3 Short Stories, 30+ Phrasal Verbs in Context!

Story 1: The Startup Journey

John always dreamed of starting his own business. One day, he decided to go for it and set up a tech company. He knew he had to come up with an innovative product to stand out in the market. After months of brainstorming, he finally came up with a brilliant idea for a new app.

To make his dream a reality, he had to rely on his network to find investors. Fortunately, one of his old colleagues put him in touch with a venture capitalist interested in his idea. They met, and John was able to get across his vision effectively. The investor was impressed and decided to back him up.

With the funding secured, John and his team started to work on developing the app. They faced many challenges, but they didn't give up. After a year of hard work, they successfully rolled out the app, and it quickly gained popularity. John was thrilled to see his idea finally take off.

Definitions and Examples

1. Go for: To attempt to achieve something. Example: She decided to go for the promotion at work.
2. Set up: To establish or start something. Example: They set up a new office downtown.
3. Come up with: To think of or develop an idea or plan. Example: He came up with a great solution to the problem.
4. Rely on: To depend on someone or something. Example: We rely on our team to meet deadlines.
5. Put someone in touch: To connect two people so they can communicate. Example: I'll put you in touch with our supplier.
6. Get across: To communicate or explain something clearly. Example: She got her point across during the presentation.
7. Back up: To support or assist someone. Example: Her colleagues backed her up during the meeting.
8. Work on: To spend time improving or developing something. Example: He's working on his public speaking skills.
9. Give up: To stop trying or abandon an effort. Example: She didn't give up despite the difficulties.
10. Roll out: To launch or introduce a new product or service. Example: The company rolled out the new software last month.
11. Take off: To become successful or popular quickly. Example: The new restaurant took off and became a local favorite.

Story 2: The Office Dilemma

Emma had been working hard to move up in her company. She loved her job but was frustrated with the way her manager turned down her ideas. Determined to bring about change, she decided to speak up during the next team meeting.

She prepared her presentation carefully and managed to get through to her manager. He finally realized the potential of her ideas and decided to go along with her suggestions. Emma felt relieved and motivated to carry on with her efforts.

The team implemented Emma’s ideas, and the results were outstanding. Her manager praised her initiative, and soon, she was put in charge of a new project. She felt grateful to have had the opportunity to break through the barriers and take on more responsibilities.

Definitions and Examples

1. Move up: To advance or be promoted in a job or career. Example: He's hoping to move up to a managerial position.
2. Turn down: To reject or refuse something. Example: She turned down the job offer because of the low salary.
3. Bring about: To cause something to happen. Example: The new policy brought about significant changes.
4. Speak up: To express an opinion or viewpoint openly. Example: He decided to speak up about the issues at work.
5. Get through: To successfully communicate an idea or message. Example: It took a while, but she finally got through to him.
6. Go along with: To agree or comply with a suggestion or plan. Example: He decided to go along with the team's decision.
7. Carry on: To continue doing something. Example: She carried on working despite the challenges.
8. Put in charge: To give someone responsibility for something. Example: They put him in charge of the new department.
9. Break through: To overcome an obstacle or barrier. Example: She managed to break through the challenges and succeed.
10. Take on: To accept a responsibility or task. Example: He decided to take on more responsibilities at work.

Story 3: The Marketing Campaign

Sarah's marketing team was tasked with creating a new campaign to boost sales. They decided to come up with a creative concept that would catch on quickly with the target audience. After several brainstorming sessions, they finally agreed on a unique theme.

The team worked hard to put together the campaign materials, ensuring everything was perfect. As the launch date approached, they began to build up excitement on social media. When the campaign kicked off, it was a huge success.

The sales figures began to go up almost immediately. The team was thrilled to see their efforts pay off. Sarah's boss was so impressed that he decided to take Sarah out to celebrate the team's success. It was a great opportunity to wind down after weeks of hard work.

Definitions and Examples

1. Boost: To increase or improve something. Example: They launched a new campaign to boost sales.
2. Catch on: To become popular or widely accepted. Example: The new trend quickly caught on among teenagers.
3. Put together: To assemble or prepare something. Example: They put together a detailed proposal for the project.
4. Build up: To gradually increase or accumulate. Example: They built up a strong reputation in the industry.
5. Kick off: To start or begin an event or activity. Example: The event will kick off with a keynote speech.
6. Go up: To increase or rise. Example: The prices of goods have started to go up.
7. Pay off: To yield positive results or success. Example: Their hard work finally paid off with a successful outcome.
8. Take someone out: To invite someone to an event or place, often as a treat. Example: He took her out for dinner to celebrate.
9. Wind down: To relax or unwind after a period of activity. Example: They spent the weekend winding down after the busy week.
10. Come up with: To think of or develop an idea or plan. Example: He came up with a creative solution to the problem.

Ok, that's it for this week's newsletter with so, so, so many phrasal verbs and I hope you learned something new or at least reviewed some common phrasal verbs :)

Have a great weekend!

Lewis