Phrasal verbs

Question 1

To become interested in an activity or a subject.

Answer 1

to get into sth.

I’ve recently got into photography, it has been very interesting.

Question 2

To meet the expectations of the other.

Answer 2

Live up to sth.

Question 3

To begin part of your career.

Answer 3

To start out sth.

I started out as an intern one year ago, and now I’ve been promoted.

Question 4

To admire and respect someone.

Answer 4

To look up to sb.

Question 5

To make a person notice sb./sth.

Answer 5

To point out sb./sth.

Question 6

To analyze information or divide it into smaller parts.

Answer 6

To break sth. down into sth.

It’s easier to handle the job if you break it down into several specific assignments.

Question 7

It’s the main reason for a situation or a problem.

Answer 7

It boils down to sth.

The problem boils down to one thing - lack of money.

Question 8

To exclude or eliminate sth. as a possibility

Answer 8

To rule out sth.

The police have not ruled him out as a suspect.

Question 9

When you want to help sb. understand sth.

Answer 9

To get sth. across

I’m trying to get my point across but Paul keeps butting in.

Question 10

To say sth. you’re not supposed to say.

Answer 10

To blurt sth. out

I’m sorry that I blurted it out.

Question 11

Trying to make sb. understand what you are trying to say.

Answer 11

To get sth. through to sb.

I’m trying to get the message through Paul, but he’s not listening.

Question 12

1. To discuss a problem or a plan.
2. To speak when sb. else is speaking; to intentionally interrupt them.

Answer 12

1. To talk sth. over
2. To talk over sb.
3. I know you’re upset, let’s talk it over tonight.
4. I don’t mean to talk over you, but…

Question 13

To convince or persuade sb. to agree

Answer 13

To talk sb. around

I didn’t want to go, but he succeeded in talk me around.

Question 14

To increase the level/amount of sth., significantly

Answer 14

To ramp up sth. (often effort)

Question 15

To originate from/to be caused by sth.

Answer 15

To stem from sth.

Question 16

To suppress/prevent sth. from happening

Answer 16

To clamp down on sth.

The headmaster of the school decidet to clamp down on the use of smartphones in class.

Question 17

To make redundant from work; must leave their work trough no fault of their own.

Answer 17

To lay off.

Due to the pandemic, the company had to lay off 50 employees.

Question 18

To resolve difficulties/problems

Answer 18

To iron out sth.

Boris and Angela don’t have a good relationship but they must iron out their differences in order to move forward.

Question 19

To give one’s opinion during a discussion or debate.

Answer 19

To weigh in (on)

I weighed in on the debate about who is better: Messi or Ronaldo.

Question 20

To tolerate/accept sth. unpleasant

Answer 20

YouTube is great. The only problem is that we have to put with all those annoying adverts.

Question 21

reduce sth.

Answer 21

narrow sth. down

There are so many options for further education these days that it’s useful to narrow them down to the most realistic.

Question 22

to take into account (mostly in calculations)

Answer 22

factor in

E-scooter are becoming very popular, but we have to factor in the weather.

Question 23

to indirectly refer to sb./sth.

Answer 23

allude to sth./sb.

The author of the first text alludes to the issue of education in poor areas.

Question 24

dismiss / exclude sth. from consideration

Answer 24

to rule out sth./sb.

Boris Johnson hasn’t ruled himself out of the leadership election.

Question 25

reduce in size or amount

Answer 25

to scale back sth.

To tackle climate change we need to scale back meat production.

Question 26

to make sth. happen

Answer 26

to bring about sth.

To bring about real social change, people need to come together.

Question 27

to make sb. feel happier / more positive

Answer 27

to buoy sb. up

He was pessimistic about his exam but his teacher’s encouraging words really buoyed him up.

Question 28

to stop or delay sth. bad from happening

Answer 28

to stave off

It’s now or never if the world is to stave off climate change.

Question 29

to pass the time doing sth. nice or easy

Answer 29

to while away

Since she retired, my mum whiles away her days reading and playing bridge.

Question 30

to earn money easily

Answer 30

to rake money in

The self-help industry rakes in billions through peddling hope and positive thinking.

(to peddle: to sell things in an unethical way.)

Question 31

to treat sth. (negative) with little importance

Answer 31

to shrug sth. off

The author shrugged off the bad reviews of his last novel.

Question 32

to realize / understand / discover sth.

Answer 32

to suss out

Pessimism helps us suss out dangers in our lives.

Before starting the speaking exam, Maria tried to suss out her partner’s English level.

Question 33

phrasal verbs with pivot

Answer 33

pivot towards / away from sth
to change direction
The company’s pivoting towards mobile and away from social media.

pivot around / on sth
to depend completely on sth. (arguments, theories etc.)
1. The entire plot pivots around this meating
2. The most scandalous news stories pivot on money, not sex.

Question 34

a result that depends on sth. completely

Answer 34

hinge on

His success hinges on how well he does at the interview.