An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'come along' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my website for English learners all about phrasal verbs where I explain their different meanings to help you understand, learn and use them like a native. Are you familiar with the phrasal verb 'come along'? It may be the first time that you have ever seen it or it may be one that you use regularly in one way but don't know all of its applications. In this post, I will explain the different ways in which we use it in English, from making progress to accompanying someone to a place, and will give you lots of example sentences to show you the types of contexts in which it is used. So, without further ado, let's get started.... TABLE OF CONTENTS   (Click to jump to each one) The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'come' and 'along' Meaning 1: To accompany someone somewhere Meaning 2: To appear or arrive Meaning 3: To hurry up 🇬🇧 Meaning 4: To make progress Bonus: The noun 'come-along' I love writing this blog & helping learners but I receive very little feedback as to how useful it is or if people enjoy & learn from it. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like & share it or leave a comment at the end. I'd be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS COME ALONG: KEY INFORMATION Usage Come Along Number of meanings 4 Past tense forms Came along / Come along Separable? No The phrasal verb 'come along' is formed with the verb 'to come' and the prepositional particle 'along' and so before we start the phrasal verb meanings, let's quickly look at what these individual words mean on their own. If you are capable of reading this post, then you will definitely know the verb 'to come' because it is one of the most common verbs in English. 'To come' is first and foremost a verb of movement and we use it to refer to moving or travelling towards where the speaker is, will be or was, depending on the tense and context. Additionally, 'to come' has a variety of other meanings, which include 'to arrive', 'to originate' and 'to happen'. Like the majority of the most common English verbs, 'to come' is irregular. Joan comes to see me every day. Are you coming to the party tonight? I can't come to work today as I am sick. The train came on time. Pierre comes from Marseille. The prepositional particle 'along' is not as common as some of the others like 'up' and 'down' and consequently is not seen as much in phrasal verbs either. We typically use it to talk about movement in a line, which is on or next to something long, like at the side of a river or road. Alternatively, we can use it to specify a point somewhere on this line. We walked along the boulevard holding hands. Somewhere along this street is my old house. So, now we have looked at the basics and established that both words often indicate a movement of some sort, so let's now see if this idea of moving is carried across into the phrasal verb meanings.... MEANING 1: To accompany someone somewhere Photo: Wix Media CEFR Language Level B1 - Intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To join, to accompany, to go along, to go with Separable? No Let's begin our exploration of the meanings of the phrasal verb 'come along' with a nice and friendly one, which is 'to accompany someone to go somewhere'. For this first application, let's imagine that you are planning to go to the cinema tonight with friends. Another friend phones you and says that she is free this evening, so you ask her to 'come along' with you to the cinema. In other words, you invite her to join you. You can use 'come along' in this way for any situation in which you invite someone to go to a place where you are also going. For reference, if you are not going to be there, then you would use 'go along' instead. This is often used by native speakers as a way of gently encouraging someone to come with them somewhere. It feels more like you're offering the person the choice to come and it's perfectly fine if they decide not to, rather than strongly inviting them or pressuring them to accompany you (we all know people who do that). We do not just use this application for invitations though and we can use it to state the fact that someone is coming with you somewhere. Normally, with these statements, it is understood that the person 'coming along' is not the organiser of the trip and was invited by the speaker. We're going to the beach this afternoon; do you want to come along? I'm heading to the shop; you can come along if you like. Lisa came along with us to the concert last night. Do you mind if my brother comes along to the party? They asked if I wanted to come along on their road trip. Pete didn’t want to come along at first, but we convinced him. We’re going for a walk in the park. Come along! Can I come along when you visit your grandmother? My dog always comes along when I go hiking. Nick came along for moral support during the interview. MEANING 2: To arrive somewhere Photo: Wix Media CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To arrive, to appear, to turn up, to show up. to materialise, to emerge, to occur Separable? No This second application of 'come along' is perhaps the most commonly used one and means 'to arrive' or 'to appear', depending on the context. Nouns commonly used with this application.... Opportunity Chance Bus Person Job Baby / Child As you can see from the list above, the commonly used nouns with this application are very diverse, which is a reflection of the many situations in which we can use it. Let's begin by thinking about what the literal combination of these two words means, which is 'to move along something towards where the speaker is'. The most obvious example of this is with a road, when a vehicle or a person moves along it in the direction of the speaker. From the speaker's perspective, they see the vehicle or person appear in the distance and then move towards them before arriving where they are (the vehicle or person may then stop or continue past the speaker further along the road but that is irrelevant). As I waited by the river, a canal boat came along slowly. Julian came along the beach toward us, waving. I saw a figure coming along the street in the fog. So far, we have considered this application from a literal perspective, however we also use it a lot in a metaphorical way to talk about when things appear or arrive in our life. Just like with buses and things travelling along a road towards us, this is reserved for things that we have no or little control over or when they come along. Good examples of these would be nouns like 'job', 'opportunity' and 'chance' as these are things that seem to present themselves to us at random moments during the course of lives. Alternatively, we can also use this for when things begin to exist, especially when they have a consequence on a specific situation. I was waiting for the right job opportunity to come along. A chance like this doesn’t come along every day. A new singer came along who changed the music industry. Eventually, a solution to the problem came along. Jill was single for years until the perfect guy came along. Just when I had given up hope, something better came along. New technology has come along that makes this process faster. A great investment opportunity came along, and I took it. A couple of other nouns that I hear quite a lot with this application are 'baby' and 'children' as people often use it to talk about when people have a child or become parents, therefore marking a new stage in their lives. This is particularly so if the child is unplanned. Everything changed when the baby came along. My partner and I used to travel a lot, but that stopped as soon as the twins came along. They were a happy couple and then little Owen came along. I had just started my new job when our first child came along. My life was very quiet until my grandchildren came along. MEANING 3: To hurry up Photo: Wix Media CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? British English Potential synonyms To hurry, to hurry up, to come on, to pick up, to make haste, to rush Separable? No The third application of 'come along' that we will consider in this post is a British English one that means 'to hurry up'. Unlike the other applications of 'come along', this one is mainly used in the imperative form, i.e. to giv e someone an order or command. If you tell someone to "come along", you are just asking them to do something more quickly, often in an annoyed or irritated way. Although this application is still in use today, I hear it being used less and less and it sounds a little old fashioned and formal to my ears. I can imagine that it is still used by members of the British royal family, however the majority of commoners like myself are far more likely to use 'hurry up' or 'come on' in these often stressful situations when you need to be quick. Come along, we’re going to be late! Come along now, the bus is about to leave. Do come along; we haven’t got all day! Come along, children, it’s time to go home. Come along, or we’ll miss the beginning of the movie. Alternatively, 'come along' can be used in this way to encourage or implore someone to try harder and make more of an effort. Again, this is not something that is particularly widespread in modern everyday British English but it is possible that you may hear it. Come along now, you can do better than that! Your handwriting is improving, but come along, try to keep the letters neater. MEANING 4: To make progress Photo: Wix Media CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To progress, to advance, to improve, to develop, to proceed Separable? No Next, we have our fourth and final meaning of 'come along', which means 'to make progress' or alternatively 'to develop'. Nouns commonly used with this application.... Project Building / Extension Plan Languages e.g. English, Spanish We use this last application to talk about anything that we are working on or trying to improve over a period of time. This may be something physical, such as building work or a painting, or it may be something intellectual, such as learning a language. Either way, the key element of this is that we want to make progress in it over a certain period. Another key point to note is that we only use this application for things that we do not consider finished and work is still being done to achieve the outcome that we want. For example, when we are learning a language we are not at a fluent level (the result that we are trying to achieve), we can use this 'come along' to say that we are making progress and out language level is improving. Moreover, if an author is writing a book, he or she wants to finish it and makes continuous progress towards this goal, during which time we can also use 'come along'. Lastly, it is common practice among English native speakers to ask "How is XXXX coming along?" when enquiring about the progress of something. Typical responses to this often include adverbs such as 'well', 'nicely' and 'really' or sometimes do not need an adverb at all; just 'it is coming along' on its own can be used to say that you are making progress. The project is really coming along — we should be finished by next week. Your painting is coming along nicely! How's your English learning going? It's coming along thanks! The garden is coming along well now that spring has arrived. She's coming along in her recovery better than expected. My cooking skills have really come along over the past year. The new product is coming along, but we still have a few bugs to fix. Training was slow at first, but things are starting to come along. The book is coming along — I’ve written five chapters so far. How’s your plan for the event coming along? Very well thank you. Photo: Pexels THE NOUN 'COME-ALONG' Like many English phrasal verbs, 'come along' has a noun that derives from it. A 'come-along' is a device used for pulling or lifting objects (known as a winch) when there is limited space or access to be able to do so. Admittedly, I'm not a technical person at all and have never heard of one of these instruments before, however it is possible that you may come across or use one of these in your daily life, so I wanted to include it in case. Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I just want to say thank you for clicking on my post and reading it. I hope that you've enjoyed it and have been able to learn something new about the phrasal verb 'come along'. If you enjoyed this post, please go ahead and check out some of my other posts. Now it is YOUR turn. Can you think of a sentence yourself using 'come along'. Write it in the comments section below if you can, or alternatively any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have....don't be shy!!! Sign up on the form below if you want to receive new blog posts directly by email every week as soon as they are published. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'go off' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my website for English learners all about phrasal verbs where I explain their different meanings to help you understand, learn and use them like a native. The phrasal verb 'go off' is a multifaceted phrasal verb with many different meanings, ranging from food that is no longer ok to eat to losing your temper. In this post we will cover eight different meanings that it has, as well as some common everyday idioms that features in. So, without further ado, let's get started.... TABLE OF CONTENTS   (Click to jump to each one) The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'go' and 'off' Meaning 1: To leave and go somewhere else Meaning 2: To happen or proceed Meaning 3: To stop functioning (electrical device) Meaning 4: To be activated Meaning 5: To go bad (food) Meaning 6: To stop liking something Meaning 7: To lose your temper Bonus: The expression 'to go off on one' Meaning 8: To go to sleep Bonus: Some common expressions featuring 'go off' I love writing this blog & helping learners but I receive very little feedback as to how useful it is or if people enjoy & learn from it. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like & share it or leave a comment at the end. I'd be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS GO OFF: KEY INFORMATION Usage Common Number of meanings 4 Past tense forms Went off / Gone off Separable? No The phrasal verb 'go off' consists of the verb 'to go', which is one of the commonest English verbs that you will undoubtedly be very familiar with. The verb 'to go' is all about movement and travel and is used extremely frequently by English speakers to talk about movement from place to place, as well as departing or leaving a place. Another meaning of 'to go' can also be 'to become' and it is used to talk about a change of some sort. As you will see, many of the phrasal verb meanings that we will look at shortly carry both or either of these ideas of changing and moving. The prepositional particle 'off' has a large number of meanings and applications in English, which is perhaps why there are so many varied meanings of 'go off', as you will now see.... MEANING 1: To leave and go somewhere else Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B1 - Intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To leave, to depart The first meaning of 'go off' means simply 'to leave somewhere and go elsewhere' and is commonly used by native speakers in this sense. When used an adverb, one of the many meanings of 'off' on its own is 'to leave' and so if you ever hear a native speaker say that "they are off", it probably means that they are about to leave where they are and they wish to say goodbye. We don't tend to use 'go off' to announce to people that we are leaving somewhere, but we do certainly use it to talk about describe the action of departing a place. Often, this 'go off' can be used interchangeably with 'go' with little or no difference in meaning. However, this first usage of 'go off' does not just mean 'to leave' because it also carries the idea that the person is going to a different place, especially if they are likely to be there for a while. In this case we often tend to state the place where the person has 'gone off' to and it is really common among native speakers to use it with nouns like university, work, bed and holiday. John and Helen were here earlier but they have gone off to a friend's house for dinner. My son is going off to university in a few months and I am going to miss him terribly! Lisa is not here I'm afraid. She has gone off backpacking around Argentina and Chile and will be away for a few months. 'Go off' can also be used to say that someone has left a place suddenly or unexpectedly. Roger was here one minute chatting to everyone and then suddenly he just went off to the toilet and he was there for ages! MEANING 2: To happen or proceed Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To proceed, to happen The second meaning of 'go off' means to happen or to proceed and is used to talk about the way in which something happened. This is usually to describe some kind of planned event, action or occasion and to evaluate how well it proceeded, normally to say whether or not it went well or if there were issues or problems. Most of the time this application of 'go off' is used in the past tense as it is describing how successfully an event 'went off'. When talking about an event that was successful, native speakers will often use adverbs such as well, successfully, smoothly or seamlessly. Alternatively, we also use 'without a problem / issue', however there is one expression which definitely wins the prize for the most commonly used : 'to go off without a hitch' (as per the gif). A hitch is a word to describe a slight problem, issue or setback and this expression is used a lot by native speakers, so it is a great one to learn and use. Conversely, when talking about unsuccessful events or events where unexpected things happened, it is more usual for native speakers to say that something 'did not go off without a hitch' or that it 'did not go off as planned / expected'. If you want to elevate your language a little bit more, you can always insert an extra 'as + adverb' into the mix such as 'as well as planned' or 'as successfully as expected'. The wedding went off perfectly! I don't think there were any issues at all! The marketing manager was really pleased as the promotional event that he had organised went off without a hitch. My birthday party didn't go off as planned unfortunately. The bad weather meant that neither the caterer nor half of the guests could get there. MEANING 3: To stop functioning (electrical device) Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B1 - Intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To turn off The third meaning of 'go off' that we will cover means to stop working or functioning and is used specifically to talk about electrical devices such as lights, televisions, computers and machines. This is used to describe when an electrical device stops working without human intervention, such as when there is a power cut (blackout), when batteries run out or when there is an electrical problem. We would not normally use it when a person's actions make the device go off as the correct phrasal verbs to use in that instance would be 'turn off' or 'switch off'. If you have read my post on the common phrasal verb ' go on ', you may remember that one of the meanings that it has is the exact opposite of this meaning i.e. when electrical devices start functioning by themselves without human intervention. All of a sudden the lights went off and we had to sit in darkness for 10 minutes until they came back on again. Oh no! For some reason my computer has just gone off and I haven't saved my work!!! The lights in airplanes go off automatically during landing and take off. MEANING 4: To be activated Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To be activated, to explode In complete contrast to the previous meaning, this fourth meaning of 'go off' actually means 'to be activated', so basically the opposite meaning! I know this may seem confusing, so let me explain... Whereas in the previous meaning we talked about electrical devices losing power and stopping functioning, with this example we are rather talking about devices that must be activated in some way to perform their main function. Generally, these devices are inactive for most of the time and when they are activated, they perform their function for a temporary period only, such as an alarm. Unlike the previous meaning, this application is not just limited to electrical items and is used with non-electrical items too. Some of the main nouns used with this meaning of 'go off' are: An alarm - This is definitely the natural way that native speakers talk about alarms being activated, especially their morning alarms to wake them up. A gun - We say that a gun 'goes off' when it fires, normally when triggered by accident and not through human intervention or when heard from a distance without knowing who caused the gun to fire. A firework - We talk about 'fireworks going off' when we can hear them, especially if we do not know who is responsible for them. Likewise, we would use this if a firework explodes by accident and not through human intervention. A bomb - If a bomb explodes, we say that it 'goes off'. My alarm goes off at 6.00am every morning. There were fireworks going off everywhere last night! The gun went off by accident but luckily nobody was injured. MEANING 5: To go bad (food) Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To spoil, to go bad Firstly, apologies for the picture in this section, however it is one that gives a very accurate descriptive image of our fifth meaning of 'go off', which is to become inedible due to decomposition. This is primarily a British usage, which we use to to talk about food and drink that we should not consume anymore as it may make us ill and furthermore, would certainly not taste very nice. Like with the first meaning, it is also common in British English to describe bad or mouldy food and drink as 'off' and so this meaning of 'go off' is used to describe the process of changing from edible and healthy to bad and inedible. Eurgh, this milk has definitely gone off. It smells disgusting! If you leave meat out in a warm room, it will not be long before it starts to go off. Sorry, I had to throw your yoghurt in the bin as it had gone off. MEANING 6: To stop liking something Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To stop liking, to lose interest For meaning number six of 'go off' we are going to stay with British usages as it means to stop liking something, or alternatively to lose interest in it, and this is a bit similar to the last meaning as it is another case of going from something to positive (like) to something negative (dislike). It can be used to describe when we stop liking people, both in a romantic and a non-romantic sense, as well as items, ideas and activities. This is quite similar to the phrasal verb ' put off ', which can also mean to stop liking something. With 'put off' though, there is normally something which makes us stop liking it, whereas with 'go off' the focus is not the, it is normally either because the novelty has worn off or we have naturally lost interest. I used to like this song but I've heard it so much now that I have gone off it. You can easily go off people! My daughter wanted to go to university in the USA but now she's seen how much it will cost, she has gone off the idea. MEANING 7: To lose your temper Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To lose your temper We've now reached our seventh meaning, so well done if you are still with me! This seventh meaning of 'go off' means to suddenly become angry. This meaning is probably derived from the fourth meaning of 'becoming activated' but instead of an electrical device being activated, in this instance it is a person's anger. If we become angry with a particular person and start shouting at them, we can say that we 'go off on them', with the additional preposition 'on' necessary. Look at the state of the house! You had better clean it up or Mom is going to go off when she sees it! Roger's boss went off at him when Roger told him that he wanted to leave the company. Photo: Pexels COMMON EXPRESSION: 'TO GO OFF ON ONE' In continuation of this meaning, in informal British English the idiom 'to go off on one' exists to describe when a person suddenly becomes very angry or very excited (or both). Helen went off on one as soon as she realised that her bike had been stolen. My Dad will go off on one if he finds out that you have broken his golf clubs. MEANING 8: To go to sleep Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium British or American? British Potential synonyms To go to sleep, to drop off, to get off We've now come to our eighth and final usage of 'go off', which means to fall asleep. This is another usage found in British English and is quite informal. It is used very similarly to ' get off ' and is used to used to describe the process of falling asleep. I went off to sleep really early last night. I must have been really tired! My baby has gone off to sleep for a bit, so now I have the chance to do some housework. SOME COMMON EXPRESSIONS FEATURING 'GO OFF'.... The phrasal verb 'go off' is used in a few more idiomatic expressions, which i want to make you aware of before you test what you have learned in the exercise.... To go off on a tangent - This idiomatic expression is used to describe when a person suddenly starts talking about a completely different or irrelevant subject whilst in a conversation with someone. To go off the boil - This is a chiefly British expression to describe when something becomes less urgent than it previously was. Moreover, if you say that something 'has gone off the boil', it can also mean that it is no longer as popular or successful as it once was in the past. To go off the rails - This idiom is primarily used to describe people who start behaving in a socially unacceptable or inappropriate way and is regularly used to describe rebellious teenagers and adolescents. To go off the deep end - This final idiom that I want to give you means to start acting irrationally, excited or angry, without without fully understanding a situation. We have now reached the end of this post and I just want to say thank you for clicking on my post and reading it. I hope that you've enjoyed it and have been able to learn something new about the phrasal verb 'go off'. If you enjoyed this post, please go ahead and check out some of my other posts. Now it is YOUR turn. Can you think of a sentence yourself using 'go off'. Write it in the comments section below if you can, or alternatively any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have....don't be shy!!! Sign up on the form below if you want to receive new blog posts directly by email every week as soon as they are published. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'check out' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my website for English learners all about phrasal verbs where I explain their different meanings to help you understand, learn and use them. If you follow me on social media or have read many of my posts in the past, you may have noticed that I use the phrasal verb 'check out' a lot. Consequently, I thought it was about time that 'check out' had a post of its own and so in this post we will put it under the microscope and look at all its different uses. So, without further ado, let's get started.... TABLE OF CONTENTS   (Click to jump to each one) The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'check' and 'out' Meaning 1: To leave a hotel Meaning 2: To look at something Meaning 3: To prove to be true Meaning 4: To ogle someone Meaning 5: To enter into a cash register 🇺🇸 Meaning 6: To die 🇺🇸 Meaning 7: To stop paying attention to something 🇺🇸 Bonus: The expression 'check you out' I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback so I don't always know if it is helpful for you. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like and share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS CHECK OUT: KEY INFORMATION Usage Common Number of meanings 7 Separable? Yes Past tense forms Checked out / Checked out Before we look at the meanings of 'check out', let's take a quick look at the words which make it up . The verb 'check' is a commonly used verb in English, which has a couple of different meanings but the most common one is 'to verify something by examination'. This word can pose problems for some English learners who often use the word 'control' instead of the word' check because it is a notorious "false friend" in many languages and the verb 'to control' in English generally has a very different meaning i.e. to exert power over someone or something. Photo: Pexels The prepositional particle 'out' is one that has featured in many of my posts already and isused to talk about the exterior of something, or movement towards an outside space when used as an adverb. So, with that in mind, let's take a look at the different meanings of 'check out'... MEANING 1: To leave a hotel Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B1 - Intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To leave, to vacate, to pay up, to settle up Separable? Yes The first meaning of 'check out' will be familiar to anybody who has ever stayed in a hotel in an English-speaking country, as it means 'to pay the bill for your hotel room and leave the hotel or accommodation where you are staying'. Photo: Pexels The origins of this particular application are relatively recent (1950s) and I believe that it comes from the meaning of the verb 'to check', as in to mark something off a list, which is also linked to the noun 'checklist'. When a guest leaves a hotel, they are marked on the list as being 'out' of their room, which is now vacant for the next guests to use (after the cleaners have been in, of course). The application of 'check out' in this sense also covers the payment process and anything else that may be involved with the guest's departure. In other words, 'check out' has evolved in English to cover the entire procedure. Normally, when using 'check out' in this way, we do not require a direct object, however occasionally it can be used in a transitive way (with a direct object) when referring to a person who is performing the action of "checking someone out" by taking the key from the guest, updating the computer system, taking payment etc. The guest is always the direct object in this case. Moreover, it is very common to hear check out used with certain words such as 'time', 'late' and 'procedure'. Check-out is regularly used as a noun too. Do you have any idea what time we have to check out of our rooms tomorrow morning? There was a problem with the computers in the hotel and the receptionist had real problems checking us out. I've paid for a late check-out tomorrow, so we can stay in bed a little longer. MEANING 2: To look at something Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level ​B1 - Intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To look at, to take a look, Separable? Yes Now we come to the second meaning of 'check out', which is the one that I use a lot on my social media accounts as the central meaning of it is 'to look at something'. There are however slightly different variations within the meaning of this usage, which are dependant on the situation. Firstly, as I mentioned, the core meaning here is to look at something and this can often be used as an imperative when we want someone to give their attention to something, especially if we think that it will amuse, entertain or shock them in some way. Oh wow, check out what Lisa is wearing today! You are not going to believe it! I saw this amazing video online last night, here check it out! Check out my new shoes, they're pretty nice aren't they! A second variation of this usage is to look at something out of curiosity, often because other people have told you about it and you want to see what it is like with your own eyes. For example, if several people tell you that a restaurant is very good, you may also want to go there to check it out for yourself and see what it is like. Further to this however, the action of 'checking out' refers to more than simply seeing something and also includes experiencing something with some or all of your senses and this can be used with anything from music to food and books. A few people have told me that this album is really good, so I am going to check it out tonight to see what all of the fuss is about. When you go to New York, you need to check out this restaurant in Brooklyn. You'll love it! We only moved to the city last week, so we are going to spend this weekend checking out everything that it has to offer. MEANING 3: To prove to be true Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B1 - Intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To corroborate, to confirm, to verify Separable? No The third usage of 'check out' is quite similar the second usage that we just discussed as it also means to 'look at something', however, this time in the sense of 'considering it' or 'thinking about it', with the extra element of investigating and verifying if it is true or not. In other words, if someone makes a claim about something and you are not sure if the claim is truthful or not, you may need to check out the details of it in order to establish if what the person is claiming is indeed real. This is quite similar to the phrasal verb ' look into ', but where 'look into' places maximum emphasis emphasis on investigating the details of something, 'check out' is more concerned with whether or not a claim is true or false, although some investigation is also usually required. Can you please leave this with me so I can check out the details and come back to you. The criminal has told the police that he wasn't in the area at the time of the crime, so they are checking out his story now to see if it is true. A notable and frequently used variation of this usage is when we say that something 'checks out', meaning that something proves to be true following an investigation. For this, the verb form is inseparable and we do not place any direct object between 'check' and 'out'. Following their investigation, the police confirmed that the criminal's alibi checked out and he was definitely not in the area at the time of the crime. I've looked into what Lisa is saying about the fraud claims in the company and it checks out. MEANING 4: To ogle someone Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To ogle, to leer, to give someone the glad eye, to perv on Separable? Yes The fourth meaning of 'check out' is yet another extension of the 'look at' meaning that we have already covered in the post and it means 'to ogle someone', which means to look at someone with sexual interest. You will note in the potential synonyms section above that we have many ways of describing this in English and in comparison with some of its synonyms, I think that 'check out' is more light-hearted and socially acceptable than others such as 'leer' and 'ogle', which carry more sinister and negative connotations. As such, you may hear this form in English song lyrics and upbeat movies etc. That guy over there in the white and blue t-shirt has been checking you out for the last 15 minutes! He's really into you! I was on a date with a guy last week and I noticed that he was checking out every single woman that walked past, so I went home and left him there. MEANING 5: To enter into a cash register Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B1 - Intermediate Usage Rare / specific Where is it used? American English Potential synonyms To ring through, to serve Separable? Yes The fifth meaning of 'check out' is a meaning that tends to be used in American English and means to operate a cash register in a shop, store or supermarket. This usage is used specifically to talk about the complete action of a cashier entering the goods to be purchased into a cash register, calculating the price to be paid by the customer and taking payment from them accordingly. The best equivalent of this in British English would be 'to serve'. Furthermore, 'check out' is also used in American English when talking about borrowing books from libraries and refers to the action of registering with the library that you are taking the books for limited period of time, at which point the books in question will be marked as 'out' on the library system, in a similar fashion to checking out in a hotel. I am so tired as I have been checking out customers all day and the store was so busy! Lisa checked out five library books last week and has read them all aleady! Photo: Pexels EXTRA TIP TO HELP BOOST YOUR ENGLISH Photo: Pexels I imagine that many of you will already know this, but the noun 'checkout' is one which is derived directly from the phrasal verb and refers to the part of the shop in which payment for goods is made. MEANING 6: To die CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Rare / informal Where is it used? American English Potential synonyms To die, to pass away, to pop your clogs, to kick the bucket Separable? No Meaning number six of 'check out' is a very informal meaning used in American English and is a slang form used to mean 'to die'. As a native British English speaker, this meaning is quite alien to me and is not one that I would personally use, however if you prefer American English then is certainty one worth knowing. MEANING 7: To stop paying attention to something Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Rare / informal Where is it used? American English Potential synonyms To lose interest, to zone out Separable? No Now we have come to our seventh and final meaning of 'check out', which is another informal application, once again used primarily in American English, and means to lose interest in something and to stop paying attention to it. This is often used for situations in which people need to concentrate on something but they get bored and start thinking about something else, in other words they 'mentally check out of the conversation or situation'. Sorry, what did you just say? I'm afraid I checked out about five minutes ago. Roger looked at his pupils and could see some who had clearly checked out and were playing on their cellphones. Photo: Pexels OOH! CHECK YOU OUT! If you spend time with any native speakers, you may have heard them use the expression 'check you out!'. This is a common informal expression that is used to say that you are impressed either with something that somebody has done or with a skill that the person has acquired. For example, if someone shows you a new skateboarding trick that they have learned and you find it impressive, you might say to them "wow, check you out!". You've had your hair cut, check you out! Check you out! You've passed all of your exams and are off to Cambridge university. Im very impressed. Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I just want to say thank you for clicking on my post and reading it. I hope that you've enjoyed it and have been able to learn something new about the phrasal verb 'check out'. If you enjoyed this post, please go ahead and check out some of my other posts. Now it is YOUR turn. Can you think of a sentence yourself using 'check out'. Write it in the comments section below if you can, or alternatively any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have....don't be shy!!! Sign up on the form below if you want to receive new blog posts directly by email every week as soon as they are published. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'carry out' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my blog all about English phrasal verbs. Each week, I take a different phrasal verb and look at how it is used by native speakers, with a focus on the different meanings that it has and the expressions and idioms that it is used in. The phrasal verb 'carry out' is a commonly used phrasal verb, both in its literal and idiomatic applications. This is one that you have come across in a business or professional sense as it is very commonly used to describe to work and jobs. That is not its only meaning however, and in this post we will look at exactly how native speakers use it and in which situations. So, without further ado, let's get started.... TABLE OF CONTENTS   (Click to jump to each one) The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'carry' and 'out' Meaning 1: Literal meaning Meaning 2: To perform or complete an activity Meaning 3: To implement a plan or threat Bonus: An extra meaning if you ever go to Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback so I don't always know if it is helpful for you. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like and share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS CARRY OUT: KEY INFORMATION Usage Common Number of meanings 3 Separable? Yes Past tense forms Carried out / Carried out To begin with, let's take a quick look at the words 'carry' and 'out' , in order to gain some background knowledge on the phrasal verb 'carry out'. Photo: Pexels The verb 'to carry' is a common verb with the core meaning of 'supporting something off the ground and moving with it from one place to another'. When we use this verb we are normally talking about transporting an object, person or animal and it can be used with any nouns for things that can be physically lifted and moved. It can also be used to talk about items which we have with us at all times in our pockets or on our person such as a wallet or an identity card. If you want to use 'carry' at an advanced level, you can use it to describe abstract nouns too, such as conviction, (prison) sentence, warning and guarantee. We then have the prepositional particle 'out', which has many usages in English. The central idea of 'out' is the opposite of 'in'. i.e. the exterior of something. Used as adverb 'out' often means movement from an interior space, which will certainly be relevant for the first meaning of 'carry out' that will look at now.... MEANING 1: Literal Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level A1 - Beginner Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms ​To take out, to bring out Separable? Yes Our first meaning of 'carry out' is a nice and easy one as it is just the literal semantic combination of the two words 'carry' and 'out'. In other words, physically supporting something and moving with it from an interior space to an exterior space, or possibly to a different interior space (the key element is that the object is no longer in the original interior space). For this, the object can be any nouns for a thing that can lifted and carried. This literal version of 'carry out' is used mainly for human activity and therefore the indirect object (the inside space) can be any nouns that a person can be physically 'in', so that they can perform the action of 'carrying'. Don't forget the additional preposition 'of' is required for the indirect object. As such, nouns that are commonly 'carried out' include people, furniture, boxes, The list goes on and on but you get the point! Lisa fell over in her office and had to be carried out on a stretcher as she could not walk. Can you please help me carry these boxes out to the car? This bed is too big to be carried out of this room by just one person. MEANING 2: To perform or complete an activity Photo: Pexels ​CEFR Language Level B1 - Intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To do, to perform, to fulfil, to complete, to conduct Separable? Yes The second meaning of 'carry out' is an idiomatic one and means 'to perform or complete an activity'. I think that this is perhaps the most common application of this phrasal verb as it is used across all walks of life, especially in the world of work and business. 'Carry out' used this way is mainly used to talk about performing a specific task or job such as a car repair, building work, an audit or a review. It is not really used to talk about a general job, vocation or career. Outside of the world of work, it is used to talk about crimes, attacks and other unpleasant activities that some people get involved in. Nevertheless, I'm sure that you can imagine that this application of 'carry out' is used with a diverse and wide variety of different nouns. In many cases, this meaning of 'carry out' is exactly the same as 'to do' when talking about a specific task or job and, in fact, I think that this is one of the rare occasions that the phrasal verb equivalent sounds more formal and elevated than its non-phrasal verb synonym, perhaps because the verb 'to do', is such an ordinary and commonplace verb. We are planning to carry out some research next year on people's attitudes towards climate change. The criminal gang carried out a series of armed robberies over a three year period. The train company is carrying out an excavation of the site this week in preparation for the railway lines to be laid in the next few months. Essential roadworks will be carried out on this road from Monday 18th May for a period of six weeks, so please plan your journey accordingly. MEANING 3: To implement a plan or a threat Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper Intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To implement, to go through with, to put into action, to put into effect, to follow through on Separable? Yes The third and final meaning of 'carry out' is to implement a plan or a threat, but can also be used with any other nouns that signify our intentions. In fact, this usage of 'carry out' is all about our future intentions, good or bad, and whether or not we implement them or put them into action. In other words, if you have a plan to do something and then you go ahead and do everything that you planned to do, you can say that you have "carried out your plan". This is exactly the same when talking about threats (which I guess are a type of plan). Other nouns that are less commonly used with this application of 'carry out' are 'commitment', 'instruction', 'idea' and 'strategy'. Despite some unexpected setbacks, we still hope to carry out our plan to make this company the leader within its sector by the end of the decade. We never actually believed that John would carry out his threat to ban his children from watching television, but he has done it! It is essential that you develop a great marketing strategy and then it carry it out if you want your business to survive. Photo: Pexels AN EXTRA MEANING IF YOU EVER GO TO SCOTLAND For anyone with a particular interest in Scottish English, the phrasal verb 'carry out' also has a noun version, 'carry-out', which is in common usage in Scotland to describe several different things related to food and drink. Photo: Freepiks Firstly, it can mean food that is bought at a restaurant and taken away to be eaten, which is called a takeaway in England and a takeout in American English (although I believe carry-out) is also used in the USA to mean the same thing). On the same theme, the restaurant where the 'carry-out' food is bought can be referred to as 'a carry-out' too (confusing I know!). The last meaning of 'carry-out' as a noun refers to alcohol that is bought in a shop or a pub and taken to a different place e.g. home or a party to be consumed. I don't want to cook tonight. Shall we get a carry-out for dinner instead? We didn't want to stay in the bar, so we bought some carry-out wine and took it home Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I just want to say thank you for clicking on my post and reading it. I hope that you've enjoyed it and have been able to learn something new about the phrasal verb 'carry out'. If you enjoyed this post, please go ahead and check out some of my other posts. Now it is YOUR turn. Can you think of a sentence yourself using 'carry out'. Write it in the comments section below if you can, or alternatively any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have....don't be shy!!! Sign up on the form below if you want to receive new blog posts directly by email every week as soon as they are published. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'look up' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my blog all about English phrasal verbs. Each week, I take a different phrasal verb and look at how it is used by native speakers, with a focus on the different meanings that it has and the expressions and idioms that it is used in. The phrasal verb 'look up' has a number of different meanings in English, some of which I am sure will be very familiar to you. In this post, I will look at each of its different applications and meanings, with examples of typical usage. So, without further ado, let's get started.... TABLE OF CONTENTS   (Click to jump to each one) The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'look' and 'up' Meaning 1: To look in an upwards direction Meaning 2: To search for information Meaning 3: To improve Meaning 4: To visit someone Meaning 5: To admire and respect someone I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback so I don't always know if it is helpful for you. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like and share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS LOOK UP: KEY INFORMATION Usage Common Number of meanings 5 Past tense forms Looked up / Looked up Separable? Yes Before we look at the different meanings of 'look up', let's take a second to consider its constituent parts as this can often be a useful way to understand some of the idiomatic meanings of a phrasal verb. The verb 'to look' is undoubtedly one that you will know very well and means to direct our vision in a particular direction, in order to see something. The prepositional particle 'up' is one that has featured in many posts on this blog already and is used to specify movement away from the ground or towards the sky. So, with those in mind let's take a look at the different phrasal verb meanings, starting with the literal meaning.... MEANING 1: To look in an upwards direction Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level A1 - Beginner Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms ​To stare up, to glance up, to peer up Separable? No This first meaning of 'look up' is the literal meaning of these two words combined and therefore simply means to look in an upwards direction. As you can imagine, this literal meaning is generally used to describe the action of moving your head back in order to see something that is higher than or above you. However, it is also used when we are looking down at something and move our heads to "normal" position, in order to see what is happening around us. In this latter case where we start in a looking down position, we need the extra preposition 'from'. This is used more and more in today's world as most people seem to spend a large amount of their time looking down at their smartphones. Photo: Pexels I heard a meowing noise above me and when I looked up I saw a cat in the tree that I was standing under. Look up there, can you see the shooting star? Lisa looked up from her phone and realised that all of her friends had left without her. MEANING 2: To search for information Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B1 - Intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To search, to find out Separable? Yes The second meaning of 'look up' is one that I think most of you will be very familiar with as it means to search for information, normally either in a book or online using a search engine or informative website. This application of 'look up' is separable and takes a direct object (the information that you want to find out) and this can be placed either between 'look' and 'up' or after 'up'. Alternatively, the pronoun 'it' can be placed in the middle of 'look' and 'up' if the object has already been specified, to avoid having to repeat it again unnecessarily. Before the rise of the internet, this usage of 'look up' was limited mainly to dictionaries and encyclopaedias and at the tie people said that they "looked something up in a dictionary". Nowadays however, the usage of this meaning has exploded with the rise of the internet and now instead of the dictionary the majority of people "look something up online". I had no idea what the phrase "make do*" meant in English, so I had to look it up! Helen wasn't sure about how to cook rice properly and despite looking up the information online, she still managed to get it wrong. We looked up the word 'set' in the dictionary and were really surprised to learn how many definitions it has in the English language. * To make do means to manage with what is available although it is not ideal or what you wanted. MEANING 3: To improve Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To improve, to get better Separable? No Our third meaning of 'look up' is a very positive and optimistic one, which is always welcome, and it means to improve or get better. It should be noted here that this usage is limited to describing general situations and is not used to talk about specific things or people improving. As such, it is very common to use the noun 'things' in collocation with 'look up' here. Something else to make you aware of with this application of 'look up' is that it is only used in the progressive or continuous ('ing) form to describe a situation which is or is not improving. It has been a really hard few months but things are looking up now and the future is bright! Business is really looking up and we are forecasting a very successful year this year. Things were looking up for me until I lost my job but hopefully I will find another one soon! MEANING 4: To visit someone Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level ​C1 - Advanced Usage Rare Where is it used? Everywhere - more American Potential synonyms To visit, to contact, to get in touch with Separable? Yes This fourth meaning of 'look up' is a rarer one than the meanings that we have looked at so far and means to visit a person, specifically when you are in the town or city in which they live. To clarify, this application is generally used for interactions with people who you know and who live far away from you and is used as an invitation to say come and see me if you are ever in the area where I live. In terms of the grammar here, this is separable and the object (the person who you are visiting) goes in between look and up, especially if you are the person inviting the other to visit you ('look up me' is completely wrong). We do use this meaning of 'look up' in British English and it would definitely be understood, however it does feel more American in usage to me. Look me up the next time that you are in Denver. It would be great to see you again! If you're ever in Liverpool, you should look my sister up. She will show you around the city and tell you the best places to go. When I am in New York next, I will be sure to look you up. MEANING 5: To admire and respect someone Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To admire, to respect, to idolise, to revere Separable? No This fifth and final meaning of 'look up' is to admire and respect someone and I've left it until last as it requires the additional preposition 'to' in order for it to be used. Photo: Pexels If we 'look up to someone' it is something very complimentary and positive and means that we want or aspire to be like that person in some way. This is often (but not always) used for people who are older than us, for people who are respected experts in a field that we are also in or perhaps for famous people who we are fans of or who inspire us in some way. In other words, these people are role models. Regardless of the specifics, the central idea is that we hold these people on a kind of pedestal above us in our minds and to see them we need to look up (as per meaning one). I really looked up to you when I was growing up and I am so pleased to be able to finally meet you in person. He is one of the greatest tennis players of all time and I have looked up to him ever since I started playing tennis myself. Roger desperately wants to a role model for his students and for them to look up to him. Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I just want to say thank you for clicking on my post and reading it. I hope that you've enjoyed it and have been able to learn something new about the phrasal verb 'look up'. If you enjoyed this post, please go ahead and check out some of my other posts. Now it is YOUR turn. Can you think of a sentence yourself using 'look up'. Write it in the comments section below if you can, or alternatively any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have....don't be shy!!! Sign up on the form below if you want to receive new blog posts directly by email every week as soon as they are published. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'set out' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my blog all about English phrasal verbs. Each week, I take a different phrasal verb and look at how it is used by native speakers, with a focus on the different meanings that it has and the expressions and idioms that it is used in. The theme of this post is 'set out', which is a phrasal verb that includes the word in English with the most different definitions, 'to set' (check it on Google if you don't believe me), along with the preposition 'out'. Unlike the verb 'to set', its phrasal verb offshoot 'set out' does not have a huge number of meanings, but the meanings that it does have are quite varied. So, without further ado, let's take a look at them.... TABLE OF CONTENTS   (Click to jump to each one) The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'set' and 'out' Meaning 1: To start a journey Meaning 2: To start trying to do something Bonus: The noun 'outset' Meaning 3: To arrange Meaning 4: To present ideas coherently Meaning 5: To plant I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback so I don't always know if it is helpful for you. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like and share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS SET OUT: KEY INFORMATION Usage Common Number of meanings 5 Past tense forms Set out / Set out Separable? Sometimes The phrasal verb 'set out' is formed of the verb 'to set', which, as I previously mentioned, is the word with the most definitions in the English language - according to the Oxford Dictionary the word 'set' can be interpreted in 464 different ways as a verb, a noun and an adjective! Don't worry too much though as I do not think that the average native English speaker would know half of those definitions! The definition of 'to set' that will be relevant for the phrasal verb meanings is 'to place, put or lay something in a specific position'. The prepositional particle 'out' is one that you will certainly already know and also has many meanings in English (though far less than 'set'). I think that the meanings of 'out' that will be relevant for 'set out' are 'to move away from an inside space' and also 'to be visible', although both of these may need some imagination when we come to look at the different meanings of 'set out'. Ok, so now we have covered that, let's check out the different meanings.... MEANING 1: To start a journey Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B1 - Intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To leave, to depart, to embark, to set off Separable? No The first meaning of 'set out' is to leave or depart somewhere in order to start a journey I believe that this meaning originated from the definition of 'set' meaning to place or to put your foot outside, which, when you think about it, is exactly what you do when you start a journey. For this meaning we often require either the additional prepositions 'on' or 'for' to add additional information. We use 'on' to link the type of journey or movement that we are starting such as journey, voyage or trip and we use 'for' to specify the destination at the end of our journey such as home, work, or the name of a town or city. Captain Cook set out on a voyage of discovery over 250 years ago. This morning we set out at 4.00am so that we could get to the top of the mountain in time to see the sunrise. Unfortunately you've missed Roger, he set out for work about half an hour ago! After a long, hard week working away, I am will be setting out for home in the morning. MEANING 2: To start trying to do something CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To start, to start out, to embark Separable? No Our second meaning of 'set out' is similar to the first meaning as it also means to start something, but rather than a journey, we use it to to describe when we start trying to do something, which is usually a long-term endeavour. In other words, this could be used to describe the start of a figurative journey, rather than a literal or a real one, e.g. to start training in a particular career. As mentioned above, 'set out' in this sense is commonly used to describe the action of starting something new, however it can also be used to talk about a person's aims or intentions when they start this new activity or career. For this, the additional preposition 'to' is required when specifying the thing that you are starting or the aim or objective that you had when setting out. When I set out in this business, I had no idea how difficult or stressful it was going to be. I wish someone had told me this when I first was setting out as a young architect. John didn't set out to be a teacher but he ended up becoming one nonetheless. He set out to change people's attitudes and he was very successful at doing so. EXTRA INFORMATION: THE NOUN 'OUTSET' The noun 'outset', meaning the start or beginning of something, is linked to this phrasal verb meaning and is in common use among English speakers, especially when looking back at the past and talking about things in hindsight. This is normally used with either the prepositions 'from' or 'at'. The project was doomed to fail from the outset. I knew at the outset of the match that it was going to be a really good game. MEANING 3: To arrange Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper Intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To arrange, to organise, to lay out Separable? Yes The third meaning of 'set out' is to arrange something in an attractive or organised way. This can be used with both physical and non-physical objects, ranging from nouns as diverse as business documents to window displays in shops, in other words anything that can be organised for other people to view and understand. When talking about documents, we use 'set out' all the time when we design or produce the document such as CVs (resumes for American English learners), letters, certificates and personal statements. In the case of CVs (resumes) people are usually free to set them out as they wish but with letters etc. there are normally conventions which must be followed and therefore we need to set them out accordingly. Alternatively, if we set out physical objects such as window displays in shops, or tables for dinner, then we are referring to physically placing the objects in a way that is (hopefully) organised or attractive. It is also of course possible to set things out incorrectly in an unattractive manner, but generally that is not what people want to do I guess. One last thing to mention here is that the past participle 'set out' (an annoying irregular one) is commonly used as an adjective to describe how well something is structured or organised. The successful candidate for the job had set their CV out in a clear and concise way, which really impressed the hiring committee. The teacher set out the classroom in such a way that all the students had a clear view of the whiteboard. The checklist is really well set out. Everyone should be able to follow it easily. MEANING 4: To present ideas coherently Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate ​Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To structure, to organise, to establish, to define Separable? Yes Meaning number four of 'set out' is linked quite closely to the third meaning that we have just covered as it means to present ideas, arguments and facts coherently. This is really just an evolution of the third meaning, as instead of organising something so it is visually clear, we are instead organising it so that it is conceptually clear and understood by someone. Therefore, this meaning of 'set out' is often used when talking about academic or formal writing or discourse as it used to describe and evaluate how ideas, arguments and perspectives are structured and organised and ultimately how effective they are at conveying the intended message. Again, like in the previous meaning, the past particle 'set out' is often used here. Another way that 'set out' is commonly used in this way is when talking about rules, guidelines, procedures, protocols and regulations etc. 'Set out' is generally used here to describe when these are established and communicated to the people affected by them. The politician clearly set out her justification for why she feels that a referendum is necessary in the newspaper article that she wrote last week. The facts were set out in paragraphs 2 and 3 of the document. The management set out some new rules and guidelines on health and safety for all employees following new legislation that the government had passed. Without a well set out argument, you will never get the council to take notice of your plight. MEANING 5: To plant Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Rare Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To plant, to sow Separable? Yes This fifth and final meaning of 'set out' will probably only be useful for the green-fingered* among you as it means to plant and seeds and plants in the ground. I would say that due to the niche area in which it is used, this usage is a rare one, especially since it is more common to use the verbs 'to plant' and 'to sow' instead. However, it is always good to be aware of it, if for nothing else to be able to impress your English-speaking friends and colleagues. Try and ensure that the seedlings are set out on a cloudy day in moist soil. These plants must be set out at least 50cm apart from each other. *Green-fingered is an adjective used to describe people who enjoy gardening and who are good at growing plants. Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I just want to say thank you for clicking on my post and reading it. I hope that you've enjoyed it and have been able to learn something new about the phrasal verb 'set out'. If you enjoyed this post, please go ahead and check out some of my other posts. Now it is YOUR turn. Can you think of a sentence yourself using 'set out'. Write it in the comments section below if you can, or alternatively any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have....don't be shy!!! Sign up on the form below if you want to receive new blog posts directly by email every week as soon as they are published. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'put on' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my blog all about English phrasal verbs. Each week, I take a different phrasal verb and look at how it is used by native speakers, with a focus on the different meanings that it has and the expressions and idioms that it is used in. The phrasal verb 'put on' is an extremely common and diversely used phrasal verb in the English language. In this post we will look at its diverse range of meanings and particular uses, including placing clothes on your body, gaining weight and acting in an insincere way. So, without further ado, let's make a start.... TABLE OF CONTENTS   (Click to jump to each one) The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'put' and 'on' Meaning 1: To place on a surface (literal) Meaning 2: To place something on your body Meaning 3: To make something operate Meaning 4: To organise an event or show Meaning 5: To be deceptive Bonus: The idiom 'to put on airs and graces' Meaning 6: To trick someone 🇺🇸 Bonus: Common expressions featuring 'put on' I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback so I don't always know if it is helpful for you. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like and share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS PUT ON: KEY INFORMATION Usage Common Number of meanings 5 Past tense forms Put on / Put on Separable? Yes Our phrasal verb of choice this week is made up of the common and diverse verb 'to put', along with the prepositional particle 'up'. The main meaning of the verb 'to put' is to place something in, or move something to, a particular place, and it is used frequently by English native speakers with a wide and varied selection of nouns, both physical and abstract. I think for this reason, there are also multiple meanings and uses of 'put on', which we will look at shortly. The prepositional particle 'on' is one that you will all be familiar with already and means 'to be in contact with and (usually) above a surface', often with the surface supporting the object. Ok, so now we have the basics covered, the first meaning should be a walk in the park.... MEANING 1: To place on a surface (literal) Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level A1 - Beginner Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To place, to set, to position Separable? Yes With the individual meanings of the component words in mind, it should be no surprise to you that the first meaning of 'put on' is the literal meaning of the combination of the two words i.e. to physically place an object onto a surface. As such, this is very commonplace language in everyday life and you will certainly hear it sooner or later if you spend time in an English speaking environment. As this one is a straightforward meaning, let's move on, but before we do, here are a handful of examples of typical usage.... Please can you pick up those books and put them on the bookshelf. Have you seen my keys? I put them on the table when I got home but they aren't there anymore. John put his coffee on his car roof and forgot all about it. MEANING 2: To place something on your body Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level A2 - Elementary Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To get dressed, to try on Separable? Yes The next meaning of 'put on' is a small departure from the literal meaning that we have just looked at but it is nonetheless a similar concept as it means, specifically, to place something on your body, rather than on a generic surface, like a table or a shelf. The majority of the time, 'put on' is used in this sense when we want to wear something and therefore it is used with all types of clothes, including glasses, watches, jewellery and wigs. It is also used to talk about applying make-up to your face. It should be noted that 'put on' is used specifically for the action of placing the item on your body and should not be confused with the verb 'to wear', which is used to describe the state of having an item on you body for a period of time. Will you put on some decent clothes, we have got visitors! Ok your eye test has finished, you can put your glasses back on again now. I was about to put on my trainers and go running this morning when it started raining. Helen put her best dress on and headed out to the office party. MEANING 3: To make something operate Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level A2 - Elementary Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To turn on, to switch on Separable? Yes The third meaning of 'put on' is to make something operate or function, normally by activating it with a button or switch. This usage derives from the adverbial meaning of 'on', to describe an electrical device that is in operation e.g. the television is on, and so this meaning of 'put on' is used to describe the action of making the device function. This is very similar to the other phrasal verbs 'turn on' and 'switch on'. Interestingly though, whilst you can also turn off and switch off a device, you cannot 'put off' a device.....I'm not sure why, but it does not sound correct at all. Sometimes we do not always refer to the physical device that we are 'putting on', but rather the end product. A prime example of this would be music, as it is normal to say that we 'put on music' rather than 'put on a CD player' (an outdated reference, I know). Another such example of this would be food and you can often hear native speakers talk about 'putting food on' to say they will start cooking it. This meaning is separable and the direct object can either go in the middle of the phrasal verb construction or at the end, without altering the meaning. It's so hot in here, can someone put the air conditioning on. Quick, put the television on, you're on the news! Sometimes I like to run a nice bath, put on some classical music and relax. I've put some pasta on, so it should be ready in about 15 minutes. What film shall I put on this evening? MEANING 4: To organise an event or show Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B1 - Intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To organise, to stage Separable? Yes This next meaning of 'put on' is to organise a public event, which people can attend and / or watch. This is used to talk about organising shows, plays, concerts, charity events, displays, exhibitions and festivals, as well any other events that I may have forgotten. In this sense 'put on' can be used to describe the act of organising the event as well as to talk about the performer(s) and how well or badly they performed. The local amateur dramatics society is putting on a charity play this week, shall we go? The company is putting on an exhibition to mark their 100th anniversary. The rock band Queen always put on a good show. Photo: Pexels EXTRA INFORMATION TO SOUND LIKE A NATIVE SPEAKER In British English 'put on' can also be used to talk about public transport when additional train or bus services are made available to people due to exceptional circumstances. See the examples below.... Due to the ongoing train strikes, the local council is putting on additional bus services to help people get around the city. The company put on extra trains before and after the football game to help disperse the crowds quickly. MEANING 5: To be deceptive Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Common British or American? Both Potential synonyms To deceive Separable? Yes The fifth meaning of 'put on' means to deceive people and is used to describe act in a way that is contrary to reality, to try and fool others (or sometimes themselves). This meaning of 'put on' is used when people change the way that they interact with, or appear, to others, such as purposely changing their accent to sound like they come from a different place (putting on an accent) or modifying their facial expressions to hide what they are really feeling. The expression 'to put on a front' can often be used here, specifically when someone appears positive or happy in a situation but in reality they are very sad, scared or nervous. In addition to appearance, we can also use 'put on' to talk about when someone is lying about something and subsequently behaving in a way to support the lie. An example of this would be if someone pretends to be sick and then acts like they are sick by coughing etc. to support the pretence. If other people don't believe that the illness is genuine, they may say that the person is putting it on. One other thing to note here is that we use the adjectival form 'put-on' to describe the fake or dishonest action. He's so good at putting on an American accent. He even fools actual Americans! I put on a brave face at work today but inside I felt like crying all day. John phoned in sick to work earlier today, however his boss believes that he is putting it on so that he can go to his child's sports day at school. Lisa does not come from Scotland, her Scottish accent is obviously put on. Photo: Pexels IDIOM ALERT! A nice idiom to make you aware of here is "to put on airs and graces", which means to behave in such a way as to impress people and make them think that you are more important or sophisticated than you really are. If you put on airs and graces, you generally want people to believe that you are from a higher social class and often come across as pretentious to other people. MEANING 6: To trick someone Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium Where is it used? Mainly American English Potential synonyms To trick, to fool, to prank, to have someone on Separable? Yes Our sixth and final meaning is 'to put someone on', which means to trick someone or play a joke on them, often by telling them something that is not true and making them believe it. This usage is primarily American and as such, is not something that I would normally use in my British English. Alternatively, in British English we would be likely to say 'to have someone on' to mean the same thing. Incidentally, 'put someone on' does exist in British English, however the meaning is totally different and would normally be used in the context of telephone calls when we want to request to speak to another person, often in the room. This can't be genuine! Are you putting me on? If you guys are trying to put me on, I think you should know that I can see through your tricks. Photo: Pexels COMMON EXPRESSIONS FEATURING 'PUT ON' Although we have now examined the different meanings of 'put on' in English, we are not done yet though as there are also a large number of expressions and specific situations in which 'put on' is used and here are some of the most commonly used ones.... To put money on something = To put money on something means to gamble or place a bet. For this, you can state the exact amount e.g. you could put $5 on a team to win a football game, or you can say that you would put money on something, if you are absolutely certain that something is true or will happen in the future. To put on weight = This is another way of saying that you gain weight or become heavier and is primarily British in usage. To be put on medication = If we are ever prescribed medication by a doctor or medical professional, we can say that we have been put on medication, in a passive sense. This applies for both humans and animals. To put a spell on someone = This is one that you may have come across if you are into the fantasy genre as it means to use magic on someone. To put on a (good) spread = If someone puts on a (good) spread, it means that they are hosting a dinner party or event and they provide a lot of food and drink. The word 'good' is an optional extra here but is often used by complimentary guests. To put on charge = Our final usage in this section means to plug something in to recharge, such as a cellphone or a battery of some kind. As you can imagine, this has become a very well-used expression since the rise of the cellphone and I must say it at least once a day. Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I just want to say thank you for clicking on my post and reading it. I hope that you've enjoyed it and have been able to learn something new about the phrasal verb 'put on'. If you enjoyed this post, please go ahead and check out some of my other posts. Now it is YOUR turn. Can you think of a sentence yourself using 'put on'. Write it in the comments section below if you can, or alternatively any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have....don't be shy!!! Sign up on the form below if you want to receive new blog posts directly by email every week as soon as they are published. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'play up' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my blog all about English phrasal verbs. Each week, I take a different phrasal verb and look at how it is used by native speakers, with a focus on the different meanings that it has and the expressions and idioms that it is used in. This post is all about the phrasal verb 'play up' and its different meanings and uses in English. 'Play up' has a few different meanings, however some of these tend to be more commonly used in British English and so are very familiar to me but they may not be to English speakers in the USA or elsewhere. So, without further ado, let's take a look at these different meanings.... TABLE OF CONTENTS   (Click to jump to each one) The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'play' and 'up' Meaning 1: To exaggerate the importance of something Meaning 2: To not work properly 🇬🇧 Meaning 3: To misbehave 🇬🇧 Meaning 4: To influence someone to make them like you Bonus: Expression - to play up for the camera I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback so I don't always know if it is helpful for you. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like and share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS PLAY UP: KEY INFORMATION Usage Common Number of meanings 4 Separable? Sometimes Past tense forms Played up / Played up As is customary at the start of each post, we'll start by looking at the component words which make up our phrasal verb under the spotlight. Firstly, we have the verb 'to play', which can mean to take part in a game or sport, as well as to portray a character in a performance in a theatre show or movie etc. This second meaning is the one that is more relevant for the phrasal verb meanings, as you will see shortly. Secondly, we have our prepositional particle up, signifying movement to a higher position away from the ground or towards the sky ⬆. So now we have covered the basics, let's move on to the phrasal verb meanings... MEANING 1: To exaggerate the importance of something Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Separable? Yes Potential synonyms ​To exaggerate, to emphasise, to big something up The first meaning of 'play up' that we will look up in this post requires a small amount of dishonesty, as the meaning is to exaggerate or emphasise something, in order to make it seem better, more important or more interesting to other people than it really is. In other words, if something is not very important or trivial, but we want other people to think that it is important, we can tell some white lies* and play it up in order to make them think that it is important. The extra emphasis that we place on something when we play it up can be used for both positive and negative purposes; on one hand something could be played up in order to raise publicity for a good cause and on the other hand a small, insignificant detail about someone's past could be played up by another person in order to make them look bad (this often happens in politics). Another key aspect of this meaning is expectation as things are often played up by people in order to increase people's interest levels about something upcoming in the future. A new TV show, a musical performance, a new product being launched onto the market or a baby gender reveal are all things which can be played up by people in order to generate interest. Photo: Pexels Additional nouns that you may come across with 'play up' are rumours or speculation, both of which could be 'played up' for humorous effect by the people who the rumours are about, especially if they are not true. In terms of sentence structure, this use of 'play up' requires a direct object, which can either be the noun specifying the thing being played up, or the pronoun 'it'. The government has been accused of playing up the significance of the tax cuts. It was obvious that the footballer was playing up his leg injury. The media has played up reports of the quarrel between the two politicians. *White lies are lies that people tell which are generally harmless or trivial in nature, often told in order to hide the truth from someone as it will make them unhappy - this is the good kind of lies 😝 MEANING 2: To not work properly Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Common Where is it used? British English Separable? No Potential synonyms To act up, to malfunction The second meaning of 'play up' is primarily used in British English and means 'to not work or function properly'. This is often used by (slightly annoyed) British people when they have problems with items such as their car, their computer or smartphone. When we use 'play up' in this sense, we do not mean that the problematic item has stopped working completely and is now out of order, but rather that it is working erratically, developing problems from time to time or is not working to 100% efficiency. This usage is quite an informal one and in more formal settings a verb such as 'to malfunction' may be more appropriate. Despite its informality however, this usage is in frequent usage among British people, so you are likely to hear it from time to time if you have British friends or colleagues. I am going to be late into work today as my car is playing up. My laptop has been playing up for the last couple of weeks, I think I should get a new one. Photo: Wix Media OUCH! MY BACK IS PLAYING UP! In addition to complaining about dysfunctional equipment or devices, it is also very common to use 'play up' to describe body parts that are not working properly and causing you health problems as a result. This is typically used to describe chronic problems which come and go, such as back pain or pain from a long term injury and, rather understandably, is used most frequently by the older generation. My back is playing up again, I am in agony! Speak up! My ears are playing up and I can't hear you properly! Moreover, with this usage it is also very common for people to add an object pronoun (me, you, him, her or them) to say that the particular malfunctioning body part is causing them pain or discomfort. My eyes play me up from time to time but that's just a normal part of getting old I guess! My feet have been playing me up something dreadful since I ran the marathon! MEANING 3: To misbehave Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Common Where is it used? British English Separable? Yes Potential synonyms To misbehave, to act up For our third meaning, we have another usage that is primarily used in British English and that is 'to misbehave'. Logically, this is really the same as the previous meaning, however instead of a device or body part not working in the way it should, we are rather talking about a person not behaving in the way that they should, in other words they are misbehaving. As this meaning is primarily concerned with bad behaviour, it will come as no surprise to you that it is used often to talk about naughty children. However, we can certainly also use it to talk about pets (my cats play up all the time) and occasionally even adults. Again, this usage is largely informal and more formal alternatives such as 'to misbehave' should be used in formal environments. Furthermore, it is also possible to play someone up. We use this variation when someone is responsible for looking after a child e.g. a babysitter, and the child misbehaves whilst in that person's care. We could then say that the child plays the babysitter up. The kids were so well behaved today, they didn't play up once! Our cats have started playing up ever since the building work on our home started. Ok children, we are off now so please do not play the babysitter up. MEANING 4: To influence someone to make them like you CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Rare Where is it used? Everywhere Separable? No Potential synonyms To curry favour, to suck up Our fourth and final meaning of 'play up' is a return to the dishonesty that we looked at in the first meaning of this post because it means to act in a certain way in order to make someone like you and treat you well. This could be by flattering them, doing something to help them or buying them gifts - regardless of the action however, the ultimate aim is to gain some sort of advantage from them. For this usage the additional preposition 'to' is required since we 'play up to' the person that we are trying to impress. A typical example of when this is used would be in work environments when someone wants to play up to the boss in order to get a promotion or special treatment of some sort. This usage is not limited to the world of work though and can be found in any situation where someone wants to gain an advantage with another person. Lisa is blatantly playing up to the boss, she's desperate to get his secretary's job! Photo: Pexels STOP PLAYING UP FOR THE CAMERA! Before finishing this post, I want to give you one more expression which features our phrasal verb 'play up'. The expression in question is 'to play up for the camera', which is used to describe when a person acts in a certain way when they are being filmed, in order to come across well. The idea is that they do not not normally act that way in reality and their behaviour is all just for the camera. Another variation of this is also 'to play up to the camera'. Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I just want to say thank you for clicking on my post and reading it. I hope that you've enjoyed it and have been able to learn something new about the phrasal verb 'play up'. If you enjoyed this post, please go ahead and check out some of my other posts. Now it is YOUR turn. Can you think of a sentence yourself using 'play up'. Write it in the comments section below if you can, or alternatively any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have....don't be shy!!! Sign up on the form below if you want to receive new blog posts directly by email every week as soon as they are published. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'make out' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Wix Media Hello and welcome to my website for English learners all about phrasal verbs where I explain their different meanings to help you understand, learn and use them. Did you know that the phrasal verb 'make out' has at least 7 different meanings and uses in the English language? Were you aware that, for example, it can be used in American English to refer to sex, while in British English you are more likely to hear it in reference to making payments? Don't worry if you didn't know because in this post, I will explain all of these applications to you and provide you with a lot of example sentences to show you how each one is used and in which contexts. So, without further ado, let's get started.... TABLE OF CONTENTS   (Click to jump to each one) The Basics: Key information and the individual words 'make' and 'out' Meaning 1: To discern Meaning 2: To falsely claim to be true Meaning 3: To complete an official document Meaning 4: To be sexually intimate with someone Meaning 5: To understand someone's character Meaning 6: To succeed in a situation I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback so I don't always know if it is helpful for you. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like and share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 Photo: Pexels THE BASICS MAKE OUT: KEY INFORMATION Usage Common Number of meanings 6 Past tense forms Made out / Made out Separable? Sometimes The phrasal verb ‘make out’ is formed by combining the individual words ‘make’ and ‘out’ and so before we look at its meanings, let’s first briefly consider what these words mean on their own. Our base verb, ‘to make’, is one of the most common verbs in the English language, appearing in a wide variety of applications and expressions. Its main meanings include 'to produce', 'to create' and 'to cause', although it has many others that are too numerous to include here. Don't forget that 'to make' is an irregular verb and both of its past forms are 'made'. The company makes cars and sells them all over the world. My baby makes a lot of noise when he cries. Why have you made such a mess?! My parents made me go to university although I didn't want to. Working hard makes me tired. MAKE OR DO? There is often some confusion with English learners about when to use 'to make' and when to use 'to do'. A simple tip for this is that we use 'to make' when we talk about creating or producing something that did not exist before, while 'to do' is used more to talk about performing processes or actions. This is English however and there are of course many exceptions to this. Next, we have the prepositional particle 'out', which you should all know as a word that functions as the opposite of 'in' and is primarily used to refer to being situated on or moving towards an external space. When used in phrasal verb constructions, 'out' can often add this external meaning ( go out , get out ) but it can also add ideas such as revelation ( come out ), distribution ( give out ), removal ( cut out ) and trying ( check out ), among others. So, now that we have covered the basics, let's now consider the different ways that we can use the phrasal verb 'make out'.... MEANING 1: To discern Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To discern, to tell, to determine, to figure out, to identify Separable? Sometimes Let's begin the meanings with the one that I probably hear more than any of the others and that is 'to discern'. Nouns commonly used with this application.... Words Letters Picture Face Voice In case you are not sure, the verb 'to discern' means 'to see, understand or recognise something when it is not very clear'. In other words, you need to make an effort to process the information and this is exactly how we use this first application of 'make out'. Typically, we use 'make out' with our senses of sight and hearing when we can see or hear something but it is not clear and so we have to focus on it. Once we are able to identify what it is with the appropriate sense, we can say that we can "make it out". Often, we add different adverbs like 'just', 'barely' and 'hardly' before 'make out' to emphasise that something was very difficult to identify and we were almost not able to do it. The lady had a very strong accent but I was just able to make out what she was saying. From this distance, it's hard to make out the writing on the whiteboard. I could barely make out the road signs through the thick fog. Walter tried to make out the figure moving in the shadows. Over the noise of the crowd, I could just make out my brother's voice calling my name. Through the static on the phone, I could hardly make out a word. As this application is used when something is not clear or easy for us to understand, it is often used in questions and negative statements too. Marianne spoke so quietly that I couldn't make out everything that she said. Can you make out what that label says? My eyesight isn’t as good as it used to be. Were you able to make out what Astrid was trying to tell us? How could the suspect make out the license plate in the dark? Could you make out the words in the background of the recording? We weren’t able to make out the instructions because of the poor handwriting. Louise couldn’t make out the number on the caller ID. On a grammatical note, although it is possible to use this application separably, we tend to use it in a separable way far more often than an inseparable one. The main exception is when the direct object has already been specified and we can use the pronoun 'it', which always goes between 'make' and 'out'. What was John whispering to us? I couldn't make it out! My 3 year old daughter drew a picture but I couldn't make it out, so I just smiled and said "very good". MEANING 2: To falsely claim to be true Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Common Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To claim, to pretend, to let on Separable? Yes We will move on to our second meaning of 'make out' now, which is also heard a lot in everyday conversation and means 'to falsely claim to be true'. To clarify, in its purest form, we use this particular application of 'make out' to say or to pretend that something is true when it is not. Sometimes, it can also be used to exaggerate something and make it seem bigger, more important or better than it really is. On a grammatical note, there are different structures that we use with this application, so I will explain each one and provide you with some examples.... To make out that.... Perhaps the most common way to use 'make out' in this way is with a 'that' subordinate clause. This is particularly when we want to paraphrase (express in different words) what somebody has said. Donna made out that she was an expert, but in fact she had no real experience. The company made out that their product was environmentally friendly, but it wasn't. Why did Tim make out that he owned the place? It was obvious that he didn't. Alex wasn’t trying to make out that he was innocent; he admitted everything. To make out to be... An alternative way to express this would be the construction 'to make out to be', which is commonly followed by a noun, an adjective or a combination of both. It is also possible to use a reflexive '-self' pronoun here to talk about how a person lies or exaggerates about themselves or their abilities in some way. They were making it out to be a serious problem, but it was a minor one at most. Who made it out to be such a big deal? Lucy made herself out to be the victim, even though she was the one who started the argument. Did Emily make herself out to be more qualified than she really is? To make out as if / as though / like.... We can use the phrases 'as though' and 'as if' as well as 'like' after 'make out' to describe false claims and fictional situations that people try to say are true. The managers made out as though they had solved the issue, but nothing had changed. Steve made out like he knew the manager personally, but it was all a lie. Sophie made out as if she had been seriously hurt, but it was just a small scratch. Bill’s making out as though he single-handedly saved the project, which simply isn’t true. To be made out to be.... Lastly, it is quite common to use the passive voice with this application of 'make out'. This is often when you are discussing the reputation that a person or a place has which is not true, exaggerated or undeserved. The passer-by was made out to be the villain, even though he tried to help. Carol was made out to be some kind of genius, but her work was average. The incident was made out to be more serious than it actually was. Los Angeles is made out to be this big, glamorous city but it didn't feel like that when I visited there. MEANING 3: To complete an official document Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To fill out, to fill in, to complete Separable? Yes Moving on to our third meaning of 'make out' now, which is one that is not as common as the first two but one that you may still hear nevertheless and means 'to complete an official document'. Nouns commonly used with this application.... Cheque Form Document Application Receipt Card We can use this application of 'make out' for any paperwork on which we need to provide details in written or in text form. This mostly includes official forms and documents but can also be used with things like receipts and invoices. I would say that generally in British English, we are far more likely to use the synonym phrasal verbs 'fill out' and 'fill in' but in American English 'make out' is still fairly common. The cashier made out a receipt for my purchase. Sue made out the invoice and sent it to her customer. They made out the application in less than ten minutes. Poppy hasn't made out the form yet — it's still blank. Can you make out the order form before we leave? Who made out the invoice last time? GIVE ME ALL YOUR MONEY! In addition to those nouns already mentioned, when I think of this application of 'make out', one noun comes to mind immediately, which is 'cheque' (US check). When talking about cheques, we use 'make out' with the additional preposition 'to' in order to specify the person who will receive the money. Of course, the use of cheques is becoming less and less common as technology advances and banking is more and more electronic but just in case you do still use them, this may prove to be useful! Chuck made out a check for $500 to the contractor. Please make the cheque out to me. I made the cheque out to Mary Smith but she has changed her name to Mary Jones. Lastly, one unofficial document that we sometimes use 'make out' with is a card, such as a birthday or Christmas card. As with cheques, we use 'make out + to' to specify the person to whom we send the card. Who am I making the thank you card out to? I didn't make the card out to anyone in particular, just the team. MEANING 4: To be sexually intimate with someone Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Common Where is it used? American English Potential synonyms To kiss, to have sex Separable? No This next application of 'make out' is an American one that means 'to be sexually intimate with someone' and this may be one that you have heard if you watch a lot of English-language entertainment from the USA. As a native speaker of British English, I have known 'make out' in this sense for most of my life as American TV shows and movies are incredibly popular here, however I have to admit that I'd never been 100% sure exactly what it meant until I was researching this blog post. In some situations, it seemed to mean 'to kiss someone' and in others it seemed to mean 'to have sex with someone' and I was never certain. It turns out that it is both of these things and so I think to keep it simple, let's just say that it means 'to be sexually intimate with another person in any way'. Therefore, it can be used to describe anything ranging from kissing someone amorously (French kissing) to having sex, although it is used much more to describe kissing and foreplay. The central idea here is that there is sexual intent behind the action and so it would not be used to talk about kisses between family members or friends etc. As you can imagine, this one is heard a lot in the conversations of teenagers and young people. They were making out on the couch when their roommates walked in. Victoria caught her ex making out with someone new at the party. We spent most of the night just talking and making out. He bragged to his friends about making out with his crush after the party. The couple was making out in the back row of the movie theatre. Jack has never made out with a woman before. MEANING 5: To understand someone's character Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To work out, to understand Separable? Yes In the first application of 'make out' that we covered in this post, I explained how we use it to refer to something that is difficult for us to identify or understand and for this next application we are returning to that same idea. This time however we are talking about people and this is because this application means 'to understand someone's character'. The majority of the time, we use 'make out' in this way when we want to say that we do not understand why a person acts or behaves the way that they do. Alternatively, he or she may be quite mysterious or enigmatic and we may not know much about them or what their motives are. In these sorts of situations, it is possible to say that " we cannot make the person out ". This is in fact a less common synonym of the phrasal verb 'work out' (link here ), which we use to mean the same thing. On a grammatical note, we tend to use this application mainly in negative sentences and questions. I just can't make him out — he's so unpredictable. He's a bit strange sometimes, so it may take some time to make him out. She’s been here for weeks, and I still haven’t made her out. We couldn’t make him out at all; his actions didn’t match his words. Can you make him out? I can’t tell if he’s serious or just joking. Did you manage to make him out during the meeting? MEANING 6: To succeed in a situation Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Medium Where is it used? American English Potential synonyms To get on, to cope, to succeed Separable? No We will finish this post about the phrasal verb 'make out' with another American application that means 'to succeed in a situation'. To clarify, we can use 'make out' to talk about a person's progress with something such as a new job or a competition. Alternatively, we can use it to talk about how well someone is coping or dealing with the situation, which often tends to be something new in their lives. As people are often curious to learn how others are doing, this application is frequently heard in question form. Like I said before, this is an American usage not one that I would ever use in British English, so make sure you know your audience before using it! How are you making out in your new job? Despite the tough competition, she made out pretty well in the tournament. I heard your business is struggling. How are you making out these days? He didn't have much experience, but he made out better than expected. With all the chaos last year, we still made out okay in the end. Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I just want to say thank you for clicking on my post and reading it. I hope that you've enjoyed it and have been able to learn something new about the phrasal verb 'make out'. If you enjoyed this post, please go ahead and check out some of my other posts. Now it is YOUR turn. Can you think of a sentence yourself using 'make out'. Write it in the comments section below if you can, or alternatively any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have....don't be shy!!! Sign up on the form below if you want to receive new blog posts directly by email every week as soon as they are published. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊 THE END

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'set forth' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context Photo: Pexels Hello and welcome to my website for English learners all about phrasal verbs where I explain their different meanings to help you understand, learn and use them like a native. This is an article about the phrasal verb 'set forth' and its different meanings and uses in English. You may not be very familiar with this phrasal verb as it is quite rare, however we do use it and so there is a good chance that you will come across it at some point. Plus, it's always good to have new vocabulary to learn 😊 In the post, I will explain the two main ways that 'set forth' is used in English and provide you with lots of example sentences. So, without further ado, let's get started.... TABLE OF CONTENTS   (Click to jump to each one) The Basics: Key information and the words 'set' and 'forth' Meaning 1: To give the details of something Meaning 2: To start a journey I love writing this blog and helping learners but I get very little feedback as to how useful it is and if people enjoy & learn from it. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like & share it or leave a comment at the end. I would be most grateful. Thank you! 😊 James Photo: Pexels THE BASICS SET FORTH: KEY INFORMATION Usage Medium Number of meanings 2 Past tense forms Set forth / Set forth Separable? Sometimes As usual, let's begin by breaking down the phrasal verb into it's individual words, which in this case are 'set' and 'forth'. If you've read any of my other articles featuring the verb 'to set', you will know that this word is the champion of all English words as it is has more meanings than any of the others in the entire language. When used as verb, it therefore has many different applications, some of which are quite specific and obscure so we do not need to worry about those. The meanings that are the most relevant for this article however are 'to start doing something' and 'to cause something to be in a specific condition or situation'.... Jane set the project in motion with a detailed proposal. The announcement set the negotiations into action. The council set the wheels turning for the new community centre. The team immediately set to work on the new software upgrade. Becci's decision set a chain of events into motion. The new CEO set the company on a path to success. The prepositional particle in our chosen phrasal verb is 'forth', which is one that many of you may not know as it is not one that appears very often in English. Firstly, you should note 'forth' is pronounced in exactly the same way as the ordinal number fourth / 4th. The meaning is very different though as it is used either to indicate movement away from a place or the passing of time after a specific point. The river flowed forth into the valley below. From that day forth, John never drank alcohol again. MEANING 1: To give clear and detailed information Photo: Pexels CEFR Language Level B2 - Upper intermediate Usage Medium Where is it used? Everywhere Potential synonyms To state, to write, to specify, to list Separable? No The first of the two applications of 'set forth' that we will cover in this article is the most common one and means 'to give clear and detailed information about something'. Nouns commonly used with this application.... Ideas Arguments / Beliefs Opinions Reasons Facts Vision Findings / Results We use this first application of 'set forth' to talk about presenting information, facts, figures, arguments etc. to others in a clear, comprehensive and well-structured way so that they can interpret and understand it. While it can be used to talk about giving information orally, it tends to be used mainly for when it is given in writing. 'Set forth' can be used in this way for many reasons including to present arguments or facts, to state terms and conditions in business, to publish the results of studies and experiments or to give the reasons for a criminal's actions in court. This is quite a formal application and therefore you are much more likely to find it in intellectual and serious articles, legal documents and scientific papers than you are to find it on a social media post, in a gossip magazine or a conversation amongst friends in the pub. On a grammatical note, this usage is separable and the direct object e.g. argument or information can go between 'set' and 'forth' or after. If the information is the subject of the sentence, it cannot be separated. In his speech, the president set forth his vision for the country's future. The terms and conditions are clearly set forth in the contract. She set her arguments forth in a well-organised essay. The report sets forth the main findings of the investigation. He set his ideas about education reform forth during the meeting. The guidelines are set forth in the company handbook. In her memoir, she sets forth the events that shaped her career. The scientists set forth their theory with supporting evidence. MEANING 2: To start a journey Photo: Wix Media CEFR Language Level C1 - Advanced Usage Rare Where is it used? Literary English Potential synonyms To set out, to set off, to begin, to start, to depart, to leave, to head off, to head out Separable? No Our second and final application of 'set forth' is a rarer one that is not so common in modern English and means to start a journey. Nouns commonly used with this application.... Journey Trip Expedition Voyage Adventure Mission Quest This usage is not one that you are likely to hear in everyday conversation and so if you use it to casually talk about leaving your house to go to work or to go to the shop, it would sound a bit strange and unnatural. It does have its place though and if you like to read English novels, particularly older and classic ones, then you are probably more likely to see 'set forth' being used in this way. The reason for this is that it is now mainly used in literary works, which is sad because I think it sounds quite dramatic and would love to use it in my everyday conversations! The climbers set forth from the village, determined to reach the mountain summit. The pilgrims set forth in search of a new home in a different land. We set forth with high hopes and a sense of adventure. The knights set forth to rescue the captured prince. After weeks of preparation, the team of scientists finally set forth into the desert. Elizabeth set forth alone, guided only by the stars. When we want to specify a noun like a journey or expedition that we are starting, we need to add the additional preposition 'on'. The team set forth on their long journey across the mountains. Early in the morning, we set forth on our adventure. The crew set forth on a mission to explore uncharted waters. The nun set forth on a pilgrimage to the sacred site. The army set forth on a campaign to reclaim lost territory. King Alfred set forth on a quest to find his missing brother. As you will note from the example sentences given above, this application of 'set forth' is not separable. Photo: Pexels We have now reached the end of this post and I just want to say thank you for clicking on my post and reading it. I hope that you've enjoyed it and have been able to learn something new about the phrasal verb 'set forth'. If you enjoyed this post, please go ahead and check out some of my other posts. Now it is YOUR turn. Can you think of a sentence yourself using 'set forth'. Write it in the comments section below if you can, or alternatively any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have....don't be shy!!! Sign up on the form below if you want to receive new blog posts directly by email every week as soon as they are published. Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊 THE END