GRAMMAR 26 PHRASAL VERBS 1

Rewrite each sentence so that it contains the phrasal verb in brackets. You may have to
change the form.

a) Sorry, but I haven't found time to fix your bike yet. (get round to)
got round to fixing your bike yet.

b) Oh bother, we don't have any milk left. (run out of)

c) It took me a long time to recover from my illness. (get over)

d) Julie must be too old to bite her nails. (grow out of)

e) I think we've found an answer to the problem. (come up with)

f) I don't think I'm well enough to play football today. (feel up to)

g) Ann is someone I really respect. (look up to)

h) I must arrange to have the kitchen painted. (see about)

i) Please help me. I'm relying on you. (count on)

j) Peter is just like his father! (take after)

FIRST CERTIFICAT E LANGUAG E PRACTIC E

2 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using
the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five
words, including the word given.

a) Quite by chance, Brenda met Philip at the station.

ran
Brenda ran into Philip at the station.
b) You'll just have to learn to accept the facts!
face
You'll just have to face up to the facts.
c) How can you bear so much traffic noise?
put
How can you traffic noise?
d) Charles cheated in his exams, and didn't get caught.
got
Charles cheated in his exams, and it.
e) I visited a few friends while I was in Manchester.
called
I called on a few friends while I was in Manchester.
f) What are you trying to say?
getting
What are you getting at?
g) I must go to the dentist, and get my teeth taken care of.
seen
I must go to the dentist to have my teeth seen to.

3 Complete each sentence with one of the words from the box.

a) I'll send someone to call for the parcel on Thursday.

b) You'll have to work hard to keep up with the rest of the class.
c) Jean didn't expect to come up against such difficulties.
d) It's not fair. You're always picking on me.
e) Terry sang the first verse and then everyone joined in
f) I came across one of your novels in a second-hand bookshop.
g) I'm not interested in buying anything. I'm just looking round
h) Don't you think the manager should deal with this problem?
i) George came into a lot of money when his uncle died.
j) You look very guilty! What have you been getting up to ?

154
 GRAMMA R 26 P H R A S A L VERBS 1

4 Complete each sentence with the most suitable word or phrase.

a) The weather was fine, and everyone was B. the coast.

A) going in for B) making for C) joining in D) seeing about
b) How much money do you manage to D ?
A) come into B) go in for C) deal with D) live on
c) There isn't any sugar, I'm afraid. You'll have to C
A) run out B) put up with C) do without D) make for
d) I was passing their house, so I A Claire and Michael.
A) dropped in on B) came up with C) got on with D) ran into
e) I don't really C winter sports very much.
A) deal with B) face up to C) go in for D) get round to
f) Losing my job was a great shock, but I think I'm D it.
A) seeing to B) putting up with C) standing for D) getting over
g) Sheila's gone to A having a new phone installed.
A) see about B) deal with C) get round to D) ask after
h) I've had to B a lot of insulting behaviour from you!
A) look down on B) put up with C) stand up for D) get on with
i) The hotel was terrible, but the wonderful beach D our
disappointment.
A) got over B) faced up to C) saw to D) made up for
j) Jack has decided to C the time he spends watching television.
A) run out of B) see to C) cut down on D) come up with

155
FIRST CERTIFICAT E LANGUAG E PRACTIC E

5 Choose the most suitable ending for each sentence. Note that some of the phrasal verbs have a
different meaning to the one given in the Explanations section.

a) I can't put up with B.

A) you if you should come to London. B) people who smoke all the time.
C) the plates onto the top shelf.
b) The chairperson of the committee then called on Tony B
A) but his line was engaged. B) to make a speech in reply.
C) so that his voice could be heard above the crowd.
c) Mary has been chosen to stand for C
A) the bad behaviour of her colleagues. B) herself in future.
C) Parliament in the next election.
d) After my holidays it takes me a few days to catch up with B
A) the people running in front of me. B) all the news I've missed.
C) a really bad cold.
e) Small children soon grow out of A
A) their shoes. B) all the good food they eat.
C) the habits they have when they get older.
f) I've decided to go in for C
A) eating fruit for breakfast. B) a few days rest in the country.
C) a photography competition in Photographer's Weekly.
g) I'm afraid that our plans to open a new factory have run into C
A) some old friends. B) a tree by the side of the road.
C) a few unexpected difficulties.
h) We find that this type of tyre makes for A
A) safer driving in wet weather. B) the first place it can stop.
C) all smaller types of cars.
i) I saw my old friend John last week. I couldn't get over C
A) my cold before I saw him, though. B) near enough to talk to him though.
C) how young he looked.
j) Here people are only worried about keeping up with C
A) others who are faster. B) late-night television programmes.
C) the Joneses.

Key points
1 Check any new phrasal verb in a dictionary to see how it is used.
2 Remember that many phrasal verbs have more than one meaning.
3 Phrasal verbs tend to be more common in spoken language and informal
written language.

156
FIRST CERTIFICAT E LANGUAG E PRACTIC E

Rewrite each sentence using a verb from the box so that the meaning stays the same. You
may have to change the form.

a) Jack always arrives late for work.

b) See if their number is in the phone directory.

c) I'm saving up to buy a new bike.

d) After a few days the pain in Dave's leg went away.

e) I'm afraid the match has been cancelled.

f) The government refused to yield to the demands of the terrorists.

g) We offered them £250,000 for the house but they refused our offer.

h) You can stay with us if you come to Cambridge.

i) I can't calculate how much the whole trip will cost.

j) A large silver limousine DREW UP stopped outside the house.

160
 GRAMMA R 27 P H R A S A L VERBS 2

2 Put one word in each space.

a) Why don't you let me show you round London?

b) Jane is coming to pick us UP after work.
c) Have you found OUT what time the train leaves?
d) We had to wait for an hour before the plane took OFF
e) Harry was brought UP by his grandparents.
f) A shelf fell on my head and knocked me OUT
g) I was so angry when I saw the parking ticket that I tore it UP
h) A fire has broken OUT in an office block in central London.
i) Julian always talks loudly and shows OFF
j) If you don't like this part you can leave it OUT

3 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using
the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five
words, including the word given.

a) I think it's going to rain all day.

in
I think the rain has set in for the day.
b) I don't know what to write on this form.
in
I don't know HOW TO FILL IN this form.
c) I started doing this job when Janet left.
over
I TOOK OVER THIS JOB when Janet left.
d) This story of yours isn't true!
up
You HAVE MADE UP story!
e) We believe that it was you who robbed the post office.
up
We believe that YOU HELD UP the post office.
f) Tina's car stopped working on the way to Scotland.
down
Tina's car BROKE DOWN on the way to Scotland.
g) It would be a good idea to stop drinking coffee.
up
It would be a good idea TO GIVE UP DRINKING coffee.
h) Ruth's party has been postponed until next month.
off
Ruth's party HAS BEEN PUT OFF next month.

161
FIRST CERTIFICAT E LANGUAG E PRACTIC E

4 Put one suitable word in each space.

a) In the army, all orders have to be ....carried.........out!

b) Why don't you PUT up golf? It's a good pastime.
c) If I won a lot of money, I would GIVE some of it away.
d) Let's TRY out the new food processor.
e) This room is a mess. Why don't you CLEAN, TIDY it up?
f) Joe is very quarrelsome, he FALLS out with everyone.
g) Where were you exactly when the bomb WENT off?
h) Can you FILL, POP in for me while I go to the bank?

5 Complete each sentence with the most suitable word or phrase.

a) Brian C. at our dinner party wearing a pink bow tie.

A) wore out B) showed off C) turned up D) tried out
b) You don't have to decide now, you can D
A) put it aside B) call it off C) tear it up D) think it over
c) Pat was caught by the police, but Martin C
A) gave in B) gave up C) got away D) held up
d) After the quarrel, we kissed and C
A) cleared up B) looked up C) made up D) put up
e) Why exactly did war A between the two countries?
A) break out B) set in C) go off D) call off
f) After a long day at work most people feel B
A) broken down B) worn out C) knocked out D) turned down
g) I've just been offered a new job! Things are D
A) turning up B) clearing up C) making up D) looking up
h) In the end I TORE UP the form in disgust, and threw it away.
A) filled in B) worked out C) tore up D) put off

6 Replace the words in italics with a suitable phrasal verb.

a) I think that you invented this story. ..made up...

b) When do you think your book will be published?
COME OUT
c) I think that the weather is improving CLEEARING UP
d) I can't find an answer to this problem WORK OUT
e) Be careful! You're going to fall! LOOK OUT
f) I'm afraid William tends to stop trying GIVE UP
g) The plane is going to leave the ground TAKE OFF
h) I think that Sue and Neil have quarreled FALLEN OUT

162
 GRAMMA R 27 P H R A S A L VERBS 2

7 Choose the best meaning for the words in italics. Note that some of the phrasal verbs have a
different meaning to the one given in the Explanations section.

a) At half past six, the alarm clock went off. B.

A) exploded B) rang C) disappeared
b) Jim is very good at taking off his teacher C
A) flying with his teacher B) getting rid of his teacher
C) imitating his teacher
c) Please don't bring up that subject again! B
A) start shouting about it B) mention it C) talk about it for hours on end
d) There is one small matter I would like to clear up A
A) find an explanation for B) make clean and tidy
C) get rid of once and for all
e) Jean is really good at picking up languages B
A) choosing languages B) learning languages by being in a country
C) learning languages by heart
f) All my old clothes need taking up C
A) taking to the cleaners B) to be replaced C) to be made shorter
g) The whole cost of the equipment works out at £450 A
A) comes to B) can be reduced to C) will involve an extra
h) Jackie broke down and everyone felt sorry for her C
A) injured herself B) caused an accident C) started crying

Key p o i n t s 1 Check any new phrasal verb in a dictionary, to see how it is used.
2 Remember that many phrasal verbs have more than one meaning.
3 Phrasal verbs are common in spoken and informal written language.

163