English phrasal verbs in context

200 contextual cards on English phrasal verbs, with English explanations, usage notes and two examples per card.

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In “Put away your toys before bedtime.”, what does “put away” mean?

Place an item back in its usual storage place. Pattern: Transitive, separable: put away the toys or put the toys away; put them away. Usage: Usually implies keeping the item for later use. Another example: I put the clean towels away in the cupboard. Distinction: Throw away means discard; put away means store.

In “Our plane took off twenty minutes late.”, what does “take off” mean?

Leave the ground and begin flying. Pattern: Intransitive here: take off; no direct object. Past: took off; participle: taken off. Usage: The aircraft is the subject; at can introduce the departure time. Another example: We watched the small plane take off from the island runway. Distinction: Take your shoes off is a separate transitive sense about removing clothing.

In “We got on the bus at the library stop.”, what does “get on” mean?

Board a bus, train, plane or similar form of transport. Pattern: Inseparable with a vehicle object: get on the bus; get on it. Usage: Can stand alone when the vehicle is understood: hurry up and get on. Another example: The passengers waited for others to leave before getting on the train. Distinction: Use get in or get into for a car in ordinary usage.

In “My parents came to the station to see me off.”, what does “see off” mean?

Go with someone to their departure point and say goodbye. Pattern: Transitive, separable: see off a friend or see a friend off; see them off. Usage: Past: saw off; participle: seen off. Another example: A few colleagues came to see Anna off before her long trip. Distinction: See someone off does not mean accompany them for the whole journey.

In “The small stream dried up during the hot summer.”, what does “dry up” mean?

Lose its water or liquid supply completely or almost completely. Pattern: Intransitive here: dry up; the stream, well or supply is the subject. Usage: The emphasis is on the disappearance of available liquid. Another example: By August, the shallow pond had dried up. Distinction: Dry out can mean lose moisture; dry up here describes a water source disappearing.

In “The missing key turned out to be in my coat pocket.”, what does “turn out” mean?

Prove to be a particular thing or have a particular result after the facts become clear. Pattern: Use turn out to be, turn out plus an adjective, or it turns out that; no separable object here. Usage: Often contrasts the actual result with an earlier expectation. Another example: The repair turned out to be much simpler than we expected. Distinction: Turn something out can have other meanings; this selected pattern reports a discovered result.

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Question Answer

In “The small stream dried up during the hot summer.”, what does “dry up” mean? Lose its water or liquid supply completely or almost completely. Pattern: Intransitive here: dry up; the stream, well or supply is the subject. Usage: The emphasis is on the disappearance of available liquid. Another example: By August, the shallow pond had dried up. Distinction: Dry out can mean lose moisture; dry up here describes a water source disappearing.

In “The missing key turned out to be in my coat pocket.”, what does “turn out” mean? Prove to be a particular thing or have a particular result after the facts become clear. Pattern: Use turn out to be, turn out plus an adjective, or it turns out that; no separable object here. Usage: Often contrasts the actual result with an earlier expectation. Another example: The repair turned out to be much simpler than we expected. Distinction: Turn something out can have other meanings; this selected pattern reports a discovered result.

In “Put away your toys before bedtime.”, what does “put away” mean? Place an item back in its usual storage place. Pattern: Transitive, separable: put away the toys or put the toys away; put them away. Usage: Usually implies keeping the item for later use. Another example: I put the clean towels away in the cupboard. Distinction: Throw away means discard; put away means store.

In “Sam brought up the parking problem during the meeting.”, what does “bring up” mean? Introduce a subject into a conversation. Pattern: Transitive, separable: bring up a topic or bring a topic up; bring it up. Usage: Past: brought up; participle: brought up. Another example: I did not want to bring the cost up in front of the guests. Distinction: Bring up a child means raise that child; the topic sense is different.

In “It took her a while to get over the disappointment.”, what does “get over” mean? Recover from an unpleasant experience or condition so that it affects you less. Pattern: Inseparable: get over the disappointment; get over it. Usage: Often used for emotional setbacks or illnesses; the context supplies the sense. Another example: He eventually got over his fear of speaking in small groups. Distinction: Get over a disappointment does not mean forget that it ever happened.

In “Our plane took off twenty minutes late.”, what does “take off” mean? Leave the ground and begin flying. Pattern: Intransitive here: take off; no direct object. Past: took off; participle: taken off. Usage: The aircraft is the subject; at can introduce the departure time. Another example: We watched the small plane take off from the island runway. Distinction: Take your shoes off is a separate transitive sense about removing clothing.

In “After a long discussion, he gave in and accepted the change.”, what does “give in” mean? Stop resisting pressure, persuasion or demands. Pattern: Intransitive here; to introduces the pressure or person: give in to them. Usage: Past: gave in; participle: given in. Another example: We refused to give in when they asked for another unnecessary meeting. Distinction: Give up concerns stopping an activity or effort; give in concerns yielding to pressure.

In “I get along with my new flatmate really well.”, what does “get along with” mean? Have a friendly, workable relationship with someone. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: get along with your neighbour; get along with her. Usage: Get on with is another common expression, especially in British English. Another example: The two cousins get along with each other despite their different interests. Distinction: Getting along with someone does not require agreeing with everything they say.

In “Our car broke down on the way to the airport.”, what does “break down” mean? Stop working because of a mechanical or technical fault. Pattern: Intransitive here: break down. Past: broke down; participle: broken down. Usage: The subject can be a vehicle or machine. Another example: The lift broke down, so we used the stairs. Distinction: Break something down can mean divide it into parts; that is a different construction.

In “After a short chat, we got down to planning the event.”, what does “get down to” mean? Begin concentrating seriously on a task. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: get down to the work; get down to it. A following verb uses -ing. Usage: To is a preposition here: get down to writing, not get down to write. Another example: Let us get down to the details while everyone is here. Distinction: The phrase marks starting focused work, not physically moving downwards.

In “Zoom in so we can read the small street names on the map.”, what does “zoom in” mean? Enlarge a selected part of an image or display to see more detail. Pattern: Intransitive here: zoom in; use on plus the detail: zoom in on it. Usage: Often used for maps, photographs and camera views. Another example: The text was too small until I zoomed in. Distinction: Zoom out shows a wider area at a smaller scale.

In “He took the old radio apart to inspect the loose switch.”, what does “take apart” mean? Separate an object into its component pieces. Pattern: Transitive, separable: take apart the radio or take the radio apart; take it apart. Usage: Past: took apart; participle: taken apart. Another example: We took the shelving unit apart before moving it upstairs. Distinction: Taking apart does not necessarily damage an object; it may be done for repair or transport.

In “The door is open; come in!”, what does “come in” mean? Enter the place where the speaker is or is inviting you to be. Pattern: Intransitive: come in. Use come into plus a named room. Usage: Common as a friendly invitation at a doorway. Another example: We heard someone knock and asked them to come in. Distinction: Go in usually views the movement toward a place away from the speaker's position.

In “You used up all the flour making those cakes.”, what does “use up” mean? Consume the whole amount so that none remains. Pattern: Transitive, separable: use up the flour or use the flour up; use it up. Usage: The object is the resource that is exhausted. Another example: Printing the posters used up the last of the ink. Distinction: Use does not necessarily mean finish the supply; use up does.

In “The bus slowed down as it approached the crossing.”, what does “slow down” mean? Begin moving or doing something less quickly. Pattern: Intransitive here: slow down; also separable with an object: slow it down. Usage: Can apply to physical movement or the pace of an activity. Another example: Please slow down; I cannot read the signs at this speed. Distinction: Slow down reduces speed but does not necessarily mean stop.

In “Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth.”, what does “turn off” mean? Stop a device or supply from operating. Pattern: Transitive, separable: turn off the tap or turn the tap off; turn it off. Usage: The object names what is stopped, such as a light or appliance. Another example: Please turn your phone off during the recording. Distinction: Turn down reduces a setting; turn off stops it.

In “After the break, we carried on painting the fence.”, what does “carry on” mean? Continue an activity instead of stopping. Pattern: Intransitive here; use carry on doing something or carry on with something. Usage: With an -ing form, do not insert to: carry on painting. Another example: It began to drizzle, but the players carried on. Distinction: Carry out a task means perform it; carry on means continue.

In “The rescue team was hopeful that the injured sailor would pull through.”, what does “pull through” mean? Survive a serious illness, injury or other dangerous period. Pattern: Intransitive here: pull through; no direct object. Usage: Often used when survival after a serious problem is uncertain. Another example: Her grandfather was very ill, but he pulled through. Distinction: Pull someone through is a transitive pattern meaning help them survive; this card uses the survivor as subject.

In “There is no early train to catch, so we can sleep in.”, what does “sleep in” mean? Stay asleep later in the morning than you normally do. Pattern: Intransitive: sleep in; no direct object. Past: slept in. Usage: Often describes a relaxed morning with no early obligation. Another example: I like to sleep in on the first day of a holiday. Distinction: Oversleep usually means sleep too long and miss an intended time.

In “The excitement wore off after the first few days.”, what does “wear off” mean? Gradually lose strength and disappear. Pattern: Intransitive: wear off; the effect or feeling is the subject. Usage: Past: wore off; participle: worn off. Another example: The novelty of the new game soon wore off. Distinction: Wear out concerns becoming unusable through use; wear off concerns an effect fading.

In “Scroll down until you reach the contact details.”, what does “scroll down” mean? Move lower through on-screen content so that a later part becomes visible. Pattern: Intransitive here: scroll down; no direct object is needed. Usage: The movement concerns the position in the document, regardless of the direction of your finger gesture. Another example: I scrolled down to the final comment in the discussion. Distinction: Scroll down changes the viewed position; zoom in changes the size of what is shown.

In “After the argument, we needed a few minutes to calm down.”, what does “calm down” mean? Become less upset, angry or excited. Pattern: Intransitive here; also separable with an object: calm the child down; calm her down. Usage: A blunt command to calm down can sound dismissive in a tense conversation. Another example: He took a quiet walk and gradually calmed down. Distinction: Calm down does not necessarily mean feel happy; it means feel less agitated.

In “The train sped up after leaving the town.”, what does “speed up” mean? Begin moving or happening more quickly. Pattern: Intransitive here: speed up; also separable: speed the process up; speed it up. Usage: Both sped up and speeded up are used as past forms. Another example: We need to speed up if we want to reach the gate on time. Distinction: Speed up increases pace; it does not mean begin from a complete stop.

In “He looks down on people who have less money than he does.”, what does “look down on” mean? Consider someone less worthy or important than yourself. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: look down on other people; look down on them. Usage: Usually expresses criticism of a disrespectful attitude. Another example: She never looked down on colleagues who were still learning. Distinction: This is an attitude of superiority, not literal downward looking.

In “We found out why the classroom was locked.”, what does “find out” mean? Discover information that you did not previously know. Pattern: Transitive with information: find out the answer or find the answer out; find it out. Clauses follow out. Usage: Use find out that, why, how or whether to introduce what is discovered. Another example: I found out that the course also runs in the evening. Distinction: Find often locates a thing; find out discovers a fact.

In “Leave the pan on the mat until it cools down.”, what does “cool down” mean? Become less hot. Pattern: Intransitive here: cool down; no direct object. Usage: Also transitive and separable: cool the soup down; cool it down. Another example: The room cooled down after sunset. Distinction: Calm down concerns emotion; cool down here concerns temperature.

In “We worked out how many chairs the room would need.”, what does “work out” mean? Calculate an amount or answer from the information available. Pattern: Transitive, separable with a noun: work out the total or work the total out; work it out. Usage: With a question clause, keep the clause after out: work out how much it costs. Another example: I worked the average score out with a calculator. Distinction: Work out without an object can mean exercise; this card concerns calculation.

In “The alarm went off while we were eating breakfast.”, what does “go off” mean? Begin sounding as a warning or signal. Pattern: Intransitive here: go off; the alarm or timer is the subject. Usage: Past: went off; participle: gone off. Another example: I was already awake when the alarm clock went off. Distinction: An alarm going off starts sounding; turning it off stops it.

In “I brushed up on my spreadsheet skills before the interview.”, what does “brush up on” mean? Refresh knowledge or a skill that you have learned before. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: brush up on your grammar; brush up on it. Usage: Also possible without on in brush up your grammar; this card practises the on-pattern. Another example: I want to brush up on my keyboard shortcuts before the training session. Distinction: This usually refreshes existing knowledge rather than starting a subject from nothing.

In “I backed up my photos before replacing the laptop.”, what does “back up” mean? Make an additional copy of digital information so it can be recovered if needed. Pattern: Transitive, separable: back up the photos or back the photos up; back them up. Usage: Back up is the verb; backup is the usual noun for the saved copy. Another example: The app backs my notes up every evening. Distinction: Syncing and backing up are not automatically the same operation; this sense specifically involves a recoverable copy.

In “They argued yesterday, but they have made up now.”, what does “make up” mean? Become friendly again after a disagreement. Pattern: Intransitive here; add with plus a person: make up with a friend; make up with her. Usage: Past and participle: made up. Another example: We made up before the holiday and agreed to discuss problems sooner. Distinction: Make something up can mean invent it; this card has no invented-story object.

In “The first microphone failed, so we switched over to the spare one.”, what does “switch over” mean? Change from one device, system, source or option to another. Pattern: Intransitive here: switch over; to introduces the new option: switch over to it. Usage: The new option replaces the one previously in use. Another example: We switched over to the video call when the chat became too slow. Distinction: Switch on starts a device; switch over changes which option you are using.

In “The firefighters put out the warehouse fire.”, what does “put out” mean? Stop a fire, flame or burning object from burning. Pattern: Transitive, separable: put out the fire or put the fire out; put it out. Usage: Past and participle remain put out. Another example: The caretaker put the candle out before locking the room. Distinction: Go out describes a flame stopping; put out describes causing it to stop.

In “We need to talk over the options before deciding.”, what does “talk over” mean? Discuss something carefully with another person. Pattern: Transitive, separable: talk over the plan or talk the plan over; talk it over. Usage: With introduces the discussion partner: talk it over with a friend. Another example: I talked the offer over with my family that evening. Distinction: Talk over someone can mean speak while they are speaking; that is a different sense.

In “We ruled out the smaller room because it had no windows.”, what does “rule out” mean? Decide that an option or explanation cannot be accepted or is not possible. Pattern: Transitive, separable: rule out an option or rule an option out; rule it out. Usage: Can also take an -ing phrase: rule out moving the event. Another example: The timetable rules a morning visit out for us. Distinction: Ruling out an option removes it from consideration; it does not select the final alternative.

In “Hang up your coat so it can dry.”, what does “hang up” mean? Place clothing on a hook or hanger instead of leaving it lying somewhere. Pattern: Transitive, separable: hang up the coat or hang the coat up; hang it up. Usage: Past and participle for clothing: hung up. Another example: I hung my shirt up as soon as I got home. Distinction: Hanged is not the normal past form for hanging clothing.

In “We set off at dawn to avoid the traffic.”, what does “set off” mean? Start travelling toward a destination. Pattern: Intransitive here: set off; add for plus a destination. Past and participle: set off. Usage: The destination can be omitted when already understood. Another example: They set off for the coast after breakfast. Distinction: Set something off can mean trigger it; the journey sense has no direct object.

In “A dealer bought up all the second-hand desks in the sale.”, what does “buy up” mean? Buy all or a large part of the available supply. Pattern: Transitive, separable: buy up the stock or buy the stock up; buy it up. Usage: Past and participle: bought up. Another example: Fans bought the remaining copies up within an hour. Distinction: Buy up emphasises taking most or all available items, not just making one ordinary purchase.

In “Please go on; I want to hear the rest of the story.”, what does “go on” mean? Continue speaking or continue an activity already in progress. Pattern: Intransitive here; go on talking uses an -ing form for the continuing activity. Usage: Past: went on; participle: gone on. Another example: The speaker went on explaining after the questions had ended. Distinction: Go on to explain can mean proceed to a new action; go on explaining means continue it.

In “He asked Maya out for coffee after class.”, what does “ask out” mean? Invite someone to go on a date. Pattern: Transitive, separable: ask someone out; ask her out. A person's name normally comes before out: ask Maya out. Usage: For can introduce the proposed activity or meal. Another example: I wanted to ask him out, but I was not sure whether he was interested. Distinction: A casual invitation is not always a date; the phrase ask someone out usually suggests romantic interest.

In “A message popped up asking me to save my changes.”, what does “pop up” mean? Appear suddenly, often on a screen. Pattern: Intransitive: pop up; no direct object in this sense. Usage: Past: popped up. A pop-up is a related noun or adjective. Another example: An error warning popped up while I was editing the picture. Distinction: A pop-up need not be an advertisement; it can also be a useful message.

In “Please pass on my message to the rest of the team.”, what does “pass on” mean? Give information received from one person to someone else. Pattern: Transitive, separable: pass on the message or pass the message on; pass it on. Usage: To names the next recipient. Another example: I passed the updated address on to the driver. Distinction: The recipient is not the direct object in pass a message on to someone.

In “We eat out when nobody feels like cooking.”, what does “eat out” mean? Have a meal at a restaurant or similar place instead of at home. Pattern: Intransitive: eat out; no direct object. Past: ate out. Usage: Use at to name the restaurant. Another example: They ate out at a small café after the exhibition. Distinction: Eat outside means eat in the open air; eat out does not require that.

In “They broke up after three years together.”, what does “break up” mean? End a romantic relationship. Pattern: Intransitive here; add with plus a partner: break up with someone; break up with them. Usage: Past: broke up; participle: broken up. Another example: Jules broke up with their partner before moving to another city. Distinction: Break up does not automatically mean a legal divorce.

In “He backed out of the trip after agreeing to come.”, what does “back out of” mean? Withdraw from an arrangement or commitment you had accepted. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: back out of the agreement; back out of it. Usage: Can take an -ing form: back out of helping. Another example: They backed out of buying the table just before collection. Distinction: Opt out need not imply an earlier promise; back out often does.

In “Read through the whole email before you reply.”, what does “read through” mean? Read all of a piece of writing from beginning to end. Pattern: Two object positions are possible: read through the email or read the email through. With a pronoun: read through it or read it through. Usage: Often used when checking a complete text for errors or details; it need not be read aloud. Another example: She read through the instructions once before starting the exercise. Distinction: Read out means speak the written words aloud; read through need not involve speaking.

In “Could you drop me off at the station?”, what does “drop off” mean? Take someone somewhere in a vehicle and leave them there. Pattern: Transitive, separable: drop off a passenger or drop a passenger off; drop me off. Usage: At introduces the place where the passenger leaves the vehicle. Another example: I dropped my sister off outside her office before going shopping. Distinction: Drop off without an object can mean fall asleep; that is a different sense.

In “The driver pulled over to let the ambulance pass.”, what does “pull over” mean? Steer to the roadside and bring the vehicle to a stop. Pattern: Intransitive here: pull over; the driver or vehicle is the subject. Usage: To the side can specify the stopping position. Another example: We pulled over at a safe place to check the map. Distinction: A police officer can pull someone over; that transitive use describes making a driver stop.

In “We are waiting for the price to come down before buying.”, what does “come down” mean? Decrease in price, amount or level. Pattern: Intransitive here: come down; the price or amount is the subject. Usage: By introduces the reduction; to introduces the new level. Another example: The delivery cost came down when we combined the orders. Distinction: Bring something down is transitive; come down describes the change without a direct object.

In “We got on the bus at the library stop.”, what does “get on” mean? Board a bus, train, plane or similar form of transport. Pattern: Inseparable with a vehicle object: get on the bus; get on it. Usage: Can stand alone when the vehicle is understood: hurry up and get on. Another example: The passengers waited for others to leave before getting on the train. Distinction: Use get in or get into for a car in ordinary usage.

In “Do not throw away the receipt until you have checked the shoes.”, what does “throw away” mean? Discard something because you do not want to keep it. Pattern: Transitive, separable: throw away the receipt or throw the receipt away; throw it away. Usage: Past: threw away; participle: thrown away. Another example: We threw the broken umbrella away. Distinction: Throw away is disposal, not merely putting something in storage.

In “I loaded up the photo editor to crop the picture.”, what does “load up” mean? Open a program or file on a device so that it is ready to use. Pattern: Transitive, separable: load up the program or load the program up; load it up. Usage: The object is the software or content being prepared for use. Another example: Can you load the presentation up before the visitors arrive? Distinction: Upload sends data to a remote system; load up here does not imply that transfer.

In “We shopped around before choosing a new washing machine.”, what does “shop around” mean? Compare offers from different sellers before buying. Pattern: Intransitive: shop around; for can introduce the item or service. Usage: The comparison may involve price, quality or terms. Another example: It is sensible to shop around for a repair quote. Distinction: Shopping around does not imply that you buy something from every seller.

In “Please sit down while I find your booking.”, what does “sit down” mean? Move into a sitting position. Pattern: Intransitive here: sit down. Past: sat down. Usage: Sit down describes a change of position; sit can describe the continuing position. Another example: We sat down on the steps to eat our sandwiches. Distinction: Sit someone down is a separate transitive construction.

In “Years of walking wore out the soles of these boots.”, what does “wear out” mean? Damage something through repeated use until it is no longer useful or effective. Pattern: Transitive, separable: wear out the soles or wear the soles out; wear them out. Usage: Past: wore out; participle: worn out. Also intransitive: the soles wore out. Another example: Heavy use has worn the old keyboard out. Distinction: Wear off describes an effect gradually disappearing; wear out here concerns physical deterioration.

In “I am in a meeting; can I call you back in ten minutes?”, what does “call back” mean? Telephone someone again, often in response to their earlier call. Pattern: Transitive, separable with a person: call a customer back; call them back. Usage: Can stand without an object when the person is understood: I will call back. Another example: The repair shop called me back with an appointment time. Distinction: Get back to someone may use email or another channel; call back specifies a call.

In “Please take off your muddy shoes at the door.”, what does “take off” mean? Remove an item of clothing from your body. Pattern: Transitive, separable: take off your shoes or take your shoes off; take them off. Usage: Past: took off; participle: taken off. Another example: She took her gloves off to use her phone. Distinction: An aircraft takes off without a clothing object; that is a different sense.

In “Nina has been going out with Omar since spring.”, what does “go out with” mean? Be in a romantic relationship with someone. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: go out with Omar; go out with him. Usage: The ongoing relationship sense is selected by the time context here. Another example: Are they still going out with each other? Distinction: Go out with friends can simply mean take an outing together; context matters.

In “I need a day to think over your proposal.”, what does “think over” mean? Consider an idea carefully before deciding what to do. Pattern: Transitive, separable: think over the proposal or think the proposal over; think it over. Usage: Past and participle: thought over. Another example: She thought the offer over before accepting the new role. Distinction: Think of may introduce a new idea; think over considers one already presented.

In “After years of moving around, they settled down and started a family.”, what does “settle down” mean? Begin a more stable way of life, often involving a long-term home or relationship. Pattern: Intransitive here: settle down; no direct object. Usage: Does not require marriage or children in every use. Another example: She wants to travel for another year before settling down in one town. Distinction: Settle in means become comfortable in a new place; settle down emphasises a stable lifestyle.

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In “We stayed up to watch the last part of the film.”, what does “stay up” mean? Remain awake instead of going to bed. Pattern: Intransitive: stay up; no direct object. Usage: Common additions are late, all night and until a time. Another example: Mia stayed up until midnight finishing a puzzle. Distinction: Wake up ends sleep; stay up delays going to sleep.

In “I heated up yesterday's soup for lunch.”, what does “heat up” mean? Make food or another substance warmer or hot. Pattern: Transitive, separable here: heat up the soup or heat the soup up; heat it up. Usage: Can also be intransitive: the soup is heating up. Another example: There is some rice in the fridge if you want to heat it up. Distinction: Heating up can describe reheating, but does not always mean heating for a second time.

In “At the end, the presenter summed up the three main choices.”, what does “sum up” mean? State the main ideas briefly. Pattern: Transitive, separable: sum up the options or sum the options up; sum them up. Usage: Also used without an object in to sum up, introducing a conclusion. Another example: Can you sum the discussion up in two sentences? Distinction: Summarising leaves out detail; spelling something out adds explicit detail.

In “She takes after her father in her sense of humour.”, what does “take after” mean? Resemble an older family member in appearance or character. Pattern: Inseparable: take after your father; take after him. Usage: The resemblance can concern looks, habits or personality. Another example: Both boys take after their grandmother in their love of storytelling. Distinction: Look after means care for someone, not resemble them.

In “The shop marked down the winter coats after the season ended.”, what does “mark down” mean? Reduce the price of an item for sale. Pattern: Transitive, separable: mark down the coats or mark the coats down; mark them down. Usage: By introduces the reduction; to introduces the resulting price. Another example: The damaged box meant the shop marked the lamp down by ten pounds. Distinction: Mark down in school grading can mean lower a score; this card concerns retail prices.

In “We stopped over in Madrid on the way to Lisbon.”, what does “stop over” mean? Stay briefly somewhere during a longer journey. Pattern: Intransitive: stop over; use in plus a city or at plus a place. Usage: Often describes an overnight or other substantial travel break. Another example: They decided to stop over for a night before continuing north. Distinction: A stopover is the corresponding one-word noun.

In “Turn on the desk lamp; it is getting dark.”, what does “turn on” mean? Make a device or supply start operating. Pattern: Transitive, separable: turn on the lamp or turn the lamp on; turn it on. Usage: Used for lights, machines and supplies such as water. Another example: I turned the fan on when the room became warm. Distinction: Turn up changes a setting; turn on starts operation.

In “Plug in the printer before you switch it on.”, what does “plug in” mean? Connect an electrical device using a plug. Pattern: Transitive, separable: plug in the printer or plug the printer in; plug it in. Usage: Into can introduce the socket or port: plug it into the wall socket. Another example: I plugged my headphones in so I could hear the recording clearly. Distinction: Plugging in connects a device; switching it on starts its operation.

In “The guests dressed up for the anniversary dinner.”, what does “dress up” mean? Wear clothes that are more formal or special than your usual clothes. Pattern: Intransitive here: dress up; no direct object. Usage: Dress up as a character introduces the separate costume use. Another example: You do not need to dress up for lunch at our place. Distinction: Dress means put on clothes; dress up adds the idea of special clothing.

In “The email service filters out most unwanted advertisements.”, what does “filter out” mean? Remove unwanted items from a larger set by applying a selection rule. Pattern: Transitive, separable: filter out unwanted emails or filter unwanted emails out; filter them out. Usage: Used for messages, data, sound and physical substances. Another example: I filtered duplicate names out of the contact list. Distinction: Filter out removes the selected unwanted items; it does not mean display only those items.

In “We put off the workshop until the room was repaired.”, what does “put off” mean? Delay an event or action until a later time. Pattern: Transitive, separable with a noun: put off the trip or put the trip off; put it off. Usage: An activity can follow as an -ing form: put off replying. Another example: I kept putting off sorting the cupboard until it was too full to close. Distinction: Call off cancels; put off postpones.

In “Everyone stood up when the music began.”, what does “stand up” mean? Rise from sitting into an upright position on your feet. Pattern: Intransitive here: stand up. Past: stood up. Usage: Use from to name the seat or position you leave. Another example: Nora stood up from her desk and stretched. Distinction: Stand someone up can mean fail to arrive for a date; that is a different sense.

In “Open the door and let the cat in.”, what does “let in” mean? Allow someone or something to enter. Pattern: Transitive, separable: let the cat in or let in the cat; let it in. Usage: Past and participle remain let. Another example: The host let us in before the rain started. Distinction: Come in describes entry; let in describes allowing that entry.

In “It is easy to get around by bike in this town.”, what does “get around” mean? Travel from place to place within an area. Pattern: Intransitive here; add by plus transport, or an area: get around the city. Usage: With an area, keep the words together: get around it. Another example: Visitors can get around without renting a car. Distinction: Get around a rule can mean avoid it; this card concerns transport.

In “She came up with a simple way to organise the queue.”, what does “come up with” mean? Think of or produce an idea, plan or solution. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: come up with a plan; come up with it. Usage: Past: came up with; participle: come up with. Another example: Can anyone come up with a title for the exhibition? Distinction: The object comes after with; do not place it between come and up.

In “I will pay you back on Friday for the tickets.”, what does “pay back” mean? Return money that you borrowed or that someone paid for you. Pattern: Transitive, separable: pay back the money or pay the money back; pay it back. With a person: pay them back. Usage: For can introduce what the other person paid for. Another example: She paid the ten pounds back as soon as she received her wages. Distinction: Pay off a debt emphasises clearing it completely; pay back can describe a repayment without that emphasis.

In “I will get back to you once I have checked the schedule.”, what does “get back to” mean? Contact someone later with a reply or further information. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: get back to the customer; get back to them. Usage: With can introduce the reply: get back to you with an answer. Another example: The organiser got back to us the next morning. Distinction: Get back without to plus a person can simply mean return to a place.

In “I looked up the unfamiliar word in a dictionary.”, what does “look up” mean? Find a specific piece of information in a reference source. Pattern: Transitive, separable: look up the word or look the word up; look it up. Usage: In can name the source: in a dictionary, database or directory. Another example: Could you look the train times up before we leave? Distinction: Look for means search for something; look up specifically consults a source for information.

In “Could you clear away the dishes after lunch?”, what does “clear away” mean? Remove things from a surface or place to leave it free. Pattern: Transitive, separable: clear away the dishes or clear the dishes away; clear them away. Usage: Often used for dishes, equipment or other things no longer needed there. Another example: The volunteers cleared the chairs away after the talk. Distinction: Clearing dishes away does not itself mean washing them.

In “Fill out the registration form before the course starts.”, what does “fill out” mean? Enter the requested information in a form. Pattern: Transitive, separable: fill out the form or fill the form out; fill it out. Usage: Fill in a form is also common, especially in British English. Another example: You can fill the questionnaire out on paper or online. Distinction: Filling out a form means completing its fields, not physically making the paper bigger.

In “Cut out the repeated paragraph before you send the document.”, what does “cut out” mean? Remove an unwanted part from a larger text, image or other whole. Pattern: Transitive, separable: cut out the paragraph or cut the paragraph out; cut it out. Usage: Of can name the larger whole: cut it out of the draft. Another example: The editor cut two unnecessary scenes out of the video. Distinction: Cut off a connection interrupts it; cut out a section removes that section.

In “The tenants moved out at the end of June.”, what does “move out” mean? Stop living in a particular home and leave it. Pattern: Intransitive: move out; add of plus a place: move out of the flat. Usage: The home may be understood from the conversation. Another example: I packed the last box on the morning we moved out. Distinction: Move out of a home differs from going out for the evening.

In “The team carried out the checks before opening the hall.”, what does “carry out” mean? Perform a task, instruction or planned procedure. Pattern: Transitive, separable: carry out the checks or carry the checks out; carry them out. Usage: Often used in neutral or formal work-related language. Another example: We carried the survey out during the lunch break. Distinction: Carry something out of a room is literal movement; the selected sense is performing a task.

In “Residents spoke out against the plan to close the park.”, what does “speak out” mean? Express an opinion publicly and clearly, especially about something you oppose. Pattern: Intransitive: speak out; against or about can introduce the issue. Usage: Often suggests willingness to challenge others or attract attention. Another example: She spoke out about the unfair selection process. Distinction: Speak up can simply mean speak louder; speak out emphasises making a view public.

In “Please hand in your assignment by Friday.”, what does “hand in” mean? Give completed work or a required document to the responsible person. Pattern: Transitive, separable: hand in the assignment or hand the assignment in; hand it in. Usage: Common in school and workplace instructions; to can name the recipient. Another example: I handed my application in at the reception desk. Distinction: Hand out distributes items to other people; hand in submits something.

In “Let us go over the instructions before we start.”, what does “go over” mean? Review or examine something carefully. Pattern: Inseparable: go over the instructions; go over them. Usage: Past: went over; participle: gone over. Another example: The editor went over my draft and marked two unclear sentences. Distinction: Go over a document does not mean physically cross over it in this context.

In “They called off the outdoor concert because of the storm.”, what does “call off” mean? Cancel a planned event or activity. Pattern: Transitive, separable: call off the concert or call the concert off; call it off. Usage: The plan stops being scheduled in its current form. Another example: The organisers called the search off when the missing bag was found. Distinction: Put off normally postpones an event; call off cancels it.

In “We sorted out the booking error before the guests arrived.”, what does “sort out” mean? Resolve a problem or organise a confusing situation successfully. Pattern: Transitive, separable: sort out the problem or sort the problem out; sort it out. Usage: Often used for practical problems or arrangements. Another example: I will call the office and sort the timetable out. Distinction: Sort items into groups is a related organising use; this card focuses on resolving a difficulty.

In “You cooked dinner, so I will wash up.”, what does “wash up” mean? Clean the dishes and cooking utensils after a meal. Pattern: Intransitive here; also separable with an object: wash the plates up; wash them up. Usage: This dishwashing sense is British English; in American English wash up often means wash your hands. Another example: After washing up, we dried the plates and put them away. Distinction: The regional distinction matters: an American invitation to wash up may concern your hands.

In “After the long walk, I lay down on the sofa.”, what does “lie down” mean? Move into a flat resting position. Pattern: Intransitive: lie down. Past: lay down; participle: lain down. Usage: Add on plus a surface, or for plus a duration. Another example: I need to lie down for a few minutes. Distinction: Lay something down takes an object; lie down does not.

In “I felt faint and nearly passed out.”, what does “pass out” mean? Lose consciousness for a short time. Pattern: Intransitive here: pass out; no direct object. Usage: Conversational; the person losing consciousness is the subject. Another example: She passed out briefly during the crowded concert. Distinction: Pass something out means distribute it; pass out without that object can mean faint.

In “Please lock up the shop when everyone has left.”, what does “lock up” mean? Secure a building by locking its doors or entrances. Pattern: Transitive, separable here: lock up the shop or lock the shop up; lock it up. Usage: Also used without an object: I will lock up tonight. Another example: We locked the garage up before leaving for the weekend. Distinction: The sense here is securing a place, not imprisoning a person.

In “Put on your jacket before you go outside.”, what does “put on” mean? Place clothing on your body so that you are wearing it. Pattern: Transitive, separable: put on the jacket or put the jacket on; put it on. Usage: The verb describes the action; wear describes the resulting state. Another example: I put my boots on because the path was muddy. Distinction: With a personal pronoun, say put it on, not put on it.

In “The sandwiches and drinks came to twelve pounds altogether.”, what does “come to” mean? Have a particular total cost or amount. Pattern: Inseparable: come to plus an amount; come to that much. Past: came to. Usage: The total follows to; do not separate come and to with the amount. Another example: With delivery, the order comes to thirty-five pounds. Distinction: Come to can also mean regain consciousness; the price context selects a total.

In “Could you turn up the radio? I cannot hear the news.”, what does “turn up” mean? Increase the level of sound or another adjustable setting. Pattern: Transitive, separable: turn up the radio or turn the radio up; turn it up. Usage: The device can stand for its volume setting. Another example: We turned the microphone volume up a little. Distinction: Turn up without this object can mean arrive; that is a different sense.

In “She gave up the course because the hours no longer suited her.”, what does “give up” mean? Stop an activity or stop trying to continue it. Pattern: Transitive, separable with a noun: give up the activity or give the activity up; give it up. Usage: An -ing activity follows up: give up commuting. Also intransitive: do not give up. Another example: I nearly gave up learning the guitar, but a new teacher helped. Distinction: Give in means yield to pressure; give up means stop the activity or attempt.

In “We checked in at the hotel before exploring the town.”, what does “check in” mean? Register your arrival with a hotel or travel service. Pattern: Intransitive here: check in; use at plus a hotel or desk. Usage: Check in online is common for a flight; check into a hotel also occurs. Another example: You can check in for the flight from home. Distinction: Checking in records your arrival or travel details; it does not mean boarding the plane.

In “Please turn down the music while I take this call.”, what does “turn down” mean? Reduce the level of sound or another adjustable setting. Pattern: Transitive, separable: turn down the music or turn the music down; turn it down. Usage: Reducing the volume does not necessarily switch the device off. Another example: I turned the television down when the baby fell asleep. Distinction: Turn down an offer means reject it; this card concerns a setting.

In “The flat is ready, and we move in on Saturday.”, what does “move in” mean? Begin living in a new home. Pattern: Intransitive: move in. Use move into plus the home: move into a flat. Usage: Move in with someone means start sharing their home. Another example: Our new neighbours moved in last week. Distinction: Move in does not mean simply enter a room for a visit.

In “The price of my usual train ticket has gone up.”, what does “go up” mean? Increase in price, amount or level. Pattern: Intransitive here: go up; the price or amount is the subject. Usage: By gives the size of an increase; to gives the new level. Another example: The monthly fee went up from eight pounds to ten. Distinction: Put something up describes causing an increase; go up describes the increase itself.

In “My parents came to the station to see me off.”, what does “see off” mean? Go with someone to their departure point and say goodbye. Pattern: Transitive, separable: see off a friend or see a friend off; see them off. Usage: Past: saw off; participle: seen off. Another example: A few colleagues came to see Anna off before her long trip. Distinction: See someone off does not mean accompany them for the whole journey.

In “Could you look after my dog while I am away?”, what does “look after” mean? Take care of someone or something and attend to their needs. Pattern: Inseparable: look after the dog; look after it. Usage: Can describe care for people, animals or property. Another example: A neighbour looks after the plants when we travel. Distinction: Look for means search; look after means care for.

In “You are relying on me for the lift, and I will not let you down.”, what does “let down” mean? Disappoint someone by failing to do what they reasonably expected. Pattern: Transitive, separable: let down a friend or let a friend down; let them down. Usage: Past and participle remain let down. Another example: The unreliable delivery service let us down again. Distinction: The selected sense concerns failed expectations, not physically lowering something.

In “They finally paid off the last part of the loan.”, what does “pay off” mean? Repay a debt completely so that nothing remains owed. Pattern: Transitive, separable: pay off the loan or pay the loan off; pay it off. Usage: The object is the debt, loan or outstanding amount. Another example: It took several months to pay the repair bill off. Distinction: Hard work pays off is an intransitive success sense, separate from repaying debt.

In “The service is phasing out its old booking system.”, what does “phase out” mean? Stop using or providing something gradually over time. Pattern: Transitive, separable: phase out the system or phase the system out; phase it out. Usage: Usually implies a planned transition rather than an immediate stop. Another example: The office phased paper forms out over six months. Distinction: Phase out is gradual; shut down can describe a single stopping event.

In “We are going out for dinner tonight.”, what does “go out” mean? Leave home to take part in a social or leisure activity. Pattern: Intransitive here: go out; add for dinner or to a venue. Usage: Past: went out; participle: gone out. Another example: I stayed home on Friday, but my flatmates went out. Distinction: Go out with someone can describe dating; this card concerns an outing.

In “You can count on me to arrive on time.”, what does “count on” mean? Trust someone or something to provide dependable help or a reliable result. Pattern: Inseparable: count on a friend; count on her. A person can be followed by to plus an action. Usage: Also possible before an -ing form: count on having enough time. Another example: We were counting on good weather for the outdoor party. Distinction: The phrase means rely on, not count numbers.

In “She got out of the car to check the address.”, what does “get out of” mean? Leave the inside of a car or another enclosed place. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable here: get out of the car; get out of it. Usage: Get out is also possible when the vehicle is understood. Another example: We got out of the taxi beside the hotel entrance. Distinction: Get off is usual for leaving a bus or train.

In “He told the noisy audience to shut up.”, what does “shut up” mean? Stop talking or making a verbal noise. Pattern: Intransitive here: shut up. Past and participle: shut up. Usage: A direct command to shut up is usually rude or aggressive; use please be quiet for a polite request. Another example: The passengers would not shut up, so we missed the announcement. Distinction: Do not treat shut up as a neutral polite classroom request.

In “She pointed out a missing number in the report.”, what does “point out” mean? Draw someone's attention to a fact or detail. Pattern: Transitive, separable with a noun: point the error out; point it out. Also point out that plus a clause. Usage: Use to someone for the listener: point it out to me. Another example: The guide pointed out that the last bus left at six. Distinction: Point at can mean direct a finger toward something; point out can be entirely verbal.

In “Her friends stood by her during the difficult year.”, what does “stand by” mean? Remain loyal to someone and support them when things are hard. Pattern: Inseparable with a person: stand by your friend; stand by her. Usage: Past and participle: stood by. Another example: The team stood by its captain after the disappointing result. Distinction: Stand by without a person can mean wait and be ready; this card concerns loyalty.

In “Let us stick to the agreed timetable.”, what does “stick to” mean? Continue following a plan, rule or choice without changing it. Pattern: Inseparable: stick to the timetable; stick to it. Past and participle: stuck to. Usage: Can be followed by an -ing activity: stick to using the simple method. Another example: I stuck to my original decision even after hearing the complaints. Distinction: The phrase here means remain consistent, not physically attach with glue.

In “You can opt out of the optional group activity.”, what does “opt out of” mean? Choose not to participate in something or no longer to be included. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: opt out of the scheme; opt out of it. Usage: Opt out can stand alone when the activity is understood. Another example: Several members opted out of receiving the printed newsletter. Distinction: Opt out is a voluntary choice; being excluded may be someone else's decision.

In “After waking, I stayed in bed for a few minutes, then got up to open the curtains.”, what does “get up” mean? Move out of bed after being asleep. Pattern: Intransitive here: get up. Past: got up. Usage: Use at to add a time: get up at seven. Another example: On workdays, Leo gets up early enough to make breakfast. Distinction: You may wake up long before you get up.

In “The path was flooded, so we turned back.”, what does “turn back” mean? Reverse your direction and return toward where you came from. Pattern: Intransitive here: turn back; no direct object. Usage: Often implies giving up the attempt to reach the original destination. Another example: We turned back before reaching the summit because of the fog. Distinction: Get back describes arriving again; turn back describes the decision or movement to return.

In “I finally figured out how to open the stuck latch.”, what does “figure out” mean? Understand something or solve a problem by thinking about it. Pattern: Transitive, separable with a noun: figure out the problem or figure the problem out; figure it out. Usage: A how or why clause stays after out. Another example: Can you figure out why these two pages do not match? Distinction: The selected sense is understanding; it does not require numerical calculation.

In “She fell out with her friend over a broken promise.”, what does “fall out with” mean? Have an argument that damages a friendly relationship. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: fall out with a friend; fall out with him. Usage: Especially common in British English; over can introduce the cause. Another example: I do not want to fall out with my brother about a borrowed jacket. Distinction: Fall out describes a relationship becoming unfriendly, not simply disagreeing politely.

In “The connection was poor, and I could barely make out his words.”, what does “make out” mean? Manage to hear, see or understand something that is difficult to distinguish. Pattern: Transitive, separable with a noun: make out the words or make the words out; make them out. Usage: Often appears with can, could, barely or not because perception is difficult. Another example: From the back of the room, I could not make the tiny labels out. Distinction: The context selects perception, not other informal meanings of make out.

In “After lunch, we headed for the beach.”, what does “head for” mean? Travel in the direction of a place. Pattern: Inseparable: head for the beach; head for it. Usage: The destination follows for; headed is the regular past form. Another example: The coach is heading for the city centre. Distinction: Heading for a place does not establish that you have arrived there.

In “Start up the laptop while I connect the projector.”, what does “start up” mean? Make a machine or system begin operating. Pattern: Transitive, separable here: start up the laptop or start the laptop up; start it up. Usage: Also intransitive: the laptop starts up slowly. Another example: The old machine took several minutes to start up. Distinction: This sense concerns starting a device, not founding a business.

In “I woke up when the dog barked.”, what does “wake up” mean? Stop sleeping and become conscious of your surroundings. Pattern: Intransitive here: wake up, with no direct object. Past: woke up; participle: woken up. Usage: You can wake up and remain in bed. Another example: She usually wakes up before her alarm rings. Distinction: Get up means leave your bed; waking up does not require that.

In “When the problem became confusing, I turned to my tutor for help.”, what does “turn to” mean? Ask a person or use a source for help, advice or support. Pattern: Inseparable: turn to your tutor; turn to her. Usage: For can introduce the help sought. Another example: We turned to the manual when the screen froze. Distinction: This sense is about seeking help, not merely changing your physical direction.

In “Hold on a moment while I find a pen.”, what does “hold on” mean? Wait for a short time. Pattern: Intransitive here: hold on; no direct object. Past: held on. Usage: Common in conversation and on the telephone; please softens the request. Another example: Can you hold on? I need to close the window. Distinction: Hold on to something means keep a grip or keep possession; that is a different pattern.

In “We have run out of coffee, so I am making tea.”, what does “run out of” mean? Have no more of a supply because it has all been used. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: run out of coffee; run out of it. Past: ran out of. Usage: The person or place lacking the supply is the subject. Another example: The printer ran out of paper halfway through the job. Distinction: The coffee ran out uses the supply as subject and has no of-object.

In “She lived on her savings while she looked for a new job.”, what does “live on” mean? Use a particular amount or source of money to meet everyday needs. Pattern: Inseparable: live on savings; live on them. Usage: The object names the money or income supporting daily life. Another example: They could not live on the part-time wages alone. Distinction: Live on can also refer to food or continued existence; this card concerns financial support.

In “Pressure built up as the deadline approached.”, what does “build up” mean? Increase or accumulate gradually. Pattern: Intransitive here; also separable with an object: build your confidence up; build it up. Usage: Past and participle: built up. Another example: A queue built up outside the ticket office. Distinction: Build up emphasises accumulation over time, not a single sudden increase.

In “I fell behind after missing three classes.”, what does “fall behind” mean? Make less progress than required or than other people are making. Pattern: Intransitive here: fall behind. Other patterns include fall behind with your work, fall behind on payments, and fall behind schedule. Usage: Past: fell behind; participle: fallen behind. Another example: She was falling behind with her coursework, so she changed her weekly plan. Distinction: Fall behind describes losing pace; catch up describes recovering it.

In “We set up a meeting to discuss the new timetable.”, what does “set up” mean? Arrange for an activity or organised event to take place. Pattern: Transitive, separable: set up a meeting or set a meeting up; set it up. Usage: Past and participle remain set up. Another example: The coordinator set a short training session up for the new volunteers. Distinction: Set up can also mean assemble equipment; this card concerns arranging an event.

In “It took a week to settle in after the move.”, what does “settle in” mean? Become comfortable with a new place or situation. Pattern: Intransitive: settle in; no direct object in this use. Usage: Can describe a home, school or workplace. Another example: The team helped the new receptionist settle in. Distinction: Settling in is becoming comfortable; moving in is starting to live somewhere.

In “We stocked up on groceries before the long weekend.”, what does “stock up on” mean? Buy or collect enough of something to last for a while. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: stock up on rice; stock up on it. Usage: On introduces the supplies you collect. Another example: I stock up on notebooks when the school sale starts. Distinction: Stock up on describes building a supply, not using it up.

In “The weather cleared up after a rainy morning.”, what does “clear up” mean? Become brighter and less cloudy or rainy. Pattern: Intransitive here: clear up; the weather or sky is the subject. Usage: Often used when poor weather improves. Another example: We delayed our walk until it cleared up. Distinction: Clear something up can mean explain a confusion or remove a mess; weather is the subject here.

In “Remember to log out when you finish using the shared computer.”, what does “log out” mean? End your authenticated session in an account or system. Pattern: Intransitive here: log out of an account; log out of it. Also transitive and separable: the system logged me out. Usage: Log out is a two-word verb; logout can be a noun or adjective. Another example: The website logged me out after a long period of inactivity. Distinction: Closing a browser window does not necessarily mean logging out; the actions are different.

In “Three wrong passwords locked me out of my account.”, what does “lock out” mean? Prevent a person from accessing a place or system. Pattern: Transitive, separable: lock out a user or lock a user out; lock them out. Of introduces the system. Usage: Often passive: I was locked out of my account. Another example: The security setting locks unfamiliar users out until their identity is checked. Distinction: Lock up secures a place; lock someone out emphasises denied access for that person.

In “I cannot take on another project this week.”, what does “take on” mean? Accept a new task or responsibility. Pattern: Transitive, separable: take on a task or take a task on; take it on. Usage: Often appears when discussing available time or capacity. Another example: She took the organising role on after the previous leader left. Distinction: Take over means assume something from another person; take on need not involve a previous holder.

In “The teacher handed out the worksheets.”, what does “hand out” mean? Distribute items to several people. Pattern: Transitive, separable: hand out the sheets or hand the sheets out; hand them out. Usage: To can introduce the recipients. Another example: Volunteers handed maps out to visitors at the entrance. Distinction: Hand in gives work to a responsible person; hand out distributes it among recipients.

In “The company rolled out the new app to all its staff.”, what does “roll out” mean? Introduce a product, service or feature and make it available for use. Pattern: Transitive, separable: roll out the feature or roll the feature out; roll it out. Usage: Common in workplace and technology language; to can name the recipients. Another example: The library will roll the online renewal service out next month. Distinction: This figurative sense concerns introducing a service, not physically unrolling material.

In “Write down the room number so you do not forget it.”, what does “write down” mean? Make a written record of information. Pattern: Transitive, separable: write down the number or write the number down; write it down. Usage: Past: wrote down; participle: written down. Another example: I wrote the directions down on the back of the envelope. Distinction: Write down focuses on making a record, not sending a message to someone.

In “I will pick you up outside the cinema at nine.”, what does “pick up” mean? Go to a place to collect someone, usually in a vehicle. Pattern: Transitive, separable: pick up a friend or pick a friend up; pick them up. Usage: At or from can introduce the collection place. Another example: The shuttle picks guests up from the main entrance. Distinction: Pick up can also mean lift an object; the travel context selects collecting a person.

In “Print out the directions in case your phone battery runs out.”, what does “print out” mean? Produce a paper copy of digital text or images. Pattern: Transitive, separable: print out the directions or print the directions out; print them out. Usage: A printout is the corresponding noun for the paper copy. Another example: I printed the booking confirmation out and put it in my bag. Distinction: Print out produces a physical copy; saving a file does not.

In “I signed up for a free account to save my reading list.”, what does “sign up” mean? Register to join a service, group or activity. Pattern: Intransitive here: sign up; use for plus a service or to plus a following action. Usage: The account or activity can be omitted when already understood. Another example: You can sign up to receive the museum's monthly newsletter. Distinction: Log in accesses an existing account; sign up registers you in the first place.

In “A fire broke out in the empty warehouse overnight.”, what does “break out” mean? Start suddenly, especially an unwelcome event such as a fire or conflict. Pattern: Intransitive here: break out. Past: broke out; participle: broken out. Usage: The event is the subject; in can name the location. Another example: An argument broke out when the result was announced. Distinction: Break out of a place describes escaping; this card concerns an event starting.

In “Everyone chipped in to buy a farewell gift.”, what does “chip in” mean? Contribute a share of money toward a shared cost. Pattern: Intransitive here: chip in; with can introduce a contribution and for can introduce the purpose. Usage: An amount may follow directly: chip in five pounds. Another example: If six of us chip in, we can cover the room hire. Distinction: Chip in can also mean join a conversation; this card concerns money.

In “This screen keeps the insects out.”, what does “keep out” mean? Prevent someone or something from entering. Pattern: Transitive, separable here: keep out the insects or keep the insects out; keep them out. Usage: The sign Keep out! uses the same phrase without an expressed object as a warning. Another example: Thick curtains help keep the street light out. Distinction: Keep someone out prevents entry; lock someone out specifically involves denying access by locking.

In “He said goodbye and hung up.”, what does “hang up” mean? End a telephone call. Pattern: Intransitive here: hang up. Past and participle: hung up. Usage: Hang up on someone means end the call abruptly while speaking to them. Another example: Please do not hang up; I am still checking the address. Distinction: Hang up your coat is a separate transitive clothing sense.

In “Add up the receipts so we can check what we spent.”, what does “add up” mean? Calculate a total by combining separate numbers or amounts. Pattern: Transitive, separable here: add up the amounts or add the amounts up; add them up. Usage: The object names the numbers or documents containing them. Another example: I added the three prices up on a scrap of paper. Distinction: The costs add up uses an intransitive sense meaning accumulate; this card concerns calculating a total.

In “Log in before you try to view your saved documents.”, what does “log in” mean? Enter a digital account or system by identifying yourself. Pattern: Intransitive here: log in; to introduces the system: log in to your account; log in to it. Usage: Log in is a two-word verb; login is commonly a noun or adjective. Another example: I could not log in because I had forgotten my password. Distinction: Signing up creates an account; logging in accesses an existing one.

In “Get off the train at the next station.”, what does “get off” mean? Leave a bus, train, plane or similar form of transport. Pattern: Inseparable with a vehicle object: get off the train; get off it. Usage: Can stand alone: this is our stop, so we should get off. Another example: I realised I had left my scarf behind just after I got off the bus. Distinction: Get out of is usual for leaving a car.

In “Please give my umbrella back when you have finished with it.”, what does “give back” mean? Return something to the person it belongs to or came from. Pattern: Transitive, separable: give back the umbrella or give the umbrella back; give it back. Usage: To can name the recipient: give it back to her. Another example: I gave the borrowed charger back to my colleague. Distinction: Give back focuses on restoring possession, not necessarily taking an item to a shop.

In “The picnic went ahead despite the cloudy weather.”, what does “go ahead” mean? Proceed as planned or begin an action that has been discussed. Pattern: Intransitive here; with can introduce the plan: go ahead with it. Usage: Go ahead! can also give someone permission to proceed. Another example: We are waiting for the room booking before we go ahead. Distinction: Go ahead concerns proceeding; go ahead of someone can describe being physically in front.

In “Shut down the computer after saving your work.”, what does “shut down” mean? Stop a machine or system through its closing procedure. Pattern: Transitive, separable here: shut down the computer or shut the computer down; shut it down. Usage: Also intransitive: the computer shut down. Past and participle: shut down. Another example: The technician shut the server down before replacing the part. Distinction: A shutdown is the related noun; shutting a laptop lid does not always shut the computer down.

In “I took the faulty kettle back to the shop.”, what does “take back” mean? Return a purchased or borrowed item to the place it came from. Pattern: Transitive, separable: take back the kettle or take the kettle back; take it back. Usage: To names the place receiving the returned item. Another example: These shoes are too small, so I am taking them back tomorrow. Distinction: Take back describes returning the item; it does not guarantee a refund.

In “Fold up the blanket and put it on the shelf.”, what does “fold up” mean? Bend an item into a smaller, compact shape. Pattern: Transitive, separable here: fold up the blanket or fold the blanket up; fold it up. Usage: Common objects include blankets, maps and folding furniture. Another example: We folded the picnic chairs up before it started raining. Distinction: A chair can also fold up by itself; this card has someone folding an object.

In “He grew up in a busy household with four cousins.”, what does “grow up” mean? Develop from childhood into adulthood. Pattern: Intransitive: grow up. Past: grew up; participle: grown up. Usage: In or with can describe the childhood setting. Another example: We grew up speaking two languages at home. Distinction: Bring someone up is transitive and describes raising a child; grow up describes the child's development.

In “I will freshen up before we go to dinner.”, what does “freshen up” mean? Wash or make small changes to feel cleaner and more comfortable. Pattern: Intransitive here: freshen up; no direct object. Usage: Often refers to briefly washing your face or adjusting your appearance. Another example: There is time to freshen up after the journey. Distinction: Freshen something up can mean improve its appearance; this card concerns personal care.

In “I am looking forward to seeing my cousins this weekend.”, what does “look forward to” mean? Feel pleased and eager about a future event. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: look forward to the visit; look forward to it. A following verb uses -ing. Usage: To is a preposition here: look forward to meeting, not look forward to meet. Another example: We are looking forward to our first evening in the new house. Distinction: Looking forward to something usually expresses pleasure, not merely expecting it to happen.

In “I cannot put up with this constant noise any longer.”, what does “put up with” mean? Tolerate something unpleasant or annoying. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: put up with the noise; put up with it. Usage: Often appears in negative statements or questions about tolerance. Another example: They put up with the cramped kitchen because they loved the flat. Distinction: Put someone up means give them accommodation; put up with someone means tolerate them.

In “I could not keep up with the lecturer's rapid explanation.”, what does “keep up with” mean? Maintain the same pace or level of progress as someone or something. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: keep up with the lecturer; keep up with her. Usage: Past and participle: kept up with. Another example: The group slowed down so everyone could keep up with them. Distinction: Catch up with means reach a level after being behind; keep up with means maintain the pace.

In “The café was closed, so we ended up eating in the park.”, what does “end up” mean? Finally arrive at a situation, often through an unplanned chain of events. Pattern: Use end up plus -ing, an adjective or a place phrase; no separable direct object. Usage: The final result may differ from the original intention. Another example: I only wanted a notebook but ended up buying a whole set of pens. Distinction: Use end up doing, not end up to do.

In “I am saving up enough money for a bicycle.”, what does “save up” mean? Keep money over time until you have enough for a purpose. Pattern: Transitive, separable with money: save up the money or save the money up; save it up. Usage: Also intransitive: save up for a bicycle. Another example: We saved up for months before replacing the old sofa. Distinction: Save up emphasises accumulating money, not simply getting a discount.

In “The manager spelled out exactly what each volunteer should do.”, what does “spell out” mean? Explain something fully and clearly, leaving little to infer. Pattern: Transitive, separable with a noun: spell out the rules or spell the rules out; spell them out. Usage: Both spelled and spelt occur as past forms. Another example: Please spell the costs out before I agree to anything. Distinction: This figurative sense is about explicit explanation, not naming letters.

In “We tidied up the bedroom before our guests arrived.”, what does “tidy up” mean? Make a place orderly by putting things where they belong. Pattern: Transitive, separable here: tidy up the room or tidy the room up; tidy it up. Usage: Also used without an object: I need to tidy up. Another example: Please tidy your desk up before you leave. Distinction: Tidying mainly concerns order; cleaning mainly concerns dirt.

In “The milk boiled over and spilled onto the stove.”, what does “boil over” mean? Rise over the edge of a container while boiling. Pattern: Intransitive: boil over; the liquid or its container can be the subject. Usage: Describes overflowing, not simply reaching boiling point. Another example: Watch the pot so the pasta water does not boil over. Distinction: Boil away means disappear as vapour; boil over means spill over the edge.

In “Who is dealing with the missing delivery?”, what does “deal with” mean? Take responsibility for handling a problem, task or situation. Pattern: Inseparable: deal with the problem; deal with it. Past and participle: dealt with. Usage: The phrase identifies handling; it does not guarantee a successful solution. Another example: The receptionist dealt with our request quickly. Distinction: Deal in describes buying or selling a type of goods; deal with here means handle.

In “The diagram helped her get the idea across.”, what does “get across” mean? Communicate an idea so that other people understand it. Pattern: Transitive, separable here: get across an idea or get an idea across; get it across. Usage: To names the audience: get the message across to the class. Another example: I could not get my main point across in the short interview. Distinction: A message can also get across without an expressed communicator as subject.

In “The applause died down, and the speaker began.”, what does “die down” mean? Become quieter, weaker or less intense. Pattern: Intransitive: die down; no direct object. Usage: Often describes noise, wind, excitement or an argument. Another example: We waited for the strong wind to die down before leaving. Distinction: Die down means diminish; it does not necessarily mean stop completely.

In “Can I try on this coat before I buy it?”, what does “try on” mean? Put clothing on briefly to see whether it fits or suits you. Pattern: Transitive, separable: try on the coat or try the coat on; try it on. Usage: Use for clothing, shoes and accessories worn on the body. Another example: These glasses look unusual, but try them on. Distinction: Try out tests how something works; try on tests clothing on your body.

In “During the quiet month, we got by on a smaller income.”, what does “get by” mean? Manage to live or cope with what is available, even if it is limited. Pattern: Intransitive: get by; on can introduce the resources available. Usage: Often suggests managing adequately without much to spare. Another example: My old laptop is slow, but I can get by with it for now. Distinction: Get by means manage, not necessarily succeed comfortably or make progress.

In “We weighed up the advantages and disadvantages before choosing.”, what does “weigh up” mean? Compare the relevant facts or options carefully before making a decision. Pattern: Transitive, separable: weigh up the options or weigh the options up; weigh them up. Usage: Especially British English; weigh the options without up is also standard. Another example: I weighed the two routes up and chose the quieter one. Distinction: This figurative use is about judging options, not measuring physical weight.

In “The booking website went down just before I finished.”, what does “go down” mean? Stop being available or functioning, usually temporarily. Pattern: Intransitive here: go down; the service or system is the subject. Usage: Common informal language for a service outage. Another example: The network went down during the afternoon meeting. Distinction: Go down can mean decrease, but the website context selects a failure of availability.

In “After the disappointing match, the team bounced back the following week.”, what does “bounce back” mean? Recover confidence, strength or success after a setback. Pattern: Intransitive: bounce back; from can introduce the setback. Usage: Often suggests a fairly strong or quick recovery. Another example: The small shop bounced back after a difficult winter. Distinction: The figurative sense concerns recovery, not a ball physically rebounding.

In “I opened the car door and got in beside my brother.”, what does “get in” mean? Enter a car or another small enclosed vehicle. Pattern: Intransitive here: get in. Use get into the taxi when naming it; get into it. Usage: Usually contrasts with get on for a bus, train or plane. Another example: I held the car door while my grandmother got in. Distinction: This card concerns entering a vehicle, not a train getting in at its destination.

In “The café put its prices up when its rent increased.”, what does “put up” mean? Increase an amount that someone charges. Pattern: Transitive, separable: put up the prices or put the prices up; put them up. Usage: Common with prices, rent and fees, especially in British English. Another example: They put the delivery charge up by two pounds. Distinction: Prices go up without an agent as subject; a business puts prices up.

In “I had to fork out a lot of money for a last-minute ticket.”, what does “fork out” mean? Pay money, often more than you wanted or expected to pay. Pattern: Transitive, separable with an amount: fork out the money or fork the money out; fork it out. Usage: Informal, especially British English; for introduces the expense. Fork out for something also occurs; fork over is common in American English. Another example: We forked out for a replacement lock after losing the key. Distinction: Fork out often suggests reluctance or a high cost; pay is more neutral.

In “The old cardboard box fell apart when I lifted it.”, what does “fall apart” mean? Break into pieces or lose the structure that holds it together. Pattern: Intransitive: fall apart. Past: fell apart; participle: fallen apart. Usage: Can also be used figuratively for a plan or organisation that stops holding together. Another example: My favourite shoes are starting to fall apart at the seams. Distinction: Take apart is something a person does to an object; fall apart describes the object losing its structure.

In “A network fault cut us off halfway through the call.”, what does “cut off” mean? Interrupt a telephone or online connection so communication stops. Pattern: Transitive, separable: cut off the callers or cut the callers off; cut us off. Usage: Often passive: we were cut off. Past and participle: cut off. Another example: Sorry, I got cut off before you gave me the address. Distinction: Hang up usually describes ending a call intentionally; being cut off can be accidental.

In “I followed up on my application with a short email.”, what does “follow up on” mean? Take further action about something that has already happened or begun. Pattern: Three-part pattern: follow up on the application; follow up on it. Usage: This on-pattern is especially associated with American English; follow something up is another common pattern. Another example: The tutor followed up on my question by sending a useful diagram. Distinction: As a verb, follow up has no hyphen; follow-up is used as a noun or adjective.

In “You left out the date when you copied the invitation.”, what does “leave out” mean? Omit something that could or should be included. Pattern: Transitive, separable: leave out the date or leave the date out; leave it out. Usage: Past and participle: left out. Another example: Please do not leave the final step out of the instructions. Distinction: Leave out concerns omission; leave behind concerns not taking something with you.

In “After a while, she opened up about why she had left the job.”, what does “open up” mean? Begin speaking more freely about personal thoughts or feelings. Pattern: Intransitive here: open up; to introduces a listener and about introduces a topic. Usage: Often suggests that the person was previously reluctant to talk. Another example: It took time for Ben to open up to his new friend. Distinction: Open up a shop is a different transitive use; this card concerns personal communication.

In “The lovely view made up for the cramped room.”, what does “make up for” mean? Provide something positive that compensates for a loss, problem or disappointment. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: make up for the inconvenience; make up for it. Usage: For can be followed by an -ing form: make up for arriving late. Another example: The organiser added an extra session to make up for the cancelled lesson. Distinction: Make up with someone means become friendly again; make up for something means compensate for it.

In “The small bakery sold out of bread before noon.”, what does “sell out” mean? Sell all the available stock so that none remains. Pattern: Intransitive here: sell out; of introduces the item: sell out of it. Usage: A product or event can also sell out: the tickets sold out. Another example: We arrived too late; the stall had already sold out. Distinction: A sold-out show has no tickets left; it does not necessarily mean the performance has happened.

In “Someone broke into her email account and changed the password.”, what does “break into” mean? Gain access to a place or system without permission. Pattern: Inseparable: break into an account; break into it. Past: broke into; participle: broken into. Usage: The same pattern can describe unlawful entry into a building. Another example: The company investigated how an outsider had broken into the database. Distinction: Break down means stop functioning; break into here means gain unauthorised access.

In “We sent the damaged plates back to the seller.”, what does “send back” mean? Return an item by post, delivery or another means of sending it. Pattern: Transitive, separable: send back the plates or send the plates back; send them back. Usage: Past and participle: sent back. Another example: The wrong size arrived, so I sent it back in the original box. Distinction: Take back often involves carrying the item yourself; send back uses a sending process.

In “We put together a plan for the community event.”, what does “put together” mean? Combine ideas or components to create a useful whole. Pattern: Transitive, separable: put together a plan or put a plan together; put it together. Usage: Can refer to a written plan, a team, a collection or a physical object. Another example: I put a short list of questions together before the interview. Distinction: Together describes assembling parts into a whole, not just placing unrelated items nearby.

In “The younger players look up to their patient coach.”, what does “look up to” mean? Respect and admire someone. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: look up to the coach; look up to her. Usage: The person admired is often a role model. Another example: I have always looked up to my aunt for her courage. Distinction: Look someone up means search for information or contact them; look up to someone means admire them.

In “Her grandparents brought her up in a small coastal town.”, what does “bring up” mean? Care for a child and guide them as they grow. Pattern: Transitive, separable: bring up a child or bring a child up; bring her up. Usage: Past and participle: brought up; often passive: was brought up. Another example: They brought their children up to be considerate of others. Distinction: Bring up a topic means mention it; the child-rearing sense is distinct.

In “He dozed off halfway through the quiet train journey.”, what does “doze off” mean? Fall into a light sleep, often without planning to. Pattern: Intransitive: doze off; no direct object. Usage: Often used when someone is tired and sitting still. Another example: I nearly dozed off while waiting for the laundry to finish. Distinction: Doze describes light sleep; doze off marks its beginning.

In “We cleaned up the kitchen after making pizza.”, what does “clean up” mean? Remove dirt or mess from a place. Pattern: Transitive, separable here: clean up the kitchen or clean the kitchen up; clean it up. Usage: Can also stand without an object when the mess is understood. Another example: The spilled paint took an hour to clean up. Distinction: Clean up does not necessarily mean rearrange belongings neatly.

In “The empty shop turned into a small community library.”, what does “turn into” mean? Change and become something different. Pattern: Inseparable in this pattern: turn into a library; turn into one. Usage: Also transitive with the original thing before into: turn the shop into a library. Another example: What began as a short chat turned into a two-hour discussion. Distinction: The thing after into is the resulting form, not the agent causing the change.

In “The unexpected letter cheered her up.”, what does “cheer up” mean? Make someone feel happier when they are sad or discouraged. Pattern: Transitive, separable here: cheer up a friend or cheer a friend up; cheer them up. Usage: Also intransitive: she cheered up when the music started. Another example: I sent Dan a funny drawing to cheer him up. Distinction: Cheer up is about improving mood, not cheering for a sports team.

In “The damaged engine blew up with a loud bang.”, what does “blow up” mean? Explode suddenly. Pattern: Intransitive here: blow up. Past: blew up; participle: blown up. Usage: Also transitive and separable when someone causes an explosion: blow it up. Another example: Everyone moved away when they thought the car might blow up. Distinction: Blow up a photograph means enlarge it; the explosion context selects a different sense.

In “Could you fill me in on what happened at the meeting?”, what does “fill in” mean? Give someone the information they are missing. Pattern: Use fill someone in on something: fill me in on it. The person comes before in; the topic follows on. Usage: Informal and common when someone missed an event or discussion. Another example: I filled Alex in on the changes before the next customer arrived. Distinction: Fill in a form means complete it; fill someone in means inform them.

In “I spent Sunday catching up on the reading I had missed.”, what does “catch up on” mean? Do work or obtain information that you have fallen behind on. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: catch up on the reading; catch up on it. Usage: On introduces the delayed task or missed information. Another example: After the holiday, I needed an hour to catch up on my emails. Distinction: Catch up with someone can mean reach their level or meet for news; this card uses on for overdue work.

In “What time did you get back from the trip?”, what does “get back” mean? Return and arrive at a place where you were before. Pattern: Intransitive here: get back; use to plus a destination, but get back home without to. Usage: From names the place or activity you return from. Another example: We got back to the campsite just before dark. Distinction: Go back focuses on returning movement; get back commonly focuses on arrival.

In “We cut back on takeaway meals to reduce our spending.”, what does “cut back on” mean? Reduce how much you use, buy or do something. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: cut back on spending; cut back on it. Usage: Can be followed by an -ing activity: cut back on eating out. Another example: I am cutting back on unnecessary subscriptions this year. Distinction: Cut back on means reduce; cut out can mean remove completely.

In “He came down with a cold just before the holiday.”, what does “come down with” mean? Begin to have an illness. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: come down with a cold; come down with it. Usage: Conversational; the illness follows with. Another example: Two members of the cast came down with the flu before opening night. Distinction: Come down without with can mean decrease; this pattern describes becoming ill.

In “He copied the homework and thought he could get away with it.”, what does “get away with” mean? Do something wrong without being caught, criticised or punished for it. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: get away with cheating; get away with it. Usage: With can be followed by a noun, pronoun or -ing form. Another example: The film's dishonest character does not get away with the theft. Distinction: Get away from describes escape from a place or person; get away with concerns avoiding consequences.

In “Could you speak up? The people at the back cannot hear you.”, what does “speak up” mean? Speak more loudly so that others can hear. Pattern: Intransitive in this sense: speak up. Past: spoke up; participle: spoken up. Usage: Common in requests when someone's voice is too quiet. Another example: The room was noisy, so the guide had to speak up. Distinction: Speak out usually concerns expressing an opinion openly, not just volume.

In “We came up against a rule that prevented the late booking.”, what does “come up against” mean? Encounter a difficulty, limit or opposition while trying to do something. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: come up against a problem; come up against it. Usage: Past: came up against; participle: come up against. Another example: The organisers came up against unexpected resistance to the venue change. Distinction: Come up with produces an idea; come up against encounters an obstacle.

In “We checked out of the hotel at ten.”, what does “check out” mean? Complete the departure procedure at a hotel. Pattern: Intransitive here: check out; use of plus the hotel. Usage: Often involves returning the key and settling any remaining bill. Another example: Could we leave our bags here after we check out? Distinction: Check something out can mean examine it; this card concerns leaving a hotel.

In “We need to face up to the fact that the plan is too expensive.”, what does “face up to” mean? Accept an unpleasant reality and stop avoiding it. Pattern: Three-part, inseparable: face up to the problem; face up to it. Usage: Can be followed by an -ing form: face up to losing the venue. Another example: He finally faced up to his mistake and apologised. Distinction: Face up to adds acceptance and willingness to confront something, not simply looking toward it.

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