AEE 2552: How to Master Confusing Past Tense Verbs in English
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This is an All Ears English podcast, episode 2552.
What are confusing past tense verbs in English?
How to master confusing past tense verbs in English.
Welcome to the All Ears English podcast, downloaded more than 200 million times. Are you feeling stuck with your English? We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection, with your American host, Aubrey Carter, the IELTS whiz, and Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer. coming to you from Arizona and Colorado, USA. And to get your transcripts delivered by email every week, go to allearsenglish.com forward slash subscribe. Do you get confused by English grammar when you have to put two-word phrases in the past tense?
How can I identify my English level?
Today, clear up your confusion and get some great examples with a common phrasal verb. Do you often end up in situations where you know exactly what you want to say, but you don't have the English vocabulary words that you need in that moment? To succeed in English, you need nuanced English vocabulary. But first, you need to know your English level. Take our free English level quiz to find out if you are B1, B2 or C1. Go to allearsenglish.com slash fluency score. That's allearsenglish.com slash F-L-U-E-N-C-Y-S-C-O-R-E. Hey, Aubrey, what's shaking? I'm doing great.
How are you, Lindsay?
Good.
What are the differences between compound verbs and phrasal verbs?
Aubrey, how often do you blow dry your hair?
Hmm, about once or twice a week. Once or twice a week, okay. For recording on video, if you see my hair kind of straight looking nice, I blow dried my hair.
Okay.
We're so honored for that. I never do.
What about you, Lindsay? You're so luxurious.
Yeah. No, I never blow dry my hair and I don't even really brush my hair. I comb it in the shower, but I don't do anything because when you have curly hair, you can't do those things. It'll make it all poofy and weird.
Take special maintenance.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Special, special projects here. But yeah, why are we talking about this, Aubrey?
So this verb came up recently because native speakers struggle with it in the past. I think I just said I blow dried my hair and I was like blow dried. Michelle went to say it, you know, and she was like, wait, is it blow dried or blue dry? And I was like, let me think. Two-word verbs can be really confusing, especially in the past.
For sure. Because some function as single verbs and some are phrasal verbs, and this changes their past tense form. So we're really going to get into this today for our listeners.
Yes, with lots of examples. It's going to be fun. But first, a quick grammar lesson. This is interesting. Most native speakers actually are not aware of this grammar. So after this little brief lesson, you will be above and beyond most native speakers.
Love it. So the difference between compound verb and phrasal verb, what do we think it is?
Exactly. So a compound verb is this broad category for any verb that's made of multiple words. So some include auxiliary verbs like will go or is running. And then some are combinations of multiple words like babysit, daydream, backflip. And then what's a phrasal verb, Lindsay?
Different, right? A phrasal verb is a type of compound verb that forms a new idiomatic meaning. And this is the key. It has to change the meaning when you put the verb and the preposition together, right? Exactly.
Like blow off, meaning to dismiss something or give in, meaning to do what someone wants, right? So it's a base verb plus an adverb or a preposition.
So we know that the phrase blow off does not mean the same thing as blow.
Why do native speakers struggle with past tense verbs?
So that's how it changes the meaning, right? Exactly.
So essentially all phrasal verbs are compound verbs, but not all compound verbs are phrasal verbs. And here's what's really tricky. Many words can be both depending on the context. Oh my gosh. For example, look up. What about this one? Look up. Yeah. So when it means the direction one is looking, it's just a verb with a preposition, right? A common verb. I looked up from my book and saw she was leaving. But what if it's a phrasal verb, Lindsay?
When it's a phrasal verb, it would mean search for information, right? So I need to look up my flight times.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:03
2
What are confusing past tense verbs in English?
0:03–0:57
3
How can I identify my English level?
0:57–1:50
4
What are the differences between compound verbs and phrasal verbs?
1:50–3:59
5
Why do native speakers struggle with past tense verbs?
3:59–8:12
6
What are examples of phrasal verbs and their meanings?
8:12–13:15
Speakers
3 identifiedMore from All Ears English Podcast
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