To soup up something (or soup something up) is to change something, especially an engine or car, to make it more powerful; or to make something more interesting, attractive or appealing. If something is souped-up (adjective) it has been made more powerful or more attractive. Informal English. Example sentences: 1. He’s driving round in […]
What is a phrasal verb?
An introduction to English phrasal verbs Here’s a slideshow I made to explain some aspects of English phrasal verbs. I hope it’s useful 🙂 What are phrasal verbs? from Angela Boothroyd
Phrasal verb: bend over backwards
To bend over backwards is to make a special effort for someone or something. Informal English. Example sentences 1. She bent over backwards to give the children a good Christmas. 2. We bent over backwards to help him when he lost his job. 3. He bent over backwards for his son, but never had […]
Phrasal verb: witter on
To witter on is to talk in a long-winded* way about things that are not very important. This expression is informal British/UK English. Pronunciation of ‘witter’:  /ˈwɪtÉ™(r)/ *long-winded (adjective) – using too many words or tediously long  Example sentences: 1. I wish you would stop wittering on while I’m trying to work! […]
Phrasal verb: settle up
To settle up is to pay someone money that you owe them. This phrasal verb is often followed by ‘with’. Examples of use: 1. Can I settle up when I get paid? 2. You go and wait for the taxi and I’ll settle up with the waiter. 3. He owes us £50 for the […]
Business English: phrasal verbs frequently used in business contexts
Phrasal verbs occur frequently in English so it’s important you can understand what they mean. And being able to use them yourself makes your spoken and written English more natural, and more accomplished. There isn’t really a specific part of English that can be called ‘business phrasal verbs’. But there are many phrasal verbs that […]
Phrasal verb: put across
To put across something (or put something across) is to explain or express something clearly and effectively so that people can understand it easily. Examples of use: 1. I find it difficult to put across my ideas during meetings at work. 2. Our English teacher always puts things across well. 3. The politician […]
Phrasal verb: mull over
To mull over something (or mull something over) is to think very carefully about something over a period of time – usually before making a decision. British/UK English pronunciation: mull over /ˈmÊŒl ˈoʊ·vÉ™r/ Examples of use: 1. We need time to mull things over before we decide how to move forward with […]
50 common phrasal verbs
Using phrasal verbs (multi-word verbs) in your informal speech makes it sound more natural and more accomplished. They are also common in written English and in some formal English. Here are 50 of the most frequently used phrasal verbs, with lots of examples showing you how they’re used in everyday life. 50 common English phrasal […]