Common phrasal verbs

Complete the sentence with one word.

The remainder of the budget will be put (a)   for future use.

Answer explanation

put something ↔ aside= to save money regularly, usually for a particular purpose OR to save something for later

She put at least £30 a week aside for food.

Complete the sentence with one word.

Sorry for being late. It's rush hour and I got held (a)   in traffic for 45 minutes.

Answer explanation

hold somebody/something ↔ up to delay someone or something

Sorry I’m late – I was held up at work.

Complete the sentence with one word.

I feel we're just talking (a)   the subject here, not actually discussing the situation at hand.

Answer explanation

talk around/round something to discuss a problem without really dealing with the important parts of it.

They had spent half of the day talking round the subject.

Complete the sentence with one word.

I didn't like that he talked (a)   the importance of sealing a global deal on climate change before the end of the year.

Answer explanation

Talk Something Down =to speak or think of something as having less importance or worth.

He talked down the work Jim actually did on the project.

Complete the sentence with one word.

I'm afraid I'm a bit overstretched at the moment and I cannot take (a)   more work.

Answer explanation

take something → on to agree to do some work or to be responsible for something

Gibson is taking on the post of vice president.

Complete the sentence with one word.

• Can you please look ................... Sarah’s phone number for me? I don’t have it.

• into

• out

• up

• after

Answer explanation

look something ↔ up if you look up information in a book, on a computer etc, you try to find it there.

I’ll just look up the train times.

Complete the sentence with one word.

The news is not great. The negotiations with the bank broke ........ and the deal fell through in the final stages.

• off

• on

• down

• out

Answer explanation

sth breaks down = to fail or stop working in a successful way.

I left London when my marriage broke down.

Choose the correct option to complete the sentence:

We can't rule ..................the possibility that the bank will reject our proposal.

• out

• away

• down

• along

Answer explanation

to rule sth out = is to exclude, or to eliminate it. or to decide that something is not possible or suitable.

< The mountainous terrain rules out most forms of agriculture.>

Choose the correct option to complete the sentence:

The bank is just trying to make sure we pay............ our loan before the REFIT expires.

• out

• off

• down

• over

Answer explanation

pay something ↔ off to give someone all the money you owe them/ to pay your debt in full.

I’ll pay off all my debts first.

Choose the correct option to complete the sentence:

• Could you please pick me ........... from the airport tomorrow at 5pm?

• off

• • up

• out

• on

Answer explanation

to PICK smn UP

• = to collect someone or something in your car