PUT ACROSS

The separable phrasal verb put across means to effectively communicate or explain an idea.

The speaker was not very effective. He was not able to put across his main points.

He was not able to put his main points across.

TV is a good way to put across anti-tobacco messages.

TV is a good way to put anti-tobacco messages across.

The separable phrasal verb get across has the same meaning as put across.

He was not able to get across his main points.

TV is a good way to get anti-tobacco messages across.

You can say to put yourself across if you express yourself effectively

Jack’s presentation was extremely effective. He put himself across very well.

PUT AWAY

The separable phrasal verb put away can mean to place something out of the way, to put it where it belongs.

Children it is almost bedtime. Please put away your toys.

Please put your toys away.

In a more general sense, put away can mean to get something out of sight, stop using it.

She learned to get a good night’s rest by eating well, exercising and meditating. She was able to put away her sleeping pills.

She was able to put her sleeping pills away.

The verbal phrase put away is usually inseparable when it means to consume food or drink, usually a lot of food or drink.

That Micky is a real drinker. He put away three martinis before the meal was served.

Put away can mean to imprison or to confine.

Sergio was convicted of armed robbery. They put him away for 15 years.

They put away Sergio for 15 years.

PUT BACK

The separable phrasal verb put back means to return something to where it was previously located.

She put back the butter in the refrigerator.

She put the butter back in the refrigerator.

Put back can also mean to move a child into an earlier grade in school. For example, if a child is in the fifth grade and cannot handle the work there, he may be put back into the fourth grade.

They put my nephew back into the third grade.

PUT DOWN

The separable phrasal verb put down can mean to take what you have in your hand and place it on a flat surface, which could be a table or even the ground.

The test is over. Put down your pencils.

Put your pencils down.

The police had the bank robber surrounded. They ordered him to put down his gun.

They ordered him to put his gun down.

If a child has his hand up in class, a teacher may ask him to put it down.

Children, just pay attention to me. I don’t want any questions now. Please put down your hands.

Please put your hands down.

Put down can mean to write when you are filling in a form or being asked for specific information.

He didn’t understand the visa form. He put down his name on the wrong line.

He put his name down on the wrong line.

The job application asked why she wanted to work on a cruise ship. She wasn’t sure what to put down.

Put down can also describe the act of killing a sick or injured animal that will die anyway.

Their dog had an inoperable cancer. They had him put down.

PUT SOMEONE DOWN

When you put someone down, you make insulting or disparaging remarks about that person.

I don’t like my father’s attitude. He’s always putting me down.

You shouldn’t have put Michelle down in front of her children.

You shouldn’t have put down Michelle in front of her children.

PUT DOWN FOR

When you put someone down for an amount of money, it means you are writing down an amount of money that the person is expected to contribute to a charity or a collection of some type.

I’m collecting for the Cancer Society. Last year you gave $50. Can I put you down for $75 this year?

Sure, I’ll be happy to contribute to Maria’s retirement present. Put me down for ten bucks.

PUT DOWN TO

The expression put down to means to use as an explanation. For example I might say: “George made a bad decision that time. I think you can put that down to his lack of experience.” This means that George’s lack of experience is an explanation for his bad decision.

She did tend to forget things more and more. But we put that down to normal aging.

I know the team did not perform as well as we had expected. I would put that down to a number of factors.

From the Internet

These radio stations are known to be liberal or conservative and are trying to put across that particular point of view.

Put away that salt shaker: Cooking and Nutrition Tips

She was convicted of a lesser charge—illegal possession of a gun, which could put her away for three-and-a-half to 15 years.

Yet Another Reason To Put Down That Cigarette!

It is only our bad temper that we put down to being tired or worried or hungry; we put our good temper down to ourselves.  – C.S. Lewis

Walter overslept.

Walter got up late.

He had to eat breakfast in a rush.

He had to rush through breakfast.

He cut his face in two places shaving.

He got two razor cuts shaving.

He hadn’t done his weekly clothes washing,…

He had neglected to do the weekly washing,…

…so he didn’t have any clean underpants.

…so there were no fresh underpants to put on.

There was frost on his windshield.

His windshield was covered with frost.

He didn’t own a scraper.

He had no ice scraper.

He did what he could with his fingernails.

He did his best with his fingernails.

On the way to work he went through a red light.

On the way to work he ran a red light.

That got him a $200 traffic ticket.

That earned him a $200 traffic citation.

He got to work forty minutes late.

He was late to work by forty minutes.

He totally forgot about an important meeting.

An important meeting completely slipped his mind.

His boss was not at all happy about that.

His boss was pretty annoyed about that.

Walter’s computer started misbehaving.

Walter’s computer began malfunctioning.

It took two hours to get that fixed.

It took two hours to straighten that out.

At lunch he spilled gravy on his tie.

He got gravy on his tie at lunch.

He left his credit card in the restaurant.

He forgot his credit card in the restaurant.

A very angry client called…

An infuriated client called…

…and disparaged Walter for forty minutes.

…and dumped on Walter for forty minutes.

On the way home Walter missed his highway exit.

Walter passed by his highway exit on the way home.

A car was blocking his driveway.

His driveway was blocked by a car.

His front door was open.

The door to his house was open.

He looked around.

He took a look around.

His computer and TV were missing.

His computer and TV were nowhere to be seen.

A little smile appeared on Walter’s face.

A smile crept across Walter’s face.

Tomorrow would have to be a better day.

Things could only improve tomorrow.

We have a daily meeting.

She often buys expensive clothes.

They usually call before they come over.

Usually he was very polite.

I don’t come here often.

I check my Facebook account daily.

I check my Facebook account daily even when I am traveling.

daily

weekly

monthly

yearly

annually

He reports to his manager daily.

We cut the grass weekly.

She gets paid monthly.

I get twelve days of vacation yearly

I review all my investments annually.

on a daily basis

every day

once a day

on a weekly basis

every week

once a week

on a monthly basis

every month

once a month

on a yearly basis

every year

once a year

on an annual basis

He calls his mother daily.

He calls his mother on a daily basis.

Every day he calls his mother.

He calls his mother every day.

Once a day he calls his mother.

He calls his mother once a day.

The fire alarm is tested weekly.

The fire alarm is tested on a weekly basis.

We get less than eight inches of rain annually.

Every year we get less than eight inches of rain.

Every month we analyze our sales figures.

We analyze our sales figures monthly.

We analyze our sales figures on a monthly basis.

Once a year they conduct a bird count.

They conduct a bird count once a year.

Every day he eats three portions of fruit.

He eats three portions of fruit every day.

He eats three portions of fruit daily.

every night

every two days

every other day, which means the same as every two days

every other week

every other weekend

every other month

every three days

every third day, which means the same as every three days

every two months

every two weeks

every two years

every Monday

every other Monday

every Sunday night

every July

Every night they watch a movie.

They watch a movie every night.

He gets the kids every other weekend.

Every other weekend he gets the kids.

Does she vacuum her house every Sunday night?

Every third day he took the dog for a long run.

I have the trees trimmed every two years.

Every Monday and Thursday she eats no meat.

We put on the snow tires every November.

once in a while

every now and then

from time to time

Once in a while I like a thick juicy steak.

I like a thick juicy steak once in a while.

Every now and then he oversleeps.

He oversleeps every now and then.

From time to time my car rides rough.

My car rides rough from time to time.

almost always

nearly always

very frequently

quite frequently

frequently

very often

quite often

often

usually

sometimes

occasionally

infrequently

seldom

rarely

hardly ever

almost never

never

He is sometimes very stubborn.

She is not often willing to work on weekends.

We are always exhausted after a mountain hike.

My dogs are not always this friendly with strangers.

She was almost never sick.

I am rarely able to spend time by myself.

In the evenings, he was usually working on his computer.

My doctor is not usually available on weekends.

We quite often read for an hour after dinner.

He occasionally disappears for days at a time.

We infrequently experience problems in restaurants.

You can nearly always get help from that teacher.

He quite frequently makes his wife laugh.

She never returns phone calls.

I very often see him when I visit the gym.

I don’t frequently write letters of complaint.

He very frequently skips a meal.

They almost always check IDs at that bar.

We hardly ever travel for more than two weeks.

I seldom chat with my neighbors.

Frequently they see friends on the weekends.

Very often we are powerless over our own actions.

Usually he wears very conservative clothes.

Occasionally she forgets to take her pills.

Quite often he came home drunk.

Sometimes he can very hard on his kids.

She sometimes goes shopping with her mother.

Sometimes she goes shopping with her mother.

She goes shopping with her mother sometimes.

He often talks about his job.

Often he talks about his job.

He talks about his job often.

They often traveled to the seashore.

They didn’t often travel to the seashore.

He always goes to the gym after work.

He doesn’t always go to the gym after work.

This store usually has the lowest prices.

This store doesn’t usually have the lowest prices.

The doctor asks the man into his office.

“I’m afraid I have some very bad news, ” the doctor says.“You’re dying, and you don’t have much time left.”

“Oh, that’s terrible!” says the man. “How long have I got?”

“Ten,” the doctor says sadly.

“Ten?” the man exclaims.

“Ten what? Months? Weeks? What?!”

The doctor continues, “Nine…eight.”

A man hasn’t been feeling well.

A man has been feeling unwell

He sees his doctor for a complete physical exam.

He goes to his doctor for a complete checkup.
The lab tests are done immediately.

The lab analysis is done right then and there.

The doctor asks the man into his office.

The doctor calls the man into his office.

“I’m afraid I have some very bad news, ” the doctor says.

“I’m sorry but the news is very bad,” the doctor says.
“You’re dying, and you don’t have much time left. ”

“You’re dying, and it won’t be long.”
“Oh, that’s terrible!” says the man.

“Oh, my god!” cries the man.

“How long have I got?”

“How much time do I have?”

“Ten,” the doctor says sadly.

“Ten,” the doctor says in a sad voice.

“Ten?” the man exclaims.

“Ten?” the man cries out.

“Ten what? Months? Weeks? What?!”

“Is it ten months, ten weeks….what?”

The doctor continues, “Nine…eight.”

The doctor goes on, “Nine…eight.”

That explanation will not satisfy the judge.

Are you satisfying your inner needs?

She satisfied her curiosity about prison conditions.

That meal did not at all satisfy my hunger.

I satisfied myself that Kelly was telling the truth.

He satisfied himself that the car had been repaired properly.

They satisfied themselves that the iPad was their best choice.

Ellen satisfied the terms of her contract.

Ali got a job to satisfy the terms of his visa.

He needs one more course to satisfy the graduation requirements

Are you satisfied with your new apartment (or computer)?

She was dissatisfied with her daughter’s grades.

I am not satisfied with my life.

Most patients are satisfied with their medical plans.

Many are dissatisfied with the nation’s energy policies.

I found that steak dinner very satisfying.

Which course do you consider to be most satisfying?

Making jewelry is a satisfying hobby for her.

The review said the play was intellectually satisfying.

What types of activity do you find most satisfying?

The conclusion of the film was not at all satisfying.

Drug addicts crave immediate satisfaction.

The store got a high score for customer satisfaction.

There’s a lot of dissatisfaction among the workers.

I  experienced the satisfaction of seeing my book published.

Doctors should care about the satisfaction of their patients.

The survey revealed dissatisfaction with the government.

I found the improvements in the hotel most satisfactory.

Her students were making satisfactory progress.

Your child is exhibiting unsatisfactory behavior.

What are the causes of our unsatisfactory sales performance?

The problem has been satisfactorily resolved.

Some tough questions have not been satisfactorily answered.

The electric meter was functioning unsatisfactorily.

The oil spill was handled unsatisfactorily.

Jerry was my first barber. Jerry was an Italian immigrant. He always had the radio turned to opera. He charged 60 cents.

In college I had a barber named Frank. During a haircut Frank would answer the phone several times. He would write something on a slip of paper. After a few haircuts I figured it out. Frank was taking bets on the horses.

My saddest barber experience was with John. John was a happy and amiable guy. Gradually he became mentally ill. I got nervous having his razor near my neck. I didn’t think he’d ever try to hurt me. But he became easily excitable. I switched barbers. A short time later he sold his shop.

My first barber in Los Angeles was Richard. He was a first-rate craftsman. He took his time and did a great job. Richard regularly went gambling in Las Vegas. He claimed he was a steady winner. Maybe he wasn’t exaggerating. He retired at a pretty young age.

My next barber was Stan. I got great haircuts from Stan. Then he had his shoulders operated on. After that he changed his barbering method. He nowpreferred electric clippers to scissors. The quality of his work went way down.

So I switched to Leonard, my present barber. Leonhard gives a reasonably good haircut. But there is one major problem. Leonard doesn’t like to talk. If you speak to him, he sort of nods. It’s like being in a funeral home. It’s too weird for words. I’m looking for a new barber.

Life must be a little simpler for bald guys.

Over the years I have had many barbers.

I’ve gone to many barbers in my lifetime.

I’ve easily spent over 200 hours in barber chairs.

Two hundred hours in a barber chair is a low estimate.

I don’t remember all my barbers.

Not all of my barbers come to mind.

But some are definitely memorable.

But I have a clear memory of a few of them.

Jerry was my first barber.

My first barber was Jerry.

Jerry was an Italian immigrant.

Jerry was an immigrant from Italy.

He always had the radio turned to opera.

His radio was always turned to opera.

He charged 60 cents.

A haircut from Jerry cost 60 cents.

In college I had a barber named Frank.

Frank was a barber I had as a college student.

During a haircut Frank would answer the phone several times.

Frank took several phone calls during each haircut.

He would write something on a slip of paper.

He would jot something down on a little pad.

After a few haircuts I figured it out.

It took a few haircuts for me to understand.

Frank was taking bets on the horses.

Frank the barber was also Frank the bookie.

My saddest barber experience was with John.

My barber experience with John was the saddest.

John was a happy and amiable guy.

John has a happy-go-lucky guy.

Gradually he became mentally ill.

Little by little he drifted into mental illness.

I got nervous having his razor near my neck.

Having his razor near my neck put me on edge.

I didn’t think he’d ever try to hurt me.

Not that he would harm me on purpose.

But he became easily excitable.

But he could get overexcited

I switched barbers.

I changed barbers.

A short time later he sold his shop.

Shortly after that he sold off his shop.

My first barber in Los Angeles was Richard.

My first LA barber was Richard.

He was a first-rate craftsman.

His work was first class.

He took his time and did a great job.

He didn’t rush and got things just right.

Richard regularly went gambling in Las Vegas.

Richard gambled in Las Vegas on a regular basis.

He claimed he was a steady winner.

According to him, he won steadily.

Maybe he wasn’t exaggerating.

Maybe he wasn’t stretching the truth.

He retired at a pretty young age.

He retired fairly young.

My next barber was Stan.

Next was Stan.

I got great haircuts from Stan.

Stan gave me great haircuts.

Then he had his shoulders operated on.

Then he had operations on both shoulders.

After that he changed his barbering method.

Subsequently he changed the way he gave haircuts.

He now preferred electric clippers to scissors.

He now favored electric clippers over scissors.

The quality of his work went way down.

His quality took a nose dive.

So I switched to Leonard, my present barber.

So I made the move over to Leonard, my present barber.

Leonhard gives a reasonably good haircut.

Leonhard does a fairly nice job.

But there is one major problem.

But Leonhard has one big problem

Leonard doesn’t like to talk.

Leonard is quite uncommunicative.

If you speak to him, he sort of nods.

Speak to him and he just gives a little nod.

It’s like being in a funeral home.

It feels like being in a funeral home.

It’s too weird for words.

A totally eerie experience.

I’m looking for a new barber.

I’m in the market for a new barber.

Life must be a little simpler for bald guys.

Being bald must simplify life a little.

It took an hour to replace the lock.

It took an hour for Bob to replace the lock.

It took Bob an hour to replace the lock.

Replacing the lock took an hour.

Replacing the lock took Bob an hour.

Bob took an hour to replace the lock.

It took an hour to replace the lock.

It took an hour for him to replace the lock.

It took him an hour to replace the lock.

Replacing the lock took an hour.

Replacing the lock took him an hour.

He took an hour to replace the lock.

It will take three months to build the road.

It will take three months for them to build the road.

It will take them three months to build the road.

Building the road will take three months.

Building the road will take them three months.

They will take three months to build the road.

How long did it take to write the book?

How long did it take for you to write the book?

How long did it take you to write the book?

How long did writing the book take?

How long did writing the book take you?

How long did you take to write the book?

It took us fifteen minutes to find a parking space.

Getting a marriage license took all morning.

How many hours did it take you to cook this meal?

Does the flight to Chicago take just 45 minutes?

It took twenty minutes for the engine to warm up.

It takes courage to tell the truth.

Telling the truth takes courage.

It’ll take three men to move that piano.

Moving that piano will take three men.

It took teamwork to get the job done on time.

Getting the job done on time took teamwork.

It takes more than good looks to succeed in Hollywood.

Succeeding in Hollywood takes more than good looks.

I’m ready to do whatever it takes.

She has what it takes to be a great teacher.

What will it take to make you understand?

It takes a thief to catch a thief.

It takes one to know one.

It takes two to tango.

The lawyer said, “At the scene of the accident, didn’t you say ‘I’m fine’?”

Clyde responded, “Well, I’ll tell you what happened. I had just loaded my favorite mule, Bessie…”

The lawyer interrupted. “I didn’t ask for any details. Just answer the question. Did you not say ‘I’m fine’?”

Clyde said, “I had just loaded my favorite mule, Bessie. I was driving down the road…”

The lawyer interrupted again. He said, “Judge, I am trying to establish one fact. This man spoke to the highway patrolman who came. He said that he was just fine. It is now several weeks after the accident. He is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question.”

However, the judge was interested in Clyde’s answer. He said, “I’d like to hear what he has to say.”

Clyde thanked the judge and proceeded. “Well, I had just loaded Bessie, into the trailer. I was driving her down the road. Suddenly a huge semi ran a stop sign. It smacked my truck right in the side. I was thrown into the ditch on the left. Bessie was thrown into the other ditch.

“I was hurting real bad. I could hardly move. I could hear old Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape. A highway patrolman came on the scene. He heard Bessie and went over to her. He saw she was in a lot of pain. He took out his gun and shot her between the eyes.

“Then the patrolman came across the road. He still had his gun in his hand. He looked at me and said, ‘Are you in a lot of pain?’

“Now, Judge, what the hell would you answer?”

A farmer named Clyde had a car accident.

A farmer named Clyde got into a car accident.

He had been hit by a truck.

A truck had hit him.

Several weeks later, he was in court.

He was in court a few weeks later.

He was suing for medical expenses.

He was suing for his medical bills.

The lawyer for the trucking company was questioning him.

The trucking company’s lawyer was questioning him.

At the scene of the accident, didn’t you say ‘I’m fine’?
Didn’t you say you were fine at the accident scene?

Well, I’ll tell you what happened.

Well, here’s what happened.

I had just loaded my favorite mule, Bessie…

I had just got my mule into the trailer….

I didn’t ask for any details.

I didn’t request any details.

Just answer the question.

Just respond to the question.

Did you not say “I’m fine”?

Weren’t your exact words “I’m fine”?

I was driving down the road…

I was driving along the road…
The lawyer interrupted again.

Once again the lawyer interrupted.

Judge, I am trying to establish one fact.

Judge, I want to get one fact on the record.

This man spoke to the highway patrolman who came.

This man talked with the patrolman who arrived.

He said that he was just fine.

He said he was perfectly fine.

It is now several weeks after the accident.

The accident is now several weeks in the past.

He is trying to sue my client.

He is attempting to sue my client.

I believe he is a fraud.

I believe he is acting fraudulently.

Please tell him to simply answer the question.

Please instruct him to just answer my question.

I’d like to hear what he has to say.

I would like to find out what he has to say.

Clyde thanked the judge and proceeded.

Clyde thanked the judge and went on.

Well, I had just loaded Bessie into the trailer

Well, I had just got Bessie into the trailer.

I was driving her down the road.

I was transporting her along the road.

Suddenly a huge semi ran a stop sign.

All of a sudden this gigantic semi ran a stop sign.

It smacked my truck right in the side.

It smashed into the side of my truck.

I was thrown into the ditch on the left.

I got thrown into the ditch on the left.

Bessie was thrown into the other ditch.

Bessie got flung into the other ditch.

I was hurting real bad.

I was in a lot of pain.

I could hardly move.

I could hardly move at all.

I could hear old Bessie moaning and groaning.

I could hear Bessie’s moans and groans.

I knew she was in terrible shape.

I knew she was in a bad way.

A highway patrolman came on the scene.

A highway patrolman arrived at the scene.

He heard Bessie and went over to her.

He heard Bessie and walked over to her.

He saw she was in a lot of pain.

He could see she was suffering terribly.

He took out his gun and shot her between the eyes.

He took his gun out and shot her in the forehead.
Then the patrolman came across the road.

The patrolman then crossed over the road.

He still had his gun in his hand.

The gun was still in his hand.

He looked at me and said, “Are you in a lot of pain?”

He looked down at me and said, “Are you suffering a lot of pain?”
Now, Judge, what the hell would you answer?

Now, Judge, what in the hell would you have answered?

The surface of the road is not very even.

I haven’t even opened the letter yet.

Don’t you even talk to me right now!

It is difficult to connect the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. The surface of the table is not even.

A very rich man left all his money to his five children. He wanted each child to get exactly the same amount. He divided the money evenly among the five children.

We know that the earth is warming. But not all parts of the earth are warming to the same degree. The earth is warming unevenly.

The stock market went up last week. But some companies increased far more than other companies. The gains (in the stock market) were quite uneven

If a number can be divided in half it is called an even number

I got unfairly fired by my accounting software company. But I got even with them. I went to work for another accounting software producer and helped drive my old company out of business.

Kiko is pretty, but Aika is even prettier.

Larry is stupid, but his brother is even more stupid.

The girl left without even saying a word.

Even the teacher thinks the math book is not good.

There were a lot of people in the street demonstration, but they seemed in a good mood. Even the police seemed relaxed.

This town is very well managed. Even the garbage trucks are clean.

This region is full of wildlife. Even in the winter you hear many birds.

You hear many birds even in the winter.

I love you so much. Even if you desert me, I will still love you.

I will love you even if you desert me.

He enjoys different kinds of music. He even likes some classical music.

I texted her and called her on the phone. I even wrote her a poem on Facebook.

That barber shop is fantastic. They even have a playroom for kids.

I have even seen wolves in these hills.

They are even charging for pillows on airline flights.

It’s so foggy here that I can’t even see my own feet.

We got to the theater way too early. The doors weren’t even open.

You make me so angry. I can’t even be in the same room with you.

I know he doesn’t like these people. Why did he even come to the party?

He is doing everything he can to get a job. He is even looking overseas.

This agent can help you find a good condo. He might even arrange the financing.

Why are you asking me about the film? I haven’t even seen it.

Greg wrote her ten e-mails from Turkey. She didn’t even open them.

I really want you to learn how to swim. Won’t you even take one lesson?