Skype English School

Come  

Come expressing an idea of movement or change of state

Phrasal Verb       Meaning                                   Example

Come along          arrive at a place                       Not many people bought tickets for the concert, but lots of people came along and bought tickets at the door.
Come apart          separate into pieces                The antique picture frame just came apart in my hands.
Come round         become conscious                     A nurse was with me after I came round in the recovery room.  
Come out             disappear                                  Let your shirt soak overnight and the stain will probably come out.
Come out             become public knowledge         If this story comes out, he'll have to resign.
Come out             be given to people                    When do your exam results come out?
Come out             leave after a period in a place   Jane's coming out of hospital at the weekend.                 

Come expressing an idea of happen

I was planning to arrange a surprise holiday for her birthday, but I'm not sure it's going to come off. [happen successfully or as planned]

I've had to organise the school fair again this year - I'm not quite sure how that came about. [happened, especially something which is not planned]

Dennis: Will you tell your boss about your plans to stand for the local council?

Norma: Only if the subject comes up(1) in conversation. I nearly told him at work this morning, but then something came up(2) and we had to deal with it straightaway.

Mind you, I don't know if a place on the council is going to come up(3) for a while yet, so perhaps I'll wait.

1 is mentioned or discussed 
2 happened unexpectedly, usually a problem or difficult situation
3 become available

Other meanings of come

I am doing a research project for my degree on the psychology of ageing, but I've come up against(1) a few problems. I came across(2) someone who's done an almost identical study, so I've got to come to(3) a decision: do I want to continue with it or not? I guess in the end my decision will come down to(4) what my professor recommends.

1 encountered or had to deal with (a difficult situation)
2 discovered (or met) by chance
3 make (a decision about something)
4 depend mostly on or be influenced most by

Complete these sentences with a particle from the examples above.

1 Do you have any glue? The cover of my address book is coming ..................................and I want to stick it together again.

2 I spilt some orange juice on the tablecloth. Do you think it will come ................................. if I put it in the washing machine?

3 The last thing I remember was feeling very dizzy. The next thing I knew, I came ................................ in hospital and a doctor was standing by my bed.

4 The government is going to release a report on traffic congestion. I wonder when it's coming ...................................

5 We were just chatting at the corner when Jim Gore came ................................. with his girlfriend.

6 I hear Bruce's operation was successful. When is he coming .................................of the clinic?

7 Some very shocking facts have come ............................... about government corruption, thanks to an investigation by a national newspaper.