Differences between similar Phrasal Verbs

[POPY91]

Hello everybody! I had to study loads of phrasal verbs for my next week exam. I have found several p.v. which have same meaning but -I fear- they are slightly different. So I decided to ask you!
The ones in question are:

Bring along - Bring in (meaning: To bring someone or something to certain place)
Bring about - Bring on (meaning: To cause)
Call up - Call in (meaning: To telephone)
Call in - Call on (meaning: To visit)
Cut back - Cut down (meaning: To reduce costs)
Give out - Give off (meaning: To emanate)
Give in - Give up (meaning: To surrunder)
Let in - Let into (meaning: To let someone to go in)
Pull up - Pull in (meaning: To stop by car)
Run down - Run over (meaning: To hit by with the car)
Set out - Set off (meaning: To leave)
Take down - Take apart (meaning: To disessamble)
Turn into - Turn off (meaning: To turn by car)

Many thanks

 

[5jj]

Hello everybody! I had to study loads of phrasal verbs for my next week exam. I have found several p.v. which have same meaning but -I fear- they are slightly different. So I decided to ask you!

If you have had to do this to prepare for an exam, I sympathise. I used to tell my students that, in my opinion, learning lists of phrasal verbs was a waste of time. I feel that the only way to get the feel of the meaning of a phrasal verb is to see it in context, ideally in three or four - or more - situations. There is often overlap between the meanings of some phrasal verbs, but it is almost impossible to explain this briefly. The definitions you have are too brief to be helpful; in addition, some of them are unhelpful. I cannot, for example, think of a situation in which I would use 'call in' for 'telephone'.

I suggest you look up these phrasal verbs in a dictionary here, paying careful attention to the example sentences given.

 

[emsr2d2]

5jj - to call in sick?

 

[5jj]

5jj - to call in sick?

I am just relieved that I wrote "I cannot, for example, think of a situation in which I would use 'call in' for 'telephone'" and not "You cannot use 'call in' for 'telephone'".

 

[emsr2d2]

5jj, I am almost certain that you are and always have been a dedicated worker who has never thrown a sickie!

 

[5jj]

5jj, I am almost certain that you are and always have been a dedicated worker who has never thrown a sickie!

That would, if it were true, be an excuse for my oversight. However I have thought of a couple of other instances in which 'call in' is fairly natural. I have to admit that I had a blank on that when I posted my first response.