How to prepare for verbal ability and reading comprehension - Sharma Arun, Upadhyay Meenakshi 2014

Phrasal verbs
Section 6: New verbal question types in CAT
Part 2: Verbal Ability

Questions based on the correct usage of phrasal verbs have become an integral part of the Verbal Ability section in the CAT exam since the last seven years. Each year a minimum of two to three questions come in the exam, which test the correct usage of phrasal verbs. Ever since CAT became online and its pattern has assumed consistency, it is seen as an important part of the verbal section.

This chapter aims at providing you with an exhaustive list of phrasal verbs for your preparation. Practice exercises have also been provided according to the questions that come in the CAT exam.

What are phrasal verbs?

Phrasal verbs are basic verbs which can combine with different propositions (particles) to make verbs with completely new and often unfathomable meanings.

Phrasal verbs are combinations of ordinary verbs like ’put’, ’take’, ’come’, and ’go’ and particles like ’in’, ’out’, ’on’, and ’off’. They are a very important part of everyday English. Every student of English needs a basic understanding of the most common phrasal verbs and also of common nouns and adjectives made from phrasal verbs.

Most phrasal verbs are not informal, slang, or improper for educated speech or formal writing. Exactly the opposite is true — most phrasal verbs are acceptable at all levels of spoken or written English. In fact, for many of the phrasal verbs, there is no alternative to the phrasal verb — there is no other way to say it.

Many verbs in English are followed by an adverb or a preposition (also called a particle), and these two-part verbs, are also called phrasal verbs. The particle that follows the verb changes the meaning of the phrasal verb in idiomatic ways.

Phrasal verbs

Some particles can be separated from the verb so that a noun and pronoun can be inserted, and some particles can’t be separated from the verb. In addition, some phrases are intransitive, meaning they cannot take a direct object.

Unfortunately, there is usually no indicator whether an idiomatic phrase is separable, inseparable, or intransitive. In most cases the phrases must simply be memorised. Below is a partial list of each kind of phrase.

Phrasal verbs with the letter

A

1.act up (no object): misbehave (for people); not work properly (for machines).

“The babysitter had a difficult time. The children acted up all evening.”

“I guess I’d better take my car to the garage. It’s been acting up lately.”

2.act like (inseparable): behave in a way that’s like _____ .

“What’s wrong with Bob? He’s acting like an idiot.”

Note: This phrasal verb is very informal.

3.add up (1. no object): logically fit together.

“His theory is hard to believe, but his research adds up.”

Note: This phrasal verb is often negative.

“His theory seems, at first, to be plausible, but the facts in his research don’t add up.”

4.add up (2. separable): find the total.

“What’s the total of those bills? Could you add them up and see?”

5.add up to (inseparable): to total.

“The bills add up to Rs.734.96. That’s more than I expected!”

6.ask out (separable): ask for a date.

“Nina has a new boy friend. James asked her out last night.”

B

7.back down (no object): not follow a threat.

“Timmy was going to call the police when I told him I’d wrecked his car, but he backed down when I said I’d pay for the damages.”

8.back up (1. no object): move backward; move in reverse.

“You missed the lines in the parking space. You’ll have to back up and try again.”

“The people waiting in line are too close to the door. We won’t be able to open it unless they back up.”

10.back up (2. separable): drive a vehicle backwards (in reverse).

“You’re too close! Back your car up so I can open the garage door.”

11.back up (3. separable): confirm a story, facts, or information.

“If you don’t believe me, talk to Dave. He’ll back me up.”

12.back up (4. separable): make a “protection” copy to use if there are problems with the original.

“When my computer crashed, I lost many of my files. It’s a good thing I backed them up.”

13.beg off (no object): decline an invitation; ask to be excused from doing something.

“At first Lily said she would be at the party. Later she begged off.”

14.blow up (1. separable): inflate.

“We need lots of balloons for the party. Will you blow them up?”

blow up (2. separable): explode; destroy by exploding.

A: “That old building really came down quickly!” B: “That’s because the construction company used dynamite to blow it up.”

blow up (3. no object): suddenly become very angry.

“When I told Jerry that I’d had an accident with his car, he blew up.”

15.bone up on (inseparable): review / study thoroughly for a short time.

“If you’re going to travel to Peru, you’d better bone up on your Spanish.”

16.break down (1. separable): separate something into component parts.

“We spent a lot of money at the supermarket. When we broke the total cost down, we spent more on cleaning supplies than food.”

break down (2. no object): stop working / functioning.

“Sharon will be late for work today. Her car broke down on the freeway.”

17.break in (1. often no object; with an object, break into--inseparable): enter by using force (and breaking a lock, window, etc.)

“Jane’s apartment was burglarized last night. Someone broke in while Jane was at the movies.” / “Somebody broke into Jane’s apartment while she was at the movies.

18.break in (2. separable): wear something new until it’s / they’re comfortable.

“These are nice shoes, but they’re too stiff. I hope it doesn’t take too long to break them in.”

19.break in (3. separable): train; get someone / something accustomed to a new routine.

“I hope I can learn my new job quickly. The manager hasn’t scheduled much time for breaking me in.”

20.break up (1. no object): disperse; scatter.

“What time did the party break up last night?”

21.break up (2. usually no object; with an object, break up with [inseparable)]): end a personal relationship.

“Tim and Julie aren’t going steady any more. They got really angry with each other and broke up.”

“Have you heard the news? Julie broke up with Tim!”

“I’m sorry to hear that their marriage broke up. I’m sure the divorce will be difficult for the children.”

22.bring/take back (separable): return something.

“Yes, you can borrow my pen, don’t forget to bring it back to me when you’re finished.”

“This book is due tomorrow. I guess I should take it back to the library.”

23.bring off (separable): accomplish something difficult; accomplish something people had considered impossible or unlikely.

“No one thought Jack could get an A in that course, but he brought it off. “

24.bring up (1. separable): mention (as a topic of discussion).

“We planned to discuss overtime pay in the meeting. Why didn’t someone bring that topic up?”

25.bring up (2. separable): raise; rear.

“Lily’s parents died when she was a baby. Her grandparents brought her up.”

26.brush up on (inseparable): review / study thoroughly for a short time.

“If you’re going to travel to Peru, you’d better brush up on your Spanish.”

27.burn down (no object): destroyed/consumed by fire.

Note: For upright things—trees, buildings, etc.—only.

“Lightning struck Mr. Kennedy’s barn last night. It burned down before the fire fighters arrived.”

28.burn up (1. no object): destroyed / consumed by fire.

Note: For people and non-upright things only.

“All of Mr. Kennedy’s hay burned up when his barn burned down.”

29.burn up (2. separable): cause someone to become very angry.

“Did you hear how rudely Fred talked to me? That really burned me up!”

30.butt in (no object): impolitely interrupt (a conversation, an action).

“Hey, you! Don’t butt in! Wait for your turn!”

31.butter up (separable): praise someone excessively with the hope of getting some benefit.

“I guess Marty reall wants to be promoted. He’s been buttering his boss up all week.”

C

32.call off (separable): cancel something that has been scheduled.

“We don’t have school today. The mayor called classes off because of the snow.”

33.call on (inseparable): ask someone for an answer in class.

“I don’t know why the teacher never calls on you. You always know the answer.”

34.calm down (with or without an object; with an object, separable): become calm / less agitated or upset; help someone become calm / less agitated or upset.

“Why are you so upset? Suzie didn’t intend to spill orange juice on you. Calm down!”

“I know Ralph is upset, but can you calm him down? He’s making so much noise that he’s irritating everyone in the office.”

35.(not) care for (1. inseparable): like; want.

Note: This phrasal verb is usually negative, though it may be used affirmatively in questions.

A: “Would you care for something to drink? We have coffee, tea, or orange juice.”

B: “Could I have water, please? I don’t care for coffee, tea, or juice.”

36.care for (2. inseparable): take care of; supply care to; attend / watch over.

“Amy’s father got out of the hospital last week. The family is caring for him at home.”

37.catch on (no object): develop understanding or knowledge of something.

“Bill had never used a computer until he took this class, but he caught on very quickly and is now one of the best students.”

38.catch up (with) (often without an object; with an object, inseparable): stop being behind.

“Terry stopped to rest for a few minutes. He’ll catch up / catch up with us later.”

39.check in(to) (inseparable): register for / at a hotel, conference, etc.; let someone know officially that you have arrived.

“My plane will arrive around 5:00 PM. I should be able to check into the hotel by 6:00 or 6:30.”

“When you arrive at the convention, be sure to check in at the registration desk.”

40.check off (separable): make a mark to indicate that something on a list has been completed.

“Here are the things you need to do. Please check each one off when you’ve finished it.”

41.check out (of) (1. inseparable): follow procedures for leaving (a hotel, etc.)

“Don’t forget to take your room key to the front desk when you check out (when you check out of the hotel).”

42.check out (2. separable): follow procedures for borrowing something (usually for a limited period of time).

“I’m sorry, but you can’t take that encyclopedia home. The library won’t allow you to check reference books out.”

43.cheer up (separable): help someone feel less worried / depressed / sad.

“Suzie’s brother was depressed about not getting a promotion, so she sent him a funny card to cheer him up.”

44.chew out (separable): scold someone severely; berate.

“Tom’s father was really angry when Tom didn’t come home until 3:00 AM. He chewed Tom out and then said Tom had to stay at home for two weeks.”

45.chicken out (no object): lose the courage or confidence to do something--often at the last minute.

“Sam said he was going to ask Lulu for a date, but he chickened out.”

46.chip in (inseparable): contribute / donate (often money) to something done by a group.

“We’re going to buy a birthday cake for our boss and I’m collecting donations. Do you want to chip in?”

47.clam up (inseparable): suddenly become quiet/refuse to talk about something.

“Lila wouldn’t talk about the accident. When I asked her what happened, she clammed up.”

48.come across (inseparable): find (unexpectedly).

“I’ve lost my extra car keys. If you come across them while your’re cleaning the room, please put them in a safe place.”

49.come down with _____ (inseparable): become ill with _____ .

“George won’t be at the office today. He came down with the flu over the weekend.”

50.come to (1. inseparable): total.

“Your charges come to `124.38. Will you pay by cheque, in cash, or with a credit card?”

51.come to (2. no object): regain consciousness.

“When I told Gina that she’d won a million dollars, she fainted. When she came to, I told her it was a joke and she almost hit me!”

52.count on (inseparable): depend on; trust that something will happen or that someone will do as expected.

“I’m counting on you to wake me up tomorrow. I know I won’t hear the alarm.”

53.cross out (separable): show that something written is wrong or unnecessary by making an X across it.

“We can’t afford to buy everything on your shopping list, so I’ve crossed all the unnecessary things out.”

54.cut back (on) (often without an object; with an object, cut back on [inseparable]): use less of something.

“You drink too much coffee. You should cut back.”

“You should cut back on the amount of coffee that you drink.”

D

55.do in (1. separable): cause to become very tired.

“Those three games of tennis yesterday afternoon really did me in. I slept for ten hours after I got home.”

56.do in (2. separable): to kill; to murder.

“They said that the murdered man was done in between 10 and 11 o’clock last night.”

57.do over (separable): do something again.

“Oh, no! I forgot to save my report before I turned the computer off! Now I’ll have to do it over!”

58.drag on (no object): last much longer than expected or is necessary.

“I thought the meeting would be a short one, but it dragged on for more than three hours.”

59.draw up (separable): create a formal document.

“The Ajax and Tip-Top Banks have decided to merge. Their lawyers will draw all the official documents up sometime this month.”

60.drop off (separable): deliver something; deliver someone (by giving him/her a ride).

“Yes, I can take those letters to the post office. I’ll drop them off as I go home from work.”

“You don’t have to take a taxi. You live fairly close to me, so I’ll be happy to drop you off.”

61.drop in (on) (inseparable): visit informally (and usually usually without scheduling a specific time).

“If you’re in town next month, we’d love to see you. Please try to drop in. (Please try to drop in on us.”

62.drop by (inseparable): visit informally (and usually without scheduling a specific time).

“If you’re in town next month, we’d love to see you. Please try to drop by the house.”

63.drop out (of) (inseparable): stop attending / leave school or an organization.

“No, Paul isn’t at the university. He dropped out. / He dropped out of school.”

64.draw out (separable): prolong something (usually far beyond the normal limits).

“I thought that speech would never end. The speaker could have said everything important in about five minutes, but he drew the speech out for over an hour!”

E

65.eat out (no object): have a meal in a restaurant.

“I’m too tired to cook tonight. Why don’t we eat out?”

66.egg on (separable): urge / encourage greatly toward doing something (usually something negative).

“At first Bob and Chuck were just having a mild argument, but Bob’s friends egged them on until they started fighting.”

67.end up (1. no object): finally arrive at; arrive at an unexpected place.

“We got lost last night and ended up in the next town.”

68.end up (2. no object): arrive somewhere as a result or consequence.

“You’re working too hard. If you don’t take it easy, you’ll end up in the hospital!”

F

69.face up to (inseparable): admit to; take responsibility for.

“You can’t pretend that you’re doing OK in this course, Joe. Sooner or later, you’ll have to face up to the fact that you’re failing it.”

70.fall through (no object): not happen. (Note: describes something that was planned but didn’t happen.)

“We had originally intended to go to Mexico for our vacation, but our trip fell through when I got sick.”

71.feel up to (inseparable): feel strong enough or comfortable enough to do something.

“I know the accident was a terrible shock. Do you feel up to talking about it?”

72.figure out (1. separable): logically find the answer to a problem; solve a problem by thinking about it carefully.

“For a long time I couldn’t understand the last problem, but I finally figured it out.”

73.figure out (2. separable): understand why someone behaves the way she/he does.

“I can’t figure Margie out. Sometimes she’s very warm and friendly and sometimes she acts as if she doesn’t know me.”

74.fill in (1. separable): add information to a form.

“The office needs to know your home address and phone number. Could you fill them in on this form?”

75.fill in (on) (2. separable): supply information that someone doesn’t know.

“I wasn’t able to attend the meeting yesterday, but I understand that it was important. Could you fill me in? / Could you fill me in on what was discussed?”

76.fill in for (inseparable): temporarily do someone else’s work; temporarily substitute for another person.

“Professor Newton is in the hospital and won’t be able to teach for the rest of the term. Do you know who’s going to fill in for her?”

77.fill out (1. separable): complete a form by adding required information.

“Of course I completed my application! I filled it out and mailed it over three weeks ago!”

78.fill out (2. no object): become less thin; gain weight.

“Jerry used to be really skinny, but in the last year he’s begun to fill out.”

79.find out (about) (inseparable): learn / get information (about).

“I’m sorry that you didn’t know the meeting had been canceled. I didn’t find out (find out about it) myself until just a few minutes ago.”

G

80.get across (separable): make something understood; communicate something understandably.

“Alan is really intelligent but sometimes he has problems getting his ideas across.”

81.get along (with) (inseparable): have a friendly relationship (with); be friendly (toward).

“Why can’t you and your sister get along? Everyone else gets along with her just fine!”

82.get around (1. inseparable): avoid having to do something.

“Teresa got around the required math classes by doing well on a math proficiency test.”

83.get around (2. no object): move from place to place.

“She doesn’t have a car. She gets around by bicycle, bus, or taxi.”

84.get around to (inseparable): do something eventually.

“I really should wash the dishes, but I don’t feel like it. Maybe I’ll get around to them tomorrow morning.”

85.get by (no object): survive, financially, in a difficult situation.

“It’s going to be hard to pay the rent now that you’ve lost your job, but somehow we’ll get by.”

86.get in (1. inseparable): enter a small, closed vehicle.

“I don’t know where Carole was going. She just got in her car and drove away.”

87.get in (2. no object): arrive.

“Do you know what time Fred’s plane gets in?”

88.get on (inseparable): enter a large, closed vehicle.

“I’m sorry, but you’re too late to say goodbye to Angela. She got on the plane about 20 minutes ago.”

89.get off (1. inseparable): leave a large, closed vehicle.

“When you get off the bus, cross the street, turn right on Oak Street, and keep going until you’re at the corner of Oak and Lincoln Boulevard.”

90.get off (2. separable): be excused (for a period of time) from work, class, or other regularly scheduled activities.

“Some schools got President’s Day off but ours didn’t. We had classes as usual.”

91.get off (3. separable): make it possible for someone to avoid punishment.

“Everyone knew he was guilty, but his lawyer was clever and got him off.”

92.get out of (1. inseparable): leave a small, closed vehicle.

“There’s something wrong with the garage door opener. You’ll have to get out of the car and open it by hand.”

93.get out of (2. inseparable): escape having to do something.

“Lisa said she had a terrible headache and got out of giving her speech today.”

94.get over (1. no object): finish. (Note: for individual activities, not ones that happen again and again.)

“What time do your classes get over?”

95.get over (2. inseparable): recover from an illness or painful experience.

“Katy was really upset when she failed the test. She thought she would never get over feeling so stupid.”

96.get rid of (1. inseparable): dispose of; give away or throw away.

“That shirt is really ugly. Why don’t you get rid of it?”

97.get rid of (2. inseparable): dismiss someone; fire someone from a job; cause someone to leave.

“The treasurer of the XYZ company was spending too much money so the company president got rid of him.”

98.get up (usually no object; with an object, separable): leave bed after sleeping and begin your daily activities.

“You’ll have to get up much earlier than usual tomorrow. We have to leave by no later than 6:00 AM.”

“I know I won’t hear the alarm tomorrow morning. Can you get me up at 6:00 AM?”

99.give up (1. separable): stop doing something (usually a habit).

“He knows smoking isn’t good for his health, but he can’t give it up.”

100.give up (2. no object): decide not to try (unsuccessfully) to solve a problem.

A:“What’s black and white and red all over?”

B:“I give up. What?”

A:“An embarrassed zebra!”

101.go out with (inseparable): have a date with.

“You went out with Sharon last night, didn’t you?”

102.go with (1. no object): look pleasing together. (Note: for clothes, furniture, etc.)

“You should buy that shirt. It will go well with your dark brown suit.”

103.go with (2. no object): date regularly and steadily.

“Is Gina going with Jim? I see them together all the time.”

104.goof off (no object): be lazy; do nothing in particular.

A:“Do you have any special plans for your vacation?”

B:“No. I’m just going to stay home and goof off.”

105.grow up (1. no object): spend the years between being a child and being an adult.

“Did you know that Frank grew up in Malaysia?”

106.grow up (2. no object): behave responsibly; behave as an adult, not a child.

A:“Lee really irritates me sometimes. He’s really silly and childish.”

B:“I agree. I wish he would grow up.”

H

107.hand in (separable): submit homework, an assignment, etc.

“You’d better get started on your report. You know that you have to hand it in at 8:30 tomorrow morning!”

108.hand out (separable): distribute.

“Why don’t you have a course description and list of assignments? The teacher handed them out on the first day of class.”

109.hang up (no object): end a phone conversation by replacing the receiver.

“I’d like to talk longer, but I’d better hang up. My sister needs to make a call.”

110.have to do with (inseparable): be about.

“This class has to do with the behavior of people in groups.”

111.hold up (1. separable): raise; lift to a higher-than-normal position.

“The winner of the race proudly held his trophy up for all to see.”

112.hold up (2. separable): delay.

“I’m sorry I’m late. There was an accident on the freeway and traffic held me up.”

113.hold up (3. separable): rob; threaten someone with harm unless he/she gives her/his money or other valuable things.

“Sarah is very upset. When she was walking home last night, two men held her up and took her purse and jewelry.”

I

114.iron out (separable): mutually reach an agreement; mutually resolve difficulties

“Yes, I know we disagree on lots of things, Susan, but we can iron them out.”

J

115.jack up (1. separable): raise/lift by using a jack.

“We’ll have to jack the back of the car up before we can change the tyre.”

116.jack up (2. separable): raise (used for prices).

“The car dealer bought my old Ford for $750 and jacked the price up to $1,500 when they sold it.”

117.jump all over (inseparable): severely scold someone; berate someone.

“Arthur is really upset. His boss jumped all over him because he’s been late for work three times this week.”

K

118.keep on (1. inseparable--followed by an -ing verb): continue

“I’m not ready to stop yet. I think I’ll keep on working for a while.”

119.keep on (someone) (2. inseparable): continue to remind someone to do something until he/she does it (even if this irritates her/him).

“Bill’s very forgetful. You’ll have to keep on him or he’ll never do all the things you want him to do.”

120.kick out (separable): expel; force someone to leave because of his/her poor performance or unacceptable behavior.

“Jim’s club kicked him out because he didn’t pay his dues or come to meetings.”

121.knock out (separable): make unconscious.

“The boxing match ended when one boxer knocked the other one out.”

“That medicine really knocked me out. I slept for 14 hours straight!”

122.knock oneself out (separable): work much harder than normal or than what is expected.

“We completed the project on time because of Chuck. He knocked himself out to be sure we didn’t miss the deadline.”

L

lay off (separable): dismiss someone from a job because of lack of work or money (not because of poor performance)

“I feel really sorry for Sally’s family. Her father was laid off yesterday.”

123.leave out (separable): forget; omit.

“Oh, no! When I made the list of those who attended the meeting, I left your name out!”

124.let down (separable): disappoint.

“I know I let you down when I didn’t do what I promised. I’m really sorry.”

125.let up (no object): become less intense or slower.

“It’s been raining hard for a long time. Will it ever let up?”

126.look back on (inseparable): remember; reflect on / consider something in the past.

“When they looked back on their many years together, they realized that their marriage had been a very happy one.”

127.look down on (inseparable): hold in contempt; regard as inferior.

“It’s not surprising that Fred has few friends. He seems to look down on anyone who doesn’t like the same things that he does.”

128.look forward to (inseparable): anticipate pleasantly; think about a pleasant thing before it happens

“I’m really looking forward to vacation. I can’t wait for it to begin!”

129.look in on (inseparable): visit in order to check something’s / someone’s condition.

“My father just came home from the hospital. I plan to look in on him today after I finish work.”

130.look into (inseparable): investigate/get more details about something.

“Someone said there was a meeting at 9:30 but I haven’t heard anything about it. Shall I look into it?”

131.look like (inseparable): resemble (in appearance).

“Does he look like his father or his mother?”

132.look over (separable): check; review.

“I think I may have some typos in this report. Could you look it over?”

133.look up (1. separable): find something in a reference work.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know what that word means. I’ll have to look it up.”

134.look up (2. separable): find where someone lives or works and visit him/her.

“Thanks for giving me your brother’s address. When I’m in Chicago next month, I’ll be sure to look him up.”

135.look up to (inseparable): respect.

“Everyone looks up to Joyce because she always makes time to help others.”

136.luck out (no object): be unexpectedly lucky.

“Gloria was worried because she wasn’t prepared to give a report at the meeting, but she lucked out as the meeting got postponed.”

M

137.make fun of (inseparable): make jokes about (usually unkindly).

“I agree that Bob looks ridiculous since he shaved his head, but don’t make fun of him. You’ll hurt his feelings.”

138.make up (1. separable): invent / create (imaginary) information.

“Judy’s story is hard to believe. I’m sure she made it up.”

139.make up (2. separable): compensate for something missed or not done by doing extra or equivalent work.

“I’m sorry I missed the test. May I make it up?”

140.make up (with) (3. inseparable): re-establish a friendly relationship by admitting guilt.

“Jack and his girlfriend were very angry with each other, but last night they finally made up.”

“Jack and his girlfriend were very angry with each other, but last night they finally made up with each other.”

141.make out (separable): see / hear something well enough to understand what it means. (Note: often negative.)

“Ruth’s writing is very small. I almost need a magnify glass to make it out.”

“What were the last two examples that he gave? I couldn’t make them out.”

142.make for (1. inseparable): go to or toward.

“Her teen-aged children are always hungry. As soon as they arrive home from school, they make for the refrigerator.”

143.make for (2. inseparable): result in; cause.

“Many hands make for light work. (If many people work together, there’s less work for everyone.)”

144.mark up (separable): increase the price (for resale).

“Mrs. White’s import shop is profitable because she buys things inexpensively and then marks them up.”

145.mark down (separable): reduce the price (as an incentive to buy).

“These shoes were really a bargain! The store marked them down by 40%!”

146.mix up (separable): cause to become confused.

“I didn’t complete the assignment because I didn’t know how. The directions mixed me up.”

147.nod off (no object): fall asleep (usually unintentionally).

“The speech was so boring that several people in the audience nodded off before it was finished.”

P

148.pan out (no object): succeed; happen as expected (for plans). (Note: almost always negative when in statements.)

“I’ll be here next week after all. My trip to Chicago didn’t pan out.”

149.pass away (no object): die.

“I was very sorry to hear that your grandfather passed away.”

150.pass out (1. no object): faint; lose consciousness.

“When Ella heard that she’d won a million dollars, she was so shocked that she passed out.”

151.pass out (2. separable): distribute.

“Everyone in the room needs one of these information sheets. Who will help me pass them out?”

152.pick out (separable): choose; select.

“Billy’s grandmother especially liked her birthday card because Billy had picked it out himself.”

153.pick up (1. separable): lift; take up.

“Those books don’t belong on the floor. Will you help me pick them up?”

154.pick up (2. separable): arrange to meet someone and give her/him a ride.

“Of course we can go there together. What time should I pick you up?”

155.pick up (3. separable): get; buy.

“The children just drank the last of the milk. Could you pick some more up on your way home this evening?”

156.pick up (4. separable): refresh; revitalize.

“He was feeling a little tired, so he drank a glass of orange juice. It picked him up enough to finish his work.”

157.pick on (inseparable): bully; intentionally try to make someone upset.

“You should be ashamed of teasing your little brother, Bob! Pick on someone your own size!”

158.pitch in (no object): help; join together to accomplish something.

“We’ll be finished soon if everyone pitches in.”

159.pull over (no object): drive a vehicle to the side of the road.

“When the policeman indicated that I should pull over, I knew he was going to give me a ticket.”

160.put away (separable): return something to the proper place.

“I just took these clothes out of the dryer. Will you help me put them away?”

161.put off (1. separable): postpone; delay; avoid

“I can’t put this work off any longer. If I don’t do it soon, it’ll be impossible to finish it in time.”

“When will Mr. Smith agree to a meeting? I keep asking for an appointment, but he keeps putting me off.”

162.put on (1. separable): begin to wear; don.

“It’s a little bit chilly outside. You’d better put a sweater on.”

163.put on (2. separable): try to make someone believe something that is ridiculous or untrue.

“Don’t believe a word of what Jim was saying. He was just putting us on.”

164.put (someone) out (separable): inconvenience someone.

“I hate to put you out, but I need a ride to the train station and hope you can take me.”

165.put up (1. separable): return something to the proper place.

“Your toys are all over the floor, Timmy. Please put them up.”

166.put up (2. separable): provide someone with a place to sleep.

“There’s no need for you to check into a hotel. I’ll be happy to put you up.”

167.put up with (inseparable): tolerate.

“It’s really important to come to work on time. The boss won’t put up with tardiness.”

168.put back (separable): return something to the proper place.

“I’ve finished with these books. Do you want me to put them back on the shelves?”

R

169.rip off (separable): cheat; take advantage of; charge too much.

“Don’t even think about buying a car there. They’ll rip you off.”

170.round off (separable): change from a fraction to the nearest whole number.

“Round all prices off to the closest whole-dollar amounts. For example, round $33.73 off to $34.00.”

171.run into (inseparable): meet by chance.

“Yesterday at the supermarket, Jan ran into her former roommate. Before yesterday, they hadn’t seen each other for nearly five years.”

172.run out of (inseparable): use the last of.

“On the way home from work, Art ran out of gas.”

S

173.set up (separable): make arrangements for something.

“You’ll see Mr. Thomas tomorrow. I’ve set a meeting up for 9:30 AM.”

174.set back (1. separable): cause a delay in scheduling.

“We’ve had some problems with the project that have set us back at least two days . We’ll give you a progress report tomorrow.”

175.set back (2. separable): cost.

“I wonder how much Bill’s new car set him back?”

176.slip up (no object): make a mistake.

“You slipped up here. The amount should be $135.28, not $132.58.”

177.stand out (no object): be noticeably better than other similar people or things.

“Good job, Ann! Your work really stands out!”

178.stand up (1. no object): rise to a standing position.

“When the Chairperson entered the room, everyone stood up.”

179.stand up (2. separable): make a date but not keep it.

“Angela was supposed to go to the dance with Fred, but she stood him up and went with Chuck instead.”

180.show up (1. no object): arrive; appear.

“The boss was very upset when you didn’t show up for the meeting. What happened?”

181.show up (2. separable): do a noticeably better job (often unexpectedly) than someone else.

“Everyone thought Marsha would win, but Jean did. Actually, Jean really showed Marsha up.”

182.stand for (1. no object): represent.

“These letters seem to be an abbreviation. Do you know what they stand for?”

183.stand for (2. inseparable): tolerate; permit (usually negative).

“I’m not surprised that Mrs. Johnson rejected your report. She won’t stand for shoddy work.”

T

184.take after (inseparable): resemble; favour (in appearance).

Note: used for people.

“Both my sister and I take after our father.”

185.take / bring back (separable): return.

“This book is due tomorrow. I guess I should take it back to the library.”

“Yes, you can borrow my pen, but don’t forget to bring it back to me when you’re finished.”

186.take care of (1. inseparable): provide care for; watch one’s health.

“Lois has been taking care of her father since he returned home from the hospital.”

“You’ve been working too hard lately. You’d better take care of yourself!”

187.take care of (2. ineparable): make arrangements (for something to happen); take responsibility for.

“Will you take care of making reservations for our flight to Boston?”

188.take off (1. separable): remove (something you’re wearing).

“Please take your hat off when you go inside a building.”

189.take off (2. no object): leave; depart (often suddenly or quickly).

“Was something wrong with Jill? She took off without saying goodbye.”

“When does your plane take off?”

190.take off (3. separable): make arrangements to be absent from work.

“Susan isn’t here today. She’s taking today and tomorrow off.”

191.take up (separable): begin (a hobby or leisure-time activity).

A:“Do you like to ski?”

B:“I’ve never been skiing, but I think I’d like to take it up.”

192.tell (someone) off (separable): speak to someone bluntly and negatively, saying exactly what she/he did wrong.

“Julie was really angry at Bob; she told him off in front of all of us.”

193.tick off (1. separable): irritate someone; make someone upset or angry.

“It really ticks her off when someone is late for an appointment.”

194.tick off (2. separable): show that something has been completed by putting a tick (check) beside it.

“Here are the things you need to do. Tick each one off when you finish it.”

195.throw away (separable): discard; put in the garbage.

“You shouldn’t throw those newspapers away; they’re recyclable.”

196.throw out (1. separable): discard; put in the garbage.

“This food smells bad. You’d better throw it out.”

197.throw out (2. separable): forcibly make someone leave (usually because of bad behavior).

“Those people are drunk and making everyone uncomfortable. The manager should throw them out.”

198.throw up (usually no object; with an object, separable): vomit.

“Paul was so nervous about his job interview that he threw up just before he left for it.”

199.try on (separable): wear something briefly to check its fit, how it looks, etc.

“I’m not sure that the jacket is large enough. May I try it on?”

200.try out (separable): use a machine briefly to determine how well it works.

“I really like the way this car looks. May I try it out?”

201.try out (for) (inseparable): try to win a place on a team or other organization.

“I know you want to be on the football team. Are you going to try out?”

“If you like to sing, you should try out for the choir.

202.turn around (1. usually no object): move so that you are facing the opposite direction.

“Everyone turned around and stared when I entered the meeting late.”

203.turn around (2. separable): move so that someone / something is facing the opposite direction.

“I don’t want this chair facing the window. Will you help me turn it around?”

204.turn around (3. separable): make changes so that something that was unprofitable is profitable.

“The company was doing poorly until it hired a new president. He turned it around in about six months and now it’s doing quite well.”

205.turn down (1. separable): decrease the volume.

“Your music is giving me a headache! Please turn it down or use your headphones!”

206.turn down (2. separable): refuse.

“I thought I could borrow some money from Joe, but when I asked, he turned me down.”

207.turn in (1. separable): give/deliver/submit to someone.

“I’ve written my report, but I haven’t turned it in.”

208.turn in (2. no object): go to bed.

“I’m pretty tired. I guess I’ll turn in.”

209.turn in (3. separable): report or deliver wrongdoers to the authorities.

“Two days after the robbery, the thieves turned themselves in.”

210.turn off (1. separable): stop by turning a handle or switch.

“I’m cold. Do you mind if I turn the air conditioner off?”

211.turn off (2. separable): bore; repel (very informal).

“That music turns me off. Please play something else!”

212.turn on (1. separable): start by turning a handle or switch.

“It’s cold in here. I’m going to turn the heater on”

213.turn on (2. separable): interest very much; excite (very informal).

“What kind of music turns you on?”

214.turn up (1. separable): increase the volume.

“I can barely hear the TV. Can you turn it up a little?”

215.turn up (2. no object): appear unexpectedly.

“We were all surprised when Pam turned up at the party. We didn’t even know she was in town.”

W

216.wait on (1. inseparable): serve (usually customers in a restaurant, shop, etc.)

“I want to make a complaint. The person who just waited on me was very impolite.”

217.wait for (inseparable): wait until someone/something arrives or is finished with something else.

“When will Kenny be finished with work? I’ve been waiting for him for almost an hour!”

“I’m tired of waiting for the bus. I guess I’ll take a taxi instead.”

218.wake up (1. no object): stop sleeping.

“I usually wake up around 5:00 AM each day.”

219.wake up (2. separable): rouse someone; cause someone to stop sleeping.

“I have an important meeting tomorrow and I’m afraid I won’t hear my alarm. Will you wake me up at 6:00 AM?”

220.watch out for (inseparable): be careful of; beware of.

“There’s a school at the end of this block. Watch out for children crossing the street.”

“If you take that road, watch out for ice during the winter.”

221.wear out (1. separable): wear something / use something until it can no longer be worn / be used.

“I need a new pencil sharpener. I wore this one out.”

“I suppose I should get some new shoes. I’ve almost worn this pair out.”

222.wear out (2. separable): cause to become exhausted; cause to become very tired.

“I had four different meetings today. They wore me out.”

“I suppose I should get some new shoes. I’ve almost worn this pair out.”

223.work out (1. no object): exercise (usually in a gym, etc.) to build muscles, body tone, etc.

“Instead of eating lunch on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Sheila goes to the recreation center to work out.”

224.work out (2. separable): solve a problem / resolve a difficult situation (usually by working together).

“I know we disagree on many points, but I believe we can work things out.”

225.wrap up (1. no object): wear enough clothes to keep warm.

“It’s really cold today. Be sure you wrap up when you leave the house.”

226.wrap up (2. separable): finish something; bring something to a conclusion.

“We’ve been talking about the problem for nearly three hours. I hope we’ll be able to wrap the discussion up soon.”

227.write down (separable): record something in writing.

“Could you tell me your e-mail address again? I want to write it down.”

228.write up (separable): record; report in writing.

“You’ll need to make a report on your business meetings. Be sure you write them up as soon as possible after you return from your trip.”

229.zonk out (no object): fall asleep quickly because of exhaustion.

“I intended to go shopping after work, but I was so tired that I zonked out as soon as I got home.”

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PRACTICE EXERCISES

DIRECTIONS : : In each of the questions, a word has been used in sentences in four different ways. Choose the option corresponding to the sentence in which the usage of the word is incorrect or inappropriate.

TEST 1

1.Account

(a)How will you account of the money you spent?

(b)He couldn’t account for his absence from college.

(c)How will you account for such a big difference?

(d)Hari was able to account for his actions.

2.Act

(a)When you read a story or a poem to your child, act it out with him or her.

(b)This computer’s acting up again

(c)The children were acting over because their mother wasn’t there

(d)The script itself is well written and well acted out by the cast.

3.Add

(a)This just doesn’t add up

(b)Slowly add in flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until well blended.

(c)She added up the bill.

(d)These are quite expensive though, by the time you’ve added in border taxes

4.Answer

(a)Don’t answer back to your mother.

(b)You are answerable for your mistakes

(c)You have to give me an answer.

(d)Answer up, or you will be punished.

5.Ask

(a)The next day, her brother came to ask after her.

(b)I’ll ask around and see if there’s a room vacant somewhere

(c)I’ll ask her over in to dinner next weekend.

(d)This is the third time he’s asked me out.

6.Back

(a)The company only backed in after a worldwide campaign by activists

(b)He backed out at the last moment.

(c)We had to back up a long way and try a different route.

(d)Five witnesses backed him up.

7.Blow

(a)I don’t understand. It’s not like her to blow up over a silly little row like that.

(b)The politician is keeping a low profile until the scandal blow over.

(c)More volunteers are needed to blow up balloons.

(d)I blew out the candles and we ate cake.

8.Break

(a)When he told her he didn’t love her anymore, she broke down.

(b)I was extremely stunned when May and Brad broke off their engagement.

(c)The meeting broken up around 10 o’clock.

(d)The two criminals broke out of prison yesterday.

9.Bring

(a)Looking at the photos brought back a lot of memories of my visit to the place.

(b)It isn’t easy to bring up children nowadays.

(c)Madonna is just bringing out a new record.

(d)The early rains will bring a much needed relief from the heat.

10.Call

(a)Can you ask her to call me back, please?

(b)We had to call in a doctor.

(c)It’s too late to call off the ceremony now.

(d)Call up me when you get there.

11.Carry

(a)She got carried away in the shop and spent all her money on new dresses

(b)He carried on as if nothing had happened.

(c)It’s going to be difficult to carry out that plan.

(d)If things get carried on the way they are, you’ll lose your job.

12.Check

(a)I arrived in Lucknow a few days ago and checked into the Taj Hotel.

(b)I will check out of the hotel after breakfast.

(c)You should check out your pockets before you leave home.

(d)Quickly check out of the hotel before they charge you for an additional day.

13.Clear

(a)The boy asked his friends to clear off before his father arrived.

(b)During the night the fog cleared off.

(c)I think this misunderstanding will be cleared up soon.

(d)Clear up the mess before you leave.

14.Come

(a)I had no idea what had happened to me when I came round.

(b)As new jobs come up, we will contact students who have signed the contract.

(c)Ram came up with a very good plan.

(d)When we came together we make things happen.

15.Cut

(a)For years, the country was part of the soviet union and was cut off from the rest of Europe.

(b)People with diabetes are usually advised to cut down on sugar.

(c)We will take a cut in our salaries.

(d)The tree was damaged in the storm so they had to cut down it.

16.Die

(a)The rumours will soon die down

(b)Sadly this tradition died out in the early 1800s.

(c)The strong colour will die out with washing.

(d)As we moved away from the sea, the sound of the waves died down.

17.Do

(a)I spent a month doing up the flat and I think it’s quite nice now.

(b)The death penalty has been done away in many countries.

(c)Do your best and leave the rest to God.

(d)When you do something up, you fasten it.

18.Drop

(a)Ben finally dropped off to sleep after midnight.

(b)I thought I’d drop in and say hello.

(c)We will drop you off at the next sop.

(d)The fielder dropped off the catch.

19.Eat

(a)She really enjoys eating out.

(b)Eat out your vegetables!

(c)The journalist had to eat up his words when the true story came out.

(d)We won’t eat in tonight.

20.Fall

(a)She felled down and hurt her knees.

(b)It’s great to have a friend to fall back on.

(c)Why does he always fall for the wrong women

(d)The building is falling apart.

21.Help

(a)This syrup will help ease your pain.

(b)I can’t help the colour of my skin.

(c)Ranjit may help him with the beer in the fridge.

(d)Do you really expect me to help you in this ?

22.Reason

(a)Your stand is beyond all reason.

(b)Has she given you any reason for her resignation?

(c)There is no reason why you should behave like this.

(d)How do you deal with a friend who doesn’t listen to a reason?

23.Paper

(a)Your suggestions look great on the paper, but are absolutely impractical.

(b)Do you know how many trees are killed to make a truckload of paper?

(c)So far I have been able to paper over the disagreements among my brothers.

(d)Dr. Malek will read a paper on criminalization of politics.

24.Business

(a)I want to do an MBA before going into business.

(b)My wife runs profitable business in this suburb.

(c)If we advertise we will get twice as much business as we have now.

(d)How you spend your money is as much my business as yours.

25.Bundle

(a)He made a bundle in the share market.

(b)It was sheer luck that brought a bundle of boy-scouts to where I was lying wounded.

(c)The newborn baby was a bundle of joy for the family.

(d)Mobile operators are offering a bundle of additional benefits.

26.Bolt

(a)The shopkeeper showed us a bolt of fine silk.

(b)As he could not move, he made a bolt for the gate.

(c)Could you please bolt the door?

(d)The thief was arrested before he could bolt from the scene of the crime.

27.Near

(a)I got there just after you left — a near miss!

(b)She and her near friend left early.

(c)The war led to a near doubling of oil prices.

(d)They came near to tears seeing the plight of the victims.

28.Hand

(a)I have my hand full, I cannot do it today.

(b)The minister visited the jail to see the breach at first hand.

(c)The situation is getting out of hand here!

(d)When the roof of my house was blown away, he was willing to lend me a hand.

29.For

(a)He has a great eye for detail.

(b)We are waiting for the day.

(c)I can’t bear for her to be angry.

(d)It couldn’t be done for ever.

30.Run

(a)I must run fast to catch up with him.

(b)Our team scored a goal against the run of play

(c)You can’t run over himself like that.

(d)This film is a run-of-the-mill production.

31.Buckle

(a)After the long hike our knees were beginning to buckle.

(b)The horse suddenly broke into a buckle.

(c)Sometimes, an earthquake can make a bridge buckle.

(d)People should learn to buckle up as soon as they get into a car.

32.Hand

(a)He was handing out free tickets for the concert.

(b)The minister handed in his resignation when it was known that he was implicated in the scandal.

(c)Have things changed since the hand over of sovereignty from the British to Korens?

(d)Hand up your coat and come and join us.

33.Hang

(a)Hang over a minute; I need to talk to you.

(b)Don’t hang up; I need to speak to your sister.

(c)You should not allow your son to hang around in the street after dark.

(d)She was hanging on to each word that I was speaking.

34.Fill

(a)She gave me a form and told me to fill it in.

(b)She filled up the kettle with water and made everyone a cup of tea.

(c)The glass was filled to the brim.

(d)Fill out the details of your resume.

35.Get

(a)The boy tried to catch to the butterfly but it got away.

(b)The word got around that she was going to change her job.

(c)How are you getting over with your studies?

(d)I’ll tell her when she gets back

TEST 2

In each question, the word at the top is used in four different ways, numbered 1 to 4. Choose the option in which the usage of the word is INCORRECT or INAPPROPRIATE.

1.Break

(a)My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved to America. (end a relationship)

(b)We broke bread during the Thanksgiving dinner.

(c)The prisoners broke out of jail when the guards weren’t looking.

(d)I broke up in a rash after our camping trip.

2.Do

(a)Do your best, it always works.

(b)My teacher wants me to do my essay over because she doesn’t like my topic.

(c)Do your coat over before you go outside. The snow is falling heavily!

(d)It’s time to do away with all of these old tax records.

3.Get

(a)I tried to get my point across to the judge but she wouldn’t listen.

(b)We worked so hard this year that we had to get away for a week.

(c)My grandfather can get away fine in his new wheelchair.

(d)This weather is getting me down.

4.Hang

(a)Hang in there. I’m sure you’ll find a job very soon.

(b)Hang on while I grab my coat and shoes!

(c)Instead of going to the party we are just going to hang up at my place.

(d)He didn’t say goodbye before he hung up.

5.Keep

(a)Keep on stirring until the liquid comes to a boil.

(b)Medicines should always be kept out from children.

(c)Try to keep the wet dog out of the living room.

(d)If you keep those results up you will get into a great college.

6.Cut

(a)The phone company cut off our phone because we didn’t pay the bill.

(b)My grandparents cut my father off when he remarried.

(c)The doctors cut down his leg because it was severely injured.

(d)I cut this ad out of the newspaper.

7.Give

(a)My boyfriend didn’t want to go to the ballet, but he finally gave up.

(b)They were giving out free perfume samples at the department store.

(c)I am giving up smoking as of January 1st.

(d)My maths homework was too difficult so I gave up.

8.Hand

(a)I handed my old comic books down to my little cousin.

(b)I have to hand out my essay by Friday.

(c)We will hand out the invitations at the door.

(d)The police asked the man to hand over his wallet and his weapons.

9.Turn

(a)Your mother wants you to turn the TV down and come for dinner.

(b)Just turn left at the end of the street nd you will reach my house.

(c)Can you turn the music up? This is my favourite song.

(d)Our cat turned up after we put posters up all over the neighbourhood.

10.Hold

(a)A man in a black mask held the bank up this morning.

(b)Hold onto your hat because it’s very windy outside.

(c)Please hold on while I transfer you to the Sales Department.

(d)Jamie held on his tears at his grandfather’s funeral.

11.Mark

(a)The clerk will mark prices down later in the day.

(b)They can clearly mark the boundaries up with red tape.

(c)The manager will mark up the prices that the clerk marked down.

(d)I will buy a lot more if you mark the prices down.

12.Talk

(a)A good partner can talk you through some tough places.

(b)She was able to talk the young child out of jumping into the pool.

(c)Sit in the driver’s seat while I talk you through the controls.

(d)We talked over the problems in our relationships, but couldn’t sort things out.

13.Jack

(a)We jacked the car up and changed the tyre.

(b)Don’t listen to him- he always jacks people in.

(c)I jacked my job in because my boss refused to give me a raise.

(d)Once the tourists arrive, the restaurants jack up their prices

14.Look

(a)I have to look after my sick grandmother.

(b)Ever since we stole that chocolate bar your dad has looked down on me.

(c)I’m looking into a red dress for the wedding.

(d)I’m looking forward to the Christmas break.

15.Run

(a)Let’s run through our lines for the school play.

(b)He runs with a rough crowd, no wonder he ended up in jail.

(c)The young father ran off from his responsibility and didn’t support his family.

(d)The child ran away because her parents beat her.

TEST 3

In each question, the word at the top is used in four different ways, numbered a-d. Choose the option in which the usage of the word is INCORRECT or INAPPROPRIATE.

1.Follow

(a)He followed up the meeting with a report.

(b)The project went wrong when the staff failed to follow through.

(c)The film follows down the original.

(d)He left an hour ago and I’ll be following on soon.

2.Scout

(a)We’d better scout up a replacement for her.

(b)I scouted round for a bargain.

(c)The researcher spent months scouting for the answer.

(d)We scouted around to find the best price.

3.Send

(a)I sent my food back because it was overcooked.

(b)The police were sent in to quell the riot as the protesters had started burning cars and wrecking shops.

(c)The football striker was sent off for arguing with the referee’s decision.

(d)They sent for a fact list to all their existing customers.

4.Hang

(a)You can hang out your jacket in the front closet.

(b)What are you doing? - - I’m just hanging out.

(c)Don’t hang up. I’m going to change phones.

(d)Maria and Freya usually hang around the beach after school.

5.Hold

(a)The police held the demonstrators back while the politicians entered the building.

(b)We should hold back on making dinner until your parents arrive.

(c)The teacher held Frank back a year, so he couldn’t enter fifth grade.

(d)Mr. Johnson held the dog off while we crossed the yard.

6.Pass

(a)Jennifer passed on the work to someone else.

(b)After battling cancer for several years, he finally passed out at the age of 87.

(c)He tried to pass the fake watch off as a real Rolex.

(d)We need to pass our exams.

7.Pick

(a)Diane picked out a lovely dress for the dance.

(b)What time are you going to pick me up?

(c)Business is really picking out this quarter.

(d)It’s possible to pick up enough English in two weeks to get by on your trip to Los Angeles.

8.Eat

(a)The heavy rains ate away at the sandstone cliffs.

(b)Ken ate on the cookies.

(c)We usually eat in instead of going out for dinner.

(d)They eat out once a week.

9.ZIP

(a)He was being stupid in the meeting, so we told him to zip around.

(b)We zipped around the supermarket to get the shopping done.

(c)The motorbike zipped by the cars stuck in the traffic jam.

(d)He told me to zip it, so I said nothing.

10. Come

(a)I just knew the manager would come and solve the problem.

(b)They come up as very rude.

(c)No one can come up with a good advertisement for the toothpaste.

(d)Bob has come up with a welding torch and some scrap iron.

11.Stop

(a)After the terrorist attacks on London, tourists stopped coming for a while.

(b)I didn’t have time to talk so I told him to stop back later when I had some free time.

(c)I stopped behind after the meeting to talk to Bill.

(d)I’m going to stop in Jim’s house on the way home.

12.Bang

(a)He banged the door while going out.

(b)He’s always banging on the counter.

(c)He’s banging on in the kitchen.

(d)She banged the car again.

13.Kick

(a)The budget cuts are starting to kick about and people are struggling.

(b)I’ll kick the dog if it comes to bite me.

(c)The police kicked the door down

(d)Children love to kick the ball.

14.Tag

(a)He tagged the clothes with the correct price tags.

(b)You’re off to the cinema; can we tag on?

(c)He tagged me in a few comments on facebook.

(d)The post was tagged with keywords.

15.Jump

(a)I’d jump at the chance to go and live in Japan.

(b)He jumped over the hurdle in the race.

(c)The cat jumped off the sofa to catch the mouse.

(d)Everyone jumped at me and tried to kill me when I raised the issue.

16.Tune

(a)I had just tuned in to a TV show when my sister came back home.

(b)I just love this tune.

(c)He’s tuned out his car for the race.

(d)Make sure you tune in to next week’s show.

17.Blow

(a)My parents blew up when they found me smoking. They were so angry.

(b)I couldn’t light the campfire. The wind kept blowing it up.

(c)The wind blew the smoke back down the chimney into the room.

(d)To blow a balloon,you have to blow hard into it.

18.OPT

(a)I opted for an endowment mortgage and lost a lot of money.

(b)I opted for tea because I don’t drink coffee.

(c)The US opted out of an arms deal with other countries.

(d)If you want them to notify you of updates, you have to opt out.

19.Ride

(a)Her skirt rode up when she sat down.

(b)They managed to ride off the recession.

(b)They managed to sit through the journey, even though it was a bumpy ride.

(c)She got on her horse and rode off.

20.Rake

(a)She’s raking in thousands a day.

(b)It’s the only shop in the area and they’re raking it in.

(c)The rake is coming in any moment.

(d)Tim keeps raking off the rows we had last year.

21. Mark

(a)His dedication marked him up for great things.

(b)I marked off the items on the list as i finished purchasing them.

(c)They marked out the pitch.

(d)Her speed marks her out from the rest of the group.

22.Roll

(a)They rolled in very drunk at three o’clock in the morning.

(b)The government want to roll back the freedom of the press.

(c)The army rolled by when they came under attack.

(d)Roll on Friday! It’s been a dreadful week.

23.Mess

(a)The children were messing about with the TV remote control and broke it.

(b)They messed with the discussions and the contract fell through.

(c)She’s been messing with it for hours and it still doesn’t work.

(d)They messed up the kitchen.

24.Rush

(a)They rushed away when the police arrived.

(b)Zain rushed out to get to his medical appointment.

(c)They don’t want to be rushed into giving an answer and have asked for more time.

(d)They rushed out to catch the first rain of the season.

25.Fasten

(a)Fasten your seatbelts.

(b)We fastened it down to keep the wind from blowing it away.

(c)They have fastened up the speech as a source of inspiration.

(d)He fastened the latch of the door.

26.Wave

(a)They waved at us when they passed by.

(b)Don’t wave at people you don’t know.

(c)We waved her down at the station.

(d)The accident was bad, but the police waved us on.

27.Leap

(a)The tiger leapt at the deer.

(b)A leap of faith is what it takes.

(c)Look before you leap.

(d)He leaped out the chance to visit America.

28.Act

(a)The police were acting on a tip from an informer and caught the gang red-handed.

(b)The enzyme acts upon certain proteins.

(c)My computer’s acting out I think I might have a virus.

(d)They acted out the story on stage.

29.Finish

(a)They finished off all the chocolates and had to go to the all-night store to buy some more.

(b)We went out for dinner and finished out in a club.

(c)We attended some workshops and finished the project.

(d)She finished with him a few months ago.

30.Turn

(a)She turned up an hour late.

(b)Please turn up the music; it’s too loud.

(c)Turn off the lights please before you leave.

(d)Hundreds of fans were turned away from the football stadium.

31.Ask

(a)My mother is always asking after you.

(b)I’ll ask around and see if anyone has seen your cat.

(c)Let’s ask to the teacher our question.

(d)John has asked Mary out several times.

32.Put

(a)Could you put off the light please?

(b)The meeting was put off because of the strike.(Postpone / arrange a later date)

(c)Please don’t put yourself out for us.(Go to a lot of trouble / be inconvenienced.)

(d)We put you up if you’d like to come for the week-end.

33.Get

(a)Some people manage to get up early.

(b)It’s time to get down to some serious work!

(c)Be quiet and get on with your homework.

(d)Charlie had the ’flu but he got rid of it.

34.Pick

(a)Children are quick to pick up a new language.

(b)Can you pick me out at the station?

(c)Will you help me pick out a handbag to go with my outfit?

(d)The other children were always picking on Charlie because of his red hair.

◊ Answer Key

TEST 1

TEST 2

TEST 3

Solutions

TEST 1

1.One does not account of the money spent…one gives account of or accounts for is also acceptable.

2.Children were acting up

3.added on is the correct usage

4.answer up is wrong usage

5.ask her over is correct, no need to add ’in’

6.Company only backed down

7.Scandal blows over

8.The meeting broke up

9.Madonna has just brought out a new record.

10.Call me up when you get there.

11.If things carry on the way they are, you’ll lose your job.

12.You should check your pockets before you leave home.

13.Wrong usage as when something clears off or you clear it off, it disappears or is removed.

14.When we get together, we make things happen

15.Cut it down

16.Colours fade and don’t die out

17.The death penalty has been done away with in many countries.

18.The fielder dropped the catch.

19.Eat up your vegetables!

20.She fell down and hurt her knees.

21.Help himself to.

22.Who doesn’t listen to a reason is wrong usage as it conveys an unclear message.

23.Paper over the disagreements is wrong usage.

24.Runs a profitable business

25.Bundle of boy-scouts is wrong usage.

26.Bolt of fine silk is wrong usage.

27.She and her dear friend

28.Hands full

29.Bear for her is wrong usage.

30.Run over himself is not fitting in this context.

31.Broke into a buckle is wrong usage.

32.Hang your coat and come and join us.

33.Hang on a minute;

34.Fill in the details

35.getting on with your studies

TEST 2

1.Option (d) is the answer as to break up means to end a relationship and to start laughing, in an informal way while it is used in the sentence where the speaker wants to tell that he has developed some kind of rash, skin sores or irritation, therefore it should be ’broke out in’ and not ’broke up in’.

2.Option (c) is the answer. It should be ’Do your coat up’ instead of ’Do your coat over’.

3.Option (c) is the answer. To get away means to go on a vacation, while the intended meaning in the sentence is that the speaker’s grandfather can have mobility by getting a new wheel chair. Hence, the correct phrase to be used is ’get around’.

4.Instead of going to the party we are just going to hang out at my place. Hence option (c) is the answer.

5.’Medicines should be kept away from children.’ And not ’kept out’. Hence option (b) is the answer.

6.The correct phrase that should be used in the sentence is: ’cut off’ as the phrase ’cut down’ means to make something fall to the ground. Option (c) is the answer.

7.The correct phrase should be ’he finally gave in’ where the phrase gave in means “to reluctantly stop fighting or arguing”. Option (a) is the answer.

8.The answer should be: option (b) where to hand out means to distribute to a group of people. But the speaker wants to tell that he has to submit his essay by Friday therefore the correct phrase should be ’to hand in’ instead of ’to hand out’.

9.Option (a) is the answer. The speaker wants the child to switch off the TV as he is been called for dinner where the phrase ’turn down’ means to decrease the volume. Hence it should be ’to turn the TV off’.

10.Option (d) is the answer. The correct sentence is: Jamie held back his tears at his grandfather’s funeral.

11.Option (b) is the answer. To mark up means to increase while the person has been told to define the boundaries there therefore the phrase should be — ’to mark out’.

12.Option (a) is the answer. The sentence tells that a good partner can help one to overcome from tough times. Hence the sentence (a) is wrong.

13.Option (b) is the answer. The speaker wants to tell someone that a person always puts other people in trouble. Therefore the correct sentence should be: Don’t listen to him- he always jacks people around.

14.Option (c) is the answer as the speaker wants to tell that she wants to wear a red dress on her wedding day. Therefore the correct phrase should be ’looking for’ instead of ’looking into’

15.Option (c) is the answer as ran off means to leave quickly while the person left to neglect his responsibilities. Therefore the correct phrase is: ’ran away from’.

TEST 3

1.Option(c) is the answer as the sentence is grammatically incorrect; the correct sentence is “The film follows on from the original.”The intended meaning of which is to be a part of something i.e. the film is a part of the original version.

2.Option(c) is the answer as it intends to state that the researcher spent too many months searching for the answer, so the correct phrase applied here should be “The researcher spent months scouting out the answer.”

3.Option(d) is the answer because Sent for means to call someone and it doesn’t fit here as the intended meaning of the sentence is that the company has sent a fact list to all of its existing customers, so the correct phrase to be used is ’sent out’ and not ’sent for’.

4.Option(a) is the answer as to hang out means to stay in a place for fun whereas the intended meaning of the sentence is to hang the jacket in front of the closet so the correct phrase to be used here is hang up which means to suspend something somewhere.

5.Option(b) is the answer as the intended meaning of the sentence here is to delay the preparation of the dinner till parents arrive and hold back means to restrain or not allow, which doesn’t fit in.

6.Option (b) is the answer. It is incorrect because the intended meaning of the sentence is that after fighting with cancer the person died at age of 87,and for this we use the phrase passed away .

7.Option (c) is the answer; the correct phrase to be used here is ’picking up’ which means ’to increase’.

8.Option (b) is the answer because the sentence is grammatically incorrect. The correct sentence is ’Ken ate the cookies up’ which means that Ken greedily ate all the cookies.

9.Option (a) is the answer .The phrase used is incorrect as ’zip around’ means to move about quickly, so the correct phrase to be used here is ’zip up’.

10.Option (b) is the answer, as to ’come up’ means to ’procure or conceive’ and the intended meaning of the sentence is that they seem to be very rude for which the phrase ’come across’ which means ’appear’ should be used.

11.Option (d) is the answer;the correct phrase to be used here is ’stop by’.

12.Option(c) is the answer. The correct phrase which should be used here is ’he’s banging about in the kitchen’.

13.Option (a) is the answer. Kick about means to discuss which does not fits in here. The correct phrase to be used here is Kick in.

14.Option(b) is the answer, the correct phrase is tag along; it means to Accompany someone, especially if they haven’t specifically invited you.

15.Option (d) is the answer; the phrase should be jump on, which if written here will mean to attack or to criticise.

16.Option (c) is the answer, The phrase ’tune out’ means to ignore or not pay any attention, but here the sentence conveys the idea that the person owing the car prepared his car for the race, so the correct phrase which should be used here is ’tune up’ which means to improve the performance of the vehicle.

17.Option (b) is the answer. The intended meaning of Sentence (b) seems to be that as the wind was blowing the speaker couldn’t light the campfire. The correct phrase which should be used here is ’blow out’ and not ’blow up’. As ’to blow out ’means to extinguish a fire or a flame.

18.Option (d) is the answer, to opt out means to choose not to be part of something, but the intended meaning of the sentence here is that the person wants to be notified for getting updates. For this the correct phrase which should be used here is opt in which means to choose to be part or a member of something.

19.Option (b) is the answer because the phrase ride off means to Go away which doesn’t fits here.

20.Option (d) is the answer, ’Rake off’ means to cheat someone, here the sentence explains that Tim keeps talking about the rows the speaker had last year, here the phrase should be ’raking over’ which means to talk, think, etc, about something negative in the past. “Tim keeps raking over the rows we had last year”.

21.The phrase ’mark up’ means to increase the price or number of something, Option (a) is the answer, the intended meaning of the sentence here is that his dedication shall lead him to reach great heights so here the phrase to be used should be ’mark out’ which means to show promise for the future. “His dedication marked him out for great things.”

22.Option (c) is the answer, as to ’roll by’ means to pass and it does not fit in here as it is very clear from the sentence that the army moved back when they were attacked. So, the correct phrase which should be used here is “The army rolled back when they came under attack”. Here ’roll back’ means retreat or to move back.

23.Option (b) is the answer as the intended meaning of the sentence is that because the discussion was spoiled and it didn’t work the contract was dropped off. So, the correct phrase which should be used here is ’messed up’ which means to spoil or ruin. “They messed up the discussions and the contract fell through”.

24.Option (b) is the answer. The intended meaning of the sentence is that Zain went in hurry to get his medical appointment. The correct phrase which should be used here is ’Rush off’ which means to depart in hurry.

25.Option (c) is the answer. The sentence here intends to explain that the people have taken the speech as a source of inspiration but the phrase used here is incorrect.

26.Option (c) is the answer. Here the intended meaning of the sentence is that we waved to her to say goodbye.

27.Option (d) is the answer. The intended meaning of the sentence seems to be that the person willingly wanted an opportunity to visit America.

28.Option (c) is the answer, the correct sentence should be “My computer’s acting up I think I might have a virus”. Here acting up refers to behave badly or strangely.

29.Option (b) is the answer.

30.Option (b) is the answer as to turn up means to raise the volume while it is used in the sentence where the intended meaning is to lower the volume as it is too loud.

31.The sentence is used in correct form with some grammatical errors. While others are correct in every respect. The correct form of option (c) should be: - Let’s ask the teacher our question.

32.To put off means to postpone or arrange a later date while speaker is asking the person to turn off or switch off the lights. Hence correct choice is option(a).

33.To get rid of means to eliminate.

34.To pick out means to choose or to select. The correct sentence is: Can you pick me up at the station?