Search results for 'tag:Verbs tag:Phrasal verbs' matching tags 'Verbs' and 'Phrasal verbs'

Ungrammatical? "She belted most of a bottle of wine down before dinner had even begun."

Peaceblinkfriend — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:29:27 GMT

She belted most of a bottle of wine down before dinner had even begun.

This is an example sentence provided for the entry on the 'belt down' in a Chamber's guidebook on phrasal verbs. And from what I have learned about Past Perfect, it seems to me that it is ungrammatical that 'had even begun' is in Past Perfect tense. I reckon it should be 'She had belted most of a bottle of wine down before dinner even began' instead. I know it is probably presumptuous to say this, but anyhow, I will be virtually over the moon if I got this right.

Thanks

PBF

Re: Phrasal Verbs

Yankee — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:02:23 GMT

1. A good tree __ good fruit. (bring)

brings out - I can't think of any phrasal verb with 'bring' that would sound completely natural in the sentence, but the writer of this exercise might be expecting you to choose 'bring forth'.

2. his small income __ his standard of living. (bring)

brought down - OK

3. Impure water __ diseases. (bring)

brings about - possibly

4. We ___ for summer holi days in May. (break)

break up - OK

5. Her shoes ~~are~~ __ with her dress. (go)

go~~ing~~ well

6.She could not __ her tears after hearing the abusive words.

hold up/ keep up. I think its "hold up" - I would suggest 'hold back'

7. She "keeps back" nothing from her parents. Is it correct? - I would prefer 'holds back'.

8. We ___ our constitution to give us a political solution. (look)

look into? - looked to

9.The writer has ___ early this year. (set)

set out - Possibly, but I think it's impossible to decide exactly what the author of this sentence had in mind.

10. She is __ because of her illness. (run)

no idea - run-down

Presposition:

After the accident, the man could not call ___ past events.

~~back~~ - Possibly 'call up'

Phrasal Verbs

Ritwik06 — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:22:10 GMT

Here are some exercises in which I have certain doubts to clear. I have to use a phrasal verb in the correct tense(the hint of which is given in brackets). Please correct me if I am wrong.

1. A good tree __ good fruit. (bring)

brings out

2. his small income __ his standard of living. (bring)

brought down

3. Impure water __ diseases. (bring)

bring about

4. We ___ for summer holi days in May. (break)

break up

5. Her shoes are __ with her dress. (go)

going well

6.She could not __ her tears after hearing the abusive words.

hold up/ keep up. I think its "hold up"

7. She "keeps back" nothing from her parents. Is it correct?

8. We ___ our constitution to give us a political solution. (look)

look into?

9.The writer has ___ early this year. (set)

set out

10. She is __ because of her illness. (run)

no idea

Presposition:

After the accident, the man could not call ___ past events.

back

Re: fall through

Yankee — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:04:56 GMT

Hi N2G

The phrasal verbs 'fall through' and 'carry out' are more or less opposite ideas. (But I assume you know that already.)

The phrasal verb 'fall through' indicates a failure (i.e. basically not done or carried out). In my opinion, however, 'fall through' does not collate as well with 'promises' as 'carry out' does. A plan or a deal can fall through, for example.

Others may disagree.

EDIT:

If you use 'follow through' instead, then I would word it this way:

- If he follows through on all of his promises ...
- If all of his promises are followed through on ...

Re: a question for all native speakers of English

CalifJim — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:17:35 GMT

Anonymous
Have you ever come across words or vocabulary or slang or phrasal verbs in your everyday conversation or in the newspapers or movies or songs that you don't know or understand their meanings that you have to guess? Are there a lot of them you don't know?

Yes, it occasionally happens to me, but not often. Usually it's an unusual new word invented by teenagers. Since I seldom converse with teenagers, it hardly ever happens.

As for newspapers, I sometimes come acoss technical terms that are unfamiliar to me.

a question for all native speakers of English

Anonymous — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:45:16 GMT

Have you ever come across words or vocabulary or slang or phrasal verbs in your everyday conversation or in the newspapers or movies or songs that you don't know or understand their meanings that you have to guess? Are there a lot of them you don't know?

Re: I really don't get it :(

CalifJim — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:25:02 GMT

anglista2008
4. phrasal verbs and their use... can I say the following sentences?

a) If we don't work out our problems, they'll hit us with a greater force next time.

b) With such a bad English, I'll never be able to get across.

c) With such a bad English, I'll never get across.

They are all OK. You might want to use this forum to post specific questions about the usage of specific phrasal verbs, and improve your understanding of them that way.

I really don't get it :(

anglista2008 — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:29:02 GMT

Hey there,

Guys, you know what? I've been studying English for so many years, I've read so many grammar books, I've been consulting lots of smaller and bigger issues concerning grammar... and still (sic) there are things that drive me crazy :( Take a look at this one:

1. the present simple vs the present continuous... what's the difference between:

a) Do you think what I think?
and
b) Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
and
c) Are you thiniking what I think?
and
d) Do you think what I'm thinking?

2. again, the same issue, but a different example

a) When we're getting familiar with a language, we may say we're picking it up. (why on earth the present continuous twice?)
and
b) When we get familiar with a language, we may say we pick it up.

3. Again, PS vs PC

a) My dad works as a sales representative.
b) My dad is working as a sales representative.

I often see, or read, that people use "work" in the PC, and I dunno why... I've always thought that "work" is something more stable, and more permanent, like "live"

4. phrasal verbs and their use... can I say the following sentences?

a) If we don't work out our problems, they'll hit us with a greater force next time.
b) With such a bad English, I'll never be able to get across.
c) With such a bad English, I'll never get across.

Thanks in advance,

look over

New2grammar — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 14:43:36 GMT

She looked over at me.
She looked at me.
What is the difference? I don't think look over is a phrasal verb, at least my dictionary doesn't list it as one. What do you call it?
Thanks.

Re: don't I receive

Yankee — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:03:02 GMT

Hi Avangi

Sure poetry is OK, but the "Not only" sentence in question doesn't seem to have been intended to be either poetic or particularly formal.

The thing is, pronouns sometimes have "restrictions" that nouns simply don't have. Just think about phrasal verbs. For example, we can say:
"He picked the ball up"
-OR-
"He picked up the ball".

However, if we replace the word "ball" with a pronoun (it), then there is basically only one way to say the sentence:
"He picked it up."

Saying "He picked up it" would sound "wrong" to native speakers of AmE. Wouldn't you agree?