Test your reading time for elementary A2 learners.

 This exercise will help you practise reading. This is the format of the fourth part of the reading and writing section. 

You read a text and have to complete 8 multiple choice gaps. It is from a KEY Reading test, Cambridge and we found it on Exam English.

Begin HERE

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Finish Vs. Finish Up And Other Verbs Vs. Phrasal Verbs

A student asked me, “Is there a difference between finish and finish up?” 

The answer is no. There’s no difference in meaning.

• I’ll be home soon, I just need to finish a few things at the office.
• = I’ll be home soon, I just need to finish up a few things at the office.

Finish up is the more informal way to say it, and if we were writing or speaking formal English then we would probably use finish because we try to avoid phrasal verbs in formal English.

CALL / CALL UP

Another word like this is call or call up when talking about calling someone on the phone. For example you could say:

• I called my grandmother.
• I called up my grandmother.

They’re the same.

IS THIS TRUE FOR EVERY VERB / PHRASAL VERB?

Is this the case for every verb and phrasal verb? The answer is no. Usually a verb when used by itself is different from the verb when used in a phrasal verb (which is a verb plus a preposition). Today I’ll teach you nine examples (there are many more).

THROW / THROW UP / THROW OFF

To use an extreme example, the verb throw means to make something go out of your hand with speed – ex. throw a ball. But if you throw up, it means you vomit, and if something throws you off that means it confuses you. As you can see, throw is very different from throw up and throw off!

FIGHT / FIGHT OFF

Other times the difference is not so drastic. For example if two people fight, it means they engage in violent conflict – but if one guy fights off an attacker that means he used violence to successfully defend himself and make the attacker go away. Both fight and fight off refer to violent conflict but fight off has the additional meaning of successfully defending yourself and making your opponent go away.

SHOW / SHOW OFF

Another example is show and show off. If a woman shows you her diamond ring it means she lets you see it – but if she shows off her diamond ring, this means she’s doing it arrogantly, she’s showing everybody her ring so that everyone could admire it and make her feel superior. That’s the difference between show and show off.

STAND / STAND UP

Let’s take a look at more of these phrasal verbs with up. Some of them are quite similar and can be used almost interchangeably.

For example, “I asked the students to stand” is the same as “I asked the students to stand up.” Both stand and stand up refer to the action of lifting your body up to your feet from a sitting position.

But if referring to someone’s location then we would say “There was a man standing on the sidewalk.” We wouldn’t say “There was a man standing up on the sidewalk.”

Standing up emphasizes the contrast between standing on your feet and sitting down or lying down, but for someone’s location we would standing and not standing up.

GROW / GROW UP

Another one is grow and grow up. You can grow flowers or the population of a town can grow, it can increase – but grow up is only used for the specific case of children becoming bigger, older, and more mature. You can’t grow up flowers or grow up the population of a town.

CHOKE / CHOKE UP

The verb choke means to have something stuck in your throat so that you have difficulty speaking or breathing. For example, if you swallow a large piece of meat without chewing it completely, the piece might get stuck in your throat and you might choke.

However, the phrasal verb choke up means something slightly different. To choke upmeans to be so overwhelmed by emotion that you find it difficult to talk. For example, if you are giving a eulogy (a eulogy is a speech at a funeral about the person who has died) – so if you are giving a eulogy at your mother’s funeral, you might choke up. You would be so overwhelmed by sadness, the emotion would be so intense that it makes it difficult for you to get the words out. That’s what it means to choke up, and it’s different from the verb choke.

CRACK / CRACK UP

Here’s one that’s completely different. The word crack is both a noun and a verb, meaning a thin, broken line in a hard surface. If you’re driving your car and a small rock hits your windshield, the windshield might crack, get a small line of breakage in the glass.

Crack up has a totally different meaning. To crack up means to suddenly start laughing. For example, if you tell a great joke to a group of your friends everyone would crack up,they’d start laughing.

FOLLOW / FOLLOW UP

To follow someone means to go wherever they go, for example, if you have a very devoted dog, the dog might follow you around the house.

The phrasal verb follow up means something a bit different. To follow up means to take another action that continues the process of an action that was previously taken. It’s often used for further communication or research. For example, if you’ve emailed your friend and he hasn’t responded for the past week, then you might follow up with a phone call. The phone call continues the process of communication that began with the email. You are following up.

HOLD / HOLD UP

Finally we have the verb hold. To hold something is to have it in your hand, but the phrasal verb hold up has three different meanings.

First is the literal meaning – to hold up means to hold something in your hand in a high position, for example, at the parade I held up a flag.

If someone says, “Hold up!” – that means “Wait!” You can also say something like the project was held up, that means the project was delayed.

Finally, if criminals hold up a bank or hold up a store, it means they rob the bank or the store. They go in with guns and demand to take all the money – so that’s a third definition for the phrasal verb hold up.

**********************

The answer to the original question is that sometimes verbs and phrasal verbs have the same meaning. In other cases the phrasal verb has a slightly different meaning. And then there are some cases where the meaning of the verb and the phrasal verb are just completely different.

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Cramming for an exam?

This makes complete sense.
watch and learn

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Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are most English learners’ worst nightmare. Unfortunately they are so commonly used in English by native speakers that you’ll hear them several times in a conversation. And that’s the same for communication with native English speakers in a business setting. You can’t escape them!

What are phrasal verbs?Phrasal verbs are verbs used with another word (an adverb or preposition) to create a commonly used phrase.

Phrasal verbs are idiomatic — you can’t guess the meaning of a phrasal verb by interpreting each of the words it contains literally. For example, if you say, “I’ll look into the mirror,” you are going to direct your sight to a mirror. In this case, “look into” is not a phrasal verb; it’s simply a verb followed by a preposition. On the other hand, if you say, “I don’t know what phrasal verbs are, but I’ll look into it,” you are not directing your sight into phrasal verbs—you are going to find out more about them. (Source: Grammarly)

Listen to the post

How to learn and remember phrasal verbs?

My clients often ask me how best they should learn phrasal verbs and I categorically tell them that memorising a list of phrasal verbs out of context is a big NO!

What is far more effective is to learn them in context, in other words, in the different settings you find them. If the setting is familiar, the phrasal verb will be easier to understand and remember.

I prefer to teach phrasal verbs under different topics.This does three things: (1) it shows you that phrasal verbs are a normal part of English, (2) it ensures you don’t get overwhelmed by too many phrasal verbs at once, and (3) it gives you practice using phrasal verbs in the correct context.

 

Phrasal verbs and time

In this post, I will show you what phrasal verbs you could find related to the concept of time. Time is a precious commodity for busy professionals like you. It’s only natural you become familiar with the English phrasal verbs we use related to it.

I have selected 16 phrasal verbs for my narrative. I’d like you to pay close attention to how each one is used in the sentence and  work out (another phrasal verb!) its meaning from the context.

I don’t know about you, but I always feel pressed for time. 

Each day I make a long to-do list and each day it gets harder and harder to fit everything in to my working day. Things always take longer than I expect which means I am always running out of time. For example, I may have set aside 2 hours for a task, but it inevitably takes more than 2 hours to complete. I have a choice – I can either complete the task or move on to the next item on my to do list and free up some space later in the day or week to complete the earlier task. In fact that’s what I have started doing – blocking out slots of time for various items and sticking to those time slots. If I’ve not been able to complete the task in the allotted time, I simply allocate a new time slot for it.

Of course, if the task is urgent, for example, I have to prepare for a presentation that’s coming up soon, I put back my other tasks and concentrate on this. The key is always to know how to prioritise. In fact, leading up to an important deadline, I always ensure I have spaced outmy tasks to give myself sufficient time to meet my deadline. 

Of course, the trouble with this is that by allocating so much time to one project, I end up falling behind with my other tasks. I then find myself having to catch up with a ton of work and that means long hours. So much for the work-life balance.

I don’t mind working long hours for a one-off project. However, if the one-off becomes a series of projects and the long hours become the norm, I need to rethink how I work. That’s when I have to decide how best to manage my schedule. 

In addition to allocating the time slots to each task, I’ll try very hard not to drag out the time I spend on each task. This does mean having to resist perfection. The trouble with perfection is that we can spend hours and days on a task –  fine- tuning it, rethinking it, redoing it – without realising that precious time is slipping away. You may be lucky and have plenty of time to work on something, but I reckon most of us don’t have the luxury of endless hours – certainly not if someone is paying for our time. So the only thing you can do is press on with the job in hand.

For the original blog post, please refer to English with a Twist. 

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Test Yourself

We realise it is the middle of Summer break - but why dont you take a moment to freshen up your skills by testing yourself.

Follow this link and let us know how you do!

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Being able to tell the time is an important part of life. Just like Snoopy in this image, there are times when you'll need to be very specific. Someone might stop to ask you, "Excuse me, have you got the time?" or "Can you tell me what time it is?"

How about making a reservation at a restaurant? "I'd like to make a lunch reservation for 12:30" or making a doctor's appointment: "I'd like to schedule an appointment for 10:00 tomorrow"

Aside from knowing how to say the time, we also need to understand time being expressed by someone. One day you might be that person asking someone for the time and need to understand their response. Or even in understanding when to show up to a meeting or class! You never want to be late!

Take a look at the image below. The time usually has an hour hand (the short hand), a minute hand (the long hand). The hour hand is very easy as long as you know numbers, it's basically between one and twelve. The minute hand is usually the hardest for people to learn.

There are two ways we can express the minute hand. The first way is to say the hour time first and then express the minute hand.
For example:
1:30 = one thirty
3:14 = three fourteen
8:59 = eight fifty nine
11:00 = eleven o'clock

The second and considered more formal way to express time is to use "past" and "to." From one minute to 30 minutes, we use "past." The image below shows this. The number of minutes past the current hour. For example, 1:12 = twelve past one. It means twelve minutes past the hour of one o'clock.

Between 31 minutes and 59 minutes we use "to." The number of minutes to the approaching hour. For example, 1:40 = twenty to two. It means twenty more minutes until the hour of two o'clock.

When we use this form, it can be common to round it to the nearest five minutes, but not always the case. Some might even say, "It's almost ten past one."

This is a useful diagram for you to practice and learn this more formal way to express time. Use it, share it, learn it! !Try and see if you can complete the ten times below then download, print, and wear your own watch to help you practice!

Practice using "past" and "to":
(1) 3:35 =
(2) 6:00 =
(3) 12:07 =
(4) 9:30 =
(5) 2:35 =
(6) 11:50 =
(7) 8: 50 =
(8) 4:15=
(9) 4:45=
(10) 5:18=

Answers can be found at the bottom of this post.

Time is an important part of daily life. Learn from this custom watch. Print it out, cut around, and learn it!

Answers: 
(1) twenty-five to four;  (2) six o'clock;  (3) seven past twelve;  (4) half past nine;  (5  )twenty five to three;  (6) ten to twelve;  (7) ten to nine;  (8) quarter past four;  (9) quarter to five;  (10) eighteen past five;

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Unreal Uses of the Past (Level C-1)

1.The kids really need to go to bed now. It’s nearly midnight.

It’s time the k..............................................................................

2.I’d prefer for you not to smoke in here.

I’d rather...............................................................................

3.I would like to be able to have enough money to retire at 50.

I wish I......................................................................................

4.We shouldn’t have bought the black car-it’s so hard to keep clean!

If only we..................................................................................

5.Don’t you think you should start to look for a new job?

...............................it’s time you.........................................


6.He shouldn’t be so stingy! Then he’d enjoy life more.

If only he...................................................................................

7.Would you prefer us to come on another day?

.................rather we.................................................................

8.I should have bought the Mac not the HP.

I wish.........................................................................................

9.I would prefer you pay cash.

I’d rather.................................................................................

10.I’m allergic to dogs. Can your dog stay outside?

I’d rather .................................................................................

No printout? Bring it with you to class and Ill go over it with you! 

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Conversation Time

Complete the conversations.


1. Will you see Amy on Saturday?
A If I’ve got time.
B When she’s early.
C Because she’s my friend.


2. There’s a two hour delay.
A 2 o’clock.
B We’ll be late.
C I hope so.


3. Have you got any stamps?
A Yes, would you like one?
B Yes, there are.
C Yes, very much.


4. Hello, 348820
A Hello that’s John.
B Hello, I’m John.
C Hello it’s John here.


5 Could I have a glass of water?
A I haven’t seen it.
B Here you are.
C Yes, please.



Scroll down to check your answers.



















1 A
2 B
3 A
4 C
5 B

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German Speakers - this is for you!

I recommend you check out this website again and again. 

There are great exercises here which will help you improve your English skills. 

CLICK here to get started.

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How To Become A Better Writer: 7 Tips & Tricks For English students (Level A2+)

Learning English as second language (ESL) is no small task. Languages are involved, complex and complicated, and it’s impossible to master ESL writing skills overnight. However, there are plenty of ways ESL students can improve their skills. And with a little guidance and practice, anyone can achieve success. 

1. Start with guided prompts. 

For beginning ESL students it’s helpful to start with partial sentences that you are required to complete. Eventually you can move into more general prompts, such as questions. These will help ESL students with cultivating more creative, free writing, and will also help with overall reading and writing comprehension. 

2. Use friends for peer reviews. 

This goes for ESL students, as well as for any student working on their writing skills. Before you submit a piece of writing you will always want to have another set of eyes take a look. This is often easier done with peers, and can be a good way to gain constructive feedback from someone who understands your current learning process. 

3. Read your writing out loud. 

Reading and writing work together, and to truly evolve your ESL writing skills you will want to practice reading your writing aloud. It’s easy, even in our native language, to be too familiar with one’s writing. You can miss mistakes when you read silently to yourself. Always give your writing a run through you can actually hear. 
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4. Use online writing resources. 

Purdue Online Writing Lab – The OWL Purdue online writing community is an all access pass for ESL students and teachers. The “lab” is specifically designed for ESL learning and offers study guides and essay examples, as well as grammar and mechanics guidance. 

AskPetersen – This blog is an excellent source of everything you need to know about writing in the English language. Search through hundreds of informative and relatable blog posts, writing samples and reviews and look for answers to any writing questions. 

Essay Editing – This professional online service not only scans your writing to be sure its 100% original, it also checks spelling and grammar mistakes and works in 6 different languages. 

Pizzaz – This online source has been up and running since the 90’s and is still one of the best resources for ESL students. The site offers creative writing and oral storytelling activities to help develop more complex skills. 

ESL Resource Center – This online network offers fun activity ideas for peer reviews like role play and dramatization practices, as well as offering business geared activities and beginner specific prompts. 

Vocabulary.co – This online resource contains 1,000 English vocabulary-building games and is a great way to expand your ESL writing and language skills. Games focus on syntax, suffix, spelling, word play, prefixes, compound words and more. 
​
5. Understand your own strengths and weaknesses. 

ESL students will usually have a certain area in which they often make mistakes. Habits are natural to form, and even in our native languages this is an excellent writing tip. If you want to improve your skills, you will have to know where they are lacking. You may spell every new vocabulary word correctly, or have great ideas, but perhaps you lack the proper structure and punctuation. Make a list and reference it often. 

6. For every mistake, remember to note an accomplishment. 

For every critique or mistake made in your writing, try to also note a positive point. Perhaps your punctuation was perfect, but you did not use the correct verb tense throughout your writing. Don’t be discouraged. Remember you have made strides forward and are learning a new language. It’s a lot to absorb and everyone learns in different ways. For every con, find a pro. 

7. Practice on your own time. 

If you do not have a writing assignment everyday, then make time to practice on your own. Your teacher may have assigned a vocab lesson, which means you will not be practicing writing only single words.  These are good times to allow at least 10-15 minutes of essay writing practice, and will help you study the new vocabulary in the process.

Every student has his or her own specific learning style. And for ESL students, it’s important to remember that the process takes time. Do not be disheartened if you are not at the top of your class, and do not let mistakes stop you from achieving your goals. Use the tips and tools listed above and start improving your English writing skills today! 

Julie Petersen is a private English language tutor and a freelance writer. As the author of AskPetersen essay writing blog she regularly publishes valuable guides, samples and resources for students. Check one of her latest blog posts about EssayTigers. Contact Julie on Linkedin.

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