English Phrasal Verbs 1

English Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verbs are idiomatic expressions, combining verbs and prepositions to make new verbs whose meaning is often not obvious from the dictionary definitions of the individual words. They are widely used in both written and spoken English, and new ones are formed all the time as they are a flexible way of creating new terms. 

A Phrasal Verb consists of a verb and a preposition or adverb that modifies or changes the meaning. Give up is such a verb that means stop doing something, which is very different from give. The word or words that modify a verb in this manner can also go under the name particle. 

Phrasal Verbs starting with A :

Account for : To explain 
They had to ACCOUNT FOR all the money that had gone missing. 


Ache for : Want something or someone a lot 
My partner's been away for a fortnight. I am ACHING FOR her. 


Act on : To take action because of something like information received 
The police were ACTING ON a tip from an informer and caught the gang red-handed. 


Act out : 
1. Perform something with actions and gestures 
They ACTED OUT the story on stage. 

2. Express an emotion in your behaviour 
Their anger is ACTED OUT in their antisocial behaviour. 


Act up : Behave badly or strangely 
My computer's ACTING UP. I think I might have a virus. 


Add on : Include in a calculation 
You have to ADD the VAT ON to the price they give. 


Add up : 
1. To make a mathematical total 
We ADDED UP the bill to check it was correct. 


2. Be a satisfactory explanantion for something 
She explained why the work wasn't ready, but her story doesn't ADD UP. 


Add up to : Have a certain result 
Trains delays are getting worse and with the high fares, it all ADDS UP TO misery for the commuters. 


Aim at : To target 
The magazine is AIMED AT teenagers. 


Allow for : Include something in a plan or calculation 
You should ALLOW FOR delays when planning a journey.