Wednesday 16 January 2008

Phrasal Verbs

"There is another kind of composition more frequent in our language than perhaps in any other, from which arises to foreigners the greatest difficulty. We modify the signification of many words by a particle subjoined"
Samuel Johnson, Preface to the Dictionary of the English Language, 1755
Put off???
Run into???
Come up with???

Problems with Phrasal Verbs?

What is a Phrasal Verb?

A phrasal verb is composed by a simple verb and (i) an adverbial particle; (ii) a preposition or (iii) and adverbial particle and a preposition. The meaning of this "composition" is different from that of its separate parts. The phrasal verbs reflect the capacity of economy in language, and are widely used in English.
To find the meaning of these (and other) phrasal verbs, go to:
http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/search.php

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