Particle guide
Phrasal verbs with at
The particle at starts from one core idea — a fixed point, target, or focus. Sink In groups its verbs by the recurring ways that idea plays out, so verbs that look unrelated line up into patterns.
17 phrasal verbs · 5 meaning groups
Point
AT marks one clear point. It can be a place, time, answer, or stage.
Usual verb + particle uses
The verb keeps its normal meaning. The particle adds its usual direction or relation.
meet at
Gather in a set place or time
“Maya and Leo agreed to meet at Maya's flat before the club.”
“The team met at the office.”
Target
AT points attention or action toward one target.
Usual verb + particle uses
The verb keeps its normal meaning. The particle adds its usual direction or relation.
aim at
Direct something toward a target
“She aimed at the centre of the board.”
“The camera aims at the front gate.”
look at
Direct your eyes toward someone or something
“Look at this photo.”
“She looked at the map carefully.”
point at
Show a direction with a finger or object
“He pointed at the red door.”
“The teacher pointed at the first line on the board.”
throw at
Send an object toward a target with force
“The boy threw a ball at the wall.”
“Someone threw stones at the window.”
Effort
AT can show steady effort on one task. The effort stays on the same point.
Pressure
AT can send words or actions toward someone in a sharp way.
Hidden Meaning
Words point toward an idea without saying it directly.
Sink In — iOS & Android
Practice the at 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.
