Phrasal Verbs and Idioms

Mull over

• Meaning: To think about something deeply and for a long period.
• Use: Replaces ‘think about’ in professional or serious contexts.

Spiral out of control

• Meaning: When a situation worsens quickly and becomes impossible to manage.
• Use: Ideal for discussing social issues or ethical problems but also for everyday situations.

Put up with

• Meaning: To tolerate or endure something unpleasant.
• Use: Common in both everyday and formal discussions about behaviour.

Double Comparatives

• Use: To show how one change causes another.
• Structure: The + comparative…, the + comparative…
• Example: The more we talk, the less we agree.

Modifiers

• Utterly / Entirely – Use with extreme adjectives (fascinating, ridiculous).
• Bitterly – Use with feelings of sadness (disappointed, cold, resented).
• Virtually – A sophisticated way to say ‘almost’ or ‘nearly’.

Writing an Opinion Piece

Include:

• Introduction – Introduce the topic
• The Problem – Talk about the risks of people acting uninhibited when they are hidden.
• The Benefit – Show the other side: how secrecy protects freedom.
• The Solution – End by suggesting a way to balance safety and privacy.