EducationEnglish.Phrasal verbsCOMMUNICATION · A2–B1

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← Phrasal verbs

Lesson 16 / Work

Work together as a team.

5 phrases · 12 minutes · Look, listen and try.

Join, take on tasks and contribute ideas in a small group.

After this lesson, you can

  • Use this lesson’s expressions to talk about the situation introduced above.
  • Distinguish “take over” and “carry out” in context.
  • Use “join in” in a sentence connected to your own situation.
Practice and check your answers →

Match words to pictures →Play What is She/He doing? →

A randomly assigned, fixed male or female synthetic voice for each phrase or sentence · Slow playback at 0.7× preserves pitch.

Phrase 1 / 5Understand context
Bảo came with his friends to make a poster.
Bảo came with his friends to make a poster.

join in

Everyone is painting. Would you like to join in?

Read the example again

Everyone is painting. Would you like to join in?

She joined in the discussion after a few minutes.

Read the example again

She joined in the discussion after a few minutes.

View meaning & usage

Participate in ongoing activities

join injoin in an activity

“Join in” emphasizes doing the same activity; Don't just register as a member.

Haven't studied yet
Bảo receives the class project folder from a friend and takes over the task.
Bảo receives the class project folder from a friend and takes over the task.

take over

Can you take over while I have a short break?

Read the example again

Can you take over while I have a short break?

Linh will take over the project next week.

Read the example again

Linh will take over the project next week.

View meaning & usage

Take over work/responsibilities

take overtake over somethingtake something over from someone

You begin to take on responsibilities that previously belonged to someone else.

Cambridge Dictionary · take over

Haven't studied yet
Bảo does each task on the agreed chore list.
Bảo does each task on the agreed chore list.

carry out

We need to carry out the plan before Friday.

Read the example again

We need to carry out the plan before Friday.

The team carried out all the safety checks.

Read the example again

The team carried out all the safety checks.

View meaning & usage

Carry out tasks/plans

carry out somethingcarry something outcarry it out

Used with tasks, instructions, plans or checks; that is, carry them out.

Cambridge Dictionary · carry out

Haven't studied yet
Bảo showed the group a location on the map.
Bảo showed the group a location on the map.

point out

Could you point out the mistake in this chart?

Read the example again

Could you point out the mistake in this chart?

He pointed out that we had only ten minutes left.

Read the example again

He pointed out that we had only ten minutes left.

View meaning & usage

Point out/bring attention to others

point out somethingpoint something outpoint out that...

Can refer to a detail seen or mention a fact that needs attention.

Haven't studied yet
Bảo came up with a new idea; the group looked at him and smiled.
Bảo came up with a new idea; the group looked at him and smiled.

come up with

Can we come up with a better name for the team?

Read the example again

Can we come up with a better name for the team?

She came up with a simple way to save time.

Read the example again

She came up with a simple way to save time.

View meaning & usage

Come up with ideas/solutions

come up with something

Three-word phrase without separation. After “with” comes a new idea or solution.

Haven't studied yet

The examples were written for this course. Usage was checked against Matt Errey’s book, pages 69, 129, 20, 98, 27. A2–B1 is the course’s intended level.

OBSERVE · UNDERSTAND · MATCH

Match phrases to pictures

Drag a wire from the dot beside a phrase to the dot beside its matching picture. You can also tap a phrase, then a picture. Drag again to change a pair before checking.

Read the picture descriptions for more context. Similar expressions are accepted when they fit the particular scene.

A conversation in context

Read the conversation and find the expressions you have learned.

  1. Mai

    Can you take over while I am away?

    Read the example again

    Can you take over while I am away?

  2. Alex

    Yes. Which checks should I carry out first?

    Read the example again

    Yes. Which checks should I carry out first?

  3. Mai

    Start with the safety checks, and point out anything unusual.

    Read the example again

    Start with the safety checks, and point out anything unusual.

Compare the uses

take over / carry out

“Take over” means assume responsibility; “carry out” means perform a task. Someone taking over still needs to know which plan to carry out.

Practice and check your answers

Try answering before revealing the suggested answer. This practice is not scored.

The answers below are models. Other answers can also work if they preserve the facts, meaning and structure requested in the task.

A situation to apply what you have learned

A librarian is away. A colleague accepts her duties and must follow a written closing checklist.

  1. Which expression describes accepting her duties?

    Show the answer and explanation

    The colleague takes over her duties.

    The colleague assumes the absent librarian’s responsibilities, so he or she “takes over her duties”.

  2. Replace “the checks” with “them”: Carry out the checks.

    Show the answer and explanation

    Carry them out.

    “Them” replaces the checks and goes between “carry” and “out”: “carry them out”.

  3. Write the first instruction for the substitute.

    Show the answer and explanation

    Carry out the closing checks and point out anything unusual.

    “Carry out” asks for the checks to be performed; “point out” asks for any unusual findings to be identified.

The usage comparisons are checked against the Cambridge Dictionary entries linked beside the compared expressions. The additional conversations and exercises are written for this course.

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