A phrasal verb consists of a verb and a preposition or adverb that modifies or changes the meaning; for example, ‘give up’ is a phrasal verb that means ‘stop doing’ something, which is very different from ‘give’. The word or words that modify a verb in this manner can also go under the name particle.

Phrasal Verbs Exercises

Here we have prepared phrasal verbs exercises with answers for ESL students. Attempt the following exercises then compare your answers with the correct answers given below. Rectify your mistakes according to the correct responses.

Exercise 1:

Use the phrasal verbs below in the blanks correctly.

Passed away, do without, look forward to, called off, made up, carried away, break out, run out, put up with, and keep up.

1. Don’t smoke in the forest. Fires……………………………………….. easily at this time of the year.
2. I…………………………………………… seeing my friends again.
3. I’m afraid; we have……………………………………………… of apple juice.
4. Your website has helped me a lot to……………………………………. phrasal verbs exercises.
5. A friend of mine has……………………………………… her wedding.
6. His mother can’t…………………………………… his terrible behavior anymore.
7. As an excuse for being late, she…………………………………………………. a whole story.
8. I got……………………………………………. by his enthusiasm.
9. I just can not………………………………………. my mobile. I always keep it with me.
10. she was very sad because of her father……………………………………………… last week.

Exercise 2:

Complete the phrasal verbs according to their meanings in brackets.

1. ………………………………………. your shoes.(Remove)
2. Somebody has to……………………………………. the baby. (Take care of)
3. She wants to……………………………… the truth? (Discover)
4. Where can I………………………….. the sweater? (See if it fits)
5. ……………………………………………………. . (be quick)
6. Why don’t you…………………………………? (Take a seat)
7. I will…………………………………………….the train now. (Enter)
8. ………………………………………… the word in a dictionary. (Consult a dictionary)
9. I want to……….………………………….. the form. (Complete)
10. The firemen………………………………..the fire. (Extinguish)

Exercise 3:

A. Complete with one of these phrasal verbs: look after, fill in, take off, stay out, and speak up.

1. Could you ………………………….. this application form, please?
2. Could you ……………………………….. my car for a moment, please?
3. If you don´t ………………………………., we can´t hear you.
4. I´m tired because I ………………………………..……. too late last night.
5. The plane …………………………..…. late because of the bad weather.

B. Complete with one of these phrasal verbs: go off, put off, see off, take off, turn off.

1. Let´s go to the airport to …………………………. them ………………
2. The plane doesn´t ……………………………. till 5 o´clock.
3. He was sleeping soundly when the alarm clock ………………………….
4. The meeting has been ……………………………..…. till next month.
5. Don´t forget to …………………………….……. all the lights when you leave.

C. Complete with: carry on, get on, hold on, put on, and try on.

1. Hi! Is Mr. Knight in? ……………………………………….……., I´ll call him.
2. Excuse me, could I ………………………………….…. this dress, please?
3. How are you ………………………………. at college?
4. Are you still …………………………..…. with your tennis lessons?
5. It was a bit chilly, so she ………………………………………. her jacket.

D. Complete with: give up, hang up, look up, wake up, wash up.

1. The kind of housework I hate most is ………………………….
2. If he rings back, just ………………………..…….
3. I didn´t know that word, so I ……………………….……. it in a dictionary.
4. Don´t …………………………….. You can do it if you try hard.
5. When I ……………………….……. in the middle of the night, I had some temperature.

E. Match the phrasal verbs with their corresponding synonyms.

1. Put off               a. cancels
2. Call off              b. Switch off
3. Look up            c. Postpone
4. Go off               d. Continue
5. Carry one.         e. Explode
6. Turn off             f. Check

Answers:

Exercise 1.	Exercise 2.
1. break out	1. take off
2. look forward to	2. look after
3. run out of	3. find out
4. keep up	4. try on
5. called off	5. hurry up
6. put up	6. get on
7. made up	7.  get in
8. carried away	8. check out
9. do without	9. fill up
10. passed away	10. put out

 

Exercise 3.	Exercise 3.	Exercise 3.
A	C	E
1. fill in	1. hold on	1. C
2. look after	2. try on	2.  A
3. speak up	3. carry on	3. F
4. stayed out	4. get on	4. E
5. take off	5. put on	5. D
B	D	6. B
1 see of & take off	1. wash up
2. take off	2. hang up
3. go off	3. look up
4. put off	4. give up
5. turn off	5. woke up