Conversation with Phrasals Verbs
Autor: teacher Jota | Publicado: 2009-07-21T14:03:00-07:00



Read carefully this composition and using the vocabulary below try to find a good translation for it.

Last week I went to visit my friend Fabio. Fabio is a great guy but at times he can really go on about things. We were speaking about some of our friends and he came out with this incredible story about Aline. It seems she had butted in while he was harping on his favorite complaint: Service in restaurants. Apparently, he had been running on for quite a while putting down almost every restaurant he had been to by rattling off a list of his visits to different restaurants in town. I guess Aline felt that he was talking at her and was fed up with it. She went off about what a rude person he was which shut him up pretty quickly! I thought about blurting out that maybe she was right, but decided to clam up in order to not upset him.

*It seems a very difficult composition to translate, isn't it?
*Well , as I told you before , the time for easy things is gone.
*Pay attention on the vocabulary and try to translate it .

Vocabulary :

1- to go on = to continue to talk about a subject after the interest of the listener has been exhausted.
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a)If you want to keep explaining me it , go on.
b)You are not supposed to go on it...I really understood.
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2- to come out with something = to say something suddenly
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a)I was just telling her how much she means to me when she came out with this idea of marriage.
b)I was taken by surprise when she came out with this 'I love you".
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3- to butt in = to rudely enter another conversation
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a)Why can't you finish a conversation? You are always butting in many things!
b)I really didn't understand what he meant.He had butted in while I was asking him after the divorce.
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4- to harp on = To repeatedly and boringly speak about a topic.
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a)It's almost impossible to discuss soccer with J.B. , because he harps on Ronaldo,Ronaldo, Ronaldo.
b)I liked Michael Jackson but I'm tired to hear the news. They are harping on his life, his story,his everything.
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5- to run on = Keep going, continue. 
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a) This English course never ends. It is running on for years.
b) How much longer can this English course be allowed to run on? 
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6- to put down = to criticize someone or something
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a) Stop putting down everything I say. It's not working.
b) It's easy to put down everyone that disagrees with your point of view.
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7- to rattle off = to say a list or impressive number of facts very quickly
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a) When I asked what happened she rattled off all events.
b) I tried to rattle off everything but the time wasn't enough.
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8- to go off = to speak angrily about something
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a) When I asked her about that guy she went off  about him by rattling off his intentions with her.
b) Why are you going off about this? 
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9- to talk at = to talk to someone without listening to what they have to say
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a) When I talk about soccer I think she is talking at me cos' she doesn't like soccer .
b) Are you paying attention on what I am saying? Or you are talking at me again?
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10- to be fed up with something = do not tolerate something because patience is gone.
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a) Denise was fed up with our complaints.
b)  I didn't answer anything because I was fed up.
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11- to shut up/to shut somebody up = to stop talking, often used as an imperative (very rude)
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a) You are talking too much! Shut up!
b) Shut your daughter up!
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12- to blurt out = to say something suddenly, usually without thinking
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a) I use to blurt out a lot when I'm nervous.
b) When she drinks more than two beers she blurts out.
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13- to clam up = to refuse to speak or become silent during a conversation.
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a) I prefer to clam up cos' my oppinion is not gonna make any difference for you.
b) I like you both , so I'll clam up this time.
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***I'll divide you in two groups. Your mission is to get closer from the real translation. Are you ready?