __________ at her house.

9. I refused to __________ for him and told the teacher that he had cheated during the test.

10. My washing machine has __________ again. I think I should get a new one.

11. An extension will be __________ at the back of the school building so that more classrooms can be built.

12. Marie __________ Ann and Betty and caused them to argue between themselves over trivia matters.



Answers:
1. cover up
2. put up
3. act up
4. famous for
5. suspected of
6. at high speed
7. die out
8. put...up
9. cover up
10. acted up
11. put up
12. came between


Here's another practice exercise for you so that you can review the phrases you just learnt.

There is a mistake in each of the sentences below. Circle the mistakes and correct them. Use the list in the table above to help you.

1. Japan is famous with sushi.

2. Many species of wild animals are in danger of dying away.

3. As a deliveryman, he has to put out with long working hours.

4. The director of the finance company is suspected with fraud but the police do not have enough evidence to charge him yet.

5. The motorcyclist travelled with high speed along the deserted expressway.

6. Tim and Peter are best friends and nothing can come through them.

7. If you cover over for his crime, you will be charged with being an accomplice.

8. I was surprised when my usually obedient brother acted out in public because he was unable to buy the latest video game.


Answers:
1. famous for
2. dying out
3. put up
4. suspected of
5. at high speed
6. come between
7. cover up
8. acted up