Tag Archives: phrasal verbs

English everyday – do up

We want to do up the kitchen next year, it’s quite old, and the cupboards are all broken. They’ve just had their house done up, it’s all glass and blank white walls now. The shop’s been done up and it’s got a cafe now. The phrasal verb ‘do up’ has a few different meanings butContinue reading “English everyday – do up”

English everyday – go on then

Christmas is coming, the adverts are getting fat, please put some money in Tesco’s hat. What I’m interested in is the last scene where the daughter asks: Daughter: Dad, d’you wanna turkey sandwich? Dad: Oh go on then.   So what does ‘go on then’ mean? Does the Dad want a turkey sandwich? Or not?Continue reading “English everyday – go on then”

English for parents – open up and shut up

Open up! Shut up! These are not opposites. No. Nope. Nuh-uh. But they have very subtle differences depending on who is speaking. A parent can ask their child to “open up” and brush their teeth. But a dentist would say “open wide”. You can knock on a door and shout “open up” if you’re angryContinue reading “English for parents – open up and shut up”

English for parents – brush your teeth

The phrases that strikes fear into toddlers and parents alike: Brush your teeth. We say brush your teeth, open up*, don’t forget the back ones, a bit more, finished! Many books, songs and videos cover this very important learning point. My absolute favourite is Elmo’s Brushy Brush song. If you can understand the words theContinue reading “English for parents – brush your teeth”

English for parents – leave it alone

You know toddlers, those little darlings aged 2-3 years old, who love to prod, poke, touch, thump and lick everything, put it in their mouths and, sometimes, spit it out again. You know parents, they are the ones constantly saying; Leave it alone! Don’t touch it! Stop it! And apologising. A lot. Leave it alone.Continue reading “English for parents – leave it alone”

English for parents – Clean up or Tidy up?

I’m a big believer in consistency, especially around children. I think if you are going to teach them something you should use the same word for it every time.  Especially around toilet training time – it’s no good telling your kid to pee one day and the next day telling him to wee. How willContinue reading “English for parents – Clean up or Tidy up?”

English for parents – Come on and Hurry up

I probably use these two phrases about nine hundred times a day. Come on, put your socks on now. Hurry up, we’re waiting. Come on, let’s go. Hurry up! Come on – used for telling someone to hurry. Hurry up – telling someone to do something more quickly.   Come on and hurry up meanContinue reading “English for parents – Come on and Hurry up”