Hello everyone! Let's continue our lesson on phrasal verbs with "put" by tackling some common mistakes and misunderstandings. Phrasal verbs can be tricky, so it's normal to make a few errors along the way. Think of these exercises as a way to reinforce what we've learned and build our confidence.


Correcting Common Mistakes


Let's look at some sentences and see where we can make improvements. The key here is to remember the rules we discussed about word order, especially for physical actions.

  1. "I like sleeping in tents but I don’t like putting up them."

    • This is a very common mistake. When the object of the phrasal verb is a pronoun like "them," "it," or "us," it must go between the verb and the particle.

    • The correct sentence should be: "I like sleeping in tents but I don’t like putting them up."

  2. "Put that CD on that you bought yesterday. I’d like to hear it."

    • This one is a little clunky. While it's technically understandable, a more natural way to say this would be to rephrase it.

    • A better sentence would be: "Put on that CD that you bought yesterday. I'd like to hear it." Or, even more simply: "Put on the CD you bought yesterday."

  3. "We put last week in a new dishwasher."

    • Here, the timing is in the wrong place. The phrasal verb "put in" should be kept together, and the time should go elsewhere in the sentence.

    • The correct sentence is: "We put in a new dishwasher last week."

  4. "Will you put on the TV? I want to watch the tennis."

    • This one is grammatically correct! The object "the TV" can come after the particle "on." So, we can just write "correct" for this one.

  5. "That light is too strong. Shall we put out it?"

    • Just like in the first sentence, the pronoun "it" needs to go between the verb and the particle.

    • The correct sentence should be: "That light is too strong. Shall we put it out?"


Completing the Text


Now, let's fill in the blanks in this short text about a man named Harry. This will help us practice using phrasal verbs in a more natural, connected way.

"I don't know how Harry puts up (1) with his boss. He works so hard but his boss even gets him to put the lights on (2) for him when it starts to get dark, and it's always Harry who has to put in (3) new computer equipment. His boss never thinks twice about putting off (4) when they've arranged a meeting. I know Harry feels put out (5), but he never complains. We should really do what we can to put him on to (6) some better jobs."

This exercise is a great reminder that phrasal verbs can be about physical actions (putting lights on), emotional states (feeling put out), and personal relationships (putting up with a boss).


Changing the Meaning with Opposite Verbs


Let's put our knowledge to the test by rewriting sentences with the opposite phrasal verb. This requires us to not only know the meaning of the phrasal verb but also to think about the context of the sentence.

  1. Original: Could you switch the light on please. I can’t see to read.

    • Opposite: Could you put the light out please. It's shining right in my eyes.

  2. Original: They’re pulling down those old buildings near the railway station.

    • Opposite: They’re putting up some new buildings near the railway station.

  3. Original: The Boy Scouts took their tent down very quickly and loaded it into their bus.

    • Opposite: The Boy Scouts put their tent up very quickly and got ready for the night.

  4. Original: Could we possibly bring our meeting forward to 10 o’clock?

    • Opposite: Could we possibly put our meeting back to 10 o’clock?

  5. Original: When we moved into our new house we decided to remove an old, rather ugly fireplace.

    • Opposite: When we moved into our new house we decided to put in a new fireplace.

  6. Original: Can you turn that CD off, please. I can’t concentrate on my work.

    • Opposite: Can you put that CD on, please. I need some music to help me concentrate.

Great work everyone! We'll wrap things up here for today. Keep an eye out for these phrasal verbs in your reading and listening, and try to use them in your own conversations.


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