Pete is talking to his English teacher about the strategies he has been using to study at home. He seems to have forgotten the phrasal verbs he was studying and trying to use during this conversation in order to impress the teacher. Read an extract of their dialogue: 

(…)

(Pete) – Phrasal verbs are so difficult! Well, I have been studying really, really hard. I have to learn so many things before the tests. There are some things I have been doing… For example, I try to… to…

memorize the expressions by reading them out loud several times a day.

(Teacher) – What else have you been doing that you consider effective?

(Pete) – I try to use the expressions and new words in stories… but often times they don’t… they don’t… make sense.

(Teacher) – There’s a phrasal verb for that.

(Pete) – I can’t remember it! I have to understand how I learn better…

(Teacher) – Maybe you are exaggerating a bit.

(Pete) – I am not. I have problems… reaching the same level of my classmates.

(Teacher) – I don’t agree with you, but if you feel you need to improve, we can talk about this later.

(Pete) – That would be great! Thank you!