EducationEnglish.Phrasal verbsCOMMUNICATION · A2–B1

English lessons and practice games are intended for people aged 13 and over.

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← Phrasal verbs

Lesson 30 / Outdoors

Pay attention when traveling.

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

Talk about direction, distance and attention when moving.

After this lesson, you can

  • Use this lesson’s expressions to talk about the situation introduced above.
  • Distinguish “keep away from” and “watch out for” in context.
  • Use “go back” 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
Minh turned back to the previous street because the path ahead was closed.
Minh turned back to the previous street because the path ahead was closed.

go back

The road is closed. We need to go back.

Read the example again

The road is closed. We need to go back.

I went back to the station to collect my bag.

Read the example again

I went back to the station to collect my bag.

View meaning & usage

Return to the previous place

go backgo back to a place

Emphasis on returning to a place one has left. “Come back” is usually seen from the place or person waiting.

Haven't studied yet
Minh kept his distance from the fenced construction site area.
Minh kept his distance from the fenced construction site area.

keep away from

Please keep away from the wet paint.

Read the example again

Please keep away from the wet paint.

The children were told to keep away from the broken glass.

Read the example again

The children were told to keep away from the broken glass.

View meaning & usage

Keep your distance/stay away

keep away from someone / something

Three-word phrase without separation. After “from” is the person or thing you don't go near.

Cambridge Dictionary · keep away from

Haven't studied yet
Minh paid attention to the car at a crossroads.
Minh paid attention to the car at a crossroads.

watch out for

Watch out for bicycles when you open the car door.

Read the example again

Watch out for bicycles when you open the car door.

We watched out for slippery steps after the rain.

Read the example again

We watched out for slippery steps after the rain.

View meaning & usage

Pay attention / be wary of

watch outwatch out for something

“Watch out!” used as a reminder to pay attention; add “for” if stating something to pay attention to.

Cambridge Dictionary · watch out for

Haven't studied yet
Minh started walking again after his friend signaled his agreement.
Minh started walking again after his friend signaled his agreement.

go ahead

The path is open now. We can go ahead.

Read the example again

The path is open now. We can go ahead.

May I open this window? Yes, go ahead.

Read the example again

May I open this window? Yes, go ahead.

View meaning & usage

Proceed / keep going

go aheadgo ahead and do something

Can be used when something is authorized or ready to be done.

Haven't studied yet
Minh stood on the train and held the handrail firmly.
Minh stood on the train and held the handrail firmly.

hold on to

Hold on to the rail while the train is moving.

Read the example again

Hold on to the rail while the train is moving.

He held on to the rope with both hands.

Read the example again

He held on to the rope with both hands.

View meaning & usage

Hold / cling tightly

hold on to something

The meaning in the lesson is to hold the physical; Different from “hold on” when asking someone else to wait.

Haven't studied yet

The examples were written for this course. Usage was checked against Matt Errey’s book, pages 55, 71, 138, 54, 63. 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

    Watch out for loose stones on this path.

    Read the example again

    Watch out for loose stones on this path.

  2. Alex

    Should we go back instead?

    Read the example again

    Should we go back instead?

  3. Mai

    We can go ahead slowly, but keep away from the damaged fence.

    Read the example again

    We can go ahead slowly, but keep away from the damaged fence.

Compare the uses

keep away from / watch out for

“Keep away from” means maintain distance from danger; “watch out for” means stay alert to notice it. Noticing a danger does not itself keep you away.

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

Children are walking beside a building site. A broken gate and loose stones are ahead.

  1. Give a distance instruction about the gate.

    Show the answer and explanation

    Keep away from the broken gate.

    The broken gate is the object to avoid; “keep away from” asks for physical distance.

  2. Complete: Watch out ___ loose stones.

    Show the answer and explanation

    for

    Because the loose stones are named, use “watch out for loose stones”, including “for”.

  3. Tell the group when it is sensible to return.

    Show the answer and explanation

    We should go back if the path becomes unsafe.

    “If the path becomes unsafe” gives the condition for returning; “go back” reverses the group’s progress.

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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