Phrasal Verbs

Form
  | Positive | Negative | Question |
I / he / she / it | I was speaking. | I was not speaking. | Was I speaking? |
you / we / they | You were speaking. | You were not speaking. | Were you speaking? |
Exceptions in Spelling
Exceptions in spelling when adding ing | Example |
final e is dropped (but: ee is not changed) | come – coming
(but: agree – agreeing) |
after a short,stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled | sit – sitting |
l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled (in British English) | travel – travelling |
final ie becomes y | lie – lying |
Use of Past Progressive
* puts emphasis on the course of an action in the past
Example: He was playing football.
* two actions happening at the same time (in the past)
Example: While she waspreparing dinner, he was washing the dishes.
* action going on at a certain time in the past
Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.

Phrasal Verbs List
Phrasal verbs are usually two-word phrases consisting of verb + adverb or verb + preposition. Think of them as you would any other English vocabulary. Study them as you come across them, rather than trying to memorize manyat once. Use the list below as a reference guide when you find an expression that you don't recognize. The examples will help you understand the meanings. If you think of each phrasal verb as a separate verb with a specific meaning, you will be able to remember it more easily. Like many other verbs, phrasal verbs often have more than one meaning.
This list shows about 200 common phrasal verbs,with meanings and examples. Only the most usual meanings are given. Some phrasal verbs may have additional meanings.
As well as learning their meanings, you need to learn how to use phrasal verbs properly. Some phrasal verbs require a direct object (someone/something), while others do not. Some phrasal verbs can be separated by the object, while others cannot. Review this phrasal verbs grammar fromtime to time so that you don't forget the rules!
Verb | Meaning | Example |
ask someone out | invite on a date | Brian asked Judy out to dinner and a movie. |
ask around | ask many people the same question | I asked around but nobody has seen my wallet. |
add up to something | equal | Your purchases add up to $205.32. |
back something up | reverse | You'll have to back up your car sothat I can get out. |
back someone up | support | My wife backed me up over my decision to quit my job. |
blow up | explode | The racing car blew up after it crashed into the fence. |
blow something up | add air | We have to blow 50 balloons up for the party. |
break down | stop functioning (vehicle, machine) | Our car broke down at the side of the highway in the snowstorm. |
break down |get upset | The woman broke down when the police told her that her son had died. |
break somethingdown | divide into smaller parts | Our teacher broke the final project downinto three separate parts. |
break in | force entry to a building | Somebody broke in last night and stole our stereo. |
break into something | enter forcibly | The firemen had to break into the room to rescue thechildren. |
break something in | wear something a few times so that it doesn't look/feel new | I need to break these shoes in before we run next week. |
break in | interrupt | The TV station broke in to report the news of the president's death. |
break up | end a relationship | My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved to America. |
break up | start laughing (informal) | The kids just broke up assoon as the clown started talking. |
break out | escape | The prisoners broke out of jail when the guards weren't looking. |
break out insomething | develop a skin condition | I broke out in a rash after our camping trip. |
bring someone down | make unhappy | This sad music is bringing me down. |
bring someone up | raise a child | My grandparents brought me up after my parents died. |...