Friday, 27 November 2015

Examples of modal verbs

Here is a list of modals with examples:

Modal Verb	Expressing	Example
must	Strong obligation	You must stop when the traffic lights turn red.
must	logical conclusion / Certainty	He must be very tired. He's been working all day long.
must not	prohibition	You must not smoke in the hospital.
can	ability	I can swim.
	permission	Can I use your phone please?
	possibility	Smoking can cause cancer.
could	ability in the past	When I was younger I could run fast.
	polite permission	Excuse me, could I just say something?
	possibility	It could rain tomorrow!
may	permission	May I use your phone please?
may	possibility, probability	It may rain tomorrow!
might	polite permission	Might I suggest an idea?
might	possibility, probability	I might go on holiday to Australia next year.
need not	lack of necessity/absence of obligation	I need not buy tomatoes. There are plenty of tomatoes in the fridge.

D
Dark Horse:
One who was previously unknown and is now prominent.
Dead Ringer:
100% identical. A duplicate.
Devil's Advocate:
Someone who takes a position for the sake of argument without believing in that particular side of the arguement. It can also mean one who presents a counter argument for a position they do believe in, to another debater.
Dog Days of Summer:
The hottest days of the summer season.
Don't count your chickens before they hatch:
Don't rely on it until your sure of it.
Don't Look A Gift Horse In The Mouth:
When someone gives you a gift, don't be ungrateful.
Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket:
Do not put all your resources in one possibility.
Doozy:
Something outstanding.
Down To The Wire:
Something that ends at the last minute or last few seconds.
Drastic Times Call For Drastic Measures:
When you are extremely desperate you need to take extremely desperate actions.
Drink like a fish:
To drink very heavily.
Drive someone up the wall:
To irritate and/or annoy very much.
Dropping Like Flies:
A large number of people either falling ill or dying.
Dry Run:
Rehearsal.

E
Eighty Six:
A certain item is no longer available. Or this idiom can also mean, to throw away.
Elvis has left the building:
The show has come to an end. It's all over.
Ethnic Cleansing:
Killing of a certain ethnic or religious group on a massive scale.
Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining:
Be optomistic, even difficult times will lead to better days.
Everything But The Kitchen Sink:
Almost everything and anything has been included.
Excuse my French:
Please forgive me for cussing.
Cock and Bull Story:
An unbelievable tale.
Cock and Bull Story:
An unbelievable tale.

F
Feeding Frenzy:
An aggressive attack on someone by a group.
Field Day:
An enjoyable day or circumstance.
Finding Your Feet:
To become more comfortable in whatever you are doing.
Finger lickin' good:
A very tasty food or meal.
Fixed In Your Ways:
Not willing or wanting to change from your normal way of doing something.
Flash In The Pan:
Something that shows potential or looks promising in the beginning but fails to deliver anything in the end.
Flea Market:
A swap meet. A place where people gather to buy and sell inexpensive goods.
Flesh and Blood:
This idiom can mean living material of which people are made of, or it can refer to someone's family.
Flip The Bird:
To raise your middle finger at someone.
Foam at the Mouth:
To be enraged and show it.
Fools' Gold:
Iron pyrites, a worthless rock that resembles real gold.
French Kiss:
An open mouth kiss where tongues touch.
From Rags To Riches:
To go from being very poor to being very wealthy.
Fuddy-duddy:
An old-fashioned and foolish type of person.
Full Monty:
This idiom can mean either, "the whole thing" or "completely nude".
Funny Farm:
A mental institutional facility.

G
Get Down to Brass Tacks:
To become serious about something.
Get Over It:
To move beyond something that is bothering you.
Get Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed:
Someone who is having a horrible day.
Get Your Walking Papers:
Get fired from a job.
Give Him The Slip:
To get away from. To escape.
Go Down Like A Lead Balloon:
To be received badly by an audience.
Go For Broke:
To gamble everything you have.
Go Out On A Limb:
Put yourself in a tough position in order to support someone/something.
Go The Extra Mile:
Going above and beyond whatever is required for the task at hand.
Good Samaritan:
Someone who helps others when they are in need, with no discussion for compensation, and no thought of a reward.
Graveyard Shift:
Working hours from about 12:00 am to 8:00 am. The time of the day when most other people are sleeping.
Great Minds Think Alike:
Intelligent people think like each other.
Green Room:
The waiting room, especially for those who are about to go on a tv or radio show.
Gut Feeling:
A personal intuition you get, especially when feel something may not be right.

H
Haste Makes Waste:
Quickly doing things results in a poor ending.
Hat Trick:
When one player scores three goals in the same hockey game. This idiom can also mean three scores in any other sport, such as 3 homeruns, 3 touchdowns, 3 soccer goals, etc.
Have an Axe to Grind:
To have a dispute with someone.
He Lost His Head:
Angry and overcome by emotions.
Head Over Heels:
Very excited and/or joyful, especially when in love.
Hell in a Handbasket:
Deteriorating and headed for complete disaster.
High Five:
Slapping palms above each others heads as celebration gesture.
High on the Hog:
Living in Luxury.
Hit The Books:
To study, especially for a test or exam.
Hit The Hay:
Go to bed or go to sleep.
Hit The Nail on the Head:
Do something exactly right or say something exactly right.
Hit The Sack:
Go to bed or go to sleep.
Hocus Pocus:
In general, a term used in magic or trickery.
Hold Your Horses:
Be patient.

I
Icing On The Cake:
When you already have it good and get something on top of what you already have.
Idle Hands Are The Devil's Tools:
You are more likely to get in trouble if you have nothing to do.
If It's Not One Thing, It's Another:
When one thing goes wrong, then another, and another...
In Like Flynn:
To be easily successful, especially when sexual or romantic.
In The Bag:
To have something secured.
In The Buff:
Nude.
In The Heat Of The Moment:
Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment.
In Your Face:
An aggressive and bold confrontation.
It Takes Two To Tango:
A two person conflict where both people are at fault.
It's A Small World:
You frequently see the same people in different places.
Its Anyone's Call:
A competition where the outcome is difficult to judge or predict.
Ivy League:
Since 1954 the Ivy League has been the following universities: Columbia, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Yale, Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Harvard.

J
Jaywalk:
Crossing the street (from the middle) without using the crosswalk.
Joshing Me:
Tricking me.

K
Keep An Eye On Him:
You should carefully watch him.
Keep body and soul together:
To earn a sufficient amount of money in order to keep yourself alive .
Keep your chin up:
To remain joyful in a tough situation.
Kick The Bucket:
Die.
Kitty-corner:
Diagonally across. Sometimes called Catty-Corner as well.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
A quick and automatic response.
Knock On Wood:
Knuckle tapping on wood in order to avoid some bad luck.
Know the Ropes:
To understand the details.

L
Last but not least:
An introduction phrase to let the audience know that the last person mentioned is no less important than those introduced before him/her.
Lend Me Your Ear:
To politely ask for someone's full attention.
Let Bygones Be Bygones:
To forget about a disagreement or arguement.
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie:
To avoid restarting a conflict.
Let The Cat Out Of The Bag:
To share a secret that wasn't suppose to be shared.
Level playing field:
A fair competition where no side has an advantage.
Like a chicken with its head cut off:
To act in a frenzied manner.
liquor someone up:
To get someone drunk.
Long in the Tooth:
Old people (or horses).
Loose Cannon:
Someone who is unpredictable and can cause damage if not kept in check.

M
Make No Bones About:
To state a fact so there are no doubts or objections.
Method To My Madness:
Strange or crazy actions that appear meaningless but in the end are done for a good reason.
Mumbo Jumbo:
Nonsense or meaningless speech.
Mum's the word:
To keep quiet. To say nothing.

N
Nest Egg:
Savings set aside for future use.
Never Bite The Hand That Feeds You:
Don't hurt anyone that helps you.
New kid on the block:
Someone new to the group or area.
New York Minute:
A minute that seems to go by quickly, especially in a fast paced environment.
No Dice:
To not agree. To not accept a proposition.
No Room to Swing a Cat:
An unsually small or confined space.
Not Playing With a Full Deck:
Someone who lacks intelligence.

O
Off On The Wrong Foot:
Getting a bad start on a relationship or task.
Off The Hook:
No longer have to deal with a tough situation.
Off the Record:
Something said in confidence that the one speaking doesn't want attributed to him/her.
On Pins And Needles:
Anxious or nervous, especially in anticipation of something.
On The Fence:
Undecided.
On The Same Page:
When multiple people all agree on the same thing.
Out Of The Blue:
Something that suddenly and unexpectedly occurs.
Out On A Limb:
When someone puts themself in a risky situation.
Out On The Town:
To enjoy yourself by going out.
Over My Dead Body:
When you absolutely will not allow something to happen.
Over the Top:
Very excessive.

P
Pass The Buck:
Avoid responsibility by giving it to someone else.
Pedal to the metal:
To go full speed, especially while driving a vehicle.
Peeping Tom:
Someone who observes people in the nude or sexually active people, mainly for his own gratification.
Pick up your ears:
To listen very carefully.
Pig In A Poke:
A deal that is made without first examining it.
Pig Out :
To eat alot and eat it quickly.
Pipe Down:
To shut-up or be quiet.
Practice Makes Perfect:
By constantly practicing, you will become better.
Pull the plug:
To stop something. To bring something to an end.
Pulling Your Leg:
Tricking someone as a joke.
Put a sock in it:
To tell noisy person or a group to be quiet.

Q
Queer the pitch:
Destroy or ruin a plan.

R
Raincheck:
An offer or deal that is declined right now but willing to accept later.
Raining Cats and Dogs:
A very loud and noisy rain storm.
Ring Fencing:
Seperated usual judgement to guarantee protection, especially project funds.
Rise and Shine:
Time to get out of bed and get ready for work/school.
Rome Was Not Built In One Day:
If you want something to be completely properly, then its going to take time.
Rule Of Thumb:
A rough estimate.
Run out of steam:
To be completely out of energy.

S
Saved By The Bell:
Saved at the last possible moment.
Scapegoat:
Someone else who takes the blame.
Scot-free:
To escape and not have to pay.
Sick As A Dog:
To be very sick (with the flu or a cold).
Sitting Shotgun:
Riding in the front passenger seat of a car.
Sixth Sense:
A paranormal sense that allows you to communicate with the dead.
Skid Row:
The rundown area of a city where the homeless and drug users live.
Smell A Rat:
To detect somone in the group is betraying the others.
Smell Something Fishy:
Detecting that something isn't right and there might be a reason for it.
Son of a Gun:
A scamp.
Southpaw:
Someone who is left-handed.
Spitting Image:
The exact likeness or kind.
Start From Scratch:
To do it all over again from the beginning.

T
The Ball Is In Your Court:
It is your decision this time.
The Best Of Both Worlds:
There are two choices and you have them both.
The Bigger They Are The Harder They Fall:
While the bigger and stronger opponent might be alot more difficult to beat, when you do they suffer a much bigger loss.
The Last Straw:
When one small burden after another creates an unbearable situation, the last straw is the last small burden that one can take.
The Whole Nine Yards:
Everything. All of it.
Third times a charm:
After no success the first two times, the third try is a lucky one.
Tie the knot:
To get married.
Til the cows come home:
A long time.
To Make A Long Story Short:
Something someone would say during a long and boring story in order to keep his/her audience from losing attention. Usually the story isn't shortened.
To Steal Someone's Thunder:
To take the credit for something someone else did.
Tongue-in-cheek:
humor, not to be taken serious.
Turn A Blind Eye:
Refuse to acknowledge something you know is real or legit.
Twenty three skidoo:
To be turned away.

U
Under the weather:
Feeling ill or sick.
Up a blind alley:
Going down a course of action that leads to a bad outcome.
Use Your Loaf:
Use your head. Think smart.

V
Van Gogh's ear for music:
Tone deaf.
Variety Is The Spice Of Life:
The more experiences you try the more exciting life can be.

W
Wag the Dog:
A diversion away from something of greater importance.
Water Under The Bridge:
Anything from the past that isn't significant or important anymore.
Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve:
To openly and freely express your emotions.
When It Rains, It Pours:
Since it rarely rains, when it does it will be a huge storm.
When Pigs Fly :
Something that will never ever happen.
Wild and Woolly:
Uncultured and without laws.
Wine and Dine:
When somebody is treated to an expensive meal.
Without A Doubt:
For certain.

X
X marks the spot:
A phrase that is said when someone finds something he/she has been looking for.

Y
You Are What You Eat:
In order to stay healthy you must eat healthy foods.
You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover:
Decisions shouldn't be made primarily on appearance.
You Can't Take it With You:
Enjoy what you have and not what you don't have, since when you die you cannot take things (such as money) with you.
Your Guess Is As Good As Mine:
I have no idea.

Z
Zero Tolerance:
No crime or law breaking big or small will be overlooked.

A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush:
Having something that is certain is much better than taking a risk for more, because chances are you might lose everything.

A Blessing In Disguise:
Something good that isn't recognized at first.

A Chip On Your Shoulder:
Being upset for something that happened in the past.

A Dime A Dozen:
Anything that is common and easy to get.

A Doubting Thomas:
A skeptic who needs physical or personal evidence in order to believe something.

A Drop in the Bucket:
A very small part of something big or whole.

A Fool And His Money Are Easily Parted:
It's easy for a foolish person to lose his/her money.

A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand:
Everyone involved must unify and function together or it will not work out.

A Leopard Can't Change His Spots:
You cannot change who you are.

A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned:
By not spending money, you are saving money (little by little).

A Picture Paints a Thousand Words:
A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.

A Piece of Cake:
A task that can be accomplished very easily.

A Slap on the Wrist:
A very mild punishment.

A Taste Of Your Own Medicine:
When you are mistreated the same way you mistreat others.

A Toss-Up:
A result that is still unclear and can go either way.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words:
It's better to actually do something than just talk about it.

Add Fuel To The Fire:
Whenever something is done to make a bad situation even worse than it is.

Against The Clock:
Rushed and short on time.

All Bark And No Bite:
When someone is threatening and/or aggressive but not willing to engage in a fight.

All Greek to me:
Meaningless and incomprehensible like someone who cannot read, speak, or understand any of the Greek language would be.

All In The Same Boat:
When everyone is facing the same challenges.

An Arm And A Leg:
Very expensive. A large amount of money.

An Axe To Grind:
To have a dispute with someone.

Apple of My Eye:
Someone who is cherished above all others.

As High As A Kite:
Anything that is high up in the sky.

At The Drop Of A Hat:
Willing to do something immediately.

B

Back Seat Driver:
People who criticize from the sidelines, much like someone giving unwanted advice from the back seat of a vehicle to the driver.

Back To Square One:
Having to start all over again.

Back To The Drawing Board:
When an attempt fails and it's time to start all over.

Baker's Dozen:
Thirteen.

Barking Up The Wrong Tree:
A mistake made in something you are trying to achieve.

Beat A Dead Horse:
To force an issue that has already ended.

Beating Around The Bush:
Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.

Bend Over Backwards:
Do whatever it takes to help. Willing to do anything.

Between A Rock And A Hard Place:
Stuck between two very bad options.

Bite Off More Than You Can Chew:
To take on a task that is way to big.

Bite Your Tongue:
To avoid talking.

Blood Is Thicker Than Water:
The family bond is closer than anything else.

Blue Moon:
A rare event or occurance.

Break A Leg:
A superstitious way to say 'good luck' without saying 'good luck', but rather the opposite.

Buy A Lemon:
To purchase a vehicle that constantly gives problems or stops running after you drive it away.

C

Can't Cut The Mustard :
Someone who isn't adequate enough to compete or participate.

Cast Iron Stomach:
Someone who has no problems, complications or ill effects with eating anything or drinking anything.

Charley Horse:
Stiffness in the leg / A leg cramp.

Chew someone out:
Verbally scold someone.

Chip on his Shoulder:
Angry today about something that occured in the past.

Chow Down:
To eat.

Close but no Cigar:
To be very near and almost accomplish a goal, but fall short.

Cock and Bull Story:
An unbelievable tale.

Come Hell Or High Water:
Any difficult situation or obstacle.

Crack Someone Up:
To make someone laugh.

Cross Your Fingers:
To hope that something happens the way you want it to.

Cry Over Spilt Milk:
When you complain about a loss from the past.

Cry Wolf:
Intentionally raise a false alarm.

Cup Of Joe:
A cup of coffee.

Curiosity Killed The Cat:
Being Inquisitive can lead you into a dangerous situation.

Cut to the Chase:
Leave out all the unnecessary details and just get to the point.

list of phrasal verbs

An Extensive List of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
abide by	To respect or obey a decision, a law or a rule	If you want to keep your job here, you mustabide by our rules.
account for	To explain, give a reason	I hope you can account for the time you were out!
add up	To make sense, seem reasonable	The facts in the case just don’t add up.
advise against	To recommend not doing something	I advise against walking alone in this neighborhood.
agree with	To have the same opinion as someone else.	I agree with you. I think you should go as well.
allow for	To take into consideration	We need to allow for unexpected charges along the way.
appeal to	To plead or make a request To be attractive or interesting	He appealed to the court to change its decision. A vacation of sunbathing doesn’tappeal to me.
apply for	To make a formal request for something (job, permit, loan etc.)	He applied for a scholarship for next semester.
back away	To move backwards, in fear or dislike	When he saw the bear, he backed away in fright.
back down	To withdraw, concede defeat	Local authorities backed down on their threats to build on that part of the beach.
back up	To give support or encouragement To make a copy of (file, program, etc.)	I’m going to be very strict with him. I hope you’ll back me up on this? You should back up all your computer files in a secure location.
bank on	To base your hopes on something / someone	I’m banking on you to help with the charity event.
black out	To faint, lose consciousness	Jenna fell in the parking lot and blacked out.
block off	To separate using a barrier.	The police blocked off the street after the explosion.
blow up	To explode To get angry	Tommy blew up the red balloon. Don’t blow up at me. It’s not my fault.
boil down to	To be summarized as	It all boils down to who has more power.
boot up	To start a computer by loading an operating system or program	You need to boot up your computer before you begin to work.
break away	To separate from a crowd	One of the wolves broke away from his pack.
break down	To go out of order, cease to function To lose control of one’s emotions	The washing machine broke downso we had to call in the repair technician. John broke down when he heard the news.
break into	To enter by force	Burglars broke into my car last night.
break out	To start suddenly	Rioting broke out after the government raised the fuel prices again.
break out of	To escape from a place by force	Several prisoners broke out of jail.
break up	To come to an end (marriage, relationship)	She broke up with Daniel after dating him for five years.
bring up	To raise (a child)	Sara is bringing up her children by herself.
brush up on	To improve, refresh one’s knowledge of something	I must brush up on my French before going to Paris next month.
bump into	To meet by chance or unexpectedly	I bumped into Adam at the bank. He says “hello”.
burn out	stop (something) working become exhausted from over-working	The light bulb burnt out. Please change it. She needs to work fewer hours. Otherwise she will burn out.
call back	To return a phone call	Could please call back in ten minutes?
call off	To cancel	The game was called off because of bad weather.
calm down	To become more relaxed, less angry or upset	It took Kylie several hours to calm downafter she saw the accident.
carry on	To continue	The soldiers carried on walking in order to get to their post before dark.
carry out	To do something as specified (a plan, an order, a threat) To perform or conduct (test, experiment)	His orders were carried out to the letter. That company does not carry outtests on animals.
check in	To register at a hotel or airport	They said I must check in at least three hours before my flight.
check out	To pay one’s bill and leave (a hotel) To investigate	Donna checked out of the hotel this morning. I don’t know if this price is correct. I’llcheck it out online.
clam up	To refuse to speak	When the police started asking questions, the suspect clammed up.
clamp down on	To act strictly to prevent something	The local authorities have decided to clamp down on illegal parking in handicapped parking places.
come across	To find by chance To appear, seem, make an impression	I was cleaning up and came acrosssome old photos of you. The politician came across as a complete fool during the TV interview.
come forward	To present oneself	Has the owner of the winning lotto ticketcome forward?
count on	To rely or depend on (for help)	You can count on me to keep your secret.
cut down on	To reduce in number or size	I’ve decided to cut down on the amount of sweets I eat.
cut out	To remove using scissors To stop doing something	She cut out a coupon from the newspaper. You need to cut out all red meat from your diet.
deal with	To handle, take care of (problem, situation)	Catherine is not good at dealing with stress.
die down	To calm down, become less strong	After the storm died down, we went outside to see the damage it had caused.
do without	To manage without	She didn’t get a salary this month, so she’ll have to do without extra treats.
drag on	To last longer than expected	The suspect’s trial dragged on longer than we had expected!
draw up	To write (contract, agreement, document)	They drew up a contract and had me sign it.
dress up	wear elegant clothes	Their wedding gave us a chance to dress upand get out of the house.
drop in	To visit, usually on the way somewhere	Why don’t you drop in to see us on your way home?
drop off	To deliver someone or something To fall asleep	I’ll drop off the papers later today. I often drop off in front of the TV.
drop out	To leave school without finishing	Zack dropped out of college and joined the army.
ease off	To reduce, become less severe or slow down (pain, traffic, work)	Traffic usually eases off about 7pm
end in	To finish in a certain way; result in	Her marriage ended in divorce.
end up	To finally reach a state, place or action	If you don’t improve your work habits, you’llend up being fired.
fall through	To fail; doesn’t happen	His plans to trek through South America fell through when he got sick.
figure out	To understand, find the answer	He’s trying to figure out how to earn enough money to go on the trip to Spain.
fill out	To complete (a form/an application)	Please fill out the enclosed form and return it as soon as possible.
find out	To discover or obtain information	I’m going to to find out who’s responsible for the power cut.
focus on	To concentrate on something	Tom had difficultty focusing on work the day before his holiday started.
get along (with)	To be on good terms; work well with	It’s important to get along with your team supervisor.
get at	To imply	What are you getting at? Do you think I’m to blame?
get away	To escape	I think we should get away for the weekend.
get by	To manage to cope or to survive	Students without jobs have a hard timegetting by.
get in	To enter	When did you get in last night?
get into (+noun)	To enter	How did you get into your car without the keys?
get off	To leave (bus, train, plane) To remove	You should get off the train in Kings Heath. I can’t get the ink stain off my shirt.
get on	To board (bus, train, plane)	I’m trying to get on the flight to Brussels.
get on with (something)	To continue to do; make progress	After they split up, she had a hard timegetting on with her life.
get on (well) with (somebody)	To have a good relationship with	He doesnt get on very well with the other members of the committee.
get out	To leave	He had a hard time getting out of Newark because of the snow?
get out of	To avoid doing something	Edna’s trying to get out of working the night shift.
get over	To recover from (illness, disappointment)	Has she gotten over the flu?
get over	To recover from (illness, disappointment)	Mary had the chickenpox last week but shegot over it.
get rid of	To eliminate	Please get rid of that old t-shirt. It’s so ragged.
get together	To meet each other	Let’s get together for your birthday on Saturday.
get up	To rise, leave bed	Will you please get up? You’ve got a class in 20 minutes.
give in	To cease opposition; yield To To hand in; submit	We will never give in to the terrorists’ demands. I’ll give in my paper tomorrow.
give up	To stop doing something	Morris gave up drinking 10 years ago.
go through	To experience	Andy went through a lot of pain after his mother died.
grow up	To spend one’s childhood; develop; become an adult	He’s like Peter Pan. He never really grew upat all.
hand in	To submit (report, homework)	Please hand in your papers before Friday.
hand out	To distribute	Susan volunteered at the shelter where shehanded out warm clothes.
hang out	To spend time in a particular place or with a group of friends	Which pub does the team hang out at after the game?
hang up	To end a phone conversation	If you hang up now, I’ll never speak to you again.
hold on	To wait To grip tightly	Please hold on and a representative will answer your call. She was so scared on the rollercoaster ride that she held onfor dear life.
hurry up	To be quick, act speedily	Hurry up and finish your lunch or we’ll miss the train.
iron out	To resolve by discussion, eliminate differences	The two countries met at the conference toiron out their differences.
join in	To participate	Yes David, you can join in the discussion any time you like.
join up	To engage in, become a member of To meet and unite with	There was a war on, so some kids were only sixteen when they joined up. Let’s separate now and join up later at the restaurant.
keep on	To continue doing something	If you keep on making that noise I will get annoyed.
keep up with	To stay at the same level as someone or something	I read the paper every day to keep up withthe news.
kick off	To begin, start	The rugby match kicked off at 3 o’clock.
leave out	To omit, not mention	Please check your form again and make sure nothing is left out.
let down	To disappoint	I feel so let down because they promised me a puppy but all I got was a doll.
look after	To take care of	Andy can you look after your sister until I get back?
look down on	To consider as inferior	She’s such a snob. She always looks down on anyone who is poor.
look on	To be a spectator at an event	If you don’t want to take part in the game you can look on for now.
look for	To try to find something	Harry went to the shop to look for a new computer.
look forward to	To await or anticipate with pleasure	I’m looking forward to my birthday. It’s in two days time.
look up to	To admire	I always looked up to my father. He was a great man.
make fun of	To laugh at/ make jokes about	It’s not nice to make fun of people in wheelchairs.
make up	To invent (excuse, story)	That’s a good excuse. Did you make up it up yourself?
mix up	To mistake one thing or person for another	She had so many cats that she kept mixing up their names.
move in	To arrive in a new home or office	Did you hear? Our new neighbors aremoving in this afternoon.
move out	To leave your home/office for another one.	When are you moving out? We need your office for the new guy.
nod off	To fall asleep	You were so tired after the game that younodded off on the couch.
own up	To admit or confess something	Come on. Own up. We know you did it!
pass away	To die	Your grandfather passed away peacefully in his sleep last night.
pass out	To faint	He didn’t drink enough water so he passed out at the end of the race.
pay back	To reimburse	I’ll pay you back as soon as I get the loan.
put off	To postpone, arrange a later date	Don’t put off until tomorrow, what you can do today.
put on	To turn on, switch on	It’s very dark in here. Please put on the light on.
put out	To extinguish	The fire fighters were able to put out fire in ten minutes.
put up	To accommodate, give somebody a bed	I can put you up until the weekend but then I’m going away.
pick up	To collect somebody	I’ll pick you up at around 7:00 to take you to the airport.
point out	To indicate/direct attention to something	As I already pointed out, there was a mistake in your calculation.
rely on	To count on, depend on, trust	You can rely on me. I always arrive on time.
rule out	To eliminate	Since he had a sound alibi, the police ruledhim out as a suspect.
run away	To escape from a place or suddenly leave	He ran away from home and joined the circus.
run into	To meet by accident or unexpectedly (also: bump into)	I’m so glad I ran into you. I need to ask you something.
run out of	To have no more of something.	We’ve run out of milk. I’ll just pop next door to borrow some.
set off	To start a journey;	Let’s set off early to miss the rush hour traffic.
set up	To start a business	They set up their own company when they were still in high school.
shop around	To compare prices	Don’t buy that. Let’s shop around and see if we can find something cheaper.
show off	To brag or want to be admired	He’s such a show off. He has to tell everybody about his new computer.
show up	To appear/arrive	I don’t think she’ll show up tonight. Her daughter is sick.
shut up (impolite)	To be silent, stop talking	Shut up, you’re spoiling the movie!
sit down	To take a seat	I think you should sit down. It’s bad news.
stand up	To rise from a sitting position	The whole stadium stood up for the national anthem.
stick up for	To defend	My big brother always stuck up for me when I got into a fight.
take after	To resemble, in appearance or character	Angie really takes after her grandmother.
take care of	To look after	Please take care of my cat when I’m away.
take off	To leave the ground	The plane will take off as soon as the fog lifts.
take on	To hire or engage staff	I hear they’re taking on extra staff for this event.
take out	To remove; extract	Please take out your mobile phones and turn them off.
tell off	To reprimand/criticize severely	The coach told her off for not trying hard enough.
think over	To consider	Take your time and think it over before you decide.
try on	To wear something to see if it suits or fits	Go ahead, try it on and see if it fits?
turn down	To refuse	I asked her out but she turned me down flat.
use up	To finish a product (so that there’s none left)	Your parents used up all the coffee!
watch out	To be careful	Watch out! There’s a dog in the road.
wear out	To become unusable To become very tired	Julie wore out her shoes running the marathons. Julie was worn out after all that running.
work out	To do physical exercise To find a solution or calculate something	You should work out twice a week at the gym. Can you work this out? I’m no good at math.
wipe off	To clean (board, table).	I’ll wash up if you wipe off the table.

PROJECT BASED LEARNING

Friday, 27 November 2015

usage of modal verbs

Examples of modal verbs

kinds of connectives

list of idioms

list of phrasal verbs

An Extensive List of Phrasal Verbs