Phrasal Verbs intro N&M

Looking back
Phrasal Verbs

By Andrés Panche

We were supposed to check all of our previous phrasal verbs. Let's put them to the test

Multiple Choice

Hold Back is synonymous to...

• liberate
• restrain
• unleash
• release

HOLD BACK

Both (Separable and Non-separable)

To hesitate, restrain or contain something or someone.
"Don't hold me back"
"Strong people know when to hold back"
"The harsh circumstances are holding those guys back"

Multiple Choice

Choose the option that is NOT a meaning of Get Back:

• Return to sender
• Take revenge

• Tell the answer later

• Lose interest

GET BACK

Both

A very particular phrasal verb that means multiple things, based on prepositions and complements:
a. "I'll get back to you on that" = "I don't know but I'll do some research"
b. "I'll soon get back home" = "I'll return home"
c. "I'll get back at her for stealing my CC" = "I'll take revenge"
d. "She left me, but I'll get her back" = "She'll return to me"

Multiple Select

Which of these things can you cut down on?

(Multiple correct answers)

• Calories

• Scissors

• Sleep hours

• People

CUT DOWN (ON)

Both

Do we always use ON when using this phrasal verb? Kinda.
a. I'm cutting down on caffeine
b. Doctor says we need to cut down on processed foods.
BUT
a. Deforestation means more trees are being cut down
b. We need to cut this presentation down to 10 slides

Multiple Select

Which of these things can you run out of?

(multiple correct answers)

• Gas

• Battery

• Time

• Money

RUN OUT (OF)

Both (kinda)

The beauty of phrasal verbs is that, just like English itself, there are always exceptions to the rule. Generally 'run out of' is NS, like this:
a. We're never gonna run out of love
b. We just ran out of donuts!
HOWEVER
a. Armando is running Ecomoda out of business
b. The crisis is running me out of options

Next time, it's on you

Your homework is to choose a couple of phrasal verbs from the collection and test our knowledge. You'll always find interesting details about them