Throw at / throw to

 

“Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint you can at it.” 

This quote from entertainer Danny Kaye inspires, in addition to being a perfect example of the phrasal verb “throw at.”

Another phrasal verb “throw to” may seem similar to “throw at” but it is not: 

"Throw at" means to throw something with the intention of hitting something. You throw to hit a target.

Ex: 

• Giannis Antetokounmpo threw the ball at the basket. 
• After a snowfall, children have fun throwing snowballs at each other. 

When “throwing to,” you give something to someone by tossing or hurling it. If I throw something to you, you're probably expecting it. 

Ex: 

• Margaret prefers that Frank hand her the car keys instead of throwing them to her from across the room. 
• Aaron Rogers threw the football to one of his receivers. 

Use the correct preposition for "throw at" and "throw to" and be a better English speaker. 

"Grow" and "Grow Up": What Is the Difference?

Grow and grow up are not synonyms and that can be confusing. Their meanings vary slightly but both are easy to remember. This knowledge will give you another perfect opportunity to demonstrate your English fluency by using both terms correctly. You can do it!

Grow means to increase in size, to become bigger or longer. 

Examples: 

• Anthony grew a mustache during his summer vacation. 
• Millie hopes her investments will grow thanks to the strong economy. 
• The maple tree in my garden has grown two meters since I moved here. 
• His love for her grew more and more with each passing day.

To grow up refers to people and when they get older and more mature. 

• Danny grew up in Chicago during the 1920s.
• When you were growing up, what sports did you play?
• Tom grew up in the country and Scarlett grew up in the city. 
• Frank’s family moved a lot when he was growing up.

I hope your English vocabulary grows and grows with each passing day :)

Snow words

Since winter officially begins next week, it’s the perfect time to incorporate some snowy words into your vocabulary. So come inside, take off your coat, and think about whether you have ever experienced any of the following snowy situations:

•  Be snowed under = When you’re overwhelmed with a large quantity of something, especially work

Tony started his new business last month and he is “snowed under” with orders already.

•  Be snowed in = trapped (somewhere) because of too much snow.

We were "snowed in" for one week but luckily we had enough food.

•  Be snowed (verb) = to be deceived, OR A snow job (noun) = an intensive effort at persuasion or deception


Volkswagon “snowed” the public into thinking their cars were safe for the environment. In reality, they released high levels of carbon emissions.

I asked my boss for a raise but he just gave me a “snow job” about the company’s profits being down so he couldn't give me one.


If you regularly read this blog, you might already know what “to snowball” means. If not, check out the post by clicking here.

Did you notice that these “snow” words all revolve around negative situations? I don’t have an explanation for that but growing your vocabulary is always positive :)

GET

Get is a word that English speakers use frequently because it has several meanings and that makes it very convenient in many situations. Knowing its different definitions helps whether you are the speaker or the listener.

In a nutshell (to summarize), "get" means to receive, to become, to understand, to answer or respond to a ringing phone or someone who's at the door, to buy, or to retrieve something.


- I didn't "get" your e-mail message. Are you sure you sent it? (to receive)
- I "get" bored on long airplane flights. (to become)
- I don't "get" it. Why do we have to be there two hours early? (to understand)
- I hear the doorbell. Can you "get" it? (Answer or respond to a ringing phone or someone who's at the door)
- The car is low on gasoline. We need "to get" some soon. (to buy)
- I left my iPad on the kitchen table. Would you please "get" it for me? (to retrieve)


In addition "get" is used in many expressions. Here is a comprehensive list of phrasal verbs with “get” to increase your fluency. We English speakers like “get” :)

Three-word phrasal verbs

Phrasal verbs are usually two-word phrases consisting of a verb + adverb, or a verb + preposition. There is a short list of phrasal verbs that contains three words, a real challenge. I recommend learning them as you do any English vocabulary; the most effective way is in “context”. The list below is a reference guide when you find an expression that you don't recognize. If you think of each phrasal verb as a separate verb with a specific meaning, you will be able to remember it more easily.

Three-word phrasal verbs are fixed sets of words that always remain together. Changing the prepositions will result in disaster.



break in on = interrupt (a conversation): I was talking to Mom on the phone when the operator broke in on our call.
catch up with = become current with the latest information: After our trip, it was time to catch up with the neighbors and the news around town.
check up on = examine, investigate: The boys promised to check up on the condition of the summer house from time to time.
come up with = to contribute (suggestion, money): Claudia's class came up with a theme for the spring concert.
cut down on = reduce, decrease: We tried to cut down on the money we were spending on entertainment.
drop out of = withdraw from participation: I hope none of my students drop out of school this semester.
get along with = have a good relationship with: I found it very hard to get along with my brother when we were young.
get away with = escape blame: Carlo cheated on the exam and then tried to get away with it.
get rid of = eliminate: The citizens tried to get rid of their corrupt mayor in the recent election.
get through with = finish: When will you ever get through with that book?
keep up with = maintain pace with: Kim couldn't keep up with the other runners in the marathon.
look forward to = anticipate with pleasure: I always look forward to my summer vacation.
look down on = consider inferior: Chris looks down on Charlie's car because it's an older model.
look in on = visit (somebody): We were going to look in on my brother-in-law, but he wasn't home.
look out for = be careful, anticipate: Good instructors will look out for early signs of failure in their students.
look up to = respect: First-graders really look up to their teachers.
make sure of = verify: Make sure of the student's identity before you let him into the classroom.
put up with = tolerate: We must put up with high humidity in the summer.
run out of = have no more of something: The runners ran out of energy before the end of the race.
take care of = be responsible for: It requires a lot of money and time to take care of a horse.
talk back to = answer impolitely: The star player talked back to the coach and was thrown off the team.
think back on = recall: I often think back on my childhood with great pleasure.
walk out on = abandon: Her husband walked out on her and their three children.

*The list is courtesy of grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/phrasals.htm.

Fitness phrases

I was thinking about my Zumba fitness class, noticing that English has many fun phrasal verbs and expressions related to exercise. The next time you’re at the gym, try some of these good ones:

To work out - to exercise

- Summer is coming and Elisa needs “to work out” so she can wear her new bikini.
- Katie hates “to work out”; she prefers to dance for exercise.
- It’s important to stay hydrated when you “work out”.


To warm up - to prepare for physical activity or an athletic event by exercising, stretching, or practicing gently for a short time beforehand.

- Francesca “warms up” for ten minutes before going on her daily run.
- The fitness class includes a "warm up" with elements of yoga, stretching, aerobics, and circuit training. (Warm up is used as a noun here.)
- Walkers are greeted at the meeting point by the walk leaders and do some gentle “warm-up” exercises before starting. (Warm-up is used as an adjective here.)


Out of practice - If you haven’t played a sport in a while and you perform poorly due to a lack of practice, it means you are out of practice. (This can be about any activity when your skills are rusty).

- The soccer players lost the game because they were “out of practice”.
- I used to be able to play tennis extremely well, but now I'm ”out of practice”.
- Roberto was “out of practice” so his perfomance in the marathon was disappointing.


To pump Iron - to lift weights in a gym to build your muscles

- You can’t only “pump iron”; you need to do aerobic exercise too.
- I haven’t “pumped iron” in a long time and my muscles are getting weak.
- Marco regularly goes to the gym after work to “pump iron”


To be into (an activity) - taking a lively and active interest in (something). This applies to any activity.
- Megan is “into” yoga.
- Valentina has never been “into” skiing.
- Kevin got “into” surfing after moving to California.


Shape up / Get in shape - when you want to improve your body you say you want to get in shape, or shape up.

- Christine needs to “shape up” if she wants to wear that dress to the reunion.
- Steve ate too much during the holidays so he needs to go to the gym and “get in shape”.

Now it’s time to get your brain “in shape” and start using these new expressions.

Business English Phrasal Verb: Draw Up

Phrasal verbs are usually two-word phrases consisting of a verb + adverb or a verb + preposition. Since there are so many, it's best to study them as you encounter them rather than trying to memorize many at once.

In business, there are always formal documents to review, contracts to sign, and plans to prepare, and the phrasal verb most commonly used for these activities is draw up. To draw up something (or draw something up) is to prepare a plan, proposal, agreement, or other document in detail.

The architect has drawn up plans for a new Las Vegas hotel.
I've drawn up an employment contract for you to sign.
I asked my team to draw up a chart comparing the benefits of our product to those of our competitor.

Have you drawn up any official documents for your job?

Let's Be Cool

Being cool is a compliment. It has nothing to do with temperature and everything to do with being stylish, fashionable, impressive, or excellent. A cool person is free from anxiety and excitement.

Sometimes cool phrasal verbs are connected to temperature, literally or metaphorically. When you are hot from the sun or perhaps after working out (exercising) you need to cool off or cool down, to become less hot.
Example: We all jumped in the pool to cool off.

If you become angry or emotional from an argument, you also need to cool off or cool down, to relax or reduce your anger.
Example: Andrea seems very angry so I will wait until he cools down before calling him.
Example: When Daniele is angry, I let him talk until he cools off.

Staying cool has many benefits.

Pencil Me In

Have you ever made plans with someone without 100% certainty? At that moment everything seems possible but perhaps your schedule will change or you might even have to cancel. This happens a lot in life, so much so that we have an expression for it: pencil in.

To pencil in something or someone (or to pencil something or someone in) means to schedule an activity with the possibility of changing it later. It’s an appointment that is tentative, not certain, provisional (possibly to be changed later). It is a common expression in business English but it also can be used in everyday life. Try it!

I’ll pencil you in for lunch tomorrow.
Howard’s boss penciled in a staff meeting for 2 pm.
I’ll pencil our conference call in for 10 a.m. Let me know if you need to change it.