Teacher’s Tips : Phrasal Verbs – to use or not to use?

In English, many people like to use phrasal verbs when talking and writing.  For many, it is simply easier and more natural to utilize these words.  Some examples might be to look up, ask for, or put off.  Once again, it’s very normal for people to use these phrasal verbs.  However, in a formal setting like an email or a meeting with superiors, it may be better to use formal language.  This sets the tone and makes you seem more professional even though the meaning of the words are exactly the same.

Let’s look at a table of some of the most common informal phrasal verbs and their formal counterparts.

As you can clearly see from the above table, English has a large variety of ways to express yourself.  This flexibility can be excellent if you are very strong at English but it also has the downside that it is extremely difficult to know which words to use when.  As ESL speakers, many times you may just want to get the idea out there and the tone may be second in importance.

Although, the meaning is the most paramount, discounting the tone and setting may be a bad idea so if you really want to impress your boss and show them that your English is top-notch, you may need to add in a bit of more formal language in you letters, emails and business meetings to reveal just how good your formal business language can be.