Avançado 12. rasal Verbs (Idioms) (Part 1 of 3)

Phrasal Verbs (Idioms) (Part 1 of 3)

NOTE: Exercises at the end of part 3

Many verbs in English are followed by an adverb or a preposition (also called a particle), and these two-part verbs, also called phrasal verbs, are different from verbs with helpers. The particle that follows the verb changes the meaning of the phrasal verb in idiomatic ways:

VERB	MEANING	EXAMPLE
drop off	decline gradually	The hill dropped off near the river.
drop off(2)	fall asleep	While doing his homework he dropped off.
drop off(3)	stop and give something to someone	Would you drop this off at the post office?
drop out	cease to participate	After two laps, the runner dropped out.

Some particles can be separated from the verb so that a noun and pronoun can be inserted, and some particles can't be separated from the verb.

Separable add up (meaning: to add): She added it up on her calculator.

Inseparable get around (meaning: to evade): She always gets around the rules.

Separable

• add up – add

• back up - cause to move backwards; support;

• blow up; cause to explode; destroy by explosives

• break down - analyze; list the parts of separately

• break into - go into a house or room forcibly; suddenly; begin;

• bring about - cause to happen

• bring off – accomplish

• bring on – cause

• bring out - publish; emphasize

• bring over – bring

• bring to – revive

• bring up - raise; care for from childhood

• brush out - brush the inside of

• burn down - destroy by burning

• burn up - consume by fire

• buy out - by the other person's share of a business

• buy up - buy the whole supply of

• call off - cancel; order away

• call up - telephone; summon for military service

• calm down - become calm

• carry on – continue

• carry out - fulfill; complete; accomplish; perform

• carry over - carry; continue at another time or place

• cheer up - cause to become cheerful

• chew up - chew thoroughly

• chop up - chop into small pieces

• clean off - clean the surface of

• clean out - clean the inside of

• clean up - clarify; tidy

• clear out - clear the surface of

• clear up - clear the inside of

• close down - close permanently

• close up - close temporarily

• count in – include

• count out – exclude

• count up - calculate; count; add to a total

• cross out – eliminate

• cut off - interrupt; sever; amputate

• cut out - eliminate; delete

• cut down - reduce in quantity

• draw up - write; compose (a document)

• dress up - put clothes on; adorn

• dust out - dust the inside of

• eat up - eat completely

• figure out - interpret; understand

• figure up – compute

• fill in - complete (a printed form)

• fill out - complete (a printed form)

• fill up - fill completely (a container)

• find out – discover

• fix up - repair; arrange in a suitable manner

• get across - cause to be understood

• give back – return

• give out - distribute; announce

• give up - surrender something

• hand down - deliver; pronounce formally; leave as an inheritance

• hand over - yield control of

• hang up – suspend

• have on - be dressed in

• have over - entertain someone informally at one's home

• hold off - delay; restrain

• hold up - delay; rob; threaten with a weapon

• keep up - continue; keep the same pace

• leave out – omit

• let down – disappoint

• let out - release from confinement; make larger (in sewing)

• light up - light; illuminate thoroughly

• live down - live in such a way as to cause something to be forgotten

• make over – remake

• move over - move to the side

• pass out – distribute

• pass up - not take advantage of (as an opportunity)

• pass on – transmit

• pay back – repay

• pay off - discharge a debt completely; give someone his final pay

• pick up - come to meet an escort; lift with hands or fingers; learn casually; initiate an association publicly

• play down – minimize

• play up – emphasize

• point out – indicate

• pull down - pull in a downward direction; raze

• push across - cause to be understood or accepted

• put off – postpone

• put on - dress in; deceive or fool

• put up - preserve (food); receive as an overnight guest

• quiet down - be quiet

• ring up - the telephone

• rinse off - rinse the surface of

• rinse out - rinse the inside of

• rule out – eliminate

• run down - trace; disparage; hit with a vehicle

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Avançado 11. ON THE TELEPHONE - Part 2 of 2

ON THE TELEPHONE - Part 2 of 2

Leaving a Message

Sometimes, there may not be anyone to answer the telephone and you will need to leave a message. Follow this outline to make sure that the person who should receive your message has all the information he/she needs.

1. Introduction - - - - Hello, this is Ken. OR Hello, My name is Ken Beare (more formal).

2. State the time of day and your reason for calling - - - - - It's ten in the morning. I'm phoning (calling, ringing) to find out if .. / to see if ... / to let you know that ... / to tell you that ...

3. Make a request - - - - Could you call (ring, telephone) me back? / Would you mind ... ? /

4. Leave your telephone number - - - - My number is .... / You can reach me at .... / Call me at ...

5. Finish - - - - Thanks a lot, bye. / I'll talk to you later, bye.

Here's an example of message

• Telephone: (Ring... Ring... Ring...) Hello, this is Tom. I'm afraid I'm not in at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep..... (beep)

• Ken: Hello Tom, this is Ken. It's about noon and I'm calling to see if you would like to go to the Mets game on Friday. Could you call me back? You can reach me at 367-8925 until five this afternoon. I'll talk to you later, bye.

As you can see, leaving a message is pretty simple. You only need to make sure that you have stated all the most important information:

Your Name, The Time, The Reason for Calling, Your Telephone Number

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Avançado 10. On the Telephone

Our lesson today is about how to use the telephone in English. There will be no exercise. Part 1 of 2

On the Telephone

Calling Someone at Work

A) Hello. This is Kenneth Beare. May I speak to Ms Sunshine, please?

B) Hold the line a moment, I'll check if she is in her office.

A) Thank you.

B) (after a moment) Yes, Ms Sunshine is in. I'll put you through.

A) Hello, this is Ms Sunshine. How can I help you?

B) Hello, my name is Kenneth Beare and I'm calling to enquire about the position advertised in Sunday's Times.

A) Yes, the position is still open. Could I have your name and number please?

B) Certainly, My Name is Kenneth Beare...

Leaving a Message

A) Hello. Could I speak to Jack Parkins, please.

B) Who's calling, please?

A) This is Fred Blinkingham. I'm a friend Jack's.

B) Hold the line, please. I'll put your through. (after a moment) – I'm afraid he's out at the moment. Can I take a message?

A) Yes. Can you ask him to give me a call? My number is 345-8965

B) Could you repeat that, please?

A) Certainly. That's 345-8965

B) OK. I'll make sure Mr. Parkins gets your message.

A) Thank you. Goodbye.

B) Goodbye.

Key Vocabulary

• This is ...

• May (Can, Could) I speak to...?

• I'm calling ...

• Hold the line a moment...

• Put someone through...

• Who's calling...?

• Take a message

• Call, ring, phone

Note On the telephone use 'this is...' instead of 'I am'.

Telephone English - The Phrases

There are a number of phrases and idioms that are only used when telephoning. Let's first take a look at an example dialogue: Here are the most common:

• Operator: Hello, Frank and Brothers, How can I help you?

• Peter: This is Peter Jackson. Can I have extension 3421?

• Operator: Certainly, hold on a minute, I'll put you through...

• Frank: Bob Peterson's office, Frank speaking.

• Peter: This is Peter Jackson calling, is Bob in?

• Frank: I'm afraid he's out at the moment. Can I take a message?

• Peter: Yes, Could you ask him to call me at 212 456-8965. I need to talk to him about the Nuovo line, it's urgent.

• Frank: Could you repeat the number please?

• Peter: Yes, that's 212 456-8965, and this is Peter Jackson.

• Frank: Thank you Mr Jackson, I'll make sure Bob gets this asap.

• Peter: Thanks, bye.

• Frank: Bye.

As you can see, the language is rather informal and there are some important differences to everyday English. Look at the chart below for key language and phrases used in telephone English:

Introducing yourself:

• This is Ken.

• Ken speaking

Asking who is on the telephone:

• Excuse me, who is this?

• Can I ask who is calling, please?

Asking for Someone

• Can I have extension 321? (extensions are internal numbers at a company)

• Could I speak to...? (Can I - more informal / May I - more formal)

• Is Jack in? (informal idiom meaning: Is Jack in the office?

Connecting Someone:

• I'll put you through (put through - phrasal verb meaning 'connect')

• Can you hold the line? Can you hold on a moment?

How to reply when someone is not available:

• I'm afraid ... is not available at the moment

• The line is busy... (when the extension requested is being used)

• Mr. Jackson isn't in... Mr. Jackson is out at the moment...

Taking a Message:

• Could (Can, May) I take a message?

• Could (Can, May) I tell him who is calling?

• Would you like to leave a message?

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Avançado 9. NOUN + NOUN (Part 2)

 When nouns are together like this, sometimes we write them as one word and sometimes as two separate words. For example:

A headache, toothpaste, a weekend, a stomach ache, table tennis.

There are no clear rules for this. If you are not sure, it is usually better to write two words. You can often put a hyphen (-) between the two words (but this is not usually necessary).

For example: a dinning-room, the city-center.

Note the difference between:

a) A wine glass (perhaps empty) and a glass of wine (= a glass with wine in it).

b) A shopping bag (perhaps empty) and a bag of shopping (= a bag full of shopping).

When we use NOUN + NOUN, the first noun is like an adjective. It is normally singular but the meaning is often plural. For example, a bookshop is a shop where you can buy books, an apple tree is a tree that has apples.

In the same way we say:

A three-hour journey (not 'a three-hours journey')

A ten-pound note (not 'pounds')

A four-week English course (not 'weeks')

Two 14-year-old girls (not 'years')

A three-page letter (not 'pages')

So we say:

It was a three-hour journey. But, 'the journey took three hours.'

Exercise:

What do we call these things and people? Use the structure noun + noun.

1) A ticket for a concert is …

2) A magazine about computers is …

3) Photographs taken on your holiday are your …

4) Chocolate made with milk is …

5) Somebody whose job is to inspect factories is …

6) A hotel in central London is …

7) The results on your examinations are your …

8) The carpet in the dining room is …

9) A scandal involving a football club is …

10) A question that has two parts is …

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Avançado 8. NOUN + NOUN (part 1 of 2)

We often use two nouns together (noun + noun) to mean one thing/person/idea, etc. For example: a tennis ball, a bank manager, a road accident, income tax, the city center.

The first noun is like an adjective - it tells us what kind of thing/person/idea, etc. For example:

A tennis ball = a ball used to play tennis.

A road accident = an accident that happens on the road.

Income tax = tax that you pay on your income.

The sea temperature = the temperature of the sea.

A London doctor = a doctor from London.

So you can say:

A television camera, a television program, a television studio, a television producer (all different things or people to do with television).

Language problems, marriage problems, health problems, work problems (all different kind of problems).

Compare:

Garden vegetables (vegetables that are grown in a garden).

A vegetable garden (a garden where vegetables are grown).

Often the first word end s in -ing. Usually there are things used for doing something. For example:

A washing machine

A frying pan

A swimming pool

The dining room

Sometimes there are more than two nouns together:

I waited at the hotel reception desk (a desk).

We watched the World Swimming Championships on television.

If you want to play table tennis (a game), you need a table tennis table (a table)

To continue, with exercise on part 2.

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