Phrasal verbs and idioms for advanced level

Sooner or later, when learning a foreign language, there are various kinds of difficulties. Phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions are those pitfalls that "excite" most English learners, from a student of a prestigious language university to an ordinary traveler-lover.

Things to remember

The problem is not even in phrasal verbs themselves or idioms themselves, namely in prepositions that are used with nouns, adjectives, verbs or participles of the past tense without any logic. You just need to remember that after the interest is in, after good follows at, and go home does not require any pretexts at all.

What is a phrasal verb?

Phrasal verbs are verbs that are one with one or more official words, which can be prepositions and / or adverbs. For example, stand for is a combination of a verb with a preposition, go off is a combination of a verb with an adverb, and stand in for includes a verb, an adverb, and a preposition. If additional auxiliary words change the meaning of the main verb, then the combination is called a phrasal verb, since henceforth has an idiomatic meaning different from those that used the components used in the past.

Phrasal verbs in use: values

However, there are times when the meaning of the phrasal verb and the meaning of its main verb are identical or similar in meaning. And, thus, they do not have idiomatic characteristics. So, not all phrasal verbs are translated in a figurative meaning. For example, to run up literally means "to run upwards" (it does not carry the above mentioned character), when in portable it can be translated as "increase in price".

Some phrasal verbs, as mentioned above, are similar in meaning to the main verb. In such cases, the basic interpretation remains unchanged, but the service words create conditions for an additional value. For example, in the sentence: The plane fly on to New York - the component on indicates that the plane continues to fly. Thus, the phrasal verb fly on reflects an action that lasts for a specified period of time.

Phrasal verbs: list of phrasal verbs for advanced level

For an illustrative example, let's take several topics with the most used phrasal verbs and idioms in the proposed thematic framework.

Theme No. 1.Hospital

The first group of verbs refers to hospital topics.

1. To come through smth. Move, recover or recover from a serious illness or situation.
2. To build up. 1) Increase power, energy. 2) To help someone to move away from any accident / event, to do again strong, especially after the illness.
3. To fight smth / smb off. To win a victory over something unpleasant or over any impending threat (for example, to overcome an infection, cold).
4. To go ahead with smth. Continue to do something (for example, take pills).
5. To wear off. Gradually disappear until the complete cessation of existence.
6. To bring smth on. To bring on a disease or pain.
7. To feel up to doing smth. Be able to do something (both physically and mentally).
8. To try smth out on smb. To test an object for effectiveness (for example, painkillers or other medications).

Phrasal verbs + idiomatic expressions

1. To be up and about. Survive the disease and return to normal.
2. To be over the worst. Start to recover after a previous illness.
3. To be in good hands. To be in good hands (this is what they say about caring medical staff).
4. To take a turn for the worse / better. Suddenly feel deterioration or improvement in the condition (for example, during rehabilitation).
5. To live through smth. Go through difficult times, without breaking (survive war or famine).
6. To go through smth. Go through difficult times. For example, to endure severe pain, postpone the operation.

Topic 2. Features of character

This list of phrasal verbs is applicable for describing a person and the characteristics of his character. Some expressions are suitable for emphasizing someone's success and positive traits, while others are irreplaceable in order to note the fact of unexpected disclosure of qualities of nature that are not characteristic of someone. Also, the following phrasal verbs will help express someone's feelings towards another person.

1. To make of someone or smth. Have an impression of someone or something.
2. To turn out to be someone or smth. Reveal from the other side in someone's eyes (randomly).
3. To come off. To have success in overcoming certain difficulties, to be successful in something (for example, to succeed in implementing a plan, in promoting an idea).
4. To put someone off someone or smth. Dissuade another person from something (from rapprochement with someone).
5. To live up to smth. To achieve the expected aspirations. For example, the proper level, the long-awaited impressions.
6. To come across. To be well understood (about communication, idea).
7. To put smth across. Pass the idea to other people easily and at ease, be communicative, skillfully express their thoughts.

The next portion of phrasal verbs is suitable for describing not only the human person, but also for determining the nature of the relationship between people.

1. To hand smth over. Give (hand) someone some object with the right to own and control it.
2. To take someone in. Deliberately deceive, mislead anyone.
3. To talk someone into doing something. To persuade someone to do something, to take up some business. Such a statement is most often used in a negative context, for example, when one person persuades another to take some action (legal or illegal), in which the latter will later repent or be punished for them. And the first does it intentionally.
4. To come across as smth. Create the impression of the owner of some specific features, characteristics.
5. To get away with smth. Get rid of criticism and punishment for anything.
6. To pass someone or smth. Issue someone or something for what that object or that person, in fact, is not.
7. To go by something. To judge (for example, on clothes, at first sight).
8. To see through someone or smth. See the real essence of man, not paying attention to the pleasant outer shell.

Before the difficulties do not recede

Despite the complexity of phrasal verbs and idioms, students do not lose the desire to study them. They understand that phrasal verbs are an important part of English, especially spoken language. It is also clear to students that the understanding of idioms contributes to successful communication with citizens of English-speaking countries.