Month: March 2024

Phrasal verbs Phrasal verbs
Phrasal verbs

Phrasal verbs

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Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs definition

Phrasal verbs are combinations of verbs with one or more particles (typically prepositions or adverbs) that together convey a distinct meaning different from the individual words. These combinations can greatly vary in meaning and usage, often requiring learners to understand their specific contexts. Here are a few examples:

1. **Break down**: To stop functioning properly. For example, “My car broke down on the way to work.”
2. **Look after**: To take care of someone or something. For example, “I need to look after my younger brother while my parents are away.”
3. **Give up**: To quit or stop trying. For example, “Don’t give up on your dreams.”
4. **Turn on**: To activate something. For example, “Please turn on the lights.”
5. **Run out of**: To deplete or exhaust the supply of something. For example, “We ran out of milk, so I need to buy some more.”

Phrasal verbs can also be separable or inseparable, meaning the object can sometimes come between the verb and the particle, or it must always follow the particle, respectively. For example:

– **Separable**: “I’m going to pick my friend up at the airport.” (object between the verb and particle)
– **Inseparable**: “I’m going to look after my little sister.” (object always follows the particle)

Learning phrasal verbs is essential for mastering English as they are very commonly used in both spoken and written language.

More phrasal verbs

Here are some more phrasal verbs:

1. **Get along**: To have a good relationship with someone. For example, “I get along well with my coworkers.”
2. **Put off**: To postpone or delay. For example, “We decided to put off the meeting until next week.”
3. **Bring up**: To raise a topic or subject for discussion. For example, “She brought up the issue during the meeting.”
4. **Take off**: To leave the ground (for aircraft) or to become successful suddenly (for a business, idea, etc.). For example, “The plane took off at 10 AM.” “Her career really took off after her viral video.”
5. **Go over**: To review or examine carefully. For example, “Let’s go over the details of the plan again.”
6. **Turn off**: To switch something off or to cause someone to lose interest. For example, “Please turn off the lights.” “The long lecture turned off the students.”
7. **Look forward to**: To feel excited or eager about something that is going to happen. For example, “I’m looking forward to the weekend.”
8. **Run into**: To unexpectedly encounter someone or something. For example, “I ran into an old friend at the grocery store.”
9. **Set up**: To arrange or establish something. For example, “We need to set up a meeting with the client.”
10. **Break in**: To enter a building forcibly and illegally or to wear something in until it fits comfortably. For example, “Burglars broke in while we were on vacation.” “I need to break in these new shoes.”

These are just a few examples of the many phrasal verbs in English. Learning and practicing them will greatly improve your fluency and comprehension in the language.

Here are some additional phrasal verbs:

11. **Call off**: To cancel something. For example, “They called off the picnic due to bad weather.”
12. **Look up**: To search for information in a reference source or online. For example, “I’ll look up the address on the internet.”
13. **Take after**: To resemble a family member in appearance or behavior. For example, “He takes after his mother; they have the same sense of humor.”
14. **Bring about**: To cause something to happen. For example, “The new law brought about significant changes in the industry.”
15. **Put up with**: To tolerate or endure something unpleasant. For example, “I can’t put up with his constant complaining anymore.”
16. **Get over**: To recover from an illness or emotional distress. For example, “It took her a long time to get over the loss of her pet.”
17. **Turn out**: To result in a certain way. For example, “The event turned out to be a great success.”
18. **Look into**: To investigate or examine something. For example, “We need to look into the issue further.”
19. **Show up**: To appear or arrive, especially when expected. For example, “She didn’t show up for the meeting.”
20. **Bring back**: To return something to its original location or to evoke memories of the past. For example, “Can you bring back the book you borrowed?” “That song brings back memories of my childhood.”

Here are some additional phrasal verbs:

1. **Calm down**: To become less agitated or anxious. For example, “Take a deep breath and try to calm down.”
2. **Catch up**: To reach the same level or status as others by working harder or faster. For example, “I need to catch up on my studies after missing class.”
3. **Figure out**: To understand or solve a problem. For example, “I need some time to figure out how to fix this issue.”
4. **Give in**: To surrender or yield to someone or something. For example, “After hours of negotiation, he finally gave in to their demands.”
5. **Look up**: To search for information in a reference source. For example, “I’ll look up the address of the restaurant online.”
6. **Pick out**: To choose or select something from a group. For example, “She picked out a dress for the party.”
7. **Put up with**: To tolerate or endure something unpleasant. For example, “I can’t put up with his rude behavior any longer.”
8. **Show off**: To boast or display one’s abilities or possessions in a way that seeks attention. For example, “He always shows off his expensive car.”
9. **Take over**: To assume control or responsibility from someone else. For example, “The new manager will take over the project next week.”
10. **Work out**: To exercise or to find a solution to a problem. For example, “I need to work out more often.” “We’ll work out the details later.”

Here are some more phrasal verbs for you:

1. **Back up**: To support or reinforce. For example, “I’ll back you up in the meeting.”
2. **Bring about**: To cause something to happen. For example, “The new regulations brought about significant changes.”
3. **Carry out**: To perform or complete a task or action. For example, “We need to carry out the experiment.”
4. **Cut down**: To reduce in size, amount, or frequency. For example, “I’m trying to cut down on sweets.”
5. **Fall through**: To fail to happen or be completed. For example, “Our plans to travel fell through due to bad weather.”
6. **Get over**: To recover from something such as an illness or a disappointment. For example, “It took him a long time to get over the breakup.”
7. **Hold on**: To wait or pause. For example, “Please hold on while I transfer your call.”
8. **Look into**: To investigate or examine a matter. For example, “We’ll look into the issue and get back to you.”
9. **Make up**: To reconcile after an argument or to invent a story. For example, “They made up after their fight.” “He made up an excuse for being late.”
10. **Put off**: To postpone or delay. For example, “We decided to put off the trip until next month.”

1. **Run out**: To exhaust the supply of something. For example, “We ran out of milk, so I need to buy some more.”
2. **Take off**: To become successful or popular rapidly. For example, “The new product really took off in the market.”
3. **Call off**: To cancel something that was planned. For example, “They called off the picnic due to bad weather.”
4. **Stand by**: To be ready and available to act or help if needed. For example, “I’ll stand by in case you need any assistance.”
5. **Break up**: To end a relationship. For example, “They broke up after dating for two years.”
6. **Come across**: To encounter or find something unexpectedly. For example, “I came across an interesting article while browsing online.”
7. **Bring about**: To cause or make something happen. For example, “The new policy brought about positive changes in the organization.”
8. **Cut off**: To disconnect or stop the supply of something. For example, “The storm cut off electricity to the entire neighborhood.”
9. **Turn down**: To refuse or reject something. For example, “She turned down the job offer because of the low salary.”
10. **Look forward to**: To anticipate or await something eagerly. For example, “I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

1. **Go through**: To experience or endure something. For example, “She went through a difficult time after losing her job.”
2. **Hold back**: To restrain or inhibit oneself or something. For example, “He held back his tears during the sad movie.”
3. **Point out**: To bring attention to something or someone. For example, “She pointed out the mistake in the report.”
4. **Take in**: To comprehend or understand something. For example, “It took me a moment to take in the news.”
5. **Get away**: To escape or leave a place, often for a brief vacation or respite. For example, “We decided to get away for the weekend.”
6. **Bring down**: To cause something or someone to fall or decline. For example, “The scandal brought down the politician’s career.”
7. **Turn up**: To increase in volume, intensity, or presence. For example, “Could you turn up the music a little?”
8. **Bring back**: To cause something to return or be remembered. For example, “That song brings back memories of my childhood.”
9. **Catch on**: To understand or grasp a concept. For example, “It took a while, but eventually, I caught on to the new software.”
10. **Settle down**: To become calm or stable. For example, “After years of traveling, he decided it was time to settle down and start a family.”

1. **Come up with**: To produce or suggest an idea or solution. For example, “We need to come up with a plan for the project.”
2. **Get across**: To successfully communicate or convey a message. For example, “I hope my presentation gets across the importance of our project.”
3. **Hold back**: To restrain or prevent oneself from doing something. For example, “She held back her tears during the sad movie.”
4. **Keep up**: To maintain the same pace or level as others. For example, “It’s hard to keep up with all the changes in technology.”
5. **Let down**: To disappoint or fail to meet someone’s expectations. For example, “He felt let down when his friend didn’t show up.”
6. **Look out**: To be cautious or watchful for potential danger or hazards. For example, “Look out for cars when crossing the street.”
7. **Make up for**: To compensate for something lacking or to make amends. For example, “She bought him a gift to make up for forgetting his birthday.”
8. **Put forward**: To propose or suggest an idea or plan. For example, “I’ll put forward my proposal at the next meeting.”
9. **Run into**: To encounter someone unexpectedly. For example, “I ran into my old high school teacher at the supermarket.”
10. **Turn up**: To arrive or appear, often unexpectedly. For example, “She turned up at the party uninvited.”

These phrasal verbs add depth and flexibility to your English language skills, allowing you to express yourself more effectively in various situations.

Worksheet on phrasal verbs

Here’s a worksheet featuring the phrasal verbs mentioned earlier in 30 sentences:

**Phrasal Verbs Worksheet:**

Instructions: Complete each sentence by filling in the blank with the correct phrasal verb from the list provided.

1. We _______________ the plan for the party together.
2. She _______________ her grandparents every weekend.
3. The new policy _______________ positive changes in the company.
4. Please _______________ for a moment while I fetch the documents.
5. He _______________ an interesting article while browsing the internet.
6. We need to _______________ the details of the project.
7. I can’t _______________ his rude behavior any longer.
8. They _______________ their plans due to the unexpected rain.
9. The students couldn’t _______________ with the fast pace of the lecture.
10. The team _______________ the competition and won the championship.
11. She _______________ a new recipe for dinner last night.
12. The manager _______________ the project to the new team.
13. I need to _______________ on my studies to pass the exam.
14. The cat _______________ a mouse in the garden.
15. The company _______________ a loss last quarter.
16. Please _______________ the lights before leaving the room.
17. He _______________ an excuse for being late to the meeting.
18. The children _______________ when they saw the presents under the tree.
19. They _______________ the game after playing for two hours.
20. She _______________ her friend at the café unexpectedly.
21. I hope my message _______________ the importance of the issue.
22. We need to _______________ a solution to the problem.
23. He _______________ after catching a cold last week.
24. We should _______________ the project next month.
25. They _______________ the picnic due to bad weather.
26. She felt _______________ when her friend forgot her birthday.
27. Please _______________ for cars before crossing the road.
28. The airplane _______________ at 9:00 AM.
29. He _______________ his new car to everyone at the party.
30. We’ll _______________ the issue and get back to you.

—

**Answers:**

1. put together
2. looks after
3. brought about
4. stand by
5. came across
6. go over
7. put up with
8. called off
9. keep up
10. took over
11. came up with
12. assigned out
13. work out
14. caught
15. experienced
16. turn off
17. made up
18. lit up
19. broke up
20. ran into
21. gets across
22. figure out
23. got over
24. carry out
25. called off
26. let down
27. look out
28. took off
29. showed off
30. look into

In conclusion, phrasal verbs are essential components of English language proficiency, allowing speakers to convey meaning more dynamically and accurately. By mastering phrasal verbs, learners can enhance their communication skills and better understand the nuances of English in both spoken and written contexts. Through consistent practice and exposure to a variety of phrasal verbs, individuals can expand their vocabulary and express themselves with greater clarity and fluency. Embracing phrasal verbs as integral elements of language acquisition opens up new avenues for effective communication and fosters a deeper understanding of English language and culture.

Grammar

Active voice passive voice

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Active voice passive voice

"Unlocking the Power of Voice: Active vs. Passive in Grammar"

Active voice

Active voice is a grammatical structure in which the subject of a sentence performs the action described by the verb. It is characterized by clarity, directness, and efficiency in communication. By placing the focus on the subject as the doer of the action, active voice sentences are generally more engaging and easier to understand than passive voice constructions. For example, in the sentence “The cat chased the mouse,” the subject “cat” performs the action of chasing, making it an active voice sentence. This construction is preferred in most writing styles, as it promotes straightforwardness and immediacy in conveying information.

Active voice example

Here’s an example of a sentence in active voice:

“The chef prepared a delicious meal for the guests.”

In this sentence:
– The subject is “the chef”
– The action verb is “prepared”
– The object is “a delicious meal”
– The sentence is structured in active voice because the subject (the chef) is performing the action (preparing the meal).

More examples

Here are 10 examples of sentences in active voice:

1. The teacher explained the lesson to the students.
2. Sarah baked cookies for the school bake sale.
3. The dog chased the ball across the yard.
4. The artist painted a beautiful landscape.
5. John fixed the broken window in the house.
6. The scientist conducted experiments in the laboratory.
7. The children planted flowers in the garden.
8. The mechanic repaired the car’s engine.
9. Maria wrote a heartfelt letter to her friend.
10. The construction workers built a new bridge over the river.

Passive voice

Passive voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject of a sentence is acted upon by the verb, rather than performing the action itself. It often involves using a form of the verb “to be” (such as “is,” “was,” “were,” etc.) along with the past participle of the main verb. Passive voice can be useful for emphasizing the action or the recipient of the action rather than the doer. However, it can also lead to unclear or indirect writing if overused.

Passive voice example

Here’s an example of a sentence in passive voice:

“The book was written by the author.”

In this sentence:
– The subject is “the book.”
– The verb phrase is “was written.”
– The action is “written.”
– The agent (the doer of the action) is “the author.”

The sentence is structured in passive voice because the subject (the book) is being acted upon (written) by the agent (the author), rather than performing the action itself.

More examples

Here are 10 examples of sentences in passive voice:

1. The letter was delivered by the mail carrier.
2. The cake was baked by my grandmother.
3. The car was repaired by the mechanic.
4. The house was painted by a professional painter.
5. The report was submitted by the deadline.
6. The window was broken by a stray baseball.
7. The movie was directed by an award-winning filmmaker.
8. The novel was written by a famous author.
9. The problem was solved by the team of engineers.
10. The decision was made by the committee.

Examples for active voice to passive voice

Here are 20 sentences transformed from active voice to passive voice:

1. Active: The chef prepared a delicious meal for the guests.
Passive: A delicious meal was prepared for the guests by the chef.

2. Active: Sarah baked cookies for the school bake sale.
Passive: Cookies were baked for the school bake sale by Sarah.

3. Active: The dog chased the ball across the yard.
Passive: The ball was chased across the yard by the dog.

4. Active: The artist painted a beautiful landscape.
Passive: A beautiful landscape was painted by the artist.

5. Active: John fixed the broken window in the house.
Passive: The broken window in the house was fixed by John.

6. Active: The scientist conducted experiments in the laboratory.
Passive: Experiments were conducted in the laboratory by the scientist.

7. Active: The children planted flowers in the garden.
Passive: Flowers were planted in the garden by the children.

8. Active: The mechanic repaired the car’s engine.
Passive: The car’s engine was repaired by the mechanic.

9. Active: Maria wrote a heartfelt letter to her friend.
Passive: A heartfelt letter was written to her friend by Maria.

10. Active: The construction workers built a new bridge over the river.
Passive: A new bridge over the river was built by the construction workers.

11. Active: The students completed their homework assignments.
Passive: The homework assignments were completed by the students.

12. Active: The company shipped the product to the customer.
Passive: The product was shipped to the customer by the company.

13. Active: The gardener trimmed the bushes in the backyard.
Passive: The bushes in the backyard were trimmed by the gardener.

14. Active: The teacher assigned the project to the students.
Passive: The project was assigned to the students by the teacher.

15. Active: The doctor prescribed medication for the patient.
Passive: Medication was prescribed for the patient by the doctor.

16. Active: The police officer arrested the suspect.
Passive: The suspect was arrested by the police officer.

17. Active: The waiter served the customers at the restaurant.
Passive: The customers at the restaurant were served by the waiter.

18. Active: The company launched a new advertising campaign.
Passive: A new advertising campaign was launched by the company.

19. Active: The tailor sewed a new dress for the customer.
Passive: A new dress was sewn for the customer by the tailor.

20. Active: The fire department extinguished the fire.
Passive: The fire was extinguished by the fire department.

Worksheet

Here’s a simple worksheet you can use to practice identifying and transforming sentences between active and passive voice:

—

**Active Voice vs. Passive Voice Worksheet**

Instructions:
1. Read each sentence carefully.
2. Identify whether the sentence is in active voice or passive voice.
3. Rewrite the sentence in the opposite voice.

1. The teacher gave the students a test.

2. The painting was created by an unknown artist.

3. The cat chased the mouse around the house.

4. The team won the championship trophy.

5. The letter was written by my sister.

6. The company announced the new product launch.

7. The thief stole the valuable artwork from the museum.

8. The gardener planted flowers in the garden.

9. The chef prepared a delicious meal for the guests.

10. The concert was attended by thousands of fans.

—

After completing the worksheet, you can compare your answers with the correct ones:

1. Active: The students were given a test by the teacher.
2. Active: An unknown artist created the painting.
3. Passive: The mouse was chased around the house by the cat.
4. Passive: The championship trophy was won by the team.
5. Active: My sister wrote the letter.
6. Passive: The new product launch was announced by the company.
7. Passive: The valuable artwork was stolen from the museum by the thief.
8. Passive: Flowers were planted in the garden by the gardener.
9. Passive: A delicious meal was prepared for the guests by the chef.
10. Active: Thousands of fans attended the concert.

Worksheet 2

Here are 15 more sentences for your worksheet:

1. The mechanic fixed my car yesterday.

2. The movie star signed autographs for her fans.

3. The storm damaged several houses in the neighborhood.

4. The teacher assigned homework to the students.

5. The company awarded bonuses to its employees.

6. The nurse administered the flu vaccine to the patients.

7. The artist painted a portrait of her mother.

8. The police officer arrested the suspect at the scene of the crime.

9. The baker baked fresh bread early in the morning.

10. The construction workers built a new skyscraper downtown.

11. The farmer harvested the crops from the fields.

12. The volunteers cleaned up the park after the event.

13. The scientist discovered a new species of butterfly in the rainforest.

14. The singer performed her latest hit song on stage.

15. The chef cooked a gourmet meal for the guests at the restaurant.

Answers

Here are the sentences rewritten in the opposite voice:

1. Passive: My car was fixed by the mechanic yesterday.
2. Passive: Autographs were signed for her fans by the movie star.
3. Active: Several houses in the neighborhood were damaged by the storm.
4. Passive: Homework was assigned to the students by the teacher.
5. Passive: Bonuses were awarded to its employees by the company.
6. Passive: The flu vaccine was administered to the patients by the nurse.
7. Passive: A portrait of her mother was painted by the artist.
8. Passive: The suspect was arrested at the scene of the crime by the police officer.
9. Active: Fresh bread was baked early in the morning by the baker.
10. Passive: A new skyscraper downtown was built by the construction workers.
11. Passive: The crops were harvested from the fields by the farmer.
12. Active: The park was cleaned up after the event by the volunteers.
13. Passive: A new species of butterfly was discovered in the rainforest by the scientist.
14. Passive: Her latest hit song was performed on stage by the singer.
15. Passive: A gourmet meal was cooked for the guests at the restaurant by the chef.

In conclusion, understanding the difference between active and passive voice is essential for effective communication in writing. Active voice emphasizes clarity, directness, and engagement by placing the subject as the doer of the action. In contrast, passive voice shifts the focus to the recipient of the action and can be useful for emphasizing certain elements or creating variation in sentence structure. However, passive voice can also lead to ambiguity and indirectness if overused. By practicing identifying and transforming sentences between active and passive voice, writers can enhance their writing skills and communicate more effectively.