Fill in the blanks with an appropriate phrasal verb.
1. He always talks ......................................... his achievements.
To talk down is to tell people that something is not important or interesting.
2. He always talks ........................................... his competitors.
Talk down can mean disparage or belittle.
3. The boy seemed quite nervous but his mother talked him ............................................ by telling jokes.
To talk somebody down is to calm them.
4. We were given two hours to talk the offer ...................................... with our partners.
To talk something over is to review it.
5. She was against my idea but eventually I managed to talk her ....................................... to my view.
To talk someone round is to persuade them to change their mind so that they agree with you.
6. The husband and wife were told to talk ........................................... their differences.
To talk out is to discuss.
7. The woman threatened to commit suicide by jumping off the building but the police managed to talk her .......................................... it.
To talk somebody out of something is to dissuade them from doing it.
8. He wasn't keen on buying that overpriced jacket but the salesman talked him .............................................. buying it.
To talk somebody into doing something is to persuade them to do it.
9. The charming guy could easily talk his way .......................................... of trouble.
10. I talked ............................................. my concerns with my attorney.
To talk over is to discuss.
11. I don't know what they are talking .........................................
12. The teacher was angry because the student talked ........................................... to her.
To talk back is to reply defiantly.
Answers
- He always talks down his achievements.
- He always talks down his competitors.
- The boy seemed quite nervous but his mother talked him down by telling jokes.
- We were given two hours to talk the offer over with our partners.
- She was against my idea but eventually I managed to talk her round to my view.
- The husband and wife were told to talk out their differences.
- The woman threatened to commit suicide by jumping off the building but the police managed to talk her out of it.
- He wasn’t keen on buying that overpriced jacket but the salesman talked him into buying it.
- The charming guy could easily talk his way out of trouble.
- I talked over my concerns with my attorney.
- I don’t know what they are talking about.
- The teacher was angry because the student talked back to her.
