Language/English/Vocabulary/Phrasal-Verbs-UP!

Learn some useful "UP" phrasal verbs

Do you find it easy to pick up (learn quickly) new phrasal verbs? Do you sometimes get confused and screw up (make a mistake) when you use them? Well, read this dialogue carefully. It uses many up phrasal verbs. Try to guess their meaning and look them up (search) in the online dictionary (link below).

DIALOG

• T: Hi Barbara! How is it going?

• B: Good, Tamara. What about you?

• T: I am fine, thanks.

• B: Have you heard about Paul and Sandra?

• T: No, I haven’t. What happened?

• B: Not only did they split up but Sandra has also filled up a form to divorce.

• T: Shut up! I am not eating it up, Barbara! They were such a nice couple since childhood as they grew up together!

• B: Trust me, I am not making this story up. I have just looked Paula up at her new flat and she owned up everything to me. She was so broken that she couldn’t bottle up her feelings.

• T: But why is their marriage breaking up? Please, speak up!

• B: I will, but only if you swear not to let this story on.

• T: I swear.

• B: Apparently several problem cropped up. Everything happened when Paul came back home after being called up. He started behaving strangely: He gave up his business, he took up stamp collection and stayed up until late watching television. As he didn’t get up in the morning, Sandra was forced to bring up their children alone as well as to work hard to settle up their debts. Incidentally, since prices shot up, she had to work extra at the weekends.

• T: So how did she react?

• B: Basically, one day, after clearing her mind up, she was turned up by his reckless behaviour and she flared up: when Paul was out she cut up all his stamps . Then, after sealing up a harsh farewell letter, she left for good.

• T: And what did Paul do?

• B: He was so furious that his friends had to tie him up to hold him up! He was even thinking to refer to a solicitor to draw up a claim against her for its damaged precious stamp collection. But then, he gave up.

• T: Did he try making peace?

• B: Yes, but every time Paul phoned her, Sandra immediately hung up and when he pulls up outside her new flat she pretends she is not at home. To sum up, she doesn’t want to see him anymore.

• T: This story is so sad.

• B: Come on, cheer up! Let’s talk about something else.

• T: All right.

• B: Are you going to Jack’s party tonight?

• T: Yes, I am. Mark is picking me up at 9’ o clock and I am really looking forward to going there.

• B: I heard that he has paid a band to liven the party up.

• T: That will be marvellous!

• B: Are you going too?

• T: I have to train at the gym until 11 o’ clock but I hope to catch you up later on.

• B: Are you still building up your strength in view of the next marathon?

• T: Yes, I am. As a matter of fact, I have found out that It will be a fierce competition as great competitors will show up. Okay, now I really gotta go, otherwise I ill arrive late at my classes.

• B: Hurry up and see you later!

• T: Cheers.

Vocabulary

Look up the meaning of each UP phrasal verb here:

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:English_phrasal_verbs_with_particle_(up)