Ultimate Phrasal Verb Book, The [Paperback]

Carl W. Hart (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0764110284 | ISBN-13: 978-0764110283 | Publication Date: October 1, 1999

Written primarily for ESL and EFL students preparing to take language exams in English, this book presents 400 common phrasal verbs and the ways in which they are used in everyday American English. Phrasal verbs are word groups that include a verb combined with a preposition or an adverb. They are not used only as verbs but as nouns, such as comedown, breakup, or showoff. They might also be used as adjectives, such as spaced-out, burned-out, broken-down and many others. This volume places phrasal verbs within the context of sentences, and presents hundreds of examples and exercises.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

(back cover)
Second Edition

Updated to reflect questions found on various recent ESL tests, this book presents 400 common phrasal verbs as they are used in everyday English. Phrasal verbs are verbs combined with prepositions or adverbs. Becoming familiar with phrasal verbs and understanding how they are commonly used as nouns (for example, breakup and show-off), or as adjectives (spaced-out, broken-down, stressed-out and many others) is essential to speaking and understanding modern English. Students preparing for the TOEFL or other ESL exams will find this book's many examples and exercises especially helpful --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764110284
• ISBN-13: 978-0764110283
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 7.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #347,808 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Carl W. Hart has taught English as a Second Language in Mexico, Equatorial Guinea, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. He now lives in Indiana, USA, where he teaches at a major university.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

71 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Requires hard work, but it's worthy :), August 11, 2000

By 

Xavier Mercier - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ultimate Phrasal Verb Book, The (Paperback)

Get ready for a memorable showdown! Prepare to meet write off, check in, chat on, show up, kick back... and even more two-headed creatures that Anglophone people call Phrasal Verbs!

I had sought a textbook specialized in phrasal verbs for a very long time and this one is the first I found that deserves this appellation. You will find tons of phrasal verbs in there, almost 400, among the most popular.

The book is divided in 40 units or so containing a dozen verbs. Quick grammar rules relative to phrasal verbs introduce each unit. Here are treated, little by little, the following issues which are salient characteristics of the phrasal verbs, i.e. What is a particle? Is a particle always separable? How to make the difference between a particle and a "vulgar" preposition? Where is the accentuation of a phrasal verb? Is it possible to find a common abstract notion between some meanings of verbs that share the same particle (e.g. break in, call in, give in)? Yes, you'll have the answers to all these riveting questions!

In each unit, each verb is followed by its inflected forms (gerund, past and participle). Its different meanings are described and you'll see that sometimes the particle of a verb can go from a non-separable state to a separable state depending on the sense given to the verb! A couple of practical examples illustrates each meaning.

Now, exercises! You'll find a lot of them in the book. Five, six, sometimes more per unit, including a recapitulation exercise using verbs that you studied in previous units, so that you can train your memory and check your knowledge.

A unit will take you quite a certain time and sometimes you'll need up to 1 hour 1/2 if you do them seriously. Perhaps my mistake was to try hard to complete a whole unit in one time. Because of that, I admit I felt discouragement from time to time, especially because I had to interrupt my working session for domestic or professional reasons. If you don't get time, make two or three exercises a day and the day after, review the main points and carry on your training.

You'll quickly realize that mastering phrasal verbs is no child's play and requires steady and hard work. But it's a fascinating world and it's so funny to see the power a single particle can have over the meaning of a common verb and hence, over a sentence :)

This book is a premiere. If you already enjoyed it and are looking for a useful complement, buy the Cambridge international dictionary of phrasal verbs, it will give you a pretty thorough overview of the power of these verbs. But I would suggest it for people with at least an intermediate level.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best, so far!, July 25, 2005

By 

M. Gaggero (Genova, Italy) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ultimate Phrasal Verb Book, The (Paperback)

If you are serious about learning the English language as a non-native learner, you'll enjoy this book. It covers the subject thoroughly, with a more practical approach than others. I think this book is the best because you learn phrasal verbs in contest, as they are used everyday. An academic approach can be misleading, and useless, for the non-native learner. The approach is very user-friendly, and intuitive. Very good for intermediate and advanced learners.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A comprehensive, easy-to-use workbook of phrasal verbs, December 30, 2005

By 

HM JP (Kofu-shi, Yamanashi Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ultimate Phrasal Verb Book, The (Paperback)

An excellent workbook for learning phrasal verbs in English. Its format is easy to understand, and a number of exercises are provided in each unit to help students master the phrasal verbs they have learned in the unit. However, I have found quite a few mistakes/misprints in the answer section. Some are minor: verbs and particles are separated where they should be put together one after the other; others a bit more serious: a phrasal verb that is appropriate in meaning but not covered in the given unit is offered as an answer to the quiz, or simply wrong ones are provided. Otherwise, I would have given 5 stars. I hope that there aren't as many mistakes/misprints in the text itself, and that the publisher will correct them for the next edition.