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Learners sometimes have problems with this issue when they try to
avoid phrasal verbs by using a single word verb instead. This is
particularly true when they have a similar word in their own language,
for example tolerate in English and tolérer in French or tolerar in Spanish. Although the meaning is the
same, tolerate is a more formal word in English. In speech, we would be much more likely to say put up
with: I don’t know how she puts up with his behaviour.
Unfortunately, verbs like tolerate are not always so formal that they have a formal label in a dictionary,
so here are a few useful ones where it sounds more natural to use the phrasal verb in everything except
formal writing:
cohabit/live together: They have been living together for two years.
decelerate/slow down: You need to slow down when you go round the corner.
omit/leave out: You should fill in the form, but leave out the bit about your education.
rebuke/tell off: The teacher told them off for talking in class.
replace/put back: She borrows my pens and never puts them back.
resemble/take after: He’s very tall. He takes after his father.
return/go back: We went back to the same restaurant the next week.
rise/go up: Prices are going up but my wages stay the same.
sacrifice/give up: She had to give up her university place to care for her sister.
If you use a single verb in sentences like these, people will understand your meaning. However, you
would lose marks in an exam for using words that are too formal. If you want your spoken English to
sound as natural as possible, I’m afraid you can’t avoid phrasal verbs. The ones in this list are all
common and worth learning.
Posted in the English language | Tagged English language, phrasal verbs, vocabulary |
9 comments
I want to know if i online Cambridge Advance learners dictionary is available in android appstore?
Can we buy and use it offline?
I am not realy find suitable words to express my feelings better to thank you our teachers . My
I am not realy find suitable words to express my feelings better to thank you our teachers . My
problem till now I am not able to deal with phrasal verbs . Can you please re write my comment
correctly using phrasal verbs .
I used deal with unconsciously .
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