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All Ears English Podcast
AEE 2538: Are You Working Away at Learning Phrasal Verbs?
00:19:15
What does it mean when you add away to any verb?
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- [00:00]
A
This is an All Ears English podcast, episode 2538 are you working away at learning phrasal verbs?
- [00:09]
B
Welcome to the All Ears English Podcast, downloaded more than 200 million times. Are you feeling stuck with your English? We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection, with your American host, Michelle Kaplan, the New York Radio Girl, and Aubrey Carter, the I Wiz, coming to you from Arizona and New York City, usa. And to get your transcripts delivered by email every week, go to allearsenglish.com forward slube.
- [00:52]
C
When it comes to learning English, we know you're studying away. Today we share how English speakers add away to verbs to emphasize time and focus. Foreign.
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B
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C
Hello Michelle, how are you?
- [02:28]
A
Hey Aubry. We are recording together again. This is so great.
- [02:33]
C
Yes, Lindsay's out of town. She will be back very soon. But this is fun and I am curious. Michelle, are you a big snacker? Do you find yourself munching away at snacks throughout the day?
- [02:47]
A
I don't think I normally am, but when I'm with my kids I do and the worst thing that I do is I eat their food when they don't eat it.
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C
And so that's been a very human garbage disposal.
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A
Yes, it's like oh you're you have some all you like. Didn't feel like eating any of your macaroni and cheese. I love macaroni and cheese.
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C
I'll just eat it all for you.
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A
Like that's I do this, too.
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C
You left the crust of your peanut butter sandwich or your toast. I guess I'll eat it. I just don't want it wasted. I don't want to just throw away food.
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A
No.
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C
Like you, Michelle.
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A
Yeah, but that. That's why, like, I've been putting on weight, I think because of my. Of eating my children's food. So that's not good either. But that's really funny.
- [03:30]
C
We just have to feed them healthier snacks so we can eat their leftover snacks and still be healthy. Right. Know that's hard, though.
- [03:36]
A
Yeah. So. But yeah, you asked me if I find myself munching away at snacks often, and today we're going to be talking about the word away and what it does with phrasal verbs. So this is actually the idea came to me because I was reading a book with my son and someone said, munching away on something, and I thought to myself, huh, interesting. How is that different from just saying someone was munching on something?
- [04:05]
C
Um, yeah. Right. Interesting. I'm excited to dive into this. We do this a lot where we add away. We're going to share why and how you can do this as well. But, guys, if you love our style, definitely hit follow here. Connection, not perfection. You're going to hear from us. And this is a connection skill. Right. When we're adjusting phrasal verbs to be more nuanced about our meaning.
- [04:29]
A
Yes, definitely. So that's what we're going to be talking about today. So, guys, again, hit that follow button. But, Aubry, what does munching mean?
- [04:40]
C
Yeah, this means it's kind of an informal way of saying eating casually. So very much for snacks. Right. Not an official meal. You wouldn't say you were munching during, like a dinner where you're sitting down. It's very casual eating.
- [04:56]
A
Exactly. So let's talk about it. So munching away and munching. What is the away doing? Do, Aubry?
- [05:05]
C
It makes it sound more continuous. Right. If I just say I ate some nuts, like, that was probably really quick. I ate a few and I was done. If I was munching away at some nuts, I probably sat and ate them for a little while, maybe while I was watching a show. Right?
- [05:22]
A
Yeah. So over some period of time. Right. So if I say I'm munching on my chip on some chips, or if I say I'm munching away on some chips, I'm. I'm eating the chips in both contexts. But yeah, it's exactly what you said, Aubry. It's the way it sounds. It's a little bit more conversational, and it also sounds like I've been doing it for a while. I. I'm munching on some chips. Yeah. Away just seems to add a little bit more. What do you think?
- [05:54]
C
Yeah, it does. It makes it feel a little more continuous. Like, if we're watching an ASU football game, I would probably say munching away on some snacks and had some drink. Right. It's also interesting, the munch on. I'm trying to think if we say, like, I'm munching some snacks, and usually it's munch on. We munch on.
- [06:13]
A
Yeah, Munching. Right. I'm. Right, exactly. I'm munching on some chips. Yeah, exactly. So you do really need to add that on. Even when you say munching away. I'm munching away on some chips.
- [06:28]
C
Yeah. Which is interesting. We don't say I'm eating on. We just say I'm eating some chips, but I'm munching on something interesting.
- [06:35]
A
Yeah.
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C
Yeah. It's very conversational, very casual to talk about munching on something. It's also not super common, at least for me. I would much more likely say, like, I was nibbling on something, maybe, or just eating snacks. Munching. Snacking on something. Right. I know what it means, but I don't use it very often. What about you?
- [06:54]
A
Yeah, I would say I. I think I'm more likely to say I'm snacking on something or. Or just eating. But I definitely do hear munching.
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C
Oh, yeah. And I might ask one of my children this if I see them eating something. Like, what are you munching on?
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A
Yeah, I. I could see it in.
- [07:14]
C
That way as well. Yeah.
- [07:16]
A
So, yeah, Just a different way for eat, but a different way to say eat, but casually. Like Aubry said, you wouldn't say, oh, I'm munching away on my dinner. So I guess if you were just taking small bites and you were kind of up and around and you could say it, but it's this idea. It's something small.
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C
Right.
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A
Like small.
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C
Very similar to nibbling anytime. I would say, like, I'm nibbling on this, or I'm nibbling away at this. I would say munching.
- [07:43]
A
Yeah. So let's go through some other verbs that we could add away to and see what it does. So the first one is study. Right. To study away. So Aubry, if you hear she's been studying every day or she's been studying away every Day. I mean, here we said every day, so we are talking about a period of time with both. But here, the away kind of, it's. It's about being really absorbed in something.
- [08:13]
C
I would say exactly the way I would use this most is if I see my daughter studying in her room and then I say to someone, like, she's just studying away in there, and that would indicate she had been doing it for a while, she's really absorbed in it. If I say, no, she's studying away.
- [08:28]
A
Or chatting is another one you could use this with. So the girls are still chatting. Should we call them over or the girls are still chatting away. Should we call them over? Yeah, it's. It's this idea. It's a little bit more of an emphasis on the fact that they're focused, they're absorbed in it. Spending a lot of time.
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C
Yep, exactly. Right. If I just say the girls are still chatting, it could have just been a few minutes. But if I say the girls are still chatting away, I would think that was like hours. Like they had been in. In there talking for quite some time. Right. Add away. You're emphasizing how long it has been and the focus as well, how absorbed they are in the activity.
- [09:09]
A
Yes. And also pay attention to how Aubry said that. Right. The girls are still chatting. But the girls are still chatting away. It's. It's said in this kind of unique intonation. Yeah.
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C
And for the study too, she's still studying. Anyway, we go up on the away, and that's how we emphasize how long it's been.
- [09:28]
A
Yes. Yep.
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C
And we might do the same. If we say, like, she's been studying for hours, we also would emphasize that time. Or she's been studying for days for this exact.
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A
Right.
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C
Good.
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A
Good point. So we are going to get into a couple different ways that we would add away right after we take a little break.
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B
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- [10:25]
A
Okay, Aubry, so let's get into a couple more. So what is the first one?
- [10:32]
C
So work away. For example, you might say, oh, don't bother him, he's working. Or you might say, don't bother him, he's working away. And I would usually add where they are. Like, if I were saying this about my husband, I'd probably say, like, he's working away in there. Sort of, like, emphasizing where they've been and how long they've been there. Interesting.
- [10:56]
A
Yeah, that is interesting. So.
- [11:01]
C
And again, kind of with the studying, I would more likely say it if I like some. I. I know someone's been working, and I check, and it's like, wow, he's still working away. Sort of to emphasize that they're still absorbed in it longer than you would expect, even.
- [11:15]
A
Mm, yeah, definitely. And then there's also read. Right. You could add it to read. So read away. I. I can't believe it. He's been reading all afternoon. Or I can't believe it. He's been reading away all afternoon.
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C
So you know what this reminds me of is that we also will say, like, reading away the afternoon, which means, like, you're, like, wasting away the afternoon. Right.
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B
You're right.
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C
I'd say this to my kids. You're reading away the afternoon. You're not doing anything else. You're wasting time.
- [11:46]
A
Right. Although. Are they. Do they. Do they read away the afternoon?
- [11:50]
C
I have a daughter who reads so much. Does she like. Yes. It's kind of awesome. I was this way as well, but I'm like, hey, you've got some chores you need to get done, and you're just reading away the afternoon. That's interesting, because there are definitely worse things she could be doing.
- [12:05]
A
Yes. Yes, exactly. Yeah. My son is just recently, you know, he's seven, and I finally got him into, like, really wanting to read. And it's. It's been, like, one of the greatest joys of my life. It's been kind of my parenting win because.
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C
Yes. For a while to love reading.
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A
Yeah. He wasn't that interested. And then all of a sudden, it was Judy Bloom. She did it.
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C
Oh, I love Judy Bloom. I love that so much. But this is really interesting because it's crazy how the article changes that.
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A
Right.
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C
If we say she's been reading away all afternoon, that just means, like, she's doing it a lot. She's really absorbed in it. And then if the article changes to, she's reading away the afternoon, you're reading away the afternoon. That's when you're saying, you're wasting time. There are other things you should be doing.
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A
Yeah. So, I mean, Aubry, is there anything that you are doing away right now?
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C
I. I kind of love this thought of, like, what am I doing to like, waste away an afternoon. Like, I will do this. I'll read away an afternoon if I get absorbed in a book or if I'm watching a show. But, yeah, then maybe my kids would come in and be like, oh, mom's just reading away again. She was here two hours ago, and she's still here reading her book.
- [13:26]
A
Right? Right. And just to give you another idea of an expression you might hear, you could add up a storm. Right. He's been studying up a storm. He's been chatting up a storm. You reading up a storm. Right. That's just another. If you don't want to say away. It could also. With up a storm.
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C
I use this a lot to emphasize how long someone's doing something.
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A
Yeah.
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C
But it's interesting. It has a positive connotation. Right. If I. If I wanted to say someone was doing something too much, I wouldn't use up a storm. I feel like it's. When I think it's a good thing that they're doing it that much. Would you agree? Like, they're chatting up a storm. I'm not saying I think it's bad. I think it's a good thing.
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A
Right. But I also want to say I've been munching up a storm for some reason that one doesn't.
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C
That's true. It's, I think, because it has this positive connication collocation. Right. Connotation. It's like something that you're doing a lot, and it's a good thing, either reading or studying or working hard at something.
- [14:27]
A
Or even, like, cooking. I hear it a lot. I've heard, like, she's cooking up the storm, getting ready for Thanksgiving. Right?
- [14:34]
C
Right. But because it's not great to be munching snacks all the time, we wouldn't say she's munching up a storm because there's this implied positive connotation about it.
- [14:43]
A
Interesting. Yeah. So very, very. A lot to think about here. Should we do a role play, Aubry?
- [14:49]
C
Yeah, let's do it. Michelle and I are friends who run into each other here. This will be fun. Hi, Michelle.
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A
Hi, Aubry. What's new? Still studying away for the LSATs?
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C
Yes. It's consuming my life. I can't wait till it's over. What about you?
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A
Oh, I've just been working away. Same old, same old.
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C
How's Dan? Is he still into cooking?
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A
Oh, he's been cooking up a storm. He's gotten really good.
- [15:15]
C
Amazing. Oh, these were. These are all perfect. This is really how we would use it. I Feel like this felt really natural. Yeah.
- [15:22]
A
And again, we didn't use all of them here, but we wanted to give.
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C
You a little bit of a taste.
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A
So I said, hi, Aubry. What's new? Still studying away for the LSATs. What are the LSATs, Aubry?
- [15:32]
C
Yeah. This is the exam you take before law school. Law school? Yes. I studied for the LSAT section. I told you this. Michelle told Lindsay. I studied for the LSATs, never ended up doing law school, partially because I couldn't get the score I needed on the LSATs. It's such a difficult exam. And by then I had kids, so I didn't have time to study away like I would have needed to.
- [15:55]
A
Yeah. So by I'm. I said, are you still studying away for the lsat? So it's. You're absorbed in it. It's taking a lot of time.
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C
Exactly. You would only ask this if I had already shared with you. I'm spending so much time studying for the LSATs and be like, still studying away.
- [16:14]
A
Yep, exactly.
- [16:16]
C
And then you said, you know, I said, it's been consuming my life. And you said, oh, I've just been working away. Same old, same old. So this. It's interesting. This does imply time. Like, I'm working a lot, and I'm also, you know, absorbed in it. Working hard, but kind of. We use this too. I'm just working away. Meaning, like that same old, same old. Like, I'm sticking with the regular work routine.
- [16:38]
A
Yeah. It is a little bit different, isn't it?
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C
Interesting.
- [16:42]
A
And then you said, how's Dan? Is he still into cooking? And I said, oh, he's been cooking up a storm. He's gotten really good. So you can see. Yeah. It is this positive connotation here. Yo, he's gotten really good. He's cooking up a storm. I'm probably benefiting from it totally.
- [17:00]
C
Right. And you could say cooking away here. Exact same meaning cooking up a storm. I mean, he's doing it a hot and. Yeah, that positive connotation. And interesting, because away could be a negative. Like, munching away is not super pauses. Like, I'm still eating these snacks over here. Right.
- [17:19]
A
So it could. It's. It's kind of neutral. It depends on the context. Whereas it is really good point, Aubry. I didn't even think about that thing. Up a storm is generally positive. Very interesting.
- [17:29]
C
Yeah. Oh, it's a great episode. We also want to make sure you don't miss episode 25. 25. What are you saving up for that was another great one with some interesting phrasal verbs. So scroll up if you missed it.
- [17:42]
A
Absolutely. All right, Aubry, I mean, takeaway for today. I. Yeah, we've talked a whole lot about how you can add the word away onto certain verbs and it just really emphasizes the meaning. Talks about being absorbed in something, talks about time and what it can mean. So this is definitely one you want to think about. Like, where can you add this in your life? Kind of prepare. Are you something away? Are you doing something where you could actually add the word away to it and make it a little bit more emphatic, a little bit stronger?
- [18:19]
C
Yes. And notice this as you're listening to podcasts, watching TV shows, you're going to hear it used. It's very common. You might have. It's one of those things. You probably just didn't really notice it much before. Yeah. Now that we've highlighted, you're going to hear it everywhere, probably.
- [18:34]
A
All right, Aubry, well, this was so much fun. Thanks for hanging out with me today and I'll see you next time.
- [18:40]
C
Awesome. Thanks, Michelle. See you next time.
- [18:42]
A
All right, bye.
- [18:47]
B
Thanks for listening to all ears. English. Would you like to know your English level? Take our two minute quiz. Go to allearsenglish.com forward/fluency score. And if you believe in connection, not perfection, then hit subscribe now to make sure you don't miss anything. See you next time.
- [19:14]
D
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