EXERCISE 6a — Complete the sentences with phrasal verbs from this section. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense.
1. I'm not surprised that Ali stayed home from work today. Yesterday he thought he might be
________ ________ ________ a cold.
2. Last year, the company ________ ________ ________ its plan to move from downtown to the suburbs.
3. I've thought and thought, but I can't ________ ________ ________ any reason why your idea won't work.
4. Fixing the leak in the roof is going to be a big job, but I have to ________ ________
________ it before the next rain.
5. Heather didn't want to tell me why she was mad, but I finally ________ the reason
________ ________ her.
6. I don't ________ much satisfaction ________ ________ teaching students who don't want to be in the class.
7. The explanation for our failure to solve this problem isn't complicated. It really ________
_______ ________ a lack of funding.
8. I think you should take your VCR to a repair shop. If you ________ ________
_______ it, you'll just make it worse.
9. I'm supposed to report for jury duty on Monday, but I don't want to. I've got to think of a way to _______ ________ ________ it.
10. You lied to me! You promised me you would quit smoking, and now you've ________
_______ ________ your word.
EXERCISE 6b — Write answers to the questions using phrasal verbs from this section. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense.
1. Tom was very nervous about getting married, but he did it. What did Tom do?
2. We were in Paris for five days, but we never found time to go to the Eiffel Tower. What didn't we do?
3. My father said I had to cut the grass, but I told him I would do it tomorrow. What did I do?
4. Janice really likes teaching because it gives her a lot of satisfaction. Why does Janice like teaching?
5. Ms. Cummings thought of a way to manufacture her company's products more cheaply. What did Ms. Cummings do?
6. There are many reasons why one house sells for a higher price than other houses, but the main reason is the house's location. Why does one house sell for more than another?
7. You feel a little sick now, and you think you'll have a cold tomorrow. What's happening to you today?
8. I don't really know what to do, but I'll try to fix the air conditioner anyway. What will I do to the air conditioner?
9. My wife didn't talk to me all day, but she said nothing was wrong. I asked her again and again what the problem was and she finally told me. What did I do?
10. Raquel promised Alex she would go to the dance with him, but she went with Carlos instead. What did Raquel do?
EXERCISE 6c, Review — Complete the sentences with these phrasal verbs from previous sections. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense. To check their meanings, review the section number given after each one.
burn down, 5 cheat on,4 find out, 5
go after, 4 hand back, 5 look at, 5
look up, 4 pile up, 5 plan for, 4
point to, 4 put to, 4 wrap up, 4
1. We've been at this meeting all afternoon. Don't you think we should ________ it ________ and go home?
2. If we send out 75 invitations to the wedding, and everyone we invited brings his or her spouse, we should ________ ________ 150 guests.
3. Lydia ________ her best friend from college ________ when she was in Las Vegas.
4. The students who ________ ________ the test by writing the answers on their hands were expelled from school.
5. This camera isn't working right. I'm going to take it to Jim at the photo shop and ask him to ________________it.
6. Bill won't be happy if he ________ ________ that you scratched his car.
7. My son's thinking about ________ ________ his master's degree.
8. Evidence gathered after the air plane crash ________ ________ engine failure as the cause.
9. I really ________ it ________ her, and she admitted that I was right.
10. We'd better do the laundry soon; it's starting to ________ ________.
11. The police officer ________ my driver's license ________ to me along with a ticket.
12. The detective thinks the owner ________ ________ his restaurant for the insurance money.
EXERCISE 6d — Review the explanation at the beginning of Section 5 of how two-word phrasal verbs are pronounced. Then, say each sentence in Exercise 6c aloud and circle the verb or particle that is accented.
7. FOCUS ON: separable phrasal verbs with long objects
We have seen that the object of separable verbs can be placed between the verb and the particle or after the particle:
When the object is short — one word or just a few words in length — the meaning is clear either way. However, when the object is several words long, it can be awkward and confusing to place the object between the particles:
1. cut... up p.v. When you use a knife or pair of scissors to cut something so that there are many small pieces, youcut itup.
The boy's mother iscutting a piece of meatup for him. I was so angry at her that Icut her pictureup and flushed it down the toilet.
cut up part.adj. After something has beencut up, it iscut up.
This steak is for Aunt Kathy, but give thecut-up one to Uncle Fred — he doesn't have any teeth.
Infinitive
present tense
-ing form
past tense
past participle
hold up
hold up & holds up
holding up
held up
held up
1. hold... up p.v. When a wall, column, or other structure supports the weight of something above it, such as a ceiling, itholds itup.
The workers were killed when they removed a columnholding the roof up. The house washeld up by jacks the foundation was repaired.
2. hold... up p.v. When you prevent[S29] something from happening or cause it to happen late, youhold itup. When things or people delay you, theyhold youup.
The band hasn't arrived yet, and they'reholding up the whole wedding. I'm sorry I'm late. I washeld up by traffic.
holdup n. Something that prevents something else from happening or causes it to happen late is aholdup.
Why haven't you finished this work yet? What's theholdup?
3. hold... up p.v. When you use a gun or other weapon to rob a person, bank, or store, youhold itup. Stick up is the same ashold up.
The jewelry store owner washeld up by three men wearing ski masks. Some idiot tried tohold the bankup with a squirt[S30] gun.
holdup n. When someone uses a gun or other weapon to rob a person, bank, or store, it is aholdup.Astickup is the same as aholdup.
The robber fired his gun in the air and yelled, "This is aholdup." There was aholdup at First National Bank this morning.
4. hold up p.v. When an object remains in good condition after heavy use, it holds up.
These cheap shoes won'thold up more than six weeks.
Some Roman aqueducts haveheld up for 2,000 years.
5. hold up p.v. When a plan, idea, or agreement is still believed in or respected after a period of time, it hasheld up.
Einstein's theories haveheld up despite occasional challenges. The ceasefire[S31] isholding up longer than anyone expected.
let out
let out & lets out
letting out
let out
let out
1. let ...out p.v. When you allow animals or people to leave a place by giving permission or opening a door, youlet themout.
The guardlets the prisonersout of their cells every day at 1:00. I opened the door andlet the dogout.
2. let... out p.v. When you make an item of clothing bigger by changing the seams[S32] , youlet itout.
After I gained twenty pounds, I had to have all my pantslet out. The tailorlet her old dressout so that she could wear it again.
3. let... out p.v. When you reveal[S33] secret or sensitive information, youlet itout.
This information is secret. Don'tlet itout. I was furious when my secretarylet out that I had interviewed for a new position.
4. let out p.v. When you make a sound that shows your emotion or feelings, youlet out that sound.
Heather knew Jim was lying again, andlet out a sigh. The lionlet out a loud roar before he attacked the hunter.
Infinitive
present tense
-ing form
past tense
past participle
point out
point out & points out
pointing out
pointed out
pointed out
1. point... out p.v. When you bring things or people to someone's attention or indicate the location of things or people with your hand or index finger, youpointthemout.
As we walked through the museum, the tour guidepointed several famous paintingsout. General Johnston showed the satellite photo to the reporterandpointed out the enemy tanks.
2. point ...out p.v. When you are writing or speaking and you stress or emphasize some important information you think the reader or listener needs to know, you point out the information.
Ipointed several flaws[S34] outin Prof. Childress's theory.
He said that he thought my plan was basically good but that he wanted topoint outseveral possible problems.
run over
run over & runs over
running over
ran over
run over
1. run over (to) p.v. When you run from where you are to where someone else is, yourun over orrun over to that person.
I saw a man hitting a child, and Iran over and stopped him.
When I saw Melanie, Iran over to her and gave her a big hug.
2. run... over p.v. When you drive over people or things with a car, truck, or other vehicle causing damage, injury, or death, yourun themover.
John wasrun over by a bus and killed.
Iran over a glass bottle and got a flat tire.
3. run over p.v. When liquid in a container fills the container and goes over the top, itruns over.
Keep on eye on the bathtub so that it doesn'trun over.
There's too much water in this pot. It's going torun over the side.
4. run over p.v. When you go beyond a limit, yourun over orrun over the limit.
I hope the 11:00 meeting doesn'trun over; I'm meeting a client for lunch at 12:00.
The speaker was given fifteen minutes for her speech, but sheran over.
Infinitive
present tense
-ing form
past tense
past participle
see about
see about & sees about
seeing about
saw about
seen about
1. see ... about p.v. When you talk to someone to get permission for something or to arrange something, yousee about it or see someoneabout it.
Is Luis going tosee about changing his flight from the fifth to the sixth?
The carpet in my office is filthy[S35] . I need tosee the maintenance guyabout getting it shampooed.
2. see about p.v. When you are upset about a change or a new policy, and you want to say that you will take some action or talk to someone in authority to prevent or reverse the change or new policy, you say "I'llsee about that" or "We'llsee aboutthat."
Now they're saying I can't even smoke in my own office. I'llsee about that! Those crooks in City Hall want to double my real estate taxes. We'll just see about that.
take apart
take apart & takes apart
taking apart
took apart
taken apart
1. take ... apart p.v. When you completely separate the parts of something, you take itapart. Take apart is the opposite ofput together.
I had totake my bikeapart when I moved. The mechanictook the engineapart.
take in
take in & takes in
taking in
took in
taken in
1. take ... in p.v. When you bring a car or other household appliance to a mechanic or repair person, youtake itin.
Sallytook her carin to have the oil changed. The VCR is broken again. I need totake itin.
2. take ... in p.v. When youtake in a play, movie, museum, or other attraction, you go to it or see it.
We stopped in Charleston andtook in the sights. After dinner wetook in a movie.
3. take... in p.v. When you allow people to live with you, you take them in.
Judy's brother had nowhere to go, so shetook himin. The Ortegas offered totake their neighborsin after the fire.
4. take... in p.v. [usually passive] When you aretaken in by someone, that person successfully tricks or deceives you.
Stalin wastaken in by Hitler's assurances. They were completelytaken in by Jake's elaborate[S36] hoax[S37] .
5. take ... in p.v. When you make an item of clothing smaller by changing the seams, youtake itin.Ò.å. ïðîòèâîïîëîæíî Let out.
She likes some of her maternity[S38] clothes so much that she's going totake themin after the baby is born.
If I lose any more weight, I'll have to have all my pantstaken in.