Phrasal Verbs With 'Look' for English Learners

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There are a number of phrasal verbs and phrasal verb expressions with the verb 'look.' If you are unfamiliar with phrasal verbs, this guide to what are phrasal verbs explains everything. Teachers can use this introducing phrasal verbs lesson plan to help students become more familiar with phrasal verbs and start building phrasal verb vocabulary. Finally, there are a wide variety of phrasal verb resources on the site to help you learn new phrasal verbs.

Learning Phrasal Verbs with Look

Read this story about a man who looked up his friend Peter. You will notice that the story is full of phrasal verbs and expressions with 'look'. Try to read the story a few times to understand how the various phrasal verbs with 'look' are used. Following the story, you will also find all the phrasal verbs with 'look' put into categories with definitions and example sentences taken from the story.

Looking Up Peter in Seattle
Last week I was in Seattle and I remembered that my friend Peter had recently moved there. I looked up his name in the telephone book, called, but got the answering machine. Luckily, I finally found him at work. He was looking at a picture on his desk, and I swear he looked like the famous actor Harrison Ford! I know Peter looked up to Harrison Ford, but I was a little surprised to see that he had become a look-alike! I said 'Look lively!' and he raised his eyes and looked me up and down. 'Hello! if it isn't my old friend Ken!', Peter said. With that, he got up, looked me up and down and shook my hand.
I must admit, Peter didn't look his age in the slightest. In fact, he looked as if he was ten years older! I looked him straight in the eye and said, "Well, I was in town and thought I'd look in on you to see how you're doing in Seattle. How have you been?" Peter responded that he was fine, but that he was also on the look out for a new cat. Looking over at the picture, I noticed that it was of a cat. "Yes, he sighed, I didn't really look after my first cat very well. It ran away." "I'm sorry to hear that", I said.
We talked for a while and decided to go out for a coffee. We were at a Starbucks when a beautiful woman walked into the Cafe. Peter quickly looked the other way. "Who's she?", I asked. "Nobody, just someone who looks down their nose at me." Just then somebody shouted "Look out!" Peter jumped up and pushed the woman hard. At first, she looked daggers at him. Then, realizing what had happened, she noticed that because Peter had been looking lively, she hadn't slipped on a ice coffee drink that was all over the floor. I'm glad I looked Peter up, it certainly was an interesting day...

Phrasal Verbs with 'Look'

Finding Someone or Something

Look up:

  1. look for information in a reference book
    I looked up his name in the telephone book, called, but got the answering machine.
  2. to find someone
    I'm glad I looked Peter up, it certainly was an interesting day.

Look in on someone:

  1. visit someone at their home or place of work, check up on someone
    I was in town and thought I'd look in on you to see how you're doing in Seattle.

Be on the look out for:

  1. Trying to find something or someone, interested in purchasing something

Look up to someone:

  1. respect or admire someone
    I know Peter looked up to Harrison Ford.

Look someone up and down:

  1. Examine someone carefully, look at someone very carefully, often with disdain
    With that, he got up, looked me up and down and shook my hand.

Look someone straight in the eye

  1. Look at someone with seriousness
    I looked him straight in the eye...

Expressions of Looking at People or Things

Look over at:

  1. To look in the direction of something
    Looking over at the picture, I noticed that it was of a cat.

Look the other way:

  1. Look away from something that you see, not notice something on purpose
    Peter quickly looked the other way.

Look down your nose on/at someone:

  1. Feel superior to someone
    ...someone who looks down their nose at me.

Look daggers at someone:

  1. Look with hatred or intense dislike at someone
    At first, she looked daggers at him.

Look after:

  1. Take care of something or someone
    I didn't really look after my first cat very well. It ran away.

Appearances

Look like:

  1. Be similar in physical appearance
    ... he looked like the famous actor Harrison Ford!

Look your age:

  1. Appear to be your actual age (someone can look older, or younger than their age)
    I must admit, Peter didn't look his age in the slightest.

Warnings

Look out!:

  1. Be careful
    Look out!

Look lively!:

  1. Pay attention
    ...she noticed that because Peter had been looking lively, she hadn't slipped on a ice coffee drink...
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Your Citation
Beare, Kenneth. "Phrasal Verbs With 'Look' for English Learners." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/phrasal-verbs-with-look-1211314. Beare, Kenneth. (2020, August 27). Phrasal Verbs With 'Look' for English Learners. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/phrasal-verbs-with-look-1211314 Beare, Kenneth. "Phrasal Verbs With 'Look' for English Learners." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/phrasal-verbs-with-look-1211314 (accessed March 19, 2024).