Oh no, my car just stopped working. I hope that the mechanic can make a repair or else I might
need to cancel all of my weekend plans. Did you understand what I just said? You probably did,
but you know what? Native English speakers don't really use these types of verbs. Instead, you'll
be more likely to hear this, oh no, my car broke down. I hope that the mechanic can fix it up,
or else I might need to call off all of my weekend plans. So what's the difference? Stop working,
break down, make a repair, fix it up, cancel, to call off. Well, here we have
a somewhat formal verb changed into a phrasal verb. This is what native English speakers do
all the time. We prefer to use phrasal verbs in daily conversation. If they seem tricky to you,
well never fear. Today. I am here to help you. Today, you are going to learn how to swap 10
formal verbs for 10 phrasal verbs that are more commonly used in daily conversation.
And if you love or hate phrasal verbs, I have some exciting news. I always want to
make English enjoyable and understandable for you, but I know that a lot of my students are
overwhelmed when it comes to learning phrasal verbs and that's understandable. There are over
2000 phrasal verbs in English. So how in the world are you supposed to know which ones to use, how to
use them, and is it even possible to remember all of these phrasal verbs? Well, starting next week,
my brand new 30 day phrasal verb challenge will be opening. I am sure you will love it and level
up your phrasal verb skills. I'll tell you more about it next week. If you want to be one of the
first people to know about the 30-day phrasal verb challenge and any special discounts that apply,
my biggest recommendation is for you to download the free PDF from today's lesson.
This PDF includes all of the formal phrasal verbs, how to switch them to phrasal verbs,
sample sentences, ideas, and also you will be signed up to my newsletter where you will receive
all of the first discounts and announcements about the 30-day phrasal verb challenge. You can click
on the link in the description to download this free PDF worksheet today. All right,
let's get started with the first swap. Swapping a formal verb for a phrasal verb. Number one, the
truck was so old that I was afraid it was going to stop working while I was driving it. It's okay,
but it could be better. The truck was so old that I was worried it was going to break down while I
was driving it. Here we're making the swap between to stop working or sometimes you might hear to
stop functioning, which is even more formal, and the beautiful phrasal verb to break down.
The motor stopped functioning, so we had to call the repair man. It's okay. Or the motor
broke down, so we had to call the repair man. Beautiful. Number two. As soon as I complete
this task, I can relax and watch a movie. It's okay. As soon as I finish up this task,
I can relax and watch a movie. Wonderful. Here our swap is between the words to complete and
to finish up. You could say I completed the first draft of the book I'm writing. It's okay,
but even better is I finished up the first draft of the book I'm writing. Great. Number three,
we bought a new house, but we need to make some repairs before we move in. We bought a new house,
but we need to fix it up before we move in. Yes, here the swap is between the somewhat
formal phrase to make some repairs and the beautiful phrasal verb to fix it up. After
the storm came through, we needed to make a repair to our chicken coop. After the storm came through,
we needed to fix up our chicken coop. It just tore the roof right off. Number four,
I need to finalize the details for the party before next weekend. I need to wrap up the details
for the party before next weekend. Yes. Here we're swapping the more formal verb to finalize
for the daily phrasal verb to wrap up something. Let's take a look at another example. Before we
finalize this meeting, is there anything that you want to add? It's okay. Or you could say Before
we wrap up this meeting, is there anything that you want to add? This is probably in a workplace
situation, but phrasal verbs are often used. In fact, they're used all the time in workplace
situations, so don't fear using phrasal verbs at work or even informal situations. The only
time when I would recommend potentially using the more formal expression is if you are doing
some academic writing. If you're doing something very specific, making a scientific academic paper,
okay, you should try to use the highest language possible. But for most of us in
daily conversation, all of these phrasal verbs will be the perfect choice. Number five, the
couple canceled the big fancy wedding that they had planned. Or you could say the couple called
off the big fancy wedding that they had planned. Here we're swapping, canceled for called off.
Or you could say they had to cancel the baseball game because of the rain. Or even better,
they had to call off the baseball game because of the rain. Great. Number six. Work has been
so stressful lately. I really need to take a vacation. It's okay to say take a vacation, but
how could you level this up? You could say work has been so stressful lately. I really need to get
away. Beautiful. To get away here, we're swapping to take a vacation for to get away. I would love
to take a vacation to the mountains this summer, or I would love to get away to the mountains this
summer. Yes. Number seven, I need to confirm with my sister, but I think we're having Christmas
at her house this year. To confirm, it's okay. But you could say, I need to check with my sister,
I think we're having Christmas at her house this year here. We're making the swap between the more
formal verb to confirm something and the lovely phrasal verb to check with. Here we're talking
about to check with someone. Let's take a look at another example. I'll confirm with my husband, but
I think we can go hiking with you next weekend. Now, this sounds very formal, especially for just
going hiking. Instead, it is much more common to say, I'll check with my husband, but I think we
can go hiking with you next weekend. To check with is great to use here. Number eight, don't mention
politics to my uncle unless you want to hear him talk for hours. To mention is okay, but it's even
more common to say Don't bring up politics to my uncle unless you want to hear him talk for hours.
Here we're swapping to mention for to bring up. Let's take a look at another example. I didn't
want to mention this in front of the kids, but I bought a big chocolate cake for dessert. Okay,
you don't want to mention it, but what could you say instead? You might say this,
I didn't want to bring it up in front of the kids, but I bought a big chocolate cake for dessert.
Yum. Number nine. I guess I should stop trying to become a rock star because I can't even sing.
Okay, you could use stop here, but you could also use the phrasal verb,
I guess I should give up on being a rockstar. I can't even sing. Here we're swapping to stop
for it to give up on. This phrasal verb, to give up on implies that you had some kind of hope
and now you are stopping that hope. Let's take a look at another example. My mom stopped growing a
garden because she just kept killing the plants. Here you can get the idea that my mom had some
kind of hope. Oh, I hope the plants will grow. And then when they all died, boom, her hope stopped.
So we could use this phrasal verb. My mom gave up on growing a garden because she just kept killing
all of her plants. What a shame. And finally, number 10, sorry, I missed the meeting. Can
someone tell me what I missed? Okay, tell me what I missed. That's okay, but you could level
it up and say, sorry, I missed the meeting. Can someone fill me in? Oh, this is so beautiful,
this phrasal verb to fill someone in we can use instead of tell me what happened while I was gone,
to tell me something. This phrasal verb, as you can imagine, is used a lot in the workplace and
even in school. If you miss a meeting, if you miss a day of school, you might say this, can you tell
me what the history teacher said today in class? Or can you fill me in on what the history teacher
said today in class? You want to know the details that you missed while you were gone.
Great phrasal verb. So now that you have leveled up your English skills and will be swapping these
formal verbs for phrasal verbs, don't forget to download the free PDF worksheet where you
will see all of the formal verbs, phrasal verbs, sample sentences, and I have something special for
you today. There is a quiz at the bottom of the PDF to test if you really learned all of these
phrasal verbs. You can click on the link in the description to download that free PDF today. And
when you download the free PDF, you will be one of the first people to find out about the 30-day
phrasal verb challenge plus a big discount that will be available next week. So I hope
to see you next Friday for a new lesson here on my YouTube channel about phrasal verbs. I'm excited
to share it with you. I'll see you there. Bye. But wait, do you want more? I recommend watching
this video next where you will learn 30 phrasal verbs for your nighttime routine,
including some important phrasal verbs to level up your vocabulary and talk
about going to sleep without saying the word sleep. Well, I'll see you there to learn more.