Features of Phrasal Verbs

Here are some features of the phrasal verbs:

1.       Have several meanings (like other words) E.g. go off = start making a noise (an alarm); go off = explode; go off = leave/go away.

2.       Sometimes the meaning is literal (you can guess it from the verb and particle. E.g. go off = leave; take off = remove, etc.)

3.       Mostly, the meaning is abstract / idiomatic; you have to guess it from the context. E.g. go off = take place / happen; take off = start flying, etc.

4.       A good dictionary is needed to help oneself identify the appropriate definition of a phrasal verb as they can transmit its action to an object (Transitive=T) or they cannot transmit its action to an object (Intransitive=I)

5.       When the phrasal verb is transitive, it can be either separable or non-separable. In separable phrasal verbs, the object CAN separate the phrasal verb OR come after it.

E.g. Throw away
Throw the banana peel away / Throw away the banana peel

But if the object is a pronoun (object pronoun, of course), it MUST separate the phrasal verb.
Throw it away.

In non-separable phrasal verbs, the object always comes AFTER it. E.g. could you deal with the problem? / Could you deal with it?

* The object ALWAYS comes AFTER the phrasal verb when this has TWO particles.
                E.g. My boyfriend gets along with my parents / my boyfriend gets along with them.


SOURCE: Inside Out series, Upper-intermediate. Macmillan

If-Clauses or Conditionals?

As students of the English language make progress in knowledge, they come across something called Conditional Clauses. If you don’t know what this means, it would be worthy to read the following:

A conditional clause, also known as If-Clause, is simply a clause that has the word “if” in it. So, since this two letter word implies a condition, there is also a resultant (or main) clause and both of them make up a conditional sentence. This sentence can be found in 5 different cases, namely:

1.    Zero Conditional (or Real Conditional):

It talks about things that are always true.

E.g. If you heat water, it boils (use simple present in both clauses)

2. First Conditional (Possible Conditional – Less likely than the previous one):

It talks about possibilities in the present or the future.

E.g. If I have time today, I’ll go shopping on the way home. (Use If + simple present in the If-clause, and will (or be going to) + infinitive in the second clause)

3. Second Conditional (or Present Unreal Conditional):

It talks about hypothetical situations in the present.

E.g. If I won the lottery, I’d buy a Mercedes Benz. (Use If + past simple in the if clause, and would + infinitive in the resultant clause)

4. Third Conditional (or Past Unreal Conditional):

It talks about unreal situations in the past. Things that didn’t happen at all:

E.g. If I’d seen you in the party yesterday, I’d have danced with you. (I didn’t see you yesterday in the party; therefore I didn’t dance with you)

Or it also talks about things that did happen but that might not have happened.

    If I hadn't had a good education, I wouldn't have got this job. (I could have not had a good education, but fortunately I did; therefore, I have a good job now)

(Use If + past perfect in the If-clause, and would have + past participle in the main clause)

5. Mixed Conditionals:

(Combinations of tenses between the two clauses):

Examples:

If he’d gone to university, he would have a better job.

If he didn’t have to work tomorrow, he wouldn’t be so miserable today.

·         Notice that other modal verbs can be used instead of ‘would’ (e.g. ‘could’, ‘might’ ‘may’)

·         Don’t write a comma when the main clause goes first: I’ll go shopping on the way home if I have time.

·         All ways of contractions are possible. Be careful not to confound the ‘d contraction:

If I’d seen you in the party yesterday, I’d have danced with you = If I had seen you in the party yesterday, I would have danced with you.

Sources & suggested web pages:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv356.shtml

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdXRP9el5CU