Phrasal Verbs: Five Phrasal Verbs A-E

• Sometimes we hear a story and it does not add up. When a story does not add up, we can try to break it down to understand it better.

• There are also times when we are behind in our work and we need to catch up.

• Things also come up at work and we need to deal with them. After dealing with these problems, we can end the day by eating out.

There are six phrasal verbs in the paragraph above, but today we will go over five of them. The five phrasal verbs that we will go over in detail are:

1. Add Up

2. Break Down

3. Catch Up

4. Deal With

5. Eat Out

When we wrap up the article we will quickly go over:

1. Come up

2. Wrap up

Add Up

Add up, a phrasal verb with multiple meanings. Today we will go over three. Now, sometimes our friends tell us stories that do not make sense, or do not seem reasonable. When this is the case, we can say that the stories do not add up. What about when we have to count items? For example, if you are working and you need to add up the total sales for the day. If you add up the total number of sales for the day, you are calculating all of the sales. Another meaning of add up can be related to the word consistency. For example, if you learn five new words a day, by the end of the year, these five words will add up to 1 825 word. Five words a day does not seem like a lot, but these five words add up over time to a much larger amount. Now we will go over each meaning in more detail.

A) Make Sense: "Add up" can also mean that something makes sense or seems logical.

• "Her explanation doesn't add up; there must be more to the story."

• "The evidence presented in the trial just doesn't add up."

B) Mathematical Calculation: When used in a mathematical context, "add up" means to calculate the total of a set of numbers or values. For example:

• "Please add up the expenses for the month."

• "I need to add up these figures to get the total.

C) Accumulate: This meaning implies the gradual accumulation or buildup of something over time.

• "The stress of work and family responsibilities can really add up."

• "Small savings can add up to a significant amount over the years."

Break Down

Now, we have break down. What does break down mean? Well, it depends on the contest. One example of breakdown can be after receiving bad news. Think about how someone might react after they receive bad news. Unfortunately, we have all been late due to our car breaking down. Finally, the last meaning we will go over. When we have a big project, do you prefer to break it down into smaller pieces?

A) Mechanical Failure: When used in the context of machines or vehicles, "break down" refers to a mechanical failure or malfunction.

• "My car broke down on the way to work."

• "The washing machine broke down and flooded the basement."

B) Emotional Distress: In terms of emotions, "break down" can mean to experience a strong emotional reaction or to become overwhelmed.

• "After the accident, she broke down and cried."

• "He's been under a lot of stress lately; he might break down if it continues."

C) Analysis: "Break down" can also mean to divide something into smaller parts for analysis or understanding.

• "Let's break down the problem step by step."

• "The report breaks down the expenses by category."

Catch Up

Behind in a race, behind on my homework, and behind on the new season. How can I get to where I am supposed to be? Well, by catching up! As we get older we do not stay in touch with our friends as much as we used to, but we can always catch up and go out for dinner.

A) Reach the Same Level or Position

• "I missed a few lectures, but I plan to catch up on the material by reviewing the lecture notes and seeking clarification from my professor."

• "The team fell behind in the first half, but they managed to catch up with a strong offensive play in the second half."

• "After a slow start to the year, I'm working hard to catch up on my savings goal by cutting unnecessary expenses and boosting my income."

B) Get Updated

• "I haven't watched the latest episodes of the series, so I need to catch up before everyone starts discussing the plot twists."

• "I was on vacation last week, and now I need to catch up on emails and project updates to get back into the workflow."

• "I've been busy with personal commitments, so I need to catch up on the latest developments in the tech industry."

C): Reconnect or Revive

• "Even though we haven't talked in years, we can catch up over coffee and pick up where we left off."

• "The family reunion is a great opportunity to catch up with relatives and share stories from our lives."

• "I attended the conference to catch up with industry professionals and expand my connections within the field."

Deal With

Sometimes we have problems to deal with, other times we deal with the clients, and other times English class can deal with a new grammar theme!

A)Solving a Problem:

• "Our team needs to deal with the software bug that's causing the application to crash."

• "She's determined to deal with the communication issues in her relationship to strengthen it."

B) Doing Business With:

• "The company is excited to deal with international clients and expand its market presence."

• "He's been successfully dealing with suppliers for years, building strong partnerships."

C) To Be About Something:

• "The movie is a touching drama that deals with themes of loss and resilience."

• "The seminar will be about effective time management strategies for busy professionals."

Eat Out

We saved the best for last! Friday, Friday, Friday! The last day of the week, we should eat out and celebrate.

A) to have a meal at a restaurant instead of at home.

• "Let's eat out tonight and try that new burger place."

• "We often eat out on weekends to enjoy different cuisines."

Wrap Up and Come Up

Come up

- used to refer to something unexpected, it means that a situation, topic, or issue arises unexpectedly.

• "An unexpected problem came up during the software update, causing a delay in the release."

• "I hadn't planned for it, but a last-minute work assignment came up, and I had to reschedule my weekend plans."

Wrap Up

used to mean "to finish," it indicates completing a task, event, or activity.

• Let's wrap up this meeting so that everyone can get back to their work."

• "The project is almost done; we just need to wrap up a few loose ends."

• "As the conference comes to an end, the organizers are working to wrap up the final details."

• "I'll wrap up this report and send it to you by the end of the day."

Summary

Phrasal verbs take time and can be confusing, look for examples of these in real life situations, keep studying, and keep practicing!