Hello class, and welcome! Today, we're going to dive into the world of phrasal verbs, specifically those using the word "put." We'll explore how these two little words can change their meaning drastically depending on the second word, or particle, that's attached. This can sometimes feel a little overwhelming, but the key is to see them in context.


Phrasal Verbs for Physical Actions


These verbs are often about physically moving or arranging things. A great rule of thumb to remember here is that for many of these, the particle can come either before or after the object. For example, you can say "put on a CD" or "put a CD on." Let's look at some common ones:

  • Put in: This means to install or fix new equipment in its proper place. Think about putting a new washing machine in or putting in new light fixtures.

  • Put on: This is a very common one with a few meanings.

    • It can mean to make a device work by flipping a switch, like putting the air conditioning on.

    • It also means to play a recording, like putting on a CD or a movie.

  • Put out: The opposite of "put on" in some cases. When you put a light out, you're turning it off. This is a very useful verb to know!

  • Put up: This can also have a couple of meanings.

    • It can mean to build a structure, like putting up a new block of flats.

    • It can also mean to assemble something that's been folded, like putting up a tent.


Phrasal Verbs for Time


"Put" verbs can also be used to talk about changing plans and time. These are super helpful for scheduling and rearranging things.

  • Put off: This means to postpone something. If you're too busy to see a friend, you might have to put them off until a later time. Similarly, you can also put a meeting off until next week. The meaning is to delay or reschedule.

  • Put back: Similar to "put off," this means to change an event to a later time. You could put a meeting back a couple of days. We also use this to talk about changing the time on a clock, like when we put the clocks back one hour for daylight saving time.

  • Put forward: The opposite of "put back" when talking about clocks. When you put your watch forward, you're making it show a later time.


Phrasal Verbs for Social Situations


Finally, let's look at how "put" can describe our interactions and feelings about other people.

  • Put out: We've seen this one before with lights, but it has a very different meaning in this context. To be put out means you're annoyed or bothered, usually because of something someone else has said or done. For example, "She was really put out when he forgot her birthday."

  • Put up with: This is an important one. It means to tolerate or accept unpleasant behavior or a difficult situation, even though you don't like it. For example, "I can't believe she puts up with his bad habits."

  • Put someone on to something/someone: This means to tell someone about something or someone that could be helpful to them. For example, "My friend put me on to this amazing new coffee shop."

As you can see, the single word "put" can take on many different meanings. The best way to learn these is to use them in your own sentences and listen for them in conversations.

Any questions so far?


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