Learn English with Solexian's video: Strike Out English Language: Phrasal Verbs

"Striking Out" - In this video, Patrick explains the difference between striking out on your own (hooray!) and just plain striking out (boo!). Learn more about our English Language Programs http://www.solex.edu/en/programs Study English in the USA! http://bit.ly/study-in-the-usa English Language and American Culture Blog http://www.solex.edu/en/blog SOLEX College on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/solex.college SOLEX College on Instagram http://www.instagram.com/solexcollege SOLEX College on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/solexcollege SOLEX College on Twitter http://twitter.com/SOLEXCollege TRANSCRIPT: Hi everybody this is Patrick with Solex College. This time around, we’re recording in Chicago in February… a very cold month but also a very warm month because right in the middle of February of course is Valentine’s Day where we celebrate that very special person in our lives. The one, if you have that person. who you love more than anyone in the world… give me a minute! Hi, this is Patrick with Solex College. It’s so great to see you again. Today, we want to talk about the phrasal verb “strike out” and the past tense, of course, is “struck out”. The reason I want to talk about “strike out” is because there are some very different meaning associated with it. Take for example this first sentence. “I struck out on my own when I was 18 years old” - what this means is that I began to live on my own when I was 18 years old. When we “strike out” and this is the important part, “on our own” it’s positive. It’s positive. That means we are doing something independently. We are doing it “on our own” - by ourselves. Say for example that you worked for a company for 10 years and then you decided to “strike out on your own” and start your own business, that’s a very positive thing. When we begin an activity independently we are striking out on our own. We are moving away from something with the hopes that we are going to succeed. With the hopes that we are going to succeed. Now, that’s very different than simply to “strike out” without this prepositional phrase. When we “strike out” we have tried and failed. Take a look at this sentence. “I wasn’t able to get the tickets.” Let me tell you what I’m talking about in this situation here. Have you ever tried to order tickets to a concert and so you go online let’s say at 10 in the morning when tickets are supposed to go onsale and you’re going and you’re looking and...oh my gosh, it’s sold out already. You struck out. You struck out! You tried and failed. To strike out is to try and fail. It comes from the American game of baseball. Many of you have seen it. The whole idea is that when the person holding the bat (that is the batter) - his job is to swing the bat and hit the ball. The batter gets 3 chances to do that. If the batter swings and misses, that is STRIKE ONE. The ball comes again the batter swings and misses again - STRIKE TWO. And if it happens a third time on the third strike, that batter is OUT. The batter struck out. So we use “strike out” to talk about, well, it’s funny that we’re using this in February around Valentine’s Day because we use it a lot for romance. For example, there’s a person that you really like and you ask them to go out on a date. Would you like to have dinner on Friday? Oh, I’m very flattered, I’d love to but I’m seeing someone. Hey, buddy, how’d it go, did you ask her out? Yeah. I struck out. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for watching this video If you liked it, please click LIKE down at the bottom. Please subscribe to the SOLEX video channel page. I look forward to coming to see you again and I look forward to the Spring. Do you need more FREE English language classes? Check out all our videos here http://www.solex.edu/en/programs/intensive-english-program/free-video-lessons Our English language teachers will be happy to answer any questions about English Language and American Culture here http://www.facebook.com/groups/eslexperts