Podcast Summary: All Ears English Podcast – "Rev Up Your Brain With These Phrasal Verbs"

Release Date: May 27, 2025

Hosts:

• Lindsay McMahon – The English Adventurer
• Michelle Kaplan (Aubrey Carter) – The IELTS Whiz

Introduction to Phrasal Verbs

In this engaging episode of the All Ears English Podcast, Lindsay McMahon and Michelle Kaplan delve into the dynamic world of phrasal verbs, focusing on the versatile phrase "rev up." Aimed at intermediate to advanced English learners, the hosts aim to enhance listeners' fluency and confidence by exploring everyday vocabulary and natural expressions used by native speakers.

Understanding "Rev Up"

Lindsay: "00:30"
"I'm going to gather energy to do something big and exciting. Right? To rev up."

Michelle explains that "rev up" conveys the notion of increasing activity or energy, similar to revving an engine. This metaphorical usage adds a sense of forward momentum and excitement to various contexts.

Key Points:

• Meaning: To become more active or to increase the intensity of an activity.
• Usage: Applicable in both personal and organizational contexts.

Example Sentences:

• "The company is revving up for its launch."
• "I revved up my brain with a cup of coffee."

Michelle adds a grammatical insight about the spelling of "rev up" in different tenses:

Michelle: "03:28"
"When you use it in present continuous like this, you double the V. It looks kind of strange. Very rare in English. So it's R-e-v-v-i-n-g up Revving up."

Lindsay concurs, noting that native speakers might often misspell "revving up" due to the double 'v.'

Origin and Usage in Courses

Aubrey: "04:12"
"Ever since then, I hear it everywhere."

The phrase "rev up" gained prominence through the hosts' C1 English fluency course, particularly in Module 3: Connect Over Shared Experiences. It emerged from native speaker interviews, showcasing authentic language usage beyond textbook examples.

Lindsay: "04:29"
"We aspire to the highest levels of English. We're trying to make our language more precise, nuanced, and sophisticated."

The hosts emphasize that their courses aim to equip learners with nuanced and sophisticated vocabulary drawn directly from real conversations, enhancing the practicality of their language skills.

Exploring Related Phrasal Verbs: "Fire Up" and "Get Fired Up"

The discussion naturally transitions to related phrasal verbs, "fire up" and "get fired up," which share similar meanings but with distinct nuances.

Definitions:

• Fire Up: To make something more active or intense.
  • "Let’s get fired up for the big game!"
• Get Fired Up: To become very excited or motivated.
  • "After meeting with her therapist, she was fired up about making some changes."

Notable Quote:

Michelle: "08:55"
"What's really tricky about this phrasal verb is there's a second meaning that's very different that means to get really upset."

Here, Michelle highlights that "fired up" can also mean becoming angry, demonstrating the versatility and complexity of phrasal verbs in English.

Real-Life Examples and Role Play

To illustrate the practical application of these phrasal verbs, Lindsay and Michelle engage in a role play centered around fitness routines.

Role Play Highlights:

• Lindsay: "I need to rev up my workout routine. I might get a gym membership." (10:40)
• Michelle: "I feel like you revved up your routine when you started going to Orange Theory." (11:00)
• Lindsay: "Their classes are really good at revving up my motivation." (12:00)
• Michelle: "I'm fired up, and I'm gonna go right now and sign up for a membership." (12:30)

Insights:

• "Rev up" is used to indicate intensifying a routine.
• "Fired up" expresses a high level of motivation and excitement.

This interactive segment not only demonstrates the correct usage of the phrasal verbs but also reinforces learners' understanding through practical examples.

Practical Application and Learning Tips

Towards the episode's conclusion, Lindsay and Michelle offer valuable tips for learners to effectively incorporate these phrasal verbs into their vocabulary.

Tips Include:

1. Learn Vocabulary Strategically: Focus on phrasal verbs and expressions that native speakers frequently use.
2. Engage with Real Conversations: Utilize the hosts' courses, which draw from authentic dialogues, to enhance learning.
3. Maintain Energy in Learning: Keep the learning process dynamic and engaging to stay motivated. Lindsay emphasizes, "Always be questioning your methods. If you're doing something that's kind of feeling kind of meh, like kind of average, change the method. Do something different." (14:18)

Conclusion: The hosts reiterate the importance of connecting with the language through real-life usage and maintaining enthusiasm to achieve fluency. They encourage listeners to stay "fired up" about their learning journey and to leverage innovative tools, such as AI conversation guides, to bolster their speaking practice.

Notable Quotes

• Lindsay: "00:30"
  "I'm going to gather energy to do something big and exciting. Right? To rev up."

• Michelle: "03:28"
  "When you use it in present continuous like this, you double the V. It looks kind of strange. Very rare in English. So it's R-e-v-v-i-n-g up Revving up."

• Michelle: "08:55"
  "What's really tricky about this phrasal verb is there's a second meaning that's very different that means to get really upset."

• Lindsay: "14:18"
  "Always be questioning your methods. If you're doing something that's kind of feeling kind of meh, like kind of average, change the method. Do something different."

Final Thoughts

This episode of All Ears English not only breaks down the phrasal verb "rev up" and its related expressions but also provides listeners with actionable strategies to integrate these terms into their daily conversations. Through engaging discussions, practical examples, and insightful tips, Lindsay and Michelle empower English learners to elevate their language skills with confidence and enthusiasm.

Disclaimer: This summary excludes promotional content and focuses solely on the educational aspects discussed in the episode.