THE FLATMATES

Language point:
Phrasal verbs 4
BBC Learning English The Flatmates

The Flatmates Phrasal verbs 4 Family relationships

You can see this language point online at:

http://www.bbclearningenglish.com/flatmates/episode60/languagepoint.shtml

Phrasal verbs or multi-word verbs are verbs that are combined with one or two
particles (a preposition or adverb), for example, 'after' to make verbs with new
meanings. For example, look means to use your eyes to see something (She looked at
the photograph and smiled) but look after means to care for someone (The doctor said
that Michal's dad had to look after himself more.

Here are some phrasal verbs you can use when talking about family relationships:

Phrasal verbs family relationships

bring someone up: take care of a child
She was brought up by her grandparents after her parents died.
They brought their children up to be polite and to respect older people.

take after someone: to look like someone in your family

Her dad's really short but her mum's really tall. With those long legs, she certainly
takes after her mother.
All the children take after their dad he's really musical and all of them can play
an instrument.

look up to someone: to respect or admire someone

When she was young she really looked up to her parents. They were very good
role models for her.
Footballers have a lot of responsibility because so many children look up to them.

grow up: to become more adult, the process of changing from a child to an
adult
I grew up in Glasgow but moved to London after I graduated from University.
He grew up on a farm but always wanted to live in a big city.

get on with someone: be friends with someone

When I was young I didn't get on with my sister but now we're very good friends.
I tried to get on with him but he was rude I found it impossible to be friends with
him.

fall out with someone: have an argument or disagreement with someone

and stop being friends with him or her
She fell out with me after all these years over an invite to a party!
They were best friends for years but they fell out and now they don't even talk to
each other.

live up to: reach an expected standard

His mother was a famous politician so he had a lot to live up to. Everyone expected
that he would have a successful career in politics too.
Because all my sisters did so well at high school, I had a lot to live up to from the
first day I went there.
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stand up to someone: refuse to accept unfair treatment or behaviour

After years of being treated badly by her husband, she finally stood up to him and
made him change his ways.
If you don't stand up to her, she'll just treat you like dirt.

look back on something: to remember something that happened in the past

When I look back on my childhood, I remember lots of laughter and a few tears
too.
When you look back on your life, what is happiest memory?

tell someone off: give someone into trouble (talk to them severely) for
doing something wrong
The boss really told me off for being late for the second time this week.
Her parents told her off for doing so badly in her exams this year.

Vocabulary:
a heart attack:
a sudden serious medical condition when someone's heart stops working in its usual
way

to count on someone:
to be able to rely on someone or expect someone to behave in a particular way

Would you like to try an online quiz about this language point? Go to:
http://bbc/learningenglish.com/flatmates/episode59/quiz.shtml

Or you can download the quiz from:

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode59/quiz.pdf

More on this language point:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/148_phrasalverbs/page2.shtml

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