Idioms and phrasal verbs

Conventional meaning#

An idiom is an established expression whose full meaning may not be predictable from each word. Break the ice can mean make a social situation easier, not literally damage ice.

A phrasal verb combines a verb and particle: look up, turn down, carry on. A single form may have several meanings, so context is essential.

Grammar patterns#

Some phrasal verbs are separable: “turn the volume down” or “turn down the volume.” With a pronoun, separation is normally required: “turn it down.”

Others are inseparable: “look after the child,” not “look the child after.”

Learn chunks#

Record the complete expression with a natural example and object pattern. Learning only look and up separately will not teach the meaning “search for information.”

Register#

Many phrasal verbs are common in conversation, while a single-word alternative may sound more formal: put off and postpone. Neither is automatically better; choose for audience and purpose.

Common mistakes#

Avoid translating idioms word for word between languages. Do not force an expression into every context, and check whether its tone is neutral, humorous, old-fashioned, or informal.

Practice#

Group expressions by situation—study, travel, work, or conversation—and create short dialogues. Repeated contextual use is more effective than memorising long unrelated lists.