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Hi, this is Melissa Faulkner coming to you from Durham, North Carolina.
Today we’re going to talk about three different phrasal verbs – ‘turn into’,
‘set up’ and ‘keep up’. Now each of these phrasal verbs has a number of
different ways that you can use them. So, we’ll talk about all those
different meanings and uses. For each phrasal verb I’ll give you three
sentences and then we’ll go through and talk about the explanation of
how to use each of those phrasal verbs in the sentences. So, let’s go
ahead and talk about the first phrasal verb ‘turn into’.

Now, ‘turn into’ has a number of different ways you can use it. The first
way is when you’re talking about a person. A person will turn into
someone else either with their behavior or their actions or their attitudes.
The second way that we use ‘turn into’ is to change something into
something else. So, you’re changing it or converting it into something
else. The third way that we would use ‘turn into’ is when you’re driving,
and you would turn into a specific place. So, let’s go ahead and get
started with sentence number one:

Whenever Johnny goes on vacation, he turns into a much more

So, in this case ‘turn into’ means when a person is changing; either their
behavior or actions or attitudes. So, in this case Johnny is normally
stressed. He has a busy job, a busy life. But when he goes on vacation, he
turns into a much more friendly, a much more relaxed person. So, he’s
changing when he goes on vacation, he’s changing into a different
person. Let’s take a look at sentence two:

Sylvia is taking old barn doors and turning them into extremely
beautiful kitchen tables.
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So, in this case, we’re talking about changing a thing. So, Sylvia is taking
these old barn doors that are rustic and old-looking and she’s turning
them into kitchen tables. Maybe she’s sanding them down, she’s painting
them, she’s putting legs on them. She’s converting them or changing
them into kitchen tables. So, in this case she takes the barn doors and
she’s turning them into kitchen tables.

Let’s take a look at sentence number three:

Everyone in the car was talking about how much they wanted
dessert; so, Terry finally decided to turn into an ice cream shop.

So, in this case, Terry is driving the car. He’s got a lot of people in the
back of his car. They’re all talking about how much they want some
dessert, so Terry turns into the ice cream shop so that they can go get
some dessert. He turns the car into the parking lot of the ice cream shop.

Let’s take a look at our second phrasal verb ‘set up’. ‘Set up’ also has a
number of different ways that it can be used. The first way that we would
use ‘set up’ is to say that you’re establishing or creating something;
maybe a club, maybe a program, maybe an activity. You’re setting it up.
You’re getting is started. The second way to use ‘set up’ means that you
are tricked, or you are being deceived. If someone sets you up, they are
trying to trick you or deceive you. The third way that we would use ‘set
up’ is to make plans. If you set something up, you’re making plans for
something. You set up a date or you set up a meeting. So, let’s go ahead
and take a look at the sentences. Sentence number one:

The after-school program was set up to help kids who normally don’t
have anyone at home to help them with their homework.

So, in this case, the problem was that kids go home and they didn’t have
anyone to help them with their homework. So, these people set up an
after-school program that would allow kids to do their homework with
other people. They set up the after-school program. They got it started.
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Sentence number two:

After the tour of the island, I felt like I had been set up by the tour
guide, who asked for an extra tip in order for him to drive us back to
the hotel.

So, in this case, the person on vacation has already paid for a tour. He
thought he was getting everything on the tour but when they were on the
tour, the tour guide wanted an extra tip; extra money in order to take
them back to their hotel. So, the vacationer felt like he had been set up or
tricked in order to give him, the tour guide, more money. He felt like he
had been a little bit deceived.

Sentence number three:

We are going to set up a time for everyone to come by the new office
and see what It’s going to look like when it’s finished.

So, in this case the company is building a new office. They’re going to set
up a time for all the employees to come see the new office. They’re going
to plan a time so that everyone can come see what the new office looks
like.

Let’s take a look at our third phrasal verb ‘keep up’. There are also a
number of different ways to use ‘keep up’ and we’ll talk about all of
those. The first way that you could talk about ‘keep up’ is to say that
you’re preventing someone from going to bed. If something kept you up
at night, it kept you from being able to go to sleep. The second way that
we would use ‘keep up’ is to say that you are staying at the same pace
with someone else. So, if you have to keep up with someone, you’re both
staying at the same pace or at the same rate. The third way that we would
use ‘keep up’ means to continue doing something. So, if you keep up a
hobby, you continue doing that hobby. Let’s take a look at our sentences.

Sentence number one:

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The girls in the apartment above Jim are always playing their music
so loud that it keeps him up all hours of the night.

So, in this case Jim lives in an apartment. He’s got a few girls that live
above him. They play music all the time and it keeps him up at night. It
prevents him from being able to fall asleep at night.

Sentence number two:

The runner from South High School was so fast that none of the
other competitors could keep up with him.

So, in this case the competitors are running a race but the runner from
South Hampton is really fast, faster than all the other competitors. So,
none of the other competitors could keep up with him. They are falling
back, and he keeps running forward. He’s too fast. They can’t keep up
with him.

Sentence number three:

After two years of working on her Spanish, Janelle’s teacher told her
that she’s learning a lot and that she should keep up the good work.

So, in this case, Janelle wants to learn Spanish. She’s been going to a
Spanish teacher and working really hard. Her teacher has told her to keep
up the good work or to continue learning her Spanish. She’s doing such a
good job; she should keep it up or continue learning.

So, all three of these phrases are a little bit different and they all have
different meanings and uses. I hope these explanations have been helpful
and we’ll talk to you soon. Thanks.

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