BBC | British Council

PHRASAL VERBS 2
For each of the six questions choose the one correct answer

1. The police are looking ________ several burglaries in the area.

a. for
b. up
c. into
d. after

2. I look ________my school-days with great happiness.

a. after
b. for
c. up to
d. back on

3. “Look at my old coat, it is completely ________.”

a. worn up
b. worn through
c. worn down
d. worn out

4. The verb “took off”has many meanings, which of the following sentences
is NOT correct?
a. He took off his coat.
b. 8 take off 3 = 5.
c. The plane took off on time.
d. She took a day off work.

5. “Put down” has different meanings, which of the following sentences is

NOT correct?
a. The book was so good I couldn’t put it down.
b. Why do you always put me down?
c. The dog was so ill, we had to have him put down.
d. If I visit can you put me down?

6. When the pilot had a heart attack, the co-pilot ________ the controls.
1. took over
2. took after
3. took down
4. took in.

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BBC | British Council

PHRASAL VERBS 2 answers

1.
a. Wrong. ‘Look for’ means to search e.g. I’m looking for a new job.
b. Wrong. ‘Look up means to search for information e.g. Look up a phone
number.
c. Correct. ‘Look into’ means to investigate.
d. Wrong. ‘Look after’ means to care for e.g. John looks after the children
and his wife works.

2.
a. Wrong. I ‘look after’ my younger brother when my parents are out.
b. Wrong. ‘Look for’ means to search.
c. Wrong. He really ‘looked up to’ his elder brother (respected).
d. Correct. I ‘look back on’ my school-days with great happiness.

3.
a. Wrong.
b. Wrong.
c. Wrong.
d. Correct. When something is too old to use anymore we say it is ‘worn
out’.

4.
a. Wrong. ‘To take off’ clothes is correct.
b. Correct. ‘8 take off 3 equals 5’ is not correct, we say ‘8 take away 3
equals 5’.
c. Wrong. ‘The plane took off on time’ is correct.
d. Wrong. ‘She took a day off work’ is correct.

5.
a. Wrong. I couldn’t put the book down is correct.
b. Wrong. To put someone down means to criticise him or her.
c. Wrong. To have a pet put down means to have them killed.
d. Correct. If you stay with someone, they put you up, not put you down.

6.
a. Correct. ‘Take over’ means take control.
b. Wrong. ‘Take after’ means to resemble e.g. ‘He takes after his father,
they both like sport’.
c. Wrong. ‘Take down’ means to write what someone else is saying. e.g. ‘A
secretary takes down a letter from the boss’.
d. Wrong. ‘Take in’ means to deceive. e.g. ‘I was taken in by his lies’.

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