Learn 30 phrasal verbs in 30 days!

Jumpstart your vocabulary in 2017.

Today is Day 26 and we're studying phrasal verbs with “work”, day 1.

We have a lot of phrasal verbs here, so I had to break this video up into two parts.

Work up has a couple of different meanings.

It can mean to become upset.

I got all worked up about what my boss said.

Or, you don’t need to get worked up about it.

But if you work something up, that means to spend time developing it.

He worked up a presentation for the conference.

Or, we worked up an appetite by doing yard work all day.

I don’t run much now, but I want to work up to a 10K.

If you work towards something,

that means you’re doing something with a goal in mind.

We’re working towards a resolution to this problem.

Or, she’s working towards an early retirement.

Work through. This has a couple of different phrases.

It can mean to work without stopping.

We’re going to have to work through the night if we’re going to meet our deadline.

When you work through something, you’re dealing with a problem and you’re trying to solve it, to make it better.

We use this a lot with relationships.

They have a good marriage. They really work through their problems.

That means, they talk about their problems, they try to come up with compromises and solutions.

They work through them.

Work over means to beat up or handle roughly.

The boys really worked over their younger brother.

Work out. This has a bunch of meanings.

It can mean to exercise. I’m going to work out around 7.

That means, maybe I’m going to go to the gym, lift weights, go for a swim, go for a run.

Or, you can also say, she always works out really early in the morning.

It can also mean to end successfully.

Hey Rachel, how’d your project go?

There were some problems in the beginning, but it all worked out.

Or, their marriage didn’t work out. They got divorced after 10 years.

We also use it in math, or when calculating something.

It works out that the train is actually the most expensive option.

Or, I can’t work out this calculus problem.

Work. A lot of people have a really hard time with this word.

Let’s figure it out.

We begin with a W consonant, where the lips are in a tight circle.

Ww. Then we have the R vowel and consonant.

Just one sound, rr. Wor-.

So the lips go from being really rounded to being a little less rounded, but still flared.

Worrr

The tongue tip is forward for the W, put pulled back and up for the R. Wor-,

So the tongue tip isn’t touching anything for the R sounds. Worrrrrrr.

Hold out the R when practicing words. It really does help solidify the tongue position.

Worrrrrrr-k.

For the K, the tongue tip can come back down.

The back part of the tongue lifts up and touches the soft palate, then releases, kk.

Work. Work.

I often see people trying to drop their jaw too much for this word.

wuh-uh... wuhh---

Wor- wor-

Watch all of the jaw positions. You really don’t need to drop your jaw.

W-or-k. Work.

So simple, very minimal jaw drop.

Work. Work.

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