1. work out
   Intransitive
   Meaning: to exercise
   Example: She works out at the gym three times a week.

If you don’t have enough time to work out, you can do these activities for 30 minutes instead!

Raking leaves = 147 calories
Gardening = 153 calories
Vacuuming = 119 calories
Kissing = 6 calories per minute!
Sitting and watching television even burns 40 calories an hour!

2.  work out
     Intransitive
     Meaning: to be successful, to solve a problem
     Example: Don’t worry.  Everything will work out fine.

3.  work something out
     Transitive / Separable
     Meaning: to make a calculation
     Example: I need to work out my finances before I purchase the house.

How often do you study English?  I hope the answer is often!  Or frequently!  You should occasionally visit my blog for some quick English lessons.

Learn about adverbs of frequency:

1. break up (with someone)
   Intransitive
   Meaning: end a romantic relationship
   Example: My boyfriend and I broke up after 2 years of dating.

Did you know that two weeks before Christmas and mid-March are the most common times for couples to break up?  And interestingly, more couples break up on Mondays than any other day of the week!

Do you want some help learning English?

Learn about the difference between “some” and “any.”

1. break in (to something)
   Intransitive
   Meaning: force entry to a building
   Example: Somebody broke in last night and stole our television.

When I was a child, someone broke into my parent’s garage and stole the lawn mower!

2.   break something in
          Transitive / Separable
          Meaning: wear something a few times so that it doesn’t look/feel new
          Example: I need to break in my new sneakers before I run the marathon!

Did you know that a good way to break in soccer cleats is to wear them in the shower?  It seems strange, but it works!

1. hang out (with someone)
   Intransitive
   Meaning: spend time relaxing (informal)
   Example: Let’s hang out at my apartment tonight.  We can order some food and watch a movie.

The following is a funny article from The Onion, a satirical publication in the United States:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/hanging-out-continues-to-grow-in-popularity-among,1800/

There are a lot of phrasal verbs and slang in the article!  Do you know what they all mean?

buckle down: to concentrate on a task with determination

shape up: to improve

goof off: to joke around or misbehave

kick back: to relax

screw/mess around: to joke around or misbehave

hook up: to become romantically or sexually involved with someone

flip out: to panic

get down: to lose one’s inhibitions—to enjoy oneself

jam away: to listen to or play music in a spontaneous way

take up: to join a new activity

straighten tight: to set priorities

bust forward: to move forward towards a goal

1. turn something off
   Transitive, Separable
   Meaning: to stop the energy, to deactivate
   Example: Please turn off the television and do your homework.

         turn something on
         Transitive, Separable
         Meaning: to activate, to start the energy
         Example: Turn on the lights.  I can’t see anything!

Did you know that the average American turns the TV on for four hours a day?  How   often do you watch television?  What’s your favorite television show?

1. take off
   Intransitive
   Meaning: start to fly, depart
   Example: Oh no, I’m going to be late.  My plane takes off in thirty minutes!

         take something off
         Transitive, Separable
         Meaning: remove something
         Example: It is polite to take off your shoes when you enter someone’s house.

Did you know that in China and Japan it is normal for the host to provide slippers for their guests to put on after they take off their shoes?  Additionally, when using a restroom, house slippers are taken off and a different pair, just for the restroom should be used.

In Ethiopia, the Orthodox people don’t wear their shoes when they enter a church to show respect to God.  In a similar way, Muslim people also take off their shoes when they enter a Mosque.

In the United States, some people prefer to have guests take their shoes off when entering the house.  It is always a good idea to ask your host, just in case.

1. get up
   Intransitive
   Meaning: get out of bed
   Example: I got up early today to study for my exam.

   When I was a child I used to sleep walk.  I would get up in the middle of the night and roam around the house until my parents heard me and told me to go back to bed.  Unlike the movies, sleepwalkers do not walk with their hands extended in front of them.  In the morning I would have no recollection of anything. Once I even sleep walked in a hotel!  Have you ever sleep walked?

2. Meaning: stand
         Example: Everyone got up when the judge entered the courtroom.