6- catch on, die out

Hey there. This is Lesson 6 of Jennife’rs Phrasal Verb Challenge. We’re at the halfway point. You’ve learned ten phrasal verbs already. Are you ready to learn two more? Some of you may know that I love 1980s music. I remember Madonna and Michael Jackson at their prime.

They did more than change the rock scene. They changed fashion. Things like sequined gloves and shirts falling off one shoulder caught on really fast. Madonna had girls tying their hair up in scarves and wearing ripped stockings. But like most trends, those fashions died out. “To catch on” means to become popular. Madonna’s fashion style caught on really fast.

Thousands, if not millions, of American girls dressed like her in the 1980s. Another meaning of “catch on” is to understand eventually. Sometimes it takes a bit of explaining until you fully understand what someone is saying. In other words, it takes some time until you catch on. You can catch on fast.

You can catch on to something. With this meaning the phrasal verb “catch on” is intransitive, but we can also say “catch on to something.” I caught on to her meaning. I caught on to what she was saying. “To die out” means to disappear, perhaps from popularity or from existence.

“Die out” is intransitive. It doesn’t have an object. Fashion trends can die out. Dinosaurs died out. Let me ask you about music or fashion. Was there a trend that caught on when you were a child? When did it die out?

You can talk about disco or bell-bottom pants.anything you want. Are you catching on to the idea? For practice, post your answers in the comments. I’ll offer corrections as time allows. Well, that’s all for now.