Particle guide
Phrasal verbs with ahead
The particle ahead starts from one core idea — in front, further forward, or before the future arrives. Sink In groups its verbs by the recurring ways that idea plays out, so verbs that look unrelated line up into patterns.
19 phrasal verbs · 5 meaning groups
Progress
Moving ahead means advancing along the path before others or despite resistance.
Getting Ready
Attention reaches forward into the future so you are ready before it arrives.
Later Point
Attention moves to a later point in a story, list, or schedule.
Permission
The path opens in front of you, so the planned action can begin or continue.
Lead
One body stays in front of the pack and keeps the gap open.
Usual verb + particle uses
The verb keeps its normal meaning. The particle adds its usual direction or relation.
edge ahead
Move slightly in front of others
“The blue team edged ahead in the final minute.”
“Anna edged ahead of Ben near the finish.”
pull ahead
Move in front of others in a race or competition
“The cyclist pulled ahead on the last hill.”
“Our sales pulled ahead of theirs in June.”
race ahead
Move quickly far in front of others
“The children raced ahead of their parents.”
“One runner raced ahead after the first turn.”
stay ahead
Remain in a leading position
“They stayed ahead of the competition.”
“The runner stayed ahead until the finish line.”
Sink In — iOS & Android
Practice the ahead patterns in Sink In
The app turns each meaning group into short review cards: recognition, particle cloze, meaning-to-particle recall, and schema matching.
- Learn the pattern behind dozens of verbs at once — not one-off translations.
- Spaced repetition (SM-2) brings each meaning back right before you forget.
- Four practice modes train recall and discrimination, not just recognition.
