Writing Book 4 · Lesson 12

Phrasal verbs in academic English — meet the words

Some meanings live in a group of words, not in any one of them.

The words

find out
learn
make up
form
take place
happen
rule out
decide it is not
come across
meet by chance
draw on
use

Watch how it is built

1find out means about the same as learn.
We found out that soil holds heat.
2make up means about the same as form.
Water makes up most of a plant.
3take place means about the same as happen.
The change takes place slowly.

Two ways to say it

✗ We found out that soil holds heat. — this is not wrong, but it is everyday talk.

✓ We found out that soil holds heat. — this is how a writer says it.

Ask yourself: “Does the meaning survive if I change one word?”

Remember

The parts do not tell you the meaning.

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