Conversation Questions and Activities to Aid in the Learning of English

Conversation Questions and Activities to Aid in the Learning of English 
Arranged according to tense, topic, and levels of difficulty 
By Prof. Mark McDowell, M.A. Mark’s ESL World ~ http://www.marksesl.com 
146 
look into (inseparable): investigate / get more details about something. 
"Someone said there was a meeting at 9:30 but I haven't heard anything 
about it. Shall I look into it?" 
look like (inseparable): resemble (in appearance). 
"Does he look like his father or his mother?"
look over (separable): check; review. 
"I think I may have some typos in this report. Could you look it over?" 
look up (1. separable): find something in a reference work.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know what that word means. I'll have to look it up." 
look up (2. separable): find where someone lives or works and visit him/her. 
"Thanks for giving me your brother's address. When I'm in Chicago next 
month, I'll be sure to look him up."
look up to (inseparable): respect. 
"Everyone looks up to Joyce because she always makes time to help others." 
luck out (no object): be unexpectedly lucky. 
"Gloria was worried because she wasn't prepared to give a report at the 
meeting, but she lucked out because the meeting was postponed." 
M 
make fun of (inseparable): make jokes about (usually unkindly). 
"I agree that Bob looks ridiculous since he shaved his head, but don't make 
fun of him. You'll hurt his feelings."
make up (1. separable): invent / create (imaginary) information. 
"Judy's story is hard to believe. I'm sure she made it up." 
make up (2. separable): compensate for something missed or not done by doing 
extra or equivalent work. 
"I'm sorry I missed the test. May I make it up?" 

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Conversation Questions and Activities to Aid in the Learning of English 
Arranged according to tense, topic, and levels of difficulty 
By Prof. Mark McDowell, M.A. Mark’s ESL World ~ http://www.marksesl.com 
147 
make up (with) (3. inseparable): re-establish a friendly relationship by admitting 
guilt. 
"Jack and his girlfriend were very angry with each other, but last night they 
finally made up." 
"Jack and his girlfriend were very angry with each other, but last night they 
finally made up with each other." 
make out (separable): see / hear something well enough to understand what it 
means. (Note: often negative.) 
"Ruth's writing is very small. I almost need a magnify glass to make it out." 
"What were the last two examples that he gave? I couldn't make them out." 
make for (1. inseparable): go to or toward. 
"Her teen-aged children are always hungry. As soon as they arrive home from 
school, they make for the refrigerator."
make for (2. inseparable): result in; cause. 
"Many hands make for light work. (If many people work together, there's less 
work for everyone.)" 
mark up (separable): increase the price (for resale). 
"Mrs. White's import shop is profitable because she buys things inexpensively 
and then marks them up." 
mark down (separable): reduce the price (as an incentive to buy). 
"These shoes were really a bargain! The store marked them down by 40%!" 
mix up (separable): cause to become confused. 
"I didn't complete the assignment because I didn't know how. The directions 
mixed me up." 
N 
nod off (no object): fall sleep (usually unintentionally).
"The speech was so boring that several people in the audience nodded off 
before it was finished." 

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