8. FOCUS ON: present perfect phrasal verbs

The present perfect is used to talk about the past and the present at the same time:

They have torn down the building. (The building is not there now because they tore it down in the past.)

or to say that something is completed:

She has picked out some library books.

The present perfect is formed with have, or when the subject is he, she, it, or the name of one person or thing, has, and the past participle of the verb:

present: The tree falls over.

past: The tree fell over.

present perfect: The tree has fallen over.

Remember that have can be combined with pronouns as 've:

They've never heard of him. and has with nouns and pronouns as's:

The tree's fallen over.

He's never heard of her.

Be careful not to confuse the's contraction of has and the's contraction of is:

She's picked out some library books. (She has...) She's picking out some library books. (She is...)

Infinitive
	present tense	-ing form	past tense	past participle
burn out
	burn out & burns out	burning out	burned out	burned out

 

1. burn out p.v. When a fire, candle, or other flame stops burning because it has no more fuel, it burns out.

We need more wood; the fire has burned out.

Don't worry; the sun won't burn out for another four billion years.

burned-out part.adj. After a fire, candle, or other flame stops burning because it has no more fuel, it is burned-out.

The burned-out rocket landed in the ocean.

burned-out part.adj. When people are extremely tired, either physically or psycho­logically, because of stress or hard work, they are burned-out.

Teaching those awful students for so many years has left him burned-out.

Taking care of four small children day after day would leave any mother burned-out.

46

2. burn out p.v. When a light bulb stops producing light because it has reached the end of its useful life, it burns out.

These new bulbs are guaranteed not to burn out for ten years. I can't see what I'm doing because this bulb has burned out.

burned-out part.adj. A light bulb that no longer produces light because it has reached the end of its useful life is burned-out.

/ climbed the ladder and unscrewed the burned-out bulb.

3. burn ...out p.v. When people are forced to leave their home or some other shelter or hiding place because of fire or fire damage, they are burned out.

The only way to get the enemy soldiers out of the tunnels was to burn them out.

Seven families were burned out of their homes by the huge fire.

burned-out part.adj. Something that has been damaged or destroyed by fire is burned-out.

After the war, nothing was left but burned-out cars and buildings.

Infinitive
	present tense	-ing form	past tense	past participle
fall over
	fall over & falls over	falling over	fell over	fallen over

 

1. fall over p.v. When people or things fail over, they fall to the ground from an upright position.

That tree has been dead for fifty years, but it still hasn't fallen over.

 I almost fell over when I heard the terrible news.

2. fall over p.v. When you fall over yourself or (usually) fall all over yourself, you try so hard to serve someone or to make someone like you that you appear foolish.

The supervisor fell all over himself trying to satisfy the customer.

 Mike was falling all over himself trying to impress Heather.

fight back
fight back & fights back	fighting back	fought back	fought back

 

1. fight back p.v. When you fight back, you fight, either physically or with words, someone or something that attacked you first.

The soldiers fought back bravely, but the situation was hopeless.

 After being accused of corruption, the senator said she would fight back and prove her innocence.

2. fight back p.v. When you fight back an emotional response, such as tears or fear, you try very hard to overcome the emotion.

The mother fought back tears when she saw the little white coffins.

 I had to fight back the urge to punch him in the nose.

47

Infinitive
	present tense	-ing form	past tense	past participle
hear of
	hear of & hears of	hearing of	heard of	heard of

 

1. hear of p.v. When you learn about something for the first time, you hear of it.

Do I know Fred Smith? No, I've never heard of him.

I told my real estate agent, "If you hear of a good deal on a three-bedroom house, please call me right away."

2. hear of p.v. When you learn information about something that makes you angry and you say you will not hear of it, you mean that you will not tolerate or allow it.

Our daughter wants to fly to Mexico with her boyfriend?
 I won't hear of it! I told him that his scheme was outrageous and that I wouldn't hear of such a thing.

pick out
	pick out & picks out	picking out	picked out	picked out

 

1. pick... out p.v. When you choose something from a group because you prefer it to the others in the group, you pick it out.

Have you picked out a dress to wear to the party yet?
Mike's dog had puppies, and he asked me to pick one out.

2. pick... out p.v. When you are able to find and recognize something in a group, you pick it out.

Even though the class photo was fifty years old, I picked my father out easily. The police detective asked me if I could pick the mugger out from a group of photos.

ring up
	ring up & rings up	ringing up	rang up	rung up

 

1. ring ... up p.v. When you want to buy something in a store, a cashier uses a cash register to ring up what you want to buy in order to determine how much money you must pay.

Well, I guess I'll take this one. Can you ring it up please?
 I couldn't believe it when the clerk finished ringing it all up — $946!

2. ring ... up p.v. (mainly British) When you call people on the telephone, you ring them up.

He rang up Nancy and asked her to go to the dance.
If you need a ride, ring me up when you arrive at the airport.

tear down
tear down & tears down		tearing down	tore down	torn down

 

1. tear... down p.v. When you tear down a building, you deliberately and com­pletely destroy it.

48