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ELL Guide

A guide for ELL (English Language Learners) at the University of Maine at Augusta

Put Up With Definition

The phrasal verb "to put up with" basically means "to tolerate" or "to accept annoying behavior."  

You might "put up with" a bad boss or an annoying classmate.  

Put Up With Examples in Sentences

I put up with my older siblings teasing me.  

I put up with customers yelling at me everyday at my job.  

You shouldn't put up with abusive behavior.  

She has difficultly putting up with her classmates chitchatting when she is trying to listen to the lecture.  

I can put up with some snow, but the amount of snow we have gotten in Maine this winter is just plain ridiculous.  

My stomach can put up with some gluten, but I can't be eating breads all day.  

I cannot put up with  any more nonsense.  

Put Up With Activity #1

Write two sentences of things you would put up with (using the phrasal verb "put up with").  

 

1._____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

2. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Write two sentences of things you would not put up with (using the phrasal verb "put up with").  

 

1.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

2. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Put Up With Activity #2

Here is a list of potentially annoying things.  Write "put up with" next to the potentially annoying thing you would tolerate and "not put up with" the things you would not tolerate.  

 

1.  Someone scratching their fingers on a chalkboard.  _____________________

2.  A person taking up two parking spaces with their car instead of one.  _________________________

3.  A professor not grading an assignment for three weeks.  _________________________________

4.  Your dog jumping on the couch.   _________________________________

5.  Your dog chewing your favorite pair of shoes.   __________________________

6.  Your dog chewing your least favorite pair of shoes.   ___________________________

7.  The University closing when their is no snow--though a snowstorm was predicted.   _________________________

8.  Confusing instructions for a homework assignment.  ___________________________________

9.  A Maine winter.   ________________________________

10.  Being put on hold for customer support on a 1 (800) number.  ________________________________

11.   People eating with their mouth open in the cafeteria.  ________________________________

12.  People talking loud in the library.    ________________________________

13.  Classmates arriving to class late.  ________________________________

14.  Instructors arriving to class late.   ________________________________

15.  Instructors not posting their syllabus until the first day of class.  ________________________________

Put Up With Additional Resources

Here are some helpful videos to further explain the phrasal verb "to put up with".

Video #1:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_ojDHnac0c  

Video #2:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxI5uhHfRhc

Accessibility Statement
The University provides reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities upon request. Any person with a disability who needs accommodations for a workshop should contact UMA Libraries at uma.library@maine.edu to submit a request. Due to the lead-time needed to arrange certain accommodations, individuals should submit their request no later 1 week before the event.