Read “The Landlord” and learn more about Phrasal Verbs
Short Story 1 : By the end of this short story, you will be able to understand the use of PHRASAL VERBS related to POWER, HOUSING AND CONFLICT.
“Washing one’s hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.“
~Paulo Freire, Brazilian educator and Philosopher
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.“
~Desmond Tutu, South African Anglican Bishop
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Phrasal Verbs
The Landlord
They say bad news comes in threes, but three is just a number, isn’t it? For one thing, Nambewe was not a woman given to superstition. Yet the day she saw her landlord arrive with two men, their faces stern and their hands ready to wrestle with anyone who put up a fight, she knew trouble was brewing.
The landlord was bossing the two men around, barking orders that they were quick to carry out.
“Take that pail. And the other pail too. Remove the clothes from the clothes line.”
Soon their hands were full. They headed back to the van and returned for more orders, for more of her things.
Nambewe stood still and watched the scene play out in front of her. Her eyes darted between the two men and the van. She felt her throat drying up.
“Gama! Gama!” She called her oldest son.
“He went to play football,” her youngest son replied from inside the house.
‘Vincent, stay inside the house! Stay inside the house, do you hear me? Don’t come out!”
“Why mummy? I want to go outside to play.”
“Just do as I say.”
The two men were now carrying two big, empty bags. It looked as though they had come to clear out the house. The landlord was giving them more orders and the men were working with clockwork precision.
Nambewe’s chest tightened and she opened her mouth wide so some air could go into her lungs. She tied and retied her chitenje with trembling hands. The result was messy but she did not care.
“What are you doing?” She finally said.
“What do we look like we are doing?” The landlord snapped and turned back to his men. Everything was disappearing before her eyes: her clothes, her pots, her plates, her spoons, everything she owned! They were packing each and every item they could lay their hands on, and still they wanted more.
“What’s happening aNambewe?”
“I don’t know,” she replied. “I simply don’t know. Please help me, God.”
“Isn’t that your landlord? Eeh, but people. What is he doing now? Where is Vincent’s dad?”
“I don’t know.”
Nambewe rushed to the van and started pulling the items back into the yard. One of the men shoved her to the ground: “Be careful or I’ll hurt you.”
“aNambewe, just leave them. They will hurt you.”
“What’s happening aNaphiri? Why is aNambewe lying on the ground?”
“I don’t know.”
“Mind your business!” The landlord blurted out and advanced towards the entrance of the house.
“Don’t worry aNambewe! If he decides to throw you out, I’ll take you in. We can put you up for a few nights. What a foolish man!” Naphiri shouted.
Nambewe stood up and followed the landlord. She was not prepared to back down without a fight! The two men ran after her. Naphiri followed suit and tried to block the two men. They pushed her aside and continued their way.
‘Vincent, run to the bedroom!”
“Why mum…”
She heard the door open with a bang. Her son screamed and rushed out of the house. “Mummy, there are thieves in the house!”
A small crowd had now gathered in the yard. They watched as the landlord and his men cleared out the house, carting off item after item. They were throwing their weight around and nobody seemed willing to stand up to them.
“Shame on you! Three grown men ganging up on one woman …do you call that bravery? Where are the mothers who raised you?” Naphiri fired back from a distance. The landlord kept ordering his men about and clearly looked down on the onlookers.
“Please, don’t do this! Please,” Nambewe sobbed, her hands crossed above her head. “Please.”
Her pleas fell on deaf ears. The trio started with the living room: the TV set, the stereo and the carpet. Then they took the fridge and the curtains. For some reason, they left the sofa set. Nambewe begged them not to touch her son’s PlayStation.
“Where is it?” The landlord asked. “Where is the PlayStation?”
“Yes, take the PlayStation. We can sell it at a good price,” one of the men chimed in.
Vincent went back into the house to retrieve his PlayStation. When he didn’t find it, he went after the man who had plans for his PlayStation and started yelling at him: “Where is it? Give me back my PlayStation! Give it back! Give it back!”
The man just pushed him aside like a piece of paper and carried on his destructive spree.
After many interminable minutes, the landlord finally said: “This is what happens when you always fall behind on your rent. Next time, I will kick you out.”
The three men drove away, carrying her prized belongings en toute impunité.
A few minutes later, Vincent’s dad stumbled into the yard, drunk and tittering: “Vincent, let’s go and play with your PlayStation!”
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The Landlord and Other Short Stories:
The Landlord is the first story in a series of five advanced short stories set in the same township.
The other stories in the series are:
- The Headmaster’s Daughter
- The Vegetable Seller
- The Silent Witness
- The Keeper of Secrets
You can read each story on its own, but they are all connected. As you read the series, you will meet some of the same characters again and again. You will also discover that events mentioned in one story often appear in another.
Little by little, the stories help to build a picture of life in the township. Each story offers a different perspective and helps you understand the characters more deeply.
The main grammatical focus of the series is Phrasal Verbs. Rather than studying them from a list, you will meet them in stories, conversations and real-life situations. My hope is that the characters and their experiences will help you remember the Phrasal Verbs more easily.
Glossary:
The following glossary explains some of the Chichewa and French words and expressions that may not be familiar to readers who do not speak these languages.
aNambewe: ‘Mbewe’ is the family name. We add ‘Na-‘ to indicate that we are talking about a woman from the Mbewe clan. The letter a is a sign of respect. If the person were a man, he would be called ‘aMbewe’.
aNaphiri: ‘Phiri’ is the family name. We add ‘Na-‘ to indicate that we are talking about a woman from the Phiri clan. The letter a is a sign of respect. If the person were a man, he would be called ‘aPhiri’.
Gama: ‘Gama’ is a common name for boys in the Central and Southern Regions of Malawi.
Vincent: Vincent is an English name. In Malawi, families often give their children both English and Chichewa names. English names frequently come from the Bible or are chosen because of their meaning.
In this case, Vincent means ‘conqueror’, ‘victorious’ or the ‘one who overcomes’.
Chitenje: A ‘chitenje’ is a colourful African wrapper commonly worn by women in Malawi. It is often worn while doing household chores and can also be used to carry a baby or as a practical everyday garment. You can see it here.
En toute impunité: ‘En toute impunité’ is a French expression meaning ‘with complete impunity’ or ‘with total impunity’.
In the story, it emphasises that the three men leave with Nambewe’s belongings without facing any consequences for their actions. In other words, they simply get away with it.
Listen to the story: The Landlord
Do the quiz: “The Landlord” and Phrasal Verbs
About Phrasal Verbs and “The Landlord”
The word ‘phrasal’ comes from ‘phrase’. A phrase is a group of words that function together as a unit within a sentence.
Examples:
- Noun Phrase: her youngest son
- Prepositional Phrase: In the van
- Verb Phrase: Is shouting
- Participial Phrase: Watching from afar
- Idiomatic Phrase: Throwing their weight around
A Phrasal Verb is a verb combined with one or more short words (called particles) that together create a single unit of meaning. The particles can be Adverbs or Prepositions.
Examples from The Landlord:
- carry out = execute
- clear out = remove everything
- take in = provide accommodation
- kick out = force someone to leave
- back down = stop resisting
In many cases, the meaning of the Phrasal Verb is different from the meanings of the individual words.
For example:
- carry = transport
- carry out = execute
- take = receive
- take in = provide accommodation
- kick = strike with the foot
- kick out = evict
This is why Phrasal Verbs are often learned as complete expressions rather than word by word.
IMPORTANT RULES TO REMEMBER:
- Learn the meaning of the whole expression in context.
- A single verb can combine with different particles to create different meanings. E.g. Take in (accomodate), take off (remove), take over (gain control), take up (start a hobby).
- One particle can create many Phrasal Verbs. E.g. Clear out (remove everything from a place; leave a place), throw out (force someone to leave; get rid of something), find out (discover information, carry out (perform, execute or complete a task), work out (exercise, solve, calculate or understand).
- Some Phrasal Verbs are separable i.e. the Object can come between the Verb and the Noun. e.g Turn the lights off or Turn off the lights.
- Some Phrasal Verbs are inseparable. E.g. I look after my son but not
I look my son after. - Pronouns usually go in the middle of the Phrasal Verb. E.g. Turn it off but not
Turn off it. - Some Phrasal Verbs have several meanings. E.g. Take off means remove clothing, leave the ground (for a plane) or become successful.
- Don’t mistake Prepositional Phrases for Phrasal Verbs. E.g. Believe in (have faith in) , look at (direct your eyes towards something), wrestle with (struggle with) are not Phrasal Verbs but Prepositional Phrases. A Prepositional Phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and gives extra information about place, time, direction or manner.
- Don’t mistake Idiomatic Expressions for Phrasal Verbs. E.g. Throw one’s weight around (use power aggressively), put up a fight (resist) and fall on deaf ears (ignore) are Idiomatic Expressions. An Idiomatic Expression is a group of words whose meaning is different from the literal meanings of the individual words.
Phrasal Verbs in “The Landlord”
One of the central themes of The Landlord is the conflict between power, housing and human dignity.
The phrasal verbs below help us understand the struggles faced by Nambewe, the actions of the landlord and the different ways in which the community responds to injustice.
| Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| BACK DOWN | To stop resisting or admit defeat in a conflict. | Nambewe refused to back down when the landlord entered her house. |
| BOSS AROUND | To keep telling someone what to do in an unpleasant way. | The landlord spent the morning bossing around the two men. |
| CARRY ON | To continue doing something. | The men carried on loading Nambewe’s belongings into the van. |
| CARRY OUT | To perform or obey an instruction, order or task. | The two men quickly carried out the landlord’s orders. |
| CLEAR OUT | To remove everything from a place. | The landlord ordered his men to clear out the house. |
| COME OUT | To leave a building or enclosed space. | Nambewe told Vincent not to come out of the house. |
| FALL BEHIND ON | To fail to keep up with payments or obligations. | The landlord claimed that Nambewe had fallen behind on her rent. |
| GO AFTER | To chase or pursue someone. | Vincent went after the man who had taken his PlayStation. |
| KICK OUT | To force someone to leave a place. | The landlord threatened to kick out Nambewe if she did not pay her rent. |
| LOOK DOWN ON | To regard someone as less important or inferior. | The landlord seemed to look down on both Nambewe and the neighbours. |
| PUT UP | To tolerate something or provide temporary accommodation. | Naphiri promised to put up Nambewe for a few nights if necessary. |
| STAND UP TO | To resist or confront a powerful person. | Naphiri was the only neighbour willing to stand up to the landlord. |
| TAKE IN | To provide someone with a place to stay. | Naphiri offered to take in Nambewe if she lost her home. |
The Landlord
Further Exploration: Advanced English Short Story 1—The Landlord, Raw and Unforgettable! With Phrasal Verbs about Housing, Conflict and Power! (Level B1-B2)
Download Short Story:
- Advanced English Short Story 1—The Landlord, Raw and Unforgettable! With Phrasal Verbs about Housing and Power! (Level B1-B2), Learn English With Africa, August 2026
- Reading Comprehension Worksheet, Advanced English Short Story 1—The Landlord, Raw and Unforgettable! With Phrasal Verbs about Housing and Power! (Level B1-B2), Learn English With Africa, August 2026
- Reading Comprehension Worksheet, Correction, Advanced English Short Story 1—The Landlord, Raw and Unforgettable! With Phrasal Verbs about Housing and Power! (Level B1-B2), Learn English With Africa, August 2026
- Quiz, Phrasal Verbs (The Landlord), Learn English With Africa, August 2026
- Phrasal Verbs Part 1, The Landlord, Learn English With Africa, August 2026
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About the Author
Thandi Ngwira Gatignol is the founder of Learn English With Africa. She was born on June 11th, 1981 in Blantyre, Malawi. When she was 19, she left her country of birth for France. She currently lives with her two daughters and husband in Poland.
Thandi holds a Bachelor’s degree in English studies obtained at the Université Paris X Nanterre in France and a Certificate in Journalism from Malawi. She has taught English as a French Ministry of Education certified teacher both in France and in Poland. She speaks English, French, Polish, Italian, Chichewa and Chitumbuka. She is now learning Kiswahili, German and Spanish. Salt No More is her debut novel and you can find her other books here on the website or on Amazon.
Course Title: Advanced English Short Story 1—The Landlord, Raw and Unforgettable! With Phrasal Verbs about Housing, Conflict and Power! (Level B1-B2) © Learn English With Africa, August 2026
