1000 Phrasal Verbs In Context

1000 Phrasal Verbs In Context © Matt Errey 2007

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1000 Phrasal Verbs in Context PQ pq (5/10)

play down
The government’s spokesman tried to play the bad economic news
down by saying the situation would soon improve.

play sth down

play down sth

Peter plays down the risks
he takes to get such high
returns on investments.

✍ ^

play up
In job interviews, Kathy plays up the fact that she graduated from
Harvard University. It’s one of her best ‘selling points’.

play up sth

play sth up

Sales people play up a
product’s strengths and
play down its weaknesses.

✍ ^

play up
(informal)

If your computer plays up again, call the shop you bought it from and

get them to repair it for free under the warranty.

play up

The kids were playing up
so mum got mad and sent
them to their rooms.

✍  see also: act up (inf)

plug in
If your computer won’t work, the first thing to do is to make sure it’s
plugged in properly and the power’s turned on.

plug in sth

plug sth in

I need enough power-
points near my desk to
plug in at least 6 devices.

✍ 

point out
Sam pointed out the fact that many people who smoke die of lung or
heart disease, and Bob said he understood but just couldn’t quit.

point out sth

point sth out

Eli pointed out a few
errors in the translation
that we hadn’t noticed.

✍ ^

point out
Point out the guy you like and I’ll go and ask him to come over for a
drink.

point out sb/sth

point sb/sth out

Check out these designs
and point out the one you
like the most.

✍ ^

point to
The polls show people aren’t happy with the government and point to a
defeat for the president in the next election.

point to sth

Most analysts say current
trends point to economic
improvements next year.

✍ 

polish off
(informal)

Half the cake was left over, but Greg polished it all off in the morning.

He didn’t even leave one piece for me!

polish off sth

polish sth off

That overweight waiter
polishes off the left-over
cakes and desserts.

✍  see also: finish off

polish up
He plans to polish up his French before going to Paris. He studied it in
school, but says he hasn’t used it much since then.

polish up sth

polish sth up

Polishing my Japanese up
by myself won’t do. I need
a teacher to help me.

✍  see also: brush up on

pop in/ into
(informal)

I could pop in and see you on my way home. Will you be in your

apartment around 6 o’clock?

pop in

pop into sth

Could you pop into my
office for a moment?

✍  see also: drop by, stop by