In our journey to master the English language, we often encounter phrasal verbs. These are verb phrases that consist of a verb combined with a preposition, an adverb, or both. Phrasal verbs often take on different meanings than their constituent parts. This can make them challenging to learn. Today, we are focusing on the use of specific phrasal verbs in different contexts and activities.

Consider these phrasal verbs:

  1. Make up for: This phrasal verb means to compensate for something lost, missed, or deficient.
  2. Pull off: To succeed in achieving or winning something difficult. In a different context, it also refers to a vehicle moving to the side of or off the road.
  3. Get around to: To deal with a task in due course.
  4. Use up: To consume all of a stock or supply of something. It can also mean to find a purpose for something that is left over, or, used to refer to a person who is exhausted or emotionally drained.
  5. Pay off: This can refer to a course of action that yields good results or success. It can also mean to pay a debt in full.
  6. Keep at: To persist with something.

These phrasal verbs, among others, are often used in everyday English conversations and writing. You can greatly improve your English communication skills by understanding and practicing them. To demonstrate their use, let’s explore how these verbs can be employed in storytelling.

Storytelling with Phrasal Verbs

Story 1

Ling was nervous about her presentation. Despite her nerves, Ling decided to stick to her original plan. She had spent days thinking up a unique approach to present the data, something that would stand out from the typical presentations. As she began her presentation, her fears seemed to fall apart. Ling managed to pull off the presentation successfully. Her excellent performance made up for her initial nervousness, leaving her with a great sense of accomplishment.

Story 2

Mark was feeling miserable. After a series of unfortunate events, Mark’s life seemed to fall apart. But Mark decided to stick to positive habits. He began to think up new strategies for his job search. Mark managed to pull off an impressive resume and cover letter, which made him stand out from other candidates. This new opportunity made up for his past misfortunes, bringing Mark a renewed sense of optimism.

In both stories, we see how these phrasal verbs bring life to the storytelling, making it dynamic and engaging. The use of phrasal verbs adds depth and detail to the characters’ actions and experiences.

Vocabulary

Let’s take a closer look at some of the other words used in the stories:

  • Detour: A long or roundabout route that is taken to avoid something or to visit somewhere along the way.
  • Savour: To taste (good food or drink) and enjoy it to the full. It can also refer to having a suggestion or trace of a quality or attribute, typically one considered bad.
  • Grudge: A persistent feeling of ill will or resentment resulting from a past insult or injury. It can also refer to being resentfully unwilling to give or allow something.
  • Reconcile: To restore friendly relations between. It can also mean to make one account consistent with another, especially by allowing for transactions begun but not yet completed.

We hope that these storytelling activities and vocabulary exploration encourage you to use and understand phrasal verbs more effectively. Keep practising, and remember, consistent efforts pay off in language learning!