Introduction
If you want to practice and develop your knowledge of
phrasal verbs and idioms, you will find this book very useful. The various
exercises contain many of the most common phrasal verbs and idioms, together
with some useful spoken expressions that you might expect to hear or use in an
English-speaking environment.
You should not go through this book mechanically from
beginning to end. It is better to choose one particular verb or topic, do the
exercise(s), make a record of any new words and expressions that you learn,
then practice using these in sentences or situations of your own. When you feel
you have a good command of these, move to another verb or topic and do the
same. You should also review the things you have learned on a regular basis, so
that they remain 'fresh' in your mind and become part of your 'active'
vocabulary.
The meanings of most of the phrasal verbs and idioms are explained in the book, either in the exercises themselves, or in the answer key at the back. This key also provides you with lots of similar or alternative expressions, together with examples of how they are used. However, we recommend that you keep a good dictionary with you
No vocabulary book can possibly contain all of the
thousands of English phrasal verbs and idioms that you are likely to come
across or need, so it is important to acquire new ones from other sources. If
you have access to English language newspapers, popular magazines, television
and radio programs, films and albums of popular music, you will find that these
are excellent resources.
We hope that you enjoy doing the exercises in this
book. Before you begin, we suggest that you read this important information
about phrasal verbs and idioms.