‘Thinking’ phrasal verbs

by | 15 Aug 2019 | Business English, General English, Grammar, Legal English

What are phrasal verbs?

 

Phrasal verbs consist of a verb and preposition or adverb. Phrasal verbs have different meanings to when the words are translated separately. We use phrasal verbs everyday, as they don’t translate easily, they need to be remembered. After we remember some, it can help us to work out the meaning of new ones when we hear them.

 

To get heads together (separable)

 

 

If people get their heads together, they collectively try to calculate something, make decisions or make plans.

 

We are going to have to get our heads together and work out what to do next.

After getting our heads together, we have made a decision.

Get your heads together and then let us know what you decided.

 

To mull over (separable)

 

 

If someone mulls something over, they think about it seriously for a long time.

 

After mulling this over, I have decided to leave the company.

It’s a lot to think about, we must mull it over and then we will make a decision.

He has been mulling over the offer for a long time.

 

To muster up (separable)

 

 

If someone musters up something, they create something for example, to get an idea.

 

On not knowing what to post on YouTube, I will sit in a dark room on my own and muster something up.

What did you guys muster up after meeting for a whole day?

Sandy will muster up something for us.

 

To sleep on something (non separable)

 

 

To sleep on something can mean to sleep on the floor or bed but, we also talk about thinking about something for a while as we are not sure what we think about it.

 

After sleeping on it, the board were able to decide what to do.

Sleep on it and then let us know.

I have no idea what she thinks, she is sleeping on it.

 

To think through (separable)

 

 

To think through something means to think carefully about it.

 

Think it through before deciding.

After thinking it through, they decided to not go ahead.

We thought it through and will buy a new car.

 

To think up (separable)

 

 

When someone thinks something up, they have an idea about something.

 

Time is running out think up something!

This is the best I could think up, maybe you can do better?

As the bridge was destroyed, the army had to think up a way of how to cross the ravine. 

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