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Deciding and influencing A
Note the phrasal verbs for making decisions and influencing people and events. For a long time I’ve been toying with3 the idea of doing something completely different with my life. The opportunity has finally come, but I need to size up4 the situation before I make my decision.
It’s time for me to decide on that interesting offer I had last week. I’ve mulled it over1, but I still don’t know whether to say yes or no and the deadline is tomorrow. I just want to be careful not to tie myself down2 to something I might regret later. 1
thought carefully about something for a long time 2 stop yourself from being free to do what you want to do Have you heard the rumours about the changes that are going to be pushed through5 at work? I know you’ve been singled out6 for praise recently, but so has your rival for promotion and I get the feeling that management are trying to play you off against7 each other. I’m worried that the changes may result in her doing you out of 8 the promotion you deserve. 5
made officially accepted chosen from a large group of people or things, usually in order to criticise or praise them 7 encourage you to compete/argue with another to get some advantage from this situation 8 (informal) stopping you from getting or keeping something, in a dishonest or unfair way 6
B
3
considering (doing) something, but not very seriously and without making a decision 4 carefully examine a situation or person in order to make a judgement I’m sorry to hear about your disagreement with your colleague. It’s clear that it’s very difficult to reason with her, but don’t let her play on9 your good nature and don’t give in. Do your best to try and work things out10 with her, but if you can’t, I think you should consult your boss.
9
use your fears/weaknesses to make you do what they want, often in an unfair way 10 think carefully about how you are going to do something and make a plan or decision
In these dialogues the second speaker uses a phrasal verb to paraphrase what the first speaker says. Ahmed I might say no to the Berlin trip and go to Moscow instead, but I’m not sure. Julian
So you’re tending towards the Moscow trip? I thought you might.
Lucy
I think I now agree with you that we should postpone the new product launch.
Stan
Ah-ha! So you’ve finally come round to my way of thinking.
Ryan
That’s it. I’ve decided. I’m going to take the job in Madrid.
Daniela Good! I’m glad you’ve arrived at a decision at last. You won’t regret it. Dan
So who’s going to have the extra ticket? I’ve got a coin, if you like.
Evan
OK, let’s toss for1 it. ‘Heads’ – you get it, ‘tails’ – I get it.
1
throw a coin into the air to see which side lands facing upwards. For British coins, ‘heads’ means the side with the Queen’s head on it; ‘tails’ is the other side.
Manon
We need to encourage people to join the campaign and work with us.
Charles Yes, we need to drum up more support.
Tip Do sb out of sth is not the only informal phrasal verb with do. We also find it in do in sb [kill], do out sth [decorate], do yourself up [make yourself look more attractive] and do without [manage without something]. Where verbs form groups like this, record them together. 62
English Phrasal Verbs in Use Advanced
