Vocabulary: Phrasal Verbs (Introduction) (B1) - Lesson 3: Guessing Meaning of Phrasal Verbs from Context

Lesson 3: Guessing the Meaning of Phrasal Verbs

Using Context Clues

There are thousands of phrasal verbs in English, and it is impossible to memorize all of them. So, what do you do when you see a new one? You can learn to be a detective and guess¹ the meaning from the context clues² around it. This is a very important skill for improving your reading and listening comprehension.

How to Guess the Meaning: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Look at the Main Verb: First, think about the meaning of the main verb. For example, in pick up, the main verb is `pick`.
2. Look at the Particle: Next, think about the meaning of the particle. The particle often shows direction. For example, `up` often means 'to a higher position'.
3. Combine the Meanings (Literal Meaning): Try to combine the meanings. `pick` + `up` = "to pick something and move it to a higher position". This is the literal³ meaning, and it is often correct (e.g., to pick up a book).
4. Look at the Whole Sentence: Read the entire sentence. Does the literal meaning make sense?
   • Example: "I will pick up my friend from the airport."

   Thinking: I cannot literally "pick my friend up" like a book. So this must have a different, figurative⁴ meaning. In this context, it means to collect someone in a vehicle.

5. Make an Educated Guess: Based on all the clues, make your best guess. Then, you can check your guess in a dictionary.

Usage Note: Literal vs. Figurative Meanings

Many phrasal verbs have a literal (easy to understand) meaning and a figurative (more abstract) meaning.

• take off:
  Literal: "Please take off your shoes." (to remove)
  Figurative: "The airplane will take off at 6 PM." (to leave the ground and fly)
• run into:
  Literal: "The moto might run into the wall." (to collide with)
  Figurative: "I might run into my friend at the market." (to meet by chance)

In Conversation

A teacher is helping Bora practice this skill.

Teacher: Bora, please read this sentence: "Srey had to call off⁵ the meeting because she was sick." What do you think 'call off' means?

Bora: Hmm. 'Call' is for the phone, and 'off' means stop... so maybe she used the phone to stop the meeting?

Teacher: You're very close! The context is that she was sick. So, could she have the meeting?

Bora: No. So, 'call off' must mean to "cancel".

Teacher: Exactly! You used the context to guess correctly. Now try this one: "He is trying to give up⁶ smoking."

Bora: 'Give up'... to give something away? The context is smoking, which is a bad habit. So, 'give up' means to "quit" or stop doing something.

Teacher: Perfect! You are getting very good at using context clues.

quiz Check Your Understanding

1. In the sentence, "Please look up this word in the dictionary," what does 'look up' probably mean?

• a) To look at the ceiling.
• b) To search for information.
• c) To become happy.

Click to see the answer

Answer: b) To search for information.

2. If you are late for work, your boss might ask you to make up a story. Here, 'make up' means...

• a) to create or invent.
• b) to put on cosmetics.
• c) to become friends again after a fight.

Click to see the answer

Answer: a) to create or invent.

3. What are the most important clues for guessing the meaning of a phrasal verb?

• a) The first letter of the verb.
• b) The other words in the sentence (the context).
• c) The length of the sentence.

Click to see the answer

Answer: b) The other words in the sentence (the context).

edit Your Mission

1. Be a Detective: Read this sentence: "The car broke down on the way to Phnom Penh, so we had to call a mechanic." What do you guess 'broke down' means?
2. Find Your Own: Find an English news article or a short story online. Read one paragraph and try to find one phrasal verb you don't know. Try to guess its meaning from the context before you look it up.
3. Speak: Your mission is to learn one new phrasal verb from a movie or song this week. Try to use it in a sentence when you talk to a friend.

book Lesson Glossary

1. to Guess (verb) - Khmer: ទាយ - To give an answer or opinion without being certain it is correct. ↩
2. Context Clues (noun phrase) - Khmer: តម្រុយបរិបទ - Hints found within a sentence, paragraph, or passage that a reader can use to understand the meanings of new or unfamiliar words. ↩
3. Literal (adjective) - Khmer: តាមព្យញ្ជនៈ - The most basic, original meaning of a word. ↩
4. Figurative (adjective) - Khmer: ជា​និមិត្តរូប - An abstract or imaginative meaning of a word, different from its literal meaning. ↩
5. to call off (phrasal verb) - Khmer: លុបចោល - To cancel an event. ↩
6. to give up (phrasal verb) - Khmer: បោះបង់ - To quit or stop doing something (especially a habit). ↩