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6 posts tagged with "Public Speaking"

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Phrasal Verb - Praising up

· 2 min read
Raymundo CH

Image illustrating the verb Praising up

Image uploaded to Pixabay by AstralEmber

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Definition​

The phrasal verb 'praise up' denotes the act of commending, extolling, or expressing admiration for someone or something, often with a heightened degree of enthusiasm, frequency, or intensity. It implies a deliberate effort to elevate the subject's status, reputation, achievements, or perceived value. This commendation can range from genuine appreciation to a more strategic or even exaggerated form of flattery, aiming to make the subject appear superior, more accomplished, or highly commendable. The 'up' often adds an intensifying nuance, suggesting not merely praise, but praise that seeks to lift or elevate the subject in the estimation of others. It can be used in various contexts, such as a boss praising an employee, a critic praising a work of art, or an individual praising a friend's success.

Examples​

No.Example
1The manager was constantly praising up his top sales executive in front of the entire team.
2She spent the whole dinner party praising up her husband's culinary skills to all their guests.
3Critics have been praising up the director's latest film as a groundbreaking cinematic achievement.
4It felt a bit disingenuous how he would always praise up the CEO in hopes of getting a promotion.
5My grandmother loves to praise up her grandchildren whenever we visit, no matter how small our achievements.
6The local newspaper was praising up the community's efforts to revitalize the downtown area.
7Don't just praise up your team when they win; acknowledge their hard work even when results are mixed.
8He couldn't stop praising up his new car, despite its minor mechanical issues.
9The minister was praising up the selfless contributions of the volunteers during the Sunday service.
10Even amidst challenges, they continued praising up the project's potential for future success.

Phrasal Verb - shouting down

· 2 min read
Raymundo CH

Image illustrating the verb shouting down

Image uploaded to Pixabay by RyanMcGuire

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Definition​

A phrasal verb meaning to loudly and forcefully interrupt or silence someone, often through verbal protest or demonstration. This can be done to express disagreement, to prevent someone from speaking, or to draw attention to a cause.

Examples​

No.Example
1Protesters shouted down the speaker during her lecture.
2The students shouted down their classmate for making a racist remark.
3The audience shouted down the performer when he made an offensive joke.
4During the debate, one candidate was repeatedly shouted down by her opponents.
5The president was shouted down by the crowd as he tried to deliver his speech.
6The activists shouted down the radio host during his controversial interview.
7The protesters shouted down the mayor during the city council meeting.
8The crowd shouted down the performer, demanding that he leave the stage.
9The students shouted down their teacher for using an insensitive term in class.
10The demonstrators shouted down the politician, refusing to let him speak.

Phrasal Verb - Calling On

· 2 min read
Raymundo CH

Image illustrating the verb Calling On

Image uploaded to Pixabay by Surprising_Media

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Definition​

The phrasal verb 'call on' carries several distinct meanings depending on the context. Primarily, it means to visit someone for a short period, often in a formal or professional capacity, or as a courtesy. Secondly, it is used to formally ask or require someone to do something, such as asking a student to answer a question in class, asking a speaker to address a group, or urging a person or entity to take a specific action or fulfil a responsibility. Thirdly, 'call on' can mean to make use of or draw upon a particular resource, skill, or quality, especially in a time of need, such as 'calling on one's courage' or 'calling on a reserve of energy'. This implies utilizing an available asset or capability.

Examples​

No.Example
1The professor decided to call on Sarah to explain her solution to the complex problem.
2During their trip, they plan to call on several old friends living in different cities.
3The chairman will call on the next speaker to present the quarterly financial report.
4In moments of crisis, leaders often need to call on the resilience of their people.
5Could you please call on the customer service department to resolve this issue?
6Many small businesses call on freelance designers for their marketing campaigns.
7The detective had to call on all his investigative experience to crack the difficult case.
8After the storm, the community had to call on its collective strength to rebuild.
9The ambassador will call on the foreign minister to discuss the new trade agreement.
10I'll call on you later this week to see how you're progressing with the project.

Phrasal Verb - Dealing Out

· 2 min read
Raymundo CH

Image illustrating the verb Dealing Out

Image uploaded to Pixabay by HtcHnm

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Definition​

To deal out is a part of the phrasal verb 'deal out' which is used in the English language, meaning to give out something, such as cards in a game, goods in a shop, or punishment to someone. It can also refer to the act of delivering a severe or unfair blow.

Examples​

No.Example
1They dealt out the cards and began the poker game.
2The store dealt out free samples of the new cheese.
3The teacher dealt out a severe punishment to the student.
4She dealt out a bad hand in the game of cards.
5He dealt out his anger on my sister.
6The town dealt out an enormous amount of aid to the victims of the hurricane.
7The police dealt out a heavy fine to the driver.
8The doctor dealt out a prescription for medication.
9The politician dealt out empty words to the public during his speech.
10The bank dealt out a generous amount of credit to the business owner.

Phrasal Verb - Freezing Up

· 3 min read
Raymundo CH

Image illustrating the verb Freezing Up

Image uploaded to Pixabay by Pezibear

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Definition​

To 'freeze up' is a phrasal verb with two primary meanings. Firstly, it means to suddenly become unable to move, think, speak, or act, typically due to extreme nervousness, fear, shyness, or surprise. In this sense, a person's mental or physical faculties become temporarily paralyzed, preventing them from responding or performing as they normally would. This can manifest as a complete mental block during an exam, an inability to speak during a public presentation, or physical immobility in a shocking situation. Secondly, when referring to a machine or a system, particularly a computer, 'freeze up' means to stop functioning, become unresponsive to input (like mouse clicks or keyboard strokes), and effectively hang or lock. The system ceases to perform its operations and requires a restart or forced shutdown to resume normal function.

Examples​

No.Example
1During her first big presentation, she started to freeze up and couldn't remember a single word of her script.
2My old laptop tends to freeze up when I try to run too many applications at once, forcing me to restart it.
3He completely froze up on the driving test when the instructor asked him to parallel park, failing him immediately.
4The software updated overnight and now my entire system keeps freezing up, which is incredibly frustrating.
5Despite all the practice, the actor still had a tendency to freeze up during live performances.
6When the interviewer asked a really difficult question, I could feel myself starting to freeze up, my mind going blank.
7The security camera system froze up last night, so we don't have any footage of the incident.
8In moments of high stress, some people freeze up, while others are able to think clearly and act.
9Don't let the pressure get to you and cause you to freeze up when it's your turn to bat.
10We had to force quit the program because it had frozen up and wasn't responding at all.

Phrasal Verb - Getting Across

· 2 min read
Raymundo CH

Image illustrating the verb Getting Across

Image uploaded to Pixabay by congerdesign

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Definition​

The phrasal verb 'get across' primarily means to successfully communicate an idea, message, feeling, or point of view to another person or group, ensuring that it is clearly understood and comprehended. It often implies that the sender has made an effort to overcome potential barriers to understanding, such as complexity of the subject matter, differing perspectives, or a lack of clarity in expression. It focuses on the effective transmission and reception of information, making sure the intended meaning is grasped by the audience. This can involve explaining, clarifying, persuading, or simply conveying information in a way that resonates and achieves the desired level of understanding. While 'get across' can literally mean to move from one side to another (e.g., 'get across the river'), its common phrasal verb usage in communication contexts refers to the successful conveyance of information or meaning.

Examples​

No.Example
1The teacher struggled to get the complex mathematical concept across to her students.
2It's important for politicians to get their message across clearly during campaigns.
3She found it difficult to get her feelings across to him without becoming emotional.
4Despite speaking different languages, they managed to get their basic needs across using gestures.
5The presentation aimed to get across the urgency of climate change to the audience.
6He used a simple analogy to get his point across more effectively during the debate.
7How do you get across the importance of safety regulations to workers who feel rushed?
8The director wanted to get across the sense of isolation felt by the main character in the film.
9Sometimes, writing can be a better way to get your thoughts across than speaking in person.
10I hope my explanation got the main idea across to everyone in the meeting this morning.