Phrasal verbs and homophones

Phrasal verbs are a verb plus a small word (on, up, out, down). You often cannot guess the meaning from the parts:

• put on = wear ('He cleared his desk, put on his hat');
• cooled down = became calm or normal ('hide the loot until things cooled down');
• turned up = appeared, was found ('No trace of the stolen jewellery ever turned up');
• make of = understand ('What do you make of the four words?');
• figure out = solve ('Can you figure it out?');
• got away with = escaped without being punished ('They got away with a million dollars' worth of jewellery').

Homophones sound the same but are spelt differently and mean different things. A spellchecker cannot catch them:

• week (seven days) / weak (not strong);
• dyeing (colouring cloth or hair) / dying (coming to the end of life);
• fore (the front) / four (the number);
• peace (calm) / piece (a part);
• brake (stops a car) / break (to shatter, or to stop working).

Picture puzzles. The word SECRET written in small letters at the top = top secret. 'Sense' written six times = sixth sense.

Spoonerisms. A slip of the tongue where the first sounds of words swap places, usually with a funny result:

• 'wrong load' for 'long road';
• 'round of mice' for 'mound of rice'.

Try these (swap the first sounds back):

• 'it's roaring with pain' → it's pouring with rain;
• 'plaster man' → master plan;
• 'blarm wanket' → warm blanket;
• 'tars and crucks' → cars and trucks;
• 'shake a tower' → take a shower;
• 'bead a rook' → read a book;
• 'mardon me padam' → pardon me madam.