MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING PHENIKAA UNIVERSITY GRADUATION PAPER A STUDY ON ENGLISH PHRASAL VERBS IN THE SERIES ‘ACTIVE SKILLS FOR READING’ WITH REFERENCE TO VIETNAMESE EQUIVAL
Objective of the study
Phrasal verbs have long been considered one of the most distinctive characteristics of the English language, and often posed significant challenges for learners to fully master this type of verbs because of their variety of structures and idiomatic meanings Phrasal verbs are common in both spoken and written English, they consist of a verb combined with one or more particles including prepositions or adverbs Mastery of phrasal verbs is crucial for effective communication, as they are ubiquitous in daily conversations, literature, and academic texts However, learning phrasal verbs is made more difficult by their dynamic and context-dependent nature, particularly for non-native speakers
This study will analyze English and Vietnamese phrasal verbs, with a particular focus on the English ones Examining the variety of English phrasal verbs, we discover that they fall into certain categories, particularly transitive and intransitive phrasal verbs Additionally, the main goal of research is to study the structure, morphology, grammatical properties, and semantic functions of phrasal verbs
Besides, the study would like to figure out what difficulties English major students at Phenikaa University are dealing with while they learn this type of verbs and the way they overcome them, as well as the students' awareness of phrasal verb structure.
Methods of the study
Method of Description: This study employs a descriptive approach to analyze English phrasal verbs within the "Active Skills for Reading" series The method of description involves systematically identifying and documenting phrasal verbs found in the text, noting their context and usage in the sentence
Analysis-Synthesis Method: The analysis-synthesis method is utilized to dissect the identified phrasal verbs, examining their semantic nuances, syntactic structures and usages This approach involves breaking down each phrasal verb
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Compare and Contrast Method: Using a comparative approach, this study compares and contrasts English phrasal verbs with their Vietnamese equivalents
By juxtaposing examples from the "Active Skills for Reading" series with their translations, the research highlights similarities and differences in usage, shedding light on how phrasal verbs are adapted across languages and cultures.
Research questions
The study aims to answer the following questions:
Question 1: What is the role of phrasal verbs in the English verb system? Question 2: How can the subtypes of phrasal verbs be classified based on their structures and semantic functions?
Question 3: What are the similarities and differences between English phrasal verbs in the "Active Skills for Reading" series and their Vietnamese equivalents?
Contributions of the study
This research aims to demonstrate the presence of phrasal verbs in English, classify their subtypes and structures, compare them to analogous Vietnamese constructions, and provide recommendations for effective phrasal verb learning By analyzing phrasal verbs found in the 'Active skills for Reading' series, the study uncovers insights into the intricacies of phrasal verbs, facilitating comprehension and proficiency in both English and Vietnamese.
This study elucidates the significance of phrasal verbs in English language acquisition, delving into their structure, morphology, and semantic functions It also delves into the difficulties faced by students in understanding phrasal verbs, providing valuable insights for improving English language learning Notably, the study offers specific relevance for Vietnamese learners, addressing the obstacles and challenges they encounter in mastering phrasal verbs in English.
Copies for internal use only in Phenikaa University enhance instruction in the language by improving the knowledge and usage of phrasal verbs among English learners.
Structure of the study
This study is divided into 5 main parts:
Introduction: Presents the objective of the study, the research questions, research method, the contributions of the study and the structure of the study.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Overview of English Phrasal Verbs
1.1.1 Phrasal verbs in the English verb system
According to morphological structure, English verbs can be classified into:
Simple verbs: Verbs of the English language can be simple ones
For example: to cook, to refuse, to read
Derived verbs: Verbs of the English language can be derived ones It means that these verbs have affixes
For example: to dislike (add prefix dis-) to mistake (add prefix mis-) to symbolize (add suffix -ize)
Compound verbs: Verbs of the English language can be compound ones i.e consisting of two stems
For example: to daydream to broadcast
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Composite verbs, also known as phrasal verbs, are a unique aspect of English grammar They consist of a verb followed by a postposition or adverb, forming a single semantic unit These combinations extend the meaning of the verb, adding nuances and variations to the language's expressive capabilities.
The postposition often changes the meaning of the verb with which it is associated The meaning of the composite verbs can be different from the meaning of the components (bring up, do away) or can be the original meaning of the components (stand up, come in, go out, put on)
For example: to turn on - to give up to listen to - to look after to catch up with - to put up with
According the book 'English Grammar' (1993 - pages 141-145) by Chu Xuan Nguyen, and as asserted by numerous grammarians, it is argued that the combinations "'turn on,' 'give up,' 'catch up with'" constitute a unified category of verbs within the English language These combinations are noted for their nuanced meanings and are classified as a specific subtype within the broader English verb system
(1) Gordon Hayward isn't going to give up his basketball
(2) I want to tell them to turn off the cell phone
(3) You should focus on comprehending the material
(4) At one time, there was a stigma associated with homeschooling because it was traditionally for students who had behavioral or learning difficulties and could not keep up with the rest of the class
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(5) He was looking at sunspots-areas of the sun that appear darker because they are slightly cooler than the surrounding areas
However, there are many opinions about Phrasal verbs Let's consider the opinions in turn based on the above examples:
First opinion: They are verbs with adverbs At first glance, they are indeed words of prepositional origin However, in the above examples, the words "up, off, on, up with, at" have little or no adverbial meaning They have no meaning of their own when in a compound verb, so they cannot form a phrase
Second opinion: These words are special types of compound verbs Compound words are formed by combining two root words or morphemes Therefore, both two morphemes or roots have their own meaning and as we discussed above the components "up, off, on, up with, at" do not have their own meaning when they are in the combination, hence the above verbs are not special compound verbs are
Third opinion: They are verbs with a post-position This viewpoint uses the word
"post-position" to describe particles that have the same syntactic functions as other prepositions but are positioned after verbs They, along with the simple verb, form the sentence's primary verb They are not used to connect words in sentences, hence the name "post position" is inappropriate
Fourth opinion: They are verbs with detached suffixes They believe that the parts
Detached suffixes, such as "up, off, on, up with, at," are distinct from regular suffixes in that they can be separated from the verb by a direct object This allows for greater flexibility in sentence construction, as seen in examples like "Return the results" or "Turn on the light."
(6) I have decided to give it up
At the same time, they point out the difference between a regular suffixes and detached suffixes, and they said that in other aspects, detached suffixes behave like regular suffixes and form regular word-building patterns
Compared to the above opinions, this fourth viewpoint seems more reasonable but it is still not completely accurate because:
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- It does not explain the cases of "come up with, keep up with" as in the sentences: (7) They came up with the zodiac
(8) At one time, there was a stigma associated with homeschooling because it was traditionally for students who had behavioral or learning difficulties and could not keep up with the rest of the class
In cases like "look at, depend on" as in the sentences:
(9) He was looking at sunspots-areas of the sun that appear darker because they are slightly cooler than the surrounding areas
(10) You should focus on comprehending the material
In such a case, the direct object cannot come between the verb "at" or "on"
Unlike prefixes, suffixes vary their form based on the root word type they're attached to This is evident in suffixes like "-ify" and "-ise," which can transform adjectives into verbs For example, "simple" becomes "simplify," "glory" becomes "glorify," "real" becomes "realize," and "national" becomes "nationalize." This suffix change indicates a shift in word type, allowing for the creation of new verbs from existing adjectives.
Or the suffix -en can change the type of root from a noun to a verb, such as: strength strengthen length lengthen
But consider the above examples of "up, off, on, up, with, at." when adding verbs, they do not change their word type; they just add new meanings Or with a verb, creating a completely new, meaningful combination
Therefore, if we consider "up, off, on, up, with, at" as detached suffixes, it is not necessarily reasonable
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Phrasal verbs, distinct from the traditional categorization of adverbs or auxiliary components, form unique and cohesive units when combined with a single verb These combinations, such as "catch up," "carry on," and "give up," possess their own distinct meanings, effectively establishing themselves as a distinct subtype within the English verb system.
The first element in a phrasal verb is a single verb that appears frequently in English communication and text such as "to call, to watch " The following element is a preposition, a particle (a word whose origin is a preposition), or both Composite verbs differ from other subtypes of verbs in that only the first element (i.e simple verbs) changes its morphology according to persons, numbers, tenses, aspects and voices while the following element, the particles, do not change its morphology
In the above analysis and examples show that English verbs can be phrasal ones, which means that these verbs consist of a verb and a postposition of adverbial origin The modern term for these verbs is phrasal verbs
Morphological classification of English Phrasal Verbs
Based on English morphology and the examples in Part 1.1.1, we can see that
Phrasal verbs are composed of a verb followed by one or two particles This unique structure distinguishes them from other verbs and imparts various properties and uses By categorizing phrasal verbs into smaller types, we can better understand their diverse functions and applications.
(11) I'm not ready to give up meat!
(12) He'd written down his address and told us to just show up
- [4, p.41] b Prepositional verbs: consist of a simple verb followed by a preposition The particles of Phrasal verbs are adverbs, but the particles of Prepositional verbs are prepositions, and they do not show the relationship between noun phrases and other parts of the sentence
(13) He was looking at sunspots-areas of the sun that appear darker because they are slightly cooler than the surrounding areas
(14) You should focus on comprehending the material
If classified according to accompanying elements, we can classify prepositional verbs into the following two groups:
- Group 1: Mono-transitive prepositional verbs (Động từ kèm giới từ có một tân ngữ trực tiếp)
For example: I have to look after the children
- Group 2: Ditransitive prepositional verbs (Động từ kèm giới từ có tân ngữ trực tiếp và tân ngữ gián tiếp)
For example: We remained him of the agreement
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The preposition in prepositional verbs always comes before the object in the active sentence, whether it is a noun or a personal pronoun
For example: They concentrated on their heavy task
They looked after the child
In sentences with prepositional verbs, adverbs are placed in the following three positions:
For example: They carefully looked after the boy
For example: They looked carefully after him
For example: They looked after the boy carefully
The study has covered two types: phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs, which are two-word verbs In this part, the study will look at the types of Phrasal verbs: Phrasal prepositional verbs c Phrasal-Prepositional Verbs: consist of a verb with two particles One particle is an adverb, the other is preposition The main verb is the action word, the adverb adds extra meaning to the verb, and the preposition connects the verb to another part of the sentence
Because these verbs have three parts, they are sometimes called "three-word verbs." Another term for them is "phrasal-prepositional verbs."
For example: look forward to
In this example, "look" is the main verb, "forward" is the adverb, and "to" is the preposition Together, these words create a specific meaning that is different from just the main verb alone
(15) We, the Vietnamese people, stand up for the Palestinian people's struggle for freedom, peace, and unity
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(16) At one time, there was a stigma associated with homeschooling because it was traditionally for students who had behavioral or learning difficulties and could not keep up with the rest of the class
In active sentences, the object of the phrasal prepositional verbs that always accompany the preposition
For example: The villagers often look up to him
In sentences with phrasal prepositional verbs, adverbs, just like prepositional adverbs when playing the role of adverbials, can appear in three different positions:
- Before a preposition (i.e standing between a particle and a preposition)
For example: We look forward eagerly to your next party
For example: Whom does he put up with willingly?
For example: We eagerly look forward to your next party.
Meaning of English phrasal verbs
The meaning of phrasal verbs can be the meaning of the combination of verb and preposition or adverb, or it can have a completely new meaning that cannot be guessed by combining the meanings of component elements that make up the composite verb
Phrasal verbs, unlike single verbs, often possess nuanced meanings that may not be fully captured by a single-word synonym While it is sometimes possible to convey the gist of a phrasal verb through a synonymous expression, finding an exact replacement for a composite verb can be challenging This is why substituting a phrasal verb's meaning with a phrase may provide a more accurate representation of its intended significance in context.
For examples: o to look at = to watch o to call on = to visit o to come in = to enter
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As far as the meaning is concerned, we can divide English phrasal verbs into the following three types:
Type 1: The meaning of the Phrasal verbs is that the verb only
For example: to cut down = to decrease
They decided to cut down on sugary drinks to improve their health When you use this phrasal verb, you are talking about making something smaller or less For instance, if someone says, "They decided to cut down on sugary drinks to improve their health," it means they chose to reduce the number of sugary drinks they consume in order to become healthier to hold up = to delay or obstruct The accident held up traffic for hours
This phrasal verb is used when something is causing a delay or making it hard for something to continue smoothly For example, if a traffic accident causes a long wait, we can say, "The accident held up traffic for hours."
In both examples, the meanings of the phrasal verbs are clear because they are closely linked to the meanings of the individual verbs These types of phrasal verbs are often easier to understand and use because their meanings are more direct and less complex
Type 2: The meaning of the Phrasal verbs is the complementation of the verb and particle
For example: to find = to find out to drink = to drink up to eat = to eat up to sweep = to sweep up Let's look at the following examples:
In the sentence above, the reader only perceives the action of 'eating the cake,' and it's unclear whether the person has finished eating or not However, when we add the particle 'up' to the sentence, the completion of the action becomes evident to
Copies for internal use only in Phenikaa University the reader—indicating that the cake has been completely eaten This illustrates how particles introduce new and clearer nuances of meaning in sentences
Example 2: She drank the wine
She drank up the wine
In this type of phrasal verb, the particle gives extra meaning to the verb, making the action more specific This makes the sentence clearer and more precise
Type 3: The meaning of the Phrasal verbs is idiomatic one
For example: to bring up = to educate to put off = to post-pone to come by = to obtain to turn up = to appear to make out = to understand For instance, let consider the verb 'to make out.' Individually, 'to make' means 'to create or produce' and 'out' means 'to go outside.' However, when combined, they form the phrasal verb 'to make out,' where both individual meanings are replaced by a new combined meaning: 'to understand something (especially when it's difficult).' This illustrates how phrasal verbs in English can create unique meanings that are distinct from the literal interpretations of their individual parts.
Classification of Phrasal Verbs according verb complementation
Based on the verb complementation, phrasal verbs can be divided into: a Intransitive phrasal verbs: consist of a verb and a particle that do not require a direct object
(22) Prices have gone up as a result
In this sentence, the phrasal verb "gone up" indicates an increase without specifying what has increased
(24) When will they give in?
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(25) Afterwards, the farm managers said they could come back anytime to help out
These are examples of intransitive phrasal verbs with a particle Most particles are place adjunct or have similar functions Normally, particles are not separate from verbs We cannot put an adverb between a verb and a particle For example:
We can say: Wake up quickly
But we can't say: Wake quickly up
In the category of content words with particles, there exists a smaller category which includes verbs combined with prepositional adverbs Prepositional adverbs are words that originally functioned as prepositions within prepositional phrases, but in these verb combinations, the prepositions are omitted
For example: He drove past the burning car
In the above sentence, the word 'past' functions as a preposition that begins the prepositional phrase 'past the burning car.' However, if we say 'He drove past,' then 'past' serves as a prepositional adverb In this case, the omitted preposition modifies 'past,' then it functions as an adverb modifying the verb "to drive" Take a few more similar examples:
- She rushed out b Transitive phrasal verbs: Like other verbs, they are verbs that require a direct object The object of a transitive phrasal verbs with a particle can be a noun phrase or a clause For examples:
(26) We will set up a new unit
In this sentence, the phrasal verb is "set up," and "a new unit" is the noun phrase that acts as the direct object
(27) I can't make out what he means
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In this sentence, the phrasal verb is "make out," and "what he means" is the clause that acts as the direct object
The direct object of a transitive phrasal verbs with a particle can be placed after the particle or between the particle and the verb if it is a noun phrase
For example: They dragged the case along
They moved the old chairs out
They dragged along the case
They moved out the old chairs
But if the object is a personal pronoun, the direct object of the transitive verb with the particle must be between the verb and the particle
For example: They turned on the light
We can say: They turned it on
But we can't say: They turned on it.
Position of Object and Adverbs in Prepositional Verbs
a Position of the object: The preposition in prepositional verbs always comes before the object in the active sentence, whether it is a noun or a personal pronoun
For example: They concentrated on their heavy task
They looked after the child
The object is represented by:
- Noun: For example: Dogs barks at strangers
- Personal pronouns: For example: They call on his
- Gerund: For example: I insisted on your coming
- Phrase: For example: I listened to him talk on the phone
- Clause: For example: We think of what we should do next b Position of the adverb: In sentences with prepositional verbs, adverbs are placed in the following three positions:
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Adverbs can be placed before the verb in the sentences:
For example: They carefully looked after the boy
Adverbs can be placed between Verb and Preposition in the sentences:
For example: They looked carefully after him
Adverbs can be placed at the end of the sentences:
For example: They looked after the boy carefully.
Position of Object and Adverbs in Phrasal Prepositional Verbs
a Position of the object in Phrasal Prepositional Verbs: In active sentences, the object of the phrasal prepositional verbs that always accompany the preposition For example: The villagers often look up to him b Position of the adverb in Phrasal Prepositional Verbs:
In sentences with phrasal prepositional verbs, adverbs, just like prepositional adverbs when playing the role of adverbials, can appear in three different positions: + Adverbs can be placed before a preposition in the sentences (i.e standing between a particle and a preposition)
For example: We look forward eagerly to your next party
+ Adverbs can be placed at the end of the sentences
For example: Whom does he put up with willingly?
+ Adverbs can be placed after the subject in the sentences
For example: We eagerly look forward to your next party.
Similar phenomena to English Phrasal Verbs in Vietnamese language
Past grammarians like Truong Vinh Ky suggested that adverbs such as "ra, vào, lên, xuống" can form part of composite verbs, drawing parallels with verb construction in French and Latin For instance, the Vietnamese "Dắt đến" is comparable to the French "a mener."
Cất đi = en lever Trở về = re tourner Bước ra = (e gredi) sortir Đi lên = (as cendere) monter
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Mr Truong Vinh Ky also showed that such particles could be separated from the main verbs in the similar to the particles separated from German verbs He also emphasized that such word as 'trên, dưới, theo, khỏi, với' certainly were part of composite verbs
In Nguyen Kim Than's "Động từ trong Tiếng Việt" (1999) and Vietnamese school grammar texts, auxiliary verbs are categorized as either requiring verb complements (adverbs) or not (prepositions) The authors of "Ngữ pháp Việt Nam" (1957) similarly classify these terms.
- 28) and the textbook ‘Giáo trình về Việt ngữ’ (P.318) all agreed that these words are of the same kinds regardless of the absence or the presence of the verb complements and consider them the morphemes or formal words (hư từ) functioning as the grammatical parts of the main verbs to show the direction Le Van Ly (P.215) himself wrote: 'They are special verbs When they function as verbs, they denote the movement Therefore, when they are formal words, we called them words denoting direction.' He also added 'They are often used with verbs, which are commonly verbs of movement The combination of these special verbs with verbs of movement can become a composite verb'
Some people even have the view that these are normal verbs paired with the main verbs In 'Studies in Vietnamese Grammar' (Los Angeles, 1951, P 79), M.B Emeno called them words that are a 'second verb in series'
Therefore, based on the semantic and grammatical characteristics, these words do not fully contain the characteristics of the normal verbs Their characteristics as verbs are quite independent form their position in the sentences In other words, they are verbs all in all When they use after the verbs denoting actions, they still retain their characteristics of action They do not turn into adverbs but on the contrary, they illustrate the actions as a picture Furthermore, in this case, they themselves describe the action more clearly, meanwhile verbs only describe the way of action For example:
( ) Đi ra = ra bằng hai chân ( ) Bò ra = ra bằng cả hai chân hai tay
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( ) Lăn ra = ra bằng cách lăn mình However, it is not always the cases If these verbs are used after the other verbs or action, like: vứt, ném they do not present an action, and the verbs before them do not describe ways of action For example, we cannot understand:
Vứt ra = Ra bằng cách vứt Nhìn ra = Ra bằng cách nhìn Nevertheless, the truth is that these words although are originally verbs, are placed after other verbs, but they have already lost the basic characteristics of verbs in form and grammar, and have declined initial lexical meaning Sometimes it even loses that meaning altogether We can say 'ra' in 'đi ra', which comes from the verb 'ra'
'Tôi đã vào nhà' or 'Tôi sẽ vào nhà'
'Đã' and 'sẽ' are formal words in Vietnamese that typically precede the verb
'Tôi đi đã vào nhà', but we say 'Tôi đã đi vào nhà'
'Tôi đi sẽ vào nhà', but we say 'Tôi sẽ đi vào nhà'
From the examples above, we can see that the word 'vào' in the phrase 'đi vào' completely loses the characteristics of the verb 'vào' It can be said that we have the ability to replace a sentence like:
'Tôi đi vào nhà' with
'Tôi vào nhà' where the meaning seemingly does not change In fact, not only does the meaning of the sentence change, but the structure of the sentence also changes even more
In the sentence 'tôi đi vào nhà', we can clearly see the representation of the subject's action and the direction of that action The word 'vào' in this sentence is not independent In contrast, in the second sentence, we only observe the indication of the subject's movement towards a destination, where 'vào' stands independently Therefore, we notice that 'đi vào' in the first sentence and 'vào' in the second sentence are closely related in meaning This is because the verb 'đi' (go) has a
Copies for internal use only in Phenikaa University very general meaning However, if we replace this verb 'đi' with different verbs such as 'chạy' (run), 'nhảy' (jump), etc we will immediately see the difference For example:
Thằng bé vào nhà with
Thằng bé chạy vào nhà
We can clearly see that they are very different Therefore, we cannot rely on the similar meanings of 'đi + ra/vào ' compared to the independent words 'ra', 'vào' and conclude that these function words (hư từ) 'ra, vào, lên, xuống' are on par with verbs
As a results, we can see that 'ra, vào, lên, xuống' no longer possess all the grammatical characteristics of verbs They have become grammatical tools that indicate the directional meaning of the verb preceding them Their function can be clearly seen through the following table:
Table 1.5 Vietnamese formal words indicate direction
Undirected activity bay mang nhìn
Bay ra Bay vào Bay lên Bay xuống Bay sang Bay về Bay đi Bay lại
Mang vào Mang lên Mang xuống Mang sang Mang về Mang đi Mang lại
Nhìn ra Nhìn vào Nhìn lên Nhìn xuống Nhìn sang Nhìn đi Nhìn lại Nhìn qua Nhìn về
Based on the table above, we can see that the main verb's meaning does not change, but the direction of the action it expresses becomes clearer thanks to these formal words (HƯ TỪ) The majority of adverbs have always been placed before verbs, but these formal words often stand after verbs These formal words form a coherent and consistent system in terms of general grammatical meaning, but contrast each
Copies for internal use only in Phenikaa University other in specific grammatical meanings These words are formal words and have grammatical meanings related to the direction of actions
METHODOLOGY
Research subject
This study examines the use and structure of English phrasal verbs in the "Active Skills for Reading" series, contrasting them with their Vietnamese equivalents It aims to determine the prevalence and distribution of phrasal verbs in the English language, categorize them based on their structures, and compare their usage in the English texts with analogous linguistic phenomena in Vietnamese.
Research methods
To achieve the goals, this study will use both qualitative and quantitative research methods Qualitative analysis means we'll closely examine and sort phrasal verbs based on how they're built and what they mean We'll look at whether they need an object (like 'turn on') or not (like 'get up') We'll also see if they can be split apart (like 'turn the light on' versus 'turn on the light')
The study also uses quantitative analysis gather and study data on how often phrasal verbs appear in the 'Active Skills for Reading' books, using counts and math methods to spot any common uses or trends.
FINDING AND DISCUSSION
Inventory of list of Phrasal Verbs in the series "Active Skill for reading"
Table 3.1 Phrasal verbs in the series 'ASFR'
No Phrasal verbs Vietnamese equivalent
"We're looking forward to eating spring rolls and pho for dinner."
“If it comes out with a few (quite dry) crumbs, they're ready.”
“Watson used math to decide on an answer”
“When a question was read out” Đọc ra
“Phone the school, to ask for someone to meet you.”
"When the tide comes in, it moves towards the land." Đổ vào, bắt đầu
“Look for and read words that are written in bold or italics”
“You should focus on comprehending the material”
“The average college student often stays up late at night”
11 Get out [1, p.42] Ra ngoài, thoát ra
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“Try to get out of your room regularly for some fresh air and exercise”
“And the red light will go on.”
“Then, you must wait for the green light to come on again before…” ĐI tiếp, đi tới
"So, she offered to help out on a farm"
“They talk about living on a student budget.”
Sống dựa vào, sống trên
“All students can get into money trouble if they’re not careful.”
“Often, students find it is easier to plan out their own budget”
Lập kế hoạch, lên kế hoạch
“My mother advised me to stick to my budget carefully”
“It’s polite to switch off your phone” ngừng chú ý
“Turn off the sound when you’re in class or in a meeting”
“It can take a long time to figure out which applications are truly helpful.”
Tìm ra, suy luận ra
“( ) and the app turns it into an easy-to-use itinerary with a calendar”
“The summer Olympic Games kick off with an elaborate opening ceremony”
“Traditionally, the torch is carried on foot.”
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“Scholarships are normally given to students based on how good their grades are”
Dựa trên, căn cứ vào
“I hardly ever pick up a pen these days”
“When I want to say "hi!" to old friends, I just put in their email addresses, type up a note, and send it out”
“Since they rely so much on actions”
Dựa vào, tin tưởng vào
“( ) and set off firecrackers to scare away bad luck”
“After checking in, we had dinner and explored the city streets.” làm thủ tục
“( ) about the size of a bus and can take up to three people.”
“Then it puts them into a special bin.” Đặt vào, cho vào
“A two-hour journey can easily turn into six hours!”
“They came up with the zodiac” Đưa ra, nghĩ ra
“It is broken up into 12 equal parts”
“We can look back to records from the ancient
Nhìn lại, suy ngẫm lại
“It turned out she had run only half a mile”
38 Stand out [2, p.27] Nổi bật, nổi trội
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"As a tourist, you'll probably stand out on the street."
"( ) and look up at buildings."
"When you get into a taxi, make sure there is a meter and that it is turned on"
"Putting on special make up can sometimes take more time than the actor's scene!"
"( ) and he keeps it on a shelf in his office "
"( ) usually working on many projects at once, and is always looking to create more and more mystery boxes "
Làm việc trên, nghiên cứu về
"( ) usually working on many projects at once, and is always looking to create more and more mystery boxes "
"Afterwards, the farm managers said they could come back anytime to help out "
"WWOOF volunteers can stay on a farm for weeks " Ở lại, tiếp tục
"( ) and has hardly stepped off one since"
"She had to sign up with a special distance- learning school" Đăng ký, ghi danh
"She set out from the island of ( )"
"She wanted to take up golf as an occupation."
51 take off [2, p.55] Cất cánh, bắt đầu nổi tiếng
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"( ) and then her career really took off "
"She decided to dress up as Harry Potter." ăn mặc, ăn diện
"( ) but far more people end up there because they simply weren't being careful."
"Ben passed away in 2009 at the age of 16"
"Athletes who spend too much time training miss out one education."
"Parents can set their children up for success."
"Gordon Hayward isn't going to give up his basketball."
"The music may die out with them."
"( ) yet many people settle on one based on the opinions of friends and family."
"This is another myth that just won't go away." Đi đi, biến mất
"Consumers come up with their own commercials or slogans." Đưa ra, nghĩ ra
"( ) and do increase the number of people who come into contact with the brand."
"They pointed out that the Tahoe was bad for the environment."
"It's clear that our hunger for meat, ( )"
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"( ) and many people wanted to cheer up and feel more optimistic."
"It's building on the ideas of courage and action, that we want to move on to better things."
"But putting out a new clothing line is risky." Đưa ra, phát hành
"Species that only live in zoos or on farms, etc., fall into the category extinct in the wild."
"( ) so, the animal would remain a curiosity and probably live out its life in a zoo."
Sống hết, sống hết cuộc đời
"Only time will tell if scientists manage to carry out their ambitious plans."
"Ecotourists tend to seek out places with the rarest animals and plants."
"Ecotourists tend to seek out places with the rarest animals and plants." Đuổi kịp, bắt kịp
"( ) and prices have gone up a result."
"His son Jeff says he just enjoys hanging out with friends and fishing."
"The bride's mother may invite the guests to her house and show off all the wedding gifts received."
"Guan Yu, to come and drive away the evil spirits."
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"He drove out the spirits that had been plaguing the town." Đuổi ra, đuổi đi
"After they sang a prayer they 30 took the statue away and the crowd pushed forward."
"I realized that the hopping was to shake off any-Areworks that might get stuck and burn you."
"When we saw our tents, most of us just sat down and started crying."
"( ) in which a human body is supposedly able to burst into flames."
"( ) set it on fire and then let it burn in a badly ventilated room." Đặt lên, đốt lên
"Most people have to work that day unless it happens to fall on a weekend."
"As in the West, gift-giving is a big part of the holiday, but it takes on its own character in
"What's the best way to lose weight and keep it off?"
Tránh xa, giữ khoảng cách
"( ) and they fill you up because they contain a lot of fiber."
"I'm definitely going to try portion control and cut down on white foods."
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"( ) and a line of "Zumbawear" clothing that has taken off."
"Other studies claim that these children are also more likely to drop out of school in their teens and to be jobless in their early 20s."
"( ) graphic novels that directors are unable to pull off believably on screen."
"( ) or learning difficulties and could not keep up with the rest of the class."
"A screening interview is meant to weed out unqualified candidates."
"You might be called out of the blue ( )"
"If a minute goes by, ask if he or she needs clarification of your last comments." Đi ngang qua, trôi qua
"You wouldn't pick them out of a lineup as being the perpetrator."
"( ) the virus goes off and keeps on making copies of itself independently of the author."
Rời khỏi, ngừng hoạt động
"( ) or she has set in motion." Đặt vào, lắp đặt
"We're seeing the media start to turn around
"So, when the young kickboxer and virus writer known as "Gigabyte" tells you she doesn't want her face on TV, well, you play along."
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"( ) which took over the shutdown screens of infected users."
"Other females don't need me to stand up for them." Đứng lên, vươn lên
"He'd written down his address and told us to just show up."
"( ) and would come along to show us where they lived." Đến, đi cùng
"( ) before I walked into the living room"
"We entered the lovely tiled room we'd sat in before and a young man came forward to shake our hands with an uncertain expression on his face."
Tiến lên, đề xuất, đóng góp
"I took out the piece of paper Abdelatif had given me back in Kenitra."
"I took out the piece of paper Abdelatif had given me back in Kenitra."
"There, I reached out and hugged him with relief, exclaiming, "I thought we'd never find you!"
"( ) and a lot of little contributions add up to make a big difference, ( )"
"A woman screamed when a large lion came up to our minibus and started to lick the window."
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"This calmed the woman down and she giggled along with the rest of us at his jokes."
"The basic story usually goes something like this: a tired driver traveling at night picks up a strange hitchhiker, drops him or her off at some destination." Để rơi, dừng xe, tạm gác
"Before she can pull over to the side of the road,"
"But Powell did come out the winner." công khai
"I've no idea where ideas come from." Đến từ, bắt nguồn từ
"I had a lot of fun making up the rules."
Tạo ra, bịa ra, bỏ ra
"A dozen years later the same children were tracked down as adolescents 25 and tested again."
Theo dõi, tìm ra, lần theo
"The third or so who grabbed the marshmallow were "more likely to be seen as shying away from social contacts."
"Then they broke down the findings into subject matters ( )"
Hư hỏng, phân tích chi tiết
"Today, the pair's main challenge is building the Cranium brand name, and Tait alludes to a potential TV show as well as new ( )" Ám chỉ, nói bóng gió
"The food fuss revolves around one phrase: genetic modification."
122 speed up [4, p.127] Tăng tốc, làm nhanh hơn
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"It speeds up the process of breeding plants and animals with desired characteristics."
"He was looking at sunspots-areas of the sun that appear darker because they are slightly cooler than the surrounding areas."
"( ) known as auroras, lit up the skies as far south as Panama in Central America."
"( ) the light confused campers enough to get up and start cooking breakfast."
"The sun is packed with magnetic fields, some emerging on the surface as sunspots." Đóng gói
"This means that surveyors must pack up and go home."
"( ) creating crop fields by cutting green terraces into the cliffs, ( )"
Cắt, chia nhỏ, chia cắt
"However, these dominant languages are squeezing out valuable local tongues." giảm, vắt kiệt
"Some languages may not have been passed on to children because of forced cultural suppression."
"Part of his strategy when he embarked on this lifetime project was to learn to speak
Tarahumara so that he could deal directly with the people."
Bắt đầu, bắt tay vào
"They then drove into the night, hoping to cut off the shooter."
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"( ) and artists who spoke out against the government 60 repression found themselves in prison or in exile."
"As tensions relaxed in the 1970s and Brazil opened up to the world "
"Somebody put a record on the turntable, which drew people out onto the dance floor."
Kéo dài, lôi kéo ra
Assessment and Categorization of Phrasal Verbs in 'ASFR'
According to the statistics provided, the "Active Skills for Reading" series features about 135 different phrasal verbs These phrasal verbs appear with varying frequency throughout the texts in the series Some of them are used only a few times, while others show up more often
For example, the phrasal verb "look for" is mentioned 10 times in the texts This suggests that it is quite common and important in the series Similarly, "pick up" appears 9 times, indicating that it is also frequently used Other phrasal verbs in the series might be used less often, appearing only once or a few times
Because the study had limits on space and the amount of resources available for analysis, it focused on examining just one instance of each phrasal verb This approach allowed for a manageable and thorough analysis of each verb without overwhelming the study with too much data By looking at only one example of each phrasal verb, the study aimed to understand how these verbs are used and how they contribute to the overall learning experience in the series
This method provides a snapshot of how phrasal verbs are employed across the series, offering insights into their usage and significance in the context of the materials Although analyzing only one example per verb may not capture every nuance of their usage, it still offers valuable information about how these verbs function and are presented to learners
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According to the study's analysis in section 1.4., there are two categories of English phrasal verbs in the series: Intransitive verbs and Transitive verbs Based on the statistics from the above table, we can draw the following data:
Diagram 3.2 Types of phrasal verbs in 'ASFR'
In the list examined, it was found that there are only 13 intransitive phrasal verbs, making up about 10% of the total Examples include 'come out,' 'go on,' 'calm down,' 'break down,' and 'open up.' These verbs show actions or states without needing an object
The 'Active Skills for Reading' series feature a good variety of these intransitive phrasal verbs They depict movements ('come out,' 'show up'), feelings ('calm down'), and processes ('break down') This range adds depth to the stories and helps express different situations effectively
Including such verbs enriches the language used in the series and reflects their importance in everyday communication They help convey actions, emotions, and ongoing processes clearly, without requiring a specific object
By focusing on these intransitive phrasal verbs, the study highlights their practical role in language, enhancing our understanding of how they contribute to storytelling and effective communication
TYPES OF PHRASAL VERBS in 'ASFR'
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Transitive phrasal verbs, comprising 90% of the total, demand an object for their semantic completion Examples include: take away, decide on, read out, ask for, look for, focus on, stay up, get out, lift up, help out, get into, plan out, stick to, switch off, turn off, figure out, turn into, kick off, carry on, pick up, send out, rely on, set off, check in, put into, turn out, break up, look back, stand out, look up at, turn on, put on, work on, look to, stay on, step off, sign up, set out, take up, take off, dress up, end up, pass away, throw away, miss out, set up, give up, die out, settle on, go away, come up with, come into, point out, clear out, cheer up, move on, put out, fall into, live out, carry out, seek out, catch up, go up, hang out, show off, drive away, drive out, push forward, shake off, sit down, burst into, set on, fall on, take on, keep off, fill up, cut down, take out, give back, reach out, add up, come up, calm down, drop off, pull over, come out, come from, make up, track down, shy away, break down, allude to, revolve around, speed up, look at, lit up, get up, pack with, pack up, cut into, squeeze out, pass on, embark on, cut off, speak out, open up, draw out.
The 'Active Skills for Reading' series encompasses a wide range of these transitive phrasal verbs They depict straightforward actions ('pick up,' 'put on'), detailed processes ('carry out,' 'embark on'), and various emotions ('cheer up,' 'calm down') Incorporating such verbs enriches the language used in the series and underscores their importance in everyday conversations They are crucial for conveying actions, processes, and emotions clearly, requiring a specific object to complete their meaning
By focusing on these transitive phrasal verbs, the analysis highlights their practical role in storytelling and effective communication, enhancing our understanding of their impact on narrative structure and expressive language
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There are three categories of meaning for English phrasal verbs, as Section 1.3 shows Based on the date we have in Table 3.2., we have the chart below:
Diagram 3.2 (2) Meaning of Phrasal verbs in 'ASFR'
Type 1: Within the series, there are 56 phrasal verbs that primarily convey the core meanings of their constituent verbs Examples include 'take away,' 'decide on,' 'ask for,' 'come in,' 'look for,' 'focus on,' 'come on,' 'live on,' 'stick to,' 'carry on,' 'base on,' 'rely on,' 'put into,' 'look up,' 'turn on,' 'put on,' 'keep on,' 'work on,' 'look to,' 'stay on,' 'throw away,' 'go away,' 'cheer up,' 'move on,' 'fall into,' 'push forward,' 'sit down,' 'burst into,' 'set on,' 'fall on,' 'take on,' 'keep off,' 'cut down,' 'go by,' 'set in,' 'turn around,' 'play along,' 'come along,' 'walk into,' 'come forward,' 'calm down,' 'drop off,' 'come from,' 'track down,' 'shy away,' 'allude to,' 'revolve around,' 'look at,' 'pack with,' 'cut into,' 'embark on,' and 'cut off.'
These phrasal verbs make up 41% of the total, reflecting their fundamental nature and direct correspondence to their base verbs They are straightforward in meaning and widely applicable in everyday conversations Their simplicity allows for easy comprehension and usage across various contexts within the 'Active Skills for Reading' series
MEANING OF PHRASAL VERBS IN 'ASFR'
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By focusing on this type of phrasal verbs, the analysis emphasizes their role in facilitating clear and concise communication They serve as foundational elements in language learning, supporting effective expression of actions, relationships, and concepts in both narrative and dialogue contexts
Type 2: Within the series, there are 40 phrasal verbs that emphasize the combined meaning of both the verb and particle Examples include 'read out,' 'help out,' 'plan out,' 'figure out,' 'pick up,' 'send out,' 'break up,' 'dress up,' 'miss out,' 'set up,' 'die out,' 'point out,' 'clear out,' 'live out,' 'seek out,' 'catch up,' 'go up,' 'fill up,' 'drop out,' 'weed out,' 'call out,' 'pick out,' 'stand up,' 'show up,' 'take out,' 'reach out,' 'add up,' 'come up,' 'make up,' 'speed up,' 'light up,' 'get up,' 'pack up,' 'squeeze out,' 'speak out,' 'open up,' and 'draw out.'
Discussion on the findings
The 'Active Skills for Reading' (ASFR) series are a strong resource for learning phrasal verbs and stands out in several key ways The series does an excellent job of teaching a wide range of phrasal verbs, which are essential for understanding and speaking English well It covers three main types of phrasal verbs: those with basic meanings, those that combine the verb and particle to create a new meaning, and those with idiomatic meanings that go beyond the literal sense
- Basic Meanings: The series includes many phrasal verbs that have clear and direct meanings For example, verbs like 'take away' and 'come in' are easy to understand and use These basic phrasal verbs help learners build a solid foundation and communicate simple actions effectively
- Combined Meanings: The ASFR series also provides phrasal verbs where the meaning comes from both the verb and the particle For instance, verbs like 'figure out' and 'pick up' show how adding a particle can change the meaning
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Through the introduction of idiomatic phrasal verbs, such as "look forward" and "give up," the series enhances learners' understanding and usage of expressions prevalent in daily English These idiomatic phrasal verbs enrich the language and enable learners to engage in more lively and natural conversations By incorporating such idiomatic meanings, the series fosters a comprehensive grasp of the English language and its nuanced expressions.
In conclusion, the 'Active Skills for Reading' series is a very good resource for learning phrasal verbs It covers a broad range of phrasal verbs, including those with basic meanings, combined meanings, and idiomatic expressions This comprehensive approach helps learners understand and use phrasal verbs in different situations The series balances clear explanations with practical examples, making it a valuable tool for improving English language skills By adding more exercises, real-life examples, and extra focus on idiomatic verbs, the series could further enhance its effectiveness and support students in becoming more fluent in English
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From the incomplete aspects discussed above, it can be said that English phrasal verbs bring along with it many issues related to both theoretical and practical aspects
English phrasal verbs have the following characteristics:
Modal verbs play a crucial role in English, adding depth and versatility to the language Their widespread use in spoken and written communication enhances the richness of the verb system, enabling nuanced expressions and flexible usage These distinctive attributes contribute to the unique expressive power of the English language.
• They divide into several smaller types as follows: o Phrasal verbs (Động từ kèm tiểu từ) o Prepositional verbs (Động từ kèm giới từ) o Phrasal-Prepositional verbs (Động từ kèm một tiểu từ và giới từ)
• For learners, English phrasal verbs are a very difficult type It is simply because a phrasal verb can have many meanings, there are various types of these verbs A single verb can combine with one or more particles (adverbs or prepositions) Conversely, one particle can combine with one or more single verbs Each of these combinations forms phrasal verbs with completely different meanings Typically, the words that make up phrasal verbs do not help learners guess the meaning of the composite verb
• Due to their similar forms, adverbs and prepositions can easily confuse learners when encountering this type of verbs
• Some people mistakenly believe that Vietnamese also has phrasal verbs like 'nhìn ra', 'chạy vào', 'chạy lên', 'chạy xuống' However, the words 'ra', 'vào', 'lên' and 'xuống' that they mention are actually formal words (hư từ) indicating direction Vietnamese does not have phrasal verbs like in English; it only has similar phenomena
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This is the first time I write a graduation paper with poor language knowledge and little personal experience, so mistakes cannot be avoidable However, the author also hope that this study will contribute to helping myself and English learners systematically understand and make progress in learning and using phrasal verbs
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[1] N J Anderson, "Series 'Active skills for reading 1' (Third Edition)",
[2] N J Anderson, "Series 'Active skills for reading 2' (Third Edition)",
[3] N J Anderson, "Series 'Active skills for reading 3' (Third Edition)",
[4] N J Anderson, "Series 'Active skills for reading 4' (Third Edition)",
[5] S Thim, "Phrasal verbs, The English Verb-Particle Construction and its history", Editors E C Traugott & B Kortman, Walter de Gruyter GmbH,
[6] J B Heaton, "Prepositions and Adverbial Particles", Edited and abbreviated by I P Verkhovskaya Candidate of Pliilology, Moscow, 1982
[7] R Quirk and S Greenbaum, "A University Grammar of English", Longman,
[8] V Adams, "An Introduction to Modern English Word-Formation", London, Longman, 1977
[9] P J B T V Ký, "Abrégé de grammaire annamite" - "Tóm lược ngữ pháp An Nam", 1867.
[10] N K Thản, "Động từ trong Tiếng Việt", Nhà xuất bản Khoa học và Giáo dục, 1999
[11] C X Nguyên - "Ngữ pháp tiếng Anh: English Grammar", Đại học và THCN, 1979
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