Lesson 3: Phrasal Verbs & Register
Formal vs. Informal Language
You know how to use phrasal verbs, but do you know *when* to use them? The way we speak and write changes depending on the situation. This is called register1. Many phrasal verbs are quite informal2 and perfect for friends, but for professional or academic writing, a more formal3, single-word verb is often better. This lesson will help you choose the right word for the right situation.
Common Phrasal Verbs and their Formal Equivalents
Learning these pairs will give you more choices and make your English more flexible.
| Informal Phrasal Verb | Formal Single-Word Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| to find out | to discover / to ascertain | I need to find out the meeting time. (Informal) We must ascertain the facts of the case. (Formal) |
| to put off | to postpone / to delay | Let's put off the trip until next week. (Informal) The match was postponed due to heavy rain. (Formal) |
| to go up / down | to increase / to decrease | The price of gas went up. (Informal) Our profits increased by 10%. (Formal) |
| to look into | to investigate / to examine | My boss asked me to look into the problem. (Informal) The police will investigate the crime. (Formal) |
| to give up | to quit / to surrender | He tried to learn guitar, but he gave up. (Informal) The company decided to quit the market. (Formal) |
| to show up | to arrive / to appear | He didn't show up for the party. (Informal) The Prime Minister will arrive at 10 AM. (Formal) |
Usage Note: When to Use Each Register
- In Speaking: Phrasal verbs are extremely common in daily conversation. Using them with friends and colleagues will make you sound very natural.
- In Writing: This is where you need to be more careful. For academic essays, business reports, and formal letters (like a job application), it is often better to choose the more formal, single-word verb. It makes your writing sound more serious and professional.
The Goal: The goal is not to stop using phrasal verbs, but to have a choice. Knowing both "find out" and "discover" gives you more power as an English user.
In Conversation
Bora is asking Srey to help him edit a formal email to his manager.
Bora: Srey, can you look at this email? Is it okay?
Srey: Let's see... "Hi boss, I wanted to find out about the project. The numbers went up, but then they went down. We should look into it."
Bora: What do you think?
Srey: The message is clear, but since it's a formal email, we can improve the register.
Bora: How?
Srey: Instead of 'find out', you could write 'inquire about'. Instead of 'went up' and 'went down', use 'increased' and 'decreased'. And instead of 'look into it', use 'investigate the issue'.
Bora: Wow, that sounds much more professional! Thank you.
quiz Check Your Understanding
1. Which word is more FORMAL?
- a) give up
- b) quit
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) quit
2. In an academic essay, which sentence is better? "The population of the city has ______."
- a) gone up
- b) increased
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) increased (This is more formal and academic).
3. You are talking to a friend. Which sentence sounds more natural? "He didn't ______ to our appointment."
- a) arrive
- b) show up
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) show up (This is more common and informal in everyday speech).
edit Your Mission
- Upgrade Your Sentences: Rewrite these informal sentences to be more formal: 1. I need to find out the price. 2. The meeting was put off. 3. He gave up trying.
- Notebook Practice: In your notebook, create two columns: 'Informal Phrasal Verb' and 'Formal Verb'. Add the pairs from this lesson. Try to find one more pair using an online dictionary.
- Speak & Write: Your mission is to use an informal phrasal verb (like show up) when talking to a friend, and then use its formal equivalent (like arrive) in a practice email.
book Lesson Glossary
- Register (noun) - Khmer: កម្រិតភាសា - The style of language used in a particular social situation. ↩
- Informal (adjective) - Khmer: មិនផ្លូវការ - Language used in relaxed, friendly situations. ↩
- Formal (adjective) - Khmer: ផ្លូវការ - Language used in serious, official, or professional situations. ↩
- to put off (phrasal verb) - Khmer: ពន្យារពេល - An informal way to say 'postpone' or 'delay'. ↩
- to look into (phrasal verb) - Khmer: ស៊ើបអង្កេត - An informal way to say 'investigate' or 'examine'. ↩