Can you use common phrasal verbs correctly? Take a moment to do this exercise.
Fill in the blanks with an appropriate preposition or adverb particle.
1James worked very hard, but he could not win the prize, so please don't bring it ............... .
Wrong!
The correct answer is "up" because "bring something up" means to mention it.
2His liver cancer was brought ............... by years of drinking.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "on" because "bring something on" means to cause an illness or problem.
3I will call ............... you this evening if I am free.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "on" because "call on someone" can mean to visit them.
4Although she was in last place, her parents cheered her ............... throughout the race.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "on" because "cheer someone on" means to encourage them during an activity.
5I wanted to tell him that I was getting married, but the chance never came ............... .
Wrong!
The correct answer is "up" because "come up" means to happen or become available unexpectedly.
6I was going to take my kids to the movies, but something came ............... and I had to cancel.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "up" because "something came up" means something happened unexpectedly.
7While I was cleaning the attic, I came ............... this diary of my grandmother's.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "across" because "come across something" means to find it by chance.
8At last her mother gave ............... and allowed her to sleep over at her friend's house.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "in" because "give in" means to stop resisting or arguing.
9After two weeks of trying to build my own website, I gave ............... and hired a professional web designer.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "up" because "give up" means to stop trying.
10After leaving university, I tried to stay close to my classmates, but slowly, we grew ............... .
Wrong!
The correct answer is "apart" because "grow apart" means to become less close over time.
11When we were young, we used to hang ............... in the cafe after work.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "out" because "hang out" means to spend time somewhere casually.
12He hung ............... on me before I could finish a sentence. I will never call him again.
Wrong!
The correct answer is "up" because "hang up on someone" means to end a phone call suddenly.
Done.
Score: 0/12
Answers
- James worked very hard, but he could not win the prize, so please don’t bring it up .
- His liver cancer was brought on by years of drinking.
- I will call on you this evening if I am free.
- Although she was in last place, her parents cheered her on throughout the race.
- I wanted to tell him that I was getting married, but the chance never came up .
- I was going to take my kids to the movies, but something came up and I had to cancel.
- While I was cleaning the attic, I came across this diary of my grandmother’s.
- At last her mother gave in and allowed her to sleep over at her friend’s house.
- After two weeks of trying to build my own website, I gave up and hired a professional web designer.
- After leaving university, I tried to stay close to my classmates, but slowly, we grew apart .
- When we were young, we used to hang out in the cafe after work.
- He hung up on me before I could finish a sentence. I will never call him again.
