Phrasal Verbs - Revision Notes
Phrasal verbs are essential components of English that consist of a main verb paired with an adverb, preposition, or both. These combinations create new meanings that are often idiomatic and cannot be deduced from the individual words. Mastering phrasal verbs is crucial for CSE Professional examinations as they frequently appear in verbal ability tests and demonstrate advanced language comprehension.
Understanding Phrasal Verbs
Exam tips
- Always read the complete sentence for context
- Look for signal words that indicate the intended meaning
- Practice with multiple meanings of common phrasal verbs
- Memorize high-frequency phrasal verbs through usage examples
Key points
- A phrasal verb = main verb + adverb/preposition/both
- Meanings are usually idiomatic (non-literal)
- Context clues are essential for understanding meaning
- Most phrasal verbs have multiple meanings depending on context
- Cannot determine meaning by analyzing individual words separately
Definitions
Phrasal Verb
A paired word consisting of a main verb plus an adverb, preposition, or both, creating an idiomatic meaning
Importance
Fundamental concept for understanding complex English expressions in professional contexts
Idiomatic Meaning
A meaning that cannot be understood from the individual words but must be learned as a complete unit
Importance
Critical for interpreting phrasal verbs correctly in exam contexts
Context Clues
Information within a sentence or passage that helps determine the meaning of unfamiliar words or phrases
Importance
Essential strategy for determining correct phrasal verb meanings in exams
Common mistakes
- Trying to understand phrasal verbs by analyzing individual word meanings
- Assuming one meaning applies to all contexts
- Ignoring context clues in sentences
- Confusing similar-sounding phrasal verbs
Common Phrasal Verb Families
Exam tips
- Group phrasal verbs by main verb to see patterns
- Practice with sentence completion exercises
- Focus on the most common meanings first
- Create mental associations with real-life situations
Key points
- TURN AROUND: change of fate, move in opposite direction
- TAKE OFF: leave/depart, remove something, aircraft departure
- BRING UP: introduce topic, raise children
- BACK UP: support someone, make copies, move backward
- BREAK: down/off/out/up/into - various destructive or separating actions
- CALL: for/off/in/out/on - various communication actions
- CARRY: on/off/out - various continuation or execution actions
Definitions
Bear on
To be relevant to or have connection with something
Importance
Common in formal contexts and professional discussions
Bear up
To remain strong and cope well despite difficulties
Importance
Frequently used in motivational and resilience contexts
Bear with
To be patient with someone or tolerate a situation
Importance
Essential for polite communication in professional settings
Break into
To enter illegally or forcefully
Importance
Common in crime and security contexts
Break up
To end a relationship or stop a fight/gathering
Importance
Versatile phrasal verb with multiple social applications
Common mistakes
- Confusing 'bear up' (cope) with 'bear on' (be relevant)
- Mixing up 'break into' (enter illegally) with 'break out' (escape/erupt)
- Using wrong preposition with 'cope' (should be 'cope with', not 'cope up')
- Confusing 'call off' (cancel) with 'call for' (require/demand)
Context-Based Interpretation
Exam tips
- Read the entire sentence before selecting an answer
- Look for logical connections between ideas
- Consider what makes sense in the given situation
- Eliminate options that don't fit the context logically
Key points
- Same phrasal verb can have completely different meanings
- Surrounding words provide crucial meaning clues
- Subject and object of sentence influence interpretation
- Situational context determines appropriate meaning
- Time markers and descriptive words guide understanding
Definitions
Multiple Meaning Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs that have two or more distinct meanings depending on context
Importance
Majority of phrasal verbs fall into this category, requiring careful analysis
Contextual Analysis
The process of examining surrounding text to determine word or phrase meaning
Importance
Primary strategy for correctly answering phrasal verb questions in exams
Common mistakes
- Applying the first known meaning without checking context
- Ignoring grammatical structure of the sentence
- Not considering the logical flow of the passage
- Overlooking key descriptive words that signal meaning
High-Frequency Exam Phrasal Verbs
Exam tips
- Memorize the top 20 most common phrasal verbs with all meanings
- Practice with authentic Filipino contexts and examples
- Use flashcards for quick recall during exams
- Focus on phrasal verbs that appear frequently in past CSE exams
Key points
- GIVE: in/out/up - surrender, distribute, quit
- HOLD: back/off/on/out/forth - restrain, postpone, wait, endure, speak
- PULL: in/out/together/over/up - attract, withdraw, cooperate, stop, approach
- PUT: down/off/on/back/out - record, postpone, wear, return, extinguish
- THROW: out/in/away/off/open - eject, contribute, discard, remove, make accessible
- HANG: out/on/up/together/back - socialize, wait, end call, make sense, hesitate
Definitions
Give in
To surrender or yield to pressure or demands
Importance
Common in conflict and negotiation contexts
Hold forth
To speak at length about a topic, often in an authoritative manner
Importance
Frequently used in academic and professional discourse
Pull together
To cooperate and work as a team toward a common goal
Importance
Essential for teamwork and collaboration contexts
Put off
To postpone or delay something to a later time
Importance
Common in scheduling and planning situations
Common mistakes
- Confusing 'give up' (quit) with 'give in' (surrender)
- Mixing 'put off' (postpone) with 'put out' (extinguish)
- Using 'hang on' for physical holding instead of waiting
- Confusing 'throw out' (discard/eject) with 'throw away' (discard)
Connections
- Phrasal verbs connect to reading comprehension skills needed for other CSE sections
- Understanding context clues helps with vocabulary questions across all verbal ability topics
- Many phrasal verbs appear in professional communication and business correspondence
- Phrasal verb knowledge supports better performance in essay writing and verbal expression
- Context-based interpretation skills transfer to analyzing complex passages in other subjects
Quick review questions
What does 'bear on' mean in the sentence: 'Your argument does not bear on the main issue'?
Answer
Be relevant to or have connection with
In this context, 'bear on' means to be relevant to or relate to the main issue being discussed.
In 'The meeting was called off due to rain', what does 'called off' mean?
Answer
Canceled or postponed
'Call off' means to cancel an event or activity, usually due to circumstances beyond control.
What is the meaning of 'break up' in 'Police tried to break up the fight'?
Answer
Stop or end (a fight or disturbance)
Here, 'break up' means to intervene and stop a fight or disturbance from continuing.
In 'You should back up your files', what does 'back up' mean?
Answer
Make a copy of or save as backup
In this computer context, 'back up' means to create copies of files for safety and protection.
What does 'give in' mean in 'Don't give in to peer pressure'?
Answer
Surrender or yield to pressure
'Give in' means to surrender or submit to pressure, demands, or temptation.
Diagrams
Phrasal Verbs Concept Overview
Complete overview of phrasal verb concepts showing the relationship between definition, characteristics, common families, and exam strategies.
Context Analysis Process for Phrasal Verbs
Step-by-step process for analyzing phrasal verbs in context to determine the correct meaning during exams.
Common CSE Phrasal Verb Categories
Distribution of phrasal verb types commonly appearing in CSE Professional examinations, showing which categories to prioritize in study.
Exam strategy
For CSE Professional phrasal verb questions: 1) Read the complete sentence carefully for context, 2) Identify the subject and object to understand the relationship, 3) Look for time markers and descriptive words that signal meaning, 4) Consider what makes logical sense in the situation, 5) Eliminate obviously incorrect options first, 6) Choose the meaning that best fits the overall context. Remember that most phrasal verbs have multiple meanings, so context is crucial for correct interpretation.