Which sentence uses 'come across' correctly?

I came across an old photo while cleaning the attic

I came across the street to meet you

I came across an old photo while cleaning the attic

The bridge came across the river

Which sentence uses 'come across' correctly?

She comes across as very confident in interviews

He came across the finish line first

Which sentence uses 'come by' correctly?

Good jobs are hard to come by these days

The bus will come by this route

Good jobs are hard to come by these days

I come by the office every morning at 8

Which sentence uses 'come by' correctly?

Can you come by my house later for coffee?

The train came by the station too fast

She comes by the grocery store home

Which sentence uses 'come out' correctly?

The new iPhone will come out next month

I need to come out from the house now

The new iPhone will come out next month

Which sentence uses 'come out' correctly?

The truth finally came out after the investigation

The students came out to the classroom

Understanding the Phrasal Verb: Blow Up

“In the silence before the storm, tempers can blow up, revealing the hidden fires within our fragile human hearts.”

📖 Definition

Blow up means to explode, either literally, as in a physical explosion, or figuratively, as in a sudden release of strong emotions like anger.

📝 Grammar Info

Separable

Yes

You can place the object between 'blow' and 'up', e.g., blow it up.

Neutral

Can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

Transitive

Yes

Requires an object to complete its meaning, e.g., blow up the balloon.

📊 Conjugation Table

Tense	Form	Example
Present Simple	blow up	They blow up balloons for the party.
Past Simple	blew up	The situation blew up before we could intervene.
Present Continuous	blowing up	She is blowing up the tires.
Present Perfect	have blown up	We have blown up the old building.

💡 When to Use

To describe anger

Use when someone suddenly gets very angry or loses their temper after a build-up of frustration.

Example: “He didn't mean to blow up at his colleagues.”

In literal explosions

Apply when something literally explodes, like a bomb, due to some chemical or mechanical trigger.

Example: “The old warehouse blew up yesterday.”

When describing inflation

Can also refer to things growing rapidly or inflating, often in unexpected ways, like prices or tensions.

Example: “Prices blew up after the crisis.”

⚠️ Common Mistakes

Wrong tense

❌ Wrong: The balloons was blow up.

✅ Correct: The balloons were blown up.

💡 Tip: Remember, 'was' is singular; use 'were' for plural.

Incorrect separation

❌ Wrong: He blew off up the building.

✅ Correct: He blew up the building.

💡 Tip: Avoid inserting words between blow and up incorrectly.

Misuse in formal writing

❌ Wrong: The scientist will blow up this theory in the paper.

✅ Correct: The scientist will invalidate this theory in the paper.

💡 Tip: Use synonyms in formal contexts for clarity.

Practice

BLOW UP – IN PRACTICE

Study Method Proposal

Listen and repeat the audio as many times as needed to improve your pronunciation
Use the audio as a dictation exercise, trying to write what you hear and understand
Create a new sentence following the structure of the example sentences

Examples in Context

1
Listen to example

The chemistry experiment went wrong, and the flask blew up.
How National Parks Came to Be
2
Listen to example

After months of tension, their argument finally blew up last night.
How to Become a Hiker
3
Listen to example

The sudden loss of control made her emotions blow up unexpectedly.
Bringing Animals Back to Life

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

explode erupt

Antonyms

calm down

Quick Check

Complete the sentence with the correct phrasal verb:

“The heated debate caused emotions to ___ at the conference.”

bring up

blow up

hold in

turn down

❓ Frequently Asked Questions about Blow Up

What is the origin of blow up?

Blow up originated from combining 'blow', meaning to expand with air, and 'up', indicating direction or degree. It's been used since the 16th century, signifying both literal and metaphorical explosions.

Can blow up be used in formal and informal contexts?

Blow up is versatile, applicable in both formal and informal settings. It describes literal explosions in technical fields and expressive outbursts or inflation in everyday language.

What is the difference between blow up and explode?

While 'blow up' and 'explode' can be synonyms, 'blow up' often carries both literal and idiomatic meanings. 'Explode' is usually more formal and specific to literal detonations.

Browse All National Parks Phrasal Verbs

About the Author

Alessandra Nóbrega

History teacher who fell in love with English! This passion led me to specialize in languages and work on bilingual education projects. With 37 years in education, I believe learning should be meaningful – not just memorization.

Learn more about my journey