https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkxE4ttcHUo&ab_channel=SpeakEnglishwithChristina
How do you feel about phrasal verbs in English?
Love them? Hate them? Both?
If you’re like many of my clients who work with American colleagues and business contacts, you might love AND hate phrasal verbs.
After all, they make you sound so much more natural and advanced.
By starting to learn these handy expressions you can take the overly formal English you learned in school and start to have fun and sound at ease. You might even start to feel like yourself in English.
Once you’ll learn them, you’ll find you use them all the time in:
- small talk and casual conversation
- serious meetings and discussions
- outside of work in everyday conversations
But…
When you look at those long lists of phrasal verbs, it can feel really stressful.
There are so many!
They’re hard to remember and use correctly.
And it can feel like you’ll never be able to learn them.
I remember teaching in English schools before I started my own company and seeing a lot of smart people struggle with phrasal verbs.
So know this: if phrasal verbs stress you out a little…you’re not alone.
But you already have an advantage: Here you are, searching out effective and smart ways to learn the phrasal verbs that will help you sound natural in English–and feel more confident.
Instead of sticking to traditional learning strategies that aren’t working for you, you’re going to try something different.
So let’s get into those new and effective techniques together!
Today, I’ll share 7 phrasal verbs with you today…using a trick I learned as a neurolanguage coach. It relies on brain science to work–and it’s fun too!
Let’s get started!
Index:
1. Learn 7 phrasal verbs today with effective learning strategies: #1 skip the lists and try this instead.
2. Learn 7 phrasal verbs today with effective learning strategies: #2 a story to help you remember.
3. Learn 7 phrasal verbs today with effective learning strategies: #3 understand the 7 phrasal verbs
4. Learn 7 phrasal verbs today with effective learning strategies: #4 use it so you don’t lose it!
Do you want to master 30 phrasal verbs in 30 days? Take the phrasal verbs challenge!
1. Learn 7 phrasal verbs today with effective learning strategies: #1 skip the lists.
I’ll bet you’ve had this experience:
A teacher in a high school, university or language school hands you a list of words to learn.
And you try to memorize them.
Again and again.
And it doesn’t work.
You might even start to feel bad about yourself as a language-learner–but you shouldn’t.
As a neurolanguage coach, I can tell you that our brains don’t work that way.
You need context to remember new expressions. The kind of context that comes from learning something through immersion. It’s what happens when you go to an English speaking country and LIVE English for a while. You learn new vocabulary in a specific situation. And that entire situation–the context– helps you remember.
But you don’t have to travel to another country. You can create the kind of context your brain needs by yourself. It’s effective, easy and fun. You can use a story to help you remember.
I’m going to share a story with you so that you will have context–and a memorable way to help you learn 7 phrasal verbs that I’ve picked just for you.
Also check out my lesson: 4 Phrasal Verbs with Get
2. Learn 7 phrasal verbs today with effective learning strategies: #2 a story to help you remember.
How to use this story to learn phrasal verbs:
As you read the story, try to identify the phrasal verbs.
If you miss them, that’s ok too.
After the story, I’ll explain each phrasal verb. Plus, I’ll give you the opportunity to practice.
Now, take a minute to read the story and find a many phrasal verbs as you can:
Sophie set up her business a few years ago. For the first few years, things were pretty good. And despite the Covid crisis of 2020, she managed to get by. But even if she pulled through, it wasn’t easy, and her business suffered a little bit. But Sophie decided that would not get her down!
At the start of the new year, she decided to go over her objectives for the next 12 months. This year, she really wants to come up with a plan, to have a great year. She decided that this year, she will finally get around to something she always wanted to do: Become better at English!
Also check out my lesson: 4 Phrasal Verbs with Up
3. Learn 7 phrasal verbs today with effective learning strategies: #3 the 7 phrasal verb explained
Did you find all the phrasal verbs in the story? If you think you missed a few, don’t worry.
Remember, the act of searching and reading the story is already helping you learn effectively.
Now, let’s take another step towards remembering these 7 phrasal verbs. Let me explain them to you so they are even more meaningful. And so you can take another step towards remembering them.
Phrasal verb #1 to set up:
Sophie set up her business a few years ago.
Definition in this context: To create a business, institution, or other organization.
Phrasal verb #2 to get by:
Despite the Covid crisis of 2020, she managed to get by.
Definition: To be able to manage a situation, but with difficulty. Usually the difficulty is due to a lack of money or other resources.
Phrasal verb #3 to pull through:
But even if she pulled through, it wasn’t easy, and her business suffered a little bit.
Definition: To survive an illness or other dangerous situation
Phrasal verb #4 to get someone down:
But Sophie decided that would not get her down!
Definition: To depress or demoralize someone. Notice that the structure is “get SOMEONE down”
Phrasal verb #5 to go over:
At the start of the new year, she decided to go over her objectives for the next 12 months.
Definition: To examine or look at something in a careful or detailed way.
Phrasal verb #6 to come up with:
This year, she really wants to come up with a plan, to have a great year.
Definition: To suggest or think of an idea or plan.
Phrasal verb #7 to get around to
She decided that this year, she will finally get around to something she always wanted to do: Become better at English!
Definition: To finally do something after wanting to do it for a long time
4. Learn 7 phrasal verbs today with effective learning strategies: #4 use it so you don’t lose it!
We are so lucky today to have brain science here to tell us exactly how we learn languages.
And one of the things it tells us is no surprise: you need repetition if you want these new phrasal verbs to be part of your active vocabulary. That is, if you want to be able to use them in real situations, in your real life, when you are having a conversation.
Don’t skip the repetition.
If you don’t use it, you lose it!
How will you review these 7 phrasal verbs and take the last step towards making them part of your real-world English?
You could save this story and read it again.
Or make yourself some cards to practice.
Or you could practice right here in the comments…
Also check out my lesson: 5 Phrasal Verbs in English
Take the next step: Improve your English in the comments
The best way to become more confident using Business English is to practice!
Here’s your weekly challenge for this week:
- Tell me your favorite phrasal verb from today’s lesson. Share it in the comments.
- Use it in an example sentence that you could use in your life and write that here.
If you learned something from this lesson, please share it with your coworkers & friends. You can send your message to them in English for more practice!
Stop struggling to learn & use phrasal verbs in English
If you would like to master 30 phrasal verbs in 30 days, take the 30-Day Phrasal Verb Challenge!
I’ll send you one short exercise per day for 30 days. In 5 minutes per day, you’ll effortlessly add 30 new phrasal verbs to your English vocabulary!
And it’s fun!
To start the 30-Day Challenge today, go to https://christinarebuffetcourses.com/30-day-phrasal-verb-challenge-join-now
Can’t wait to see you in the Challenge,
Christina
