Phrasal verbs
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There is no hard-and-fast rule that will let you instantly understand all phrasal verbs—many of them have idiosyncratic or obscure meanings (and many have more than one). There are plenty of common themes for the different prepositions, in addition to their literal (usually direction-related) meanings. For instance:
Off often conveys a sense of surprise or something being out of control (go off (=explode), set off, let off (both=cause to explode), make off (=run away), make off with (=steal), )
On often conveys smoothness or harmony (get on (=have good relations with one another), or continuation (go on (=continue, proceed), carry on (=continue))
Up often conveys a sense of something being finished or completed (eat up, drink up, settle up) or of inclusion (count up, make up (=comprise)) or of creation (make up (=invent), dream up, set up)
Out often conveys a sense of something ending, but in a premature or undesired way (fall out(=cease to be friends), drop out (=leave/be expelled), wipe out (=fall off, e.g. a surfboard))
Up often conveys a sense of something is above (look up) or increase (speed up, hurry up (=quickly))
Out often conveys a sense of something is outside (go out(=go outdoor))This list is far from exhaustive, even for the prepositions listed here; furthermore here are plenty of exceptions to these (for instance to set out to do something means to begin with the aim of doing it—rather than having anything to do with an ending), but as you learn more of these verbs you will get a better feel for the patterns that many of them fall into, and that native speakers often use to coin new ones.
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Many phrasal verbs can become nouns.
To show that it’s a noun, you can either put a hyphen between the noun and the preposition (“start-up”) or write it as one word (“startup”). Hyphenated nouns are considered more formal than one word.
blackout = when there is no electricity
breakdown = when something stops working
check-up = a medical exam
kick-off = when a ball game like football or rugby starts
workaround = a partial solution to a problem
show-off = a person who does things to get attention
outcome = result
dropout = someone who leaves school or university early
pull-ups = an exercise in which one hangs by the hands from a support (such as a horizontal bar) and pulls oneself up
push-ups = exercise performed by raising and lowering the body with the straightening and bending of the arms while keeping the back straight and supporting the body on the hands and toes
workout = a practice or exercise to test or improve one's fitness for athletic competition, ability, or performance; a test of one's ability, capacity, stamina, or suitability
knockout = a knockout blow is an action or event that completely defeats an opponent
lookout = a place from which to keep watch or view the landscape -
You may not use phrasal verbs in sentences if you are a beginner, you can replace them with other words. However, you will often see phrasal verbs in books and native English speakers often make sentences with phrasal verbs. Phrasal verbs make sentences shorter.
Try to learn the most important phrasal verbs. -
go on
carry on
Basically they mean the same thing, but in some contexts one usage is more common. The best choice is really context dependent.
"go on" is often used to spur someone or something to start.
Don't wait for us, go on ahead.
and
Q. Am I doing this correctly?
A. Yes you are. Carry on.
Use it as the synonym to "continue".
1 - 2025-02-11
2 - 2025-02-10
3 - 2025-02-09
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