English Competitive: How to Solve Phrasal Verbs Common Ones in Exams

Introduction

Mastering phrasal verbs can fetch you up to 20 marks in competitive exams, making it a game-changer for your verbal score. With this topic, you can easily score 80% or more in sections like reading comprehension and grammar.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FIRST

Before diving into phrasal verbs, make sure you have the following basics at your fingertips:

1. Common prepositions: Know the top 20 prepositions like 'in', 'on', 'at', 'by', 'with', etc.
2. Subject-verb agreement: Understand the rules for subject-verb agreement in the present, past, and future tenses.
3. Tense chart: Familiarize yourself with the basic tense chart, including the present, past, and future simple, continuous, and perfect tenses.

CRYSTAL‑CLEAR METHOD (Step-by-Step)

To solve phrasal verbs, follow these steps:

1. Identify the verb: Look for the main verb in the sentence, which is usually the action word.
2. Check for a particle: A particle is a small word like 'up', 'down', 'in', or 'out' that comes with the verb. If you find a particle, it might be a phrasal verb.
3. Check the meaning: If the verb and particle together form a new meaning, it's likely a phrasal verb.
4. Look for a preposition: If the verb and particle are followed by a preposition, it's definitely a phrasal verb.
5. Understand the meaning: Break down the phrasal verb into its individual parts and understand the new meaning it creates.

WORKED EXAMPLES

Example 1 – Easy

Question: "She picked up her bag and left the room."

Step-by-Step Reasoning:

1. Identify the verb: "picked"
2. Check for a particle: "up"
3. Check the meaning: "picked up" means to take something and move it to a higher position
4. Look for a preposition: None
5. Understand the meaning: The phrasal verb "picked up" means to take something and move it to a higher position

Correct Answer: The sentence means that she took her bag and moved it to a higher position, and then she left the room.

Tip to remember: When you see a verb and a particle together, think about the new meaning they create.

Example 2 – Medium

Question: "The company downsized its operations last year."

Step-by-Step Reasoning:

1. Identify the verb: "downsized"
2. Check for a particle: "down"
3. Check the meaning: "downsized" means to reduce the size or number of something
4. Look for a preposition: None
5. Understand the meaning: The phrasal verb "downsized" means to reduce the size or number of something

Common Pitfall: Some students might think "downsized" is a single word, but it's actually a phrasal verb.

Correct Answer: The sentence means that the company reduced the size or number of its operations last year.

Tip to remember: When you see a verb ending in "-ed" or "-ing", check if it's a phrasal verb.

Example 3 – Exam-Style

Question: "The new policy will come into effect next month."

Step-by-Step Reasoning:

1. Identify the verb: "come"
2. Check for a particle: "into"
3. Check the meaning: "come into effect" means to start being used or applied
4. Look for a preposition: "into"
5. Understand the meaning: The phrasal verb "come into effect" means to start being used or applied

Correct Answer: The sentence means that the new policy will start being used or applied next month.

Tip to remember: When you see a verb and a particle together, think about the new meaning they create.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE 1 → WHY IT HAPPENS → CORRECT APPROACH

MISTAKE: Thinking a single word is a phrasal verb.

WHY IT HAPPENS: Students might not understand the difference between a single word and a phrasal verb.

CORRECT APPROACH: Check if the word is a verb and a particle together, and if they create a new meaning.

MISTAKE 2 → WHY IT HAPPENS → CORRECT APPROACH

MISTAKE: Not understanding the meaning of a phrasal verb.

WHY IT HAPPENS: Students might not break down the phrasal verb into its individual parts.

CORRECT APPROACH: Break down the phrasal verb into its individual parts and understand the new meaning it creates.

MISTAKE 3 → WHY IT HAPPENS → CORRECT APPROACH

MISTAKE: Not checking for a particle.

WHY IT HAPPENS: Students might not look for a particle in the sentence.

CORRECT APPROACH: Check for a particle in the sentence, and if you find one, it might be a phrasal verb.

MISTAKE 4 → WHY IT HAPPENS → CORRECT APPROACH

MISTAKE: Not understanding the difference between a preposition and a particle.

WHY IT HAPPENS: Students might not know the difference between a preposition and a particle.

CORRECT APPROACH: Understand that a particle is a small word like 'up', 'down', 'in', or 'out' that comes with the verb, and a preposition is a word that shows location or direction.

MISTAKE 5 → WHY IT HAPPENS → CORRECT APPROACH

MISTAKE: Not checking the meaning of a phrasal verb.

WHY IT HAPPENS: Students might not think about the new meaning created by the phrasal verb.

CORRECT APPROACH: Check the meaning of the phrasal verb by breaking it down into its individual parts.

EXAM TRAPS

Trap 1 → How to Spot it → How to Avoid it

Trap: A sentence with a phrasal verb that looks like a single word.

How to Spot it: Look for a verb and a particle together.

How to Avoid it: Break down the phrasal verb into its individual parts and understand the new meaning it creates.

Trap 2 → How to Spot it → How to Avoid it

Trap: A sentence with a phrasal verb that has a preposition.

How to Spot it: Look for a verb, a particle, and a preposition together.

How to Avoid it: Understand that a preposition is a word that shows location or direction, and a particle is a small word like 'up', 'down', 'in', or 'out' that comes with the verb.

Trap 3 → How to Spot it → How to Avoid it

Trap: A sentence with a phrasal verb that has a verb ending in "-ed" or "-ing".

How to Spot it: Look for a verb ending in "-ed" or "-ing".

How to Avoid it: Check if the verb is a phrasal verb by breaking it down into its individual parts.

TIME‑SAVING SHORTCUTS

SHORTCUT 1

Eliminate options with single words: If you see a sentence with a phrasal verb, eliminate options that have single words.

SHORTCUT 2

Check for particles: If you see a verb and a particle together, it might be a phrasal verb.

SHORTCUT 3

Understand the meaning: Break down the phrasal verb into its individual parts and understand the new meaning it creates.

SHORTCUT 4

Look for prepositions: If you see a verb, a particle, and a preposition together, it's likely a phrasal verb.

1‑MINUTE RECAP

"Hey there, student! It's the morning of the exam, and you're feeling confident about phrasal verbs. Remember, mastering this topic can fetch you up to 20 marks. To solve phrasal verbs, follow these steps: identify the verb, check for a particle, check the meaning, look for a preposition, and understand the meaning. Don't make common mistakes like thinking a single word is a phrasal verb or not understanding the meaning. Watch out for exam traps like sentences with phrasal verbs that look like single words or have prepositions. Use time-saving shortcuts like eliminating options with single words, checking for particles, understanding the meaning, and looking for prepositions. You got this! Go out there and ace that exam!