Shadowing Practice: Phrasal verb prepositions: "ON" part 01 - The basic meaning of "on" - Learn English Speaking with Video

Les maken...
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Hi everyone and welcome back.
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Today we're going to take a look at the basic meaning for the preposition "on"
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and what it can mean when it's used with phrasal verbs.
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So "on" is used in about 800 phrasal verbs and has between 15 to 20 different meanings.
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Now to understand where all these different meanings come from, it's helpful to have a clear image of its core meaning.
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So in a previous video We saw that the preposition "off" looks like this:
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And ON is basically just the opposite of OFF, so it would look like this.
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Now the first thing you'll notice about this animation is that the red square lands onto the black surface.
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that is, it connects to, or attaches to, the surface.
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Therefore, we can think of ON as meaning "connect" or "attach".
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So let's take a look at some examples of phrasal verbs with "on" in which "on" means "attach" or "connect".
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How do you think we could describe this?
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Here, a man moves a hat, and attaches it to his head.
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So we can say, "The man puts on a hat." Puts means move.
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and on means attach.
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So the sentence just means: The man moves a hat and attaches it to his head.
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you Alright, let's try another one.
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How do you think we could describe this using a phrasal verb with on, in which on means attach or connect?
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you you you Here, a man twists a lid,
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you you and connects it to a jar.
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So we can say, "The man screws on the lid." Screws means twist.
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and on means connect.
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so the sentence can be understood as meaning, The man connects the lid by twisting it.
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you you you So one of the core meanings of "on" can be "connect to" or "attach",
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but that's not the only way to interpret it.
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A preposition can represent either a motion or a location.
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And when we look at the animation again, We can see that after the red square moves and connects to the black surface,
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its position is touching it.
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Therefore, we can also think of on as meaning touching, or in contact with.
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So let's take a look at some examples of phrasal verbs with "on" in which "on" means "touching" or "in contact with".
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How do you think we could describe this?
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you Here, a man comes into contact with some ice. and slips.
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So we can say, "The man slips on the ice." Slips means slip.
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and on means contact.
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So the sentence just means: The man slips.
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Contact the ICE.
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Or, in other words, The man slips when he comes in contact with the ice.
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you Alright, let's try one more.
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How do you think we could describe this?
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you Here, we touch the icon with our cursor, and click the mouse.
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you So we can say we click on the icon.
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Click means click the mouse.
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And on means touch.
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So the sentence just means: We touch the icon and click the mouse.
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you So, I hope this helped you understand the basic meaning for the preposition "on" a little bit better. And...
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We'll see you next time.
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Cheers.

Mastering Phrasal Verbs with "On": A Practical Guide from YouTube

English phrasal verbs can feel overwhelming, but breaking them down by prepositions like "on" simplifies the process. The video explains that "on" appears in over 800 phrasal verbs, with core meanings rooted in "connect/attach" or "touch/contact." Understanding these basics helps learners decode phrases naturally, making it a great resource for IELTS speaking practice and daily communication.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • Puts on a hat – To attach clothing to the body (e.g., "She puts on her coat before leaving").
  • Screws on the lid – To connect by twisting (e.g., "He screws on the bottle tightly").
  • Slips on the ice – To lose balance when in contact with a surface (e.g., "Be careful not to slip on the wet floor").
  • Clicks on the icon – To touch and select with a cursor (e.g., "Click on the link to download the file").
  • Comes into contact with – To touch or interact with (e.g., "She came into contact with the virus at work").

Step-by-Step Shadowing Guide for This Video

Shadowing is a proven technique to improve pronunciation and fluency. Here’s how to use this video with a shadowing app like ShadowSpeak:

  1. Watch once for context: Focus on the animations to visualize "on" as "connect" or "touch."
  2. Break into 5-second clips: Pause after each example (e.g., "puts on a hat") and repeat immediately, mimicking tone and rhythm.
  3. Use a shadowing app to record yourself. Compare with the video to check for clarity—apps like ShadowSpeak highlight timing differences.
  4. Practice daily: Spend 10 minutes repeating phrases. This builds muscle memory, critical for IELTS speaking practice.

Learning English with YouTube videos like this one, paired with shadowing, turns complex grammar into actionable skills. Whether you’re using ShadowSpeak or another tool, consistency is key. Start today and watch your confidence grow!

Wat is de Shadowing-techniek?

Shadowing is een wetenschappelijk onderbouwde taalleermethode die oorspronkelijk is ontwikkeld voor professionele tolkentraining en gepopulariseerd door polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. De methode is eenvoudig maar krachtig: je luistert naar native Engelse audio en herhaalt het onmiddellijk hardop — als een schaduw die de spreker volgt met slechts 1–2 seconden vertraging. In tegenstelling tot passief luisteren of grammaticadrills, dwingt shadowing je hersenen en mondspieren om echte spraakpatronen tegelijkertijd te verwerken en te reproduceren. Onderzoek toont aan dat het de uitspraaknauwkeurigheid, intonatie, ritme, verbonden spraak, luisterbegrip en spreekvaardigheid aanzienlijk verbetert — waardoor het een van de meest effectieve methoden is voor IELTS Speaking-voorbereiding en echte Engelse communicatie.