Learn Phrasal Verbs Through Fun Story - The Surprise in the Box
Updated: 5 days ago
🎯Phrasal Verbs In Context
This interesting ESL story incorporates phrasal verbs like pick up, open up, call up, look into, look over, figure out, take it back, check in, and send over.
It is a fun way to help learners see how phrasal verbs fit into context!
🔗 Related post
📚A Phrasal Verbs Fun Story : The Surprise in the Box
Samantha was having a quiet afternoon at home when she decided to pick up a package from the front door. She had no idea who it was from. She couldn’t remember ordering anything recently.
Curious, she opened up the box carefully and found a beautiful silver necklace inside. There was no note, just the necklace. She looked at the jewellery for a moment and wondered who could have sent it. It didn’t seem like something she would pick out for herself.
Samantha decided to call up her friend Lucy. Maybe she could help solve the mystery. “Hey, Lucy! I just got a weird package,” Samantha said. “Do you think it’s from you?”
Lucy was quick to answer. “No, I didn’t send you anything, but that’s strange! I think you should look into it. Maybe there’s a clue on the necklace?”
Samantha felt unsure, but she decided to look over the necklace more closely. Sure enough, hidden in a small compartment inside the pendant was a tiny note. The note said: “I’m always watching over you.”
Samantha felt chills. Who was sending her this mysterious gift? She needed to figure out who was behind it.
She decided to take it back to the store to see if they had any information, but as she walked out the door, her phone rang. It was her grandmother! “I was just about to check in on you. Did you receive the necklace I sent you?”
Samantha laughed. “Grandma, you didn’t have to send over something so fancy! I thought it was a secret admirer or something.”
Her grandmother smiled warmly. “I wanted to remind you that I’m always here for you, even if I can’t be there in person. I’m glad you picked up the box!”
📌 Phrasal Verbs List With Meanings
Pick up – To collect or gather something (e.g., picking up a package from the door).
Open up – To open something (usually a container or package) in order to see what's inside.
Pick out – To choose something from a selection (e.g., choosing jewelry for yourself).
Call up – To make a phone call to someone.
Look into – To investigate or examine something more carefully.
Look over – To examine or inspect something closely (e.g., inspecting the necklace).
Figure out – To find a solution or understand something after thinking about it.
Take it back – To return something to the place where it came from (e.g., returning the necklace to the store).
Check in – To contact or get in touch with someone to see how they are doing (often used for a routine check or update).
Send over – To send something to someone (e.g., sending a gift or package).
📖Vocabulary List - Meaning & Example Sentence
1️⃣ Surprise – something unexpected that causes excitement or shock
🔹 Emma opened the box and gasped in surprise when she saw what was inside.
2️⃣ Parcel – a wrapped package, usually delivered by mail
🔹 A mysterious parcel arrived at the doorstep with no sender’s name.
3️⃣ Ribbon – a long, narrow piece of fabric used for decoration or tying things
🔹 She untied the red ribbon around the gift before opening it.
4️⃣ Curious – wanting to know more about something; eager to learn
🔹 Ben was curious about the strange noise coming from the box.
5️⃣ Mysterious – difficult to explain or understand
🔹 The mysterious package had no return address, making them even more eager to open it.
6️⃣ Excitedly – showing great happiness or enthusiasm
🔹 She tore off the wrapping paper excitedly to see what was inside.
7️⃣ Fragile – easily broken or damaged
🔹 The box had a sticker that said ‘Fragile – Handle with Care’.
8️⃣ Unusual – different from what is normal or expected
🔹 The unusual shape of the box made everyone wonder what was inside.
9️⃣ Glowing – giving off light or appearing bright
🔹 When she lifted the lid, a soft glowing light filled the room.
🔟 Delicate – soft, light, or easily damaged
🔹 Inside the box was a delicate piece of jewellery that shimmered in the light.
✍🏻Let's Test Your Understanding of Phrasal Verbs - Quiz
This quiz will test how well you understand the meanings of the phrasal verbs in context!
1. What does "pick up" mean in the sentence:
"Samantha decided to pick up a package from the front door"?
A) To lift something off the ground
B) To choose something from a selection
C) To call someone on the phone
D) To investigate something
2. What does "open up" mean in the sentence:
"She opened up the box carefully"?
A) To shut something
B) To close something
C) To open something
D) To investigate something
3. What does "pick out" mean in the sentence:
"It didn’t seem like something she would pick out for herself"?
A) To take something away
B) To choose something
C) To return something
D) To investigate something
4. What does "call up" mean in the sentence:
"Samantha decided to call up her friend Lucy"?
A) To call someone on the phone
B) To call someone to come over
C) To investigate something
D) To choose something
5. What does "look into" mean in the sentence:
"Maybe you should look into it"?
A) To examine or investigate
B) To decide what to do next
C) To check something off
D) To choose something
6. What does "look over" mean in the sentence:
"She decided to look over the necklace more closely"?
A) To glance quickly
B) To inspect something carefully
C) To search for a hidden object
D) To close something
7. What does "figure out" mean in the sentence:
"She needed to figure out who was behind it"?
A) To ask someone for help
B) To return something
C) To understand or solve something
D) To call someone
8. What does "take it back" mean in the sentence:
"She decided to take it back to the store"?
A) To return something to the store
B) To bring something closer
C) To inspect something carefully
D) To send something to someone
9. What does "check in" mean in the sentence:
"Her grandmother called to check in on her"?
A) To talk about an issue
B) To make sure someone is okay or to get in touch
C) To return something
D) To look for a clue
📚 Related post:
🔑Answer Key:
A) To lift something off the ground
C) To open something
B) To choose something
A) To call someone on the phone
A) To examine or investigate
B) To inspect something carefully
C) To understand or solve something
A) To return something to the store
B) To make sure someone is okay or to get in touch
❗️How many did you get right?
Share your answers in the comments ⬇️
🎥 Watch YouTube video ⬇️ with 🗣️voice narration for listening practice:
👉 The Surprise in the Box:Phrasal Verbs in Conversation
💬 Discussion Topics: The Surprise in the Box
📦 1. Have You Ever Received a Surprise Package?
Have you ever received a package you weren’t expecting?
What was inside?
Who sent it to you?
How did you feel when you opened it?
Useful language:
I was surprised because… / I wasn’t expecting… / It turned out to be…
🎁 2. What Would You Like to Find in a Mystery Box?
Imagine a box arrives at your door with no name or note.
What would you hope to find inside?
Choose 3:
💍 jewellery
📚 books
✈️ travel tickets
💰 money
🍫 chocolates
🎟️ concert tickets
🕯️ something handmade
📱 a new gadget
Follow-up: Why did you choose those things?
🕵️ 3. Would You Look Into the Mystery?
Imagine you receive a mysterious package like Samantha.
What would you do first?
Open it immediately.
Look for a note or clue.
Call up a friend.
Look into where it came from.
Take it to a shop or delivery company.
Ignore it!
Discuss: Would you enjoy solving the mystery, or would you feel nervous?
💎 4. Would You Wear Samantha's Necklace?
Samantha finds a beautiful silver necklace, but she doesn't know where it came from.
Would you:
wear it?
keep it somewhere safe?
try to find the owner?
take it to a jewellery shop?
wait until you knew who sent it?
Why?
👵 5. Gifts from Family
Samantha discovers that her grandmother sent the necklace.
Do you enjoy receiving gifts from family members?
What is the most memorable gift you've received?
Do you prefer expensive gifts or thoughtful gifts?
What is a meaningful gift you could give to someone you love?
Useful language:
The most memorable gift I've received was…I'd rather receive… because…
💭 6. What Does “I'm Always Watching Over You” Mean?
The message in the story sounds mysterious at first, but Grandma means it lovingly.
Discuss:
What does it mean when someone says, “I'm always watching over you”?
Can you think of other expressions with a similar meaning?
I'm always here for you.
I've got your back.
Take care of yourself.
I'm looking out for you.
Which expression sounds the warmest to you?
🔮 7. Continue the Story
Imagine Samantha didn't receive the phone call from her grandmother.
What would happen next?
Write or discuss your own ending.
For example:
The next morning, Samantha noticed another package outside her door…
What would be inside?
Who would send it?
What would the next clue say?
🗣️ Phrasal Verb Challenge
Now use the story's phrasal verbs in your own answers.
Try to use at least 3:
pick up • open up • pick out • call up • look into • look over • figure out • take back • check in • send over
Challenge questions
When was the last time you picked up a package?
What would you pick out as a gift for a close friend?
Who would you call up if you had a problem?
Have you ever had to look into a problem?
When was the last time you looked over something carefully?
What is something you'd like to figure out this year?
Have you ever taken back something to a shop?
Who do you usually check in on?
What would you like a friend to send over to you right now?
🌟 Speaking Challenge
Tell a short story about a surprising gift or package.
Try to use at least five phrasal verbs from the story.
Last month, I picked up a package from my front door.
I opened it up and…
✏️ Share your story in the comment below ⬇️
👉 Want to learn more?
Practise: Phrasal Verbs Worksheet (Free PDF)
Watch: Phrasal Verbs Shorts Series
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