Phrasal verbs are extremely common in English. Phrasal verbs are verbs that are made up of a verb and a particle (a preposition OR an adverb) or a verb and two particles (an adverb AND a preposition). To improve your vocabulary, it’s important to use phrasal verbs in your speaking and writing. To do this, write complete sentences, or even better, write dialogues to remember how they are used in a context. Then, read your sentences or dialogues aloud. In the first week, read your dialogues aloud every day. In the second week, read your dialogues on alternate days (every second day). In the third week, read them aloud once a week. Repetitive practice is important because research has shown that you need to use a word or phrase at least ten times before it becomes part of your permanent memory.
5 Phrasal Verbs to Improve Your Vocabulary
1. consist of (something): to be formed from two or more things
You could say that your breakfast consisted of muesli, yogurt, and orange juice. To use another example, a company’s board of directors might consist of members from different cultural backgrounds. A phrase that has a similar meaning to consist of is ‘be made up of something’. A committee, for example, can be made up of members from all over the country. To use a different context, think of a sports team you play on. Does the team consist mostly of players in their twenties, or does the team consist mostly of players over the age of thirty?
The phrasal verb ‘consist of something’ can only be used in the active voice. It cannot be used in the passive voice. An example of this kind of mistake is, ‘The audience is consisted of teenagers.’ Another phrase which has the same meaning as ‘consist of something’ is “be composed of something”. For example, we can say that carbon dioxide is composed of one atom of carbon and two atoms of oxygen. This has the same meaning as, ‘Carbon dioxide consists of one atom of carbon and two atoms of oxygen’. It’s important to note that the phrase ‘be composed of something’ can only be used in the passive voice.
2. back onto something: if a building backs on to something, its back faces that thing.
Many people would not like to live in a house or apartment building that backs onto a cemetery. In other words, they would not like to have a cemetery directly behind them. If you had a choice, would you prefer to live in a house that backs onto a park or a ravine?
3. cater to someone/something: to provide what is wanted or needed by a particular person or group.
A bank might cater to French-speaking clients by employing staff who are bilingual in English and French. A group of restaurants in one area of Seoul, Korea might cater to American tourists by providing hamburgers, french fries, and buffalo wings. A hotel can cater to families with young children or babies by providing cribs, kids menus, play areas in the lobby, and toy-delivery services.
4. factor in something or factor something in: to include a particular thing when you are calculating how long something will take, or how much something will cost, etc.
To use an example, it costs more to buy a house when you factor in the land transfer tax. Many homebuyers forget to include the land transfer tax when estimating the total cost of a house. In other words, they forget to factor in the land transfer tax. Here’s another example with a different context: The temperature can feel considerably warmer when you factor in the humidity.
5. give in (to something): to finally agree to do something or accept something, after refusing for a period of time.
If a person continually nags you to do something, you may eventually give in to their request. For example, if your child repeatedly complains about not going to Canada’s Wonderland, you may eventually give in and agree to take him or her to Canada’s Wonderland.
Give in can also mean to accept that you’ve been defeated in a game, competition, war, etc. For example, we could say, ‘After months of fighting, the opposing army finally gave in’. = accepted defeat. In this example, ‘give in’ is used without an object.
If you practice the phrasal verbs above by using them in conversation with your friends, or with an English tutor, it will help you improve your vocabulary.
