Here you will learn 9 phrasal verbs with play with meanings and examples.
Phrasal verbs are used commonly in formal and informal English. Learning English phrasal verbs will help you boost your vocabulary and achieve fluency in English.
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Harry
9 Phrasal verbs with play
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INSANITY: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
In this podcast episode, we’re going to talk about ‘play’. Now, ‘play’ can be a verb ‘to play’ and that’s what we’re going to focus on.
But of course, it can also be a noun like ‘a play’. A play in the theatre. But we’re going to focus on phrasal verbs with play and how we can use them in English.
As you should know by now, phrasal verbs are made up of a verb (in this case play) and then a preposition.
to play against
Meaning: to compete with another person or a group of people in some particular activity
In a football game or any sports activity where there are teams or individuals involved, we always say to play against.
Examples:
In a game of tennis doubles, my partner and I would play against the opposition.
Who is your team playing against this weekend?
to play along
Meaning: to assist someone or agree with something that someone is doing or saying, especially as part of a trick or joke
Examples:
I wanted to play a little trick on Adam and I asked the rest of the family to play along.
The suspect played along with the detective’s attempts to blame him for the crime.
Now, we can also use play along when we’re talking about musical instruments.
to play along (with)
Meaning: to perform a piece of music while someone else is playing
Example:
Do you want me to play along with you? You play a few chords on the guitar, I’ll pick it up and I’ll come in on the piano.
9 phrasal verbs with play
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to play around
Meaning: (usually children) to spend time with others or on your own doing something that you enjoy
Examples:
He’s always playing around with his younger siblings.
Don’t play around on the street beside the cars because there might be an accident.
to play around
Meaning: to act a little foolishly, or in a childish manner
Example:
Some people need to stop playing around and start taking things seriously.
to play around (with)
Meaning: to be having an affair unknown to your partner
Example:
I found out he has been playing around with three different women for five years.
to play back
Meaning: to replay something that was previously recorded
Example:
I didn’t quite get the message. Could you please play it back to me and I’ll be able to understand exactly what they want?
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9 phrasal verbs with play
to play at
Meaning: to act, to pretend to be something
Example:
Are you playing at being a pirate?
When you might be annoyed with somebody who said something or upset you in some way, you want to know what they are playing at.
Meaning what are they doing.
What are you playing at? That wasn’t really what I was expecting.
to play on
Meaning: to continue, to carry on something
Example:
Let’s play on, the rain is not so heavy.
9 phrasal verbs with play
to play up and play down
They are opposite so let me just try and explain that.
to play up
Meaning: to exaggerate something; to make something sound worse than it is
Example:
Children often play up a little bit if they don’t want to go to school.
to play down
Meaning: to make something seem less important or serious
Examples:
The manager was playing down the importance of tomorrow’s game, trying to relax the team.
He faced criticism after playing down the importance of wearing masks in public during the pandemic.
9 phrasal verbs with play
to play with
Meaning: to engage in play with someone; to be part of the game
Example:
Let’s go to the park and see if we can find somebody to play with.
to play with
Meaning: to consider something without giving it a serious thought
Example:
We’re playing with the idea of buying a holiday home.
So here all phrasal verbs with play. Let me repeat them one more time:
- play against
- play along
- play around
- play back
- play at
- play on
- play up
- play down
- play with
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More information
For more information on English grammar rules, English collocations and English idioms, check out the links below:
English collocations with SALES
10 English verbs related to EATING
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