Phrasal verbs get more figurative — and harder to guess — the higher your level goes.

Notice

  • “He got away with it.” — escaped punishment or consequence.
  • “She came down with the flu.” — became ill with (a minor illness).
  • “I’m really looking forward to the trip.” — feeling excited about something in the future.
  • “He can’t put up with the noise anymore.” — can no longer tolerate it.

Rule

Rule: many advanced phrasal verbs are entirely figurative — the literal meaning of the individual words gives almost no clue to the actual meaning. Learn them as fixed expressions tied to a situation (illness, tolerance, anticipation, escaping blame).

Practice

  1. Rewrite using a phrasal verb: “He escaped punishment for the mistake.”
    Answer: “He got away with the mistake.”
  2. What does “come down with something” usually refer to?
    Answer: Becoming ill, typically with a minor illness like a cold or the flu.
  3. Complete naturally: “I can’t ___ ___ ___ his constant complaining any longer.”
    Answer: “…put up with his constant complaining any longer.”
  4. Is “looking forward to” followed by a base verb or a gerund? Give an example.
    Answer: A gerund (or noun): “I’m looking forward to seeing you,” not “to see you.”

Connect

Drill advanced phrasal verb patterns with the Grammar Quiz.

Try Grammar Quiz →

CEFR: C2

Azizul Hakim
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