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formality - Phrasal verbs (formal and informal use)



I'm not always comfortable with phrasal verbs. I find that Americans use a lot of phrasal verbs than say people from UK -- I might be completely wrong though.


What I find most difficult with phrasal verbs is to know when it is appropriate to use them - like is this phrasal verb formal or informal. So for this very reason, I tend to avoid using them.


I think it's definitely far easier for native speakers because of familiarity with cultural settings in which the verbs arose.


My question is whether there are any tips for non-natives to not just know what phrasal verbs are, but also to understand the context of how they are used; and what such tips might be.



Answer



Phrasal verbs are one of the great riches of English and you should not avoid them or, rather, you should not shy away from them.


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