CSE Grammar Reviewer: Phrasal Verbs

Here is another CSE Grammar reviewer you can practice answering so that you can improve on your, well… GRAMMAR, of course! Improving your grammar skills also has the benefit of you improving your reading comprehension. Moreover, this CSE Grammar test will also improve your chances of getting a high score in Logical Reasoning and Analogy. Questions about the proper use of pronouns, conjunctions, prepositions, and phrasal verbs (which this post is going to be about) are very frequent in every Civil Service Examination. This mock test is actually basic English but since most of us are not native English speakers, we tend to forget or mix them up with different phrases.

What are Phrasal Verbs?

Phrasal verbs are very common in English, especially in more informal contexts. They are made up of a verb and a particle or, sometimes, two particles. The particle often changes the meaning of the verb. Check out the examples below:

Here is the form. Can you please fill it in?
Why are you bringing that story up now?
The authorities are looking into connections between the two incidents.
We need to come up with a solution to this problem.

Basically, a phrasal verb is the combination of two or three words from different grammatical categories – a verb and a particle, such as an adverb or a preposition – to form a single semantic unit on a lexical or syntactic level.

Now that you know what to look out for when dealing with phrasal verbs, it’s time for you to answer this mock test. Since you aren’t under any time pressure, please don’t rush. Try to understand the sentences so you could decide what the best answer is. Good luck.

1. The passengers were relieved when the bomb threat _____ to be a hoax.

1. turned in                              c. turned out
2. turned over                          d. turn in                              e. turn out

2. Although Jessie lived with her friends for well over two years, she never really _____ her roommates.

1. took for                                c. took out
2. took to                                 d. took in                        e. took on

3. That old piano _____ too much space in the living room.

1. takes on                              c. takes that
2. takes up                              d. takes in                           e. takes out

4. Even though they were outnumbered, the militants refused to _____.

1. give away                                c. give on
2. give down                               d. give in                            e. give out

5. Due to the typhoon reaching signal number 4, the meeting was immediately _____.

1. called down                            c. called on
2. called up                                 d. called in                         e. called off

6. The students were delighted when the principal _____ fabulous prizes.

1. gave away                                 c. give on
2. give away                                 d. give in                               e. gave off

7. Nurses often have to ____ some difficult people. 

1. look out                                 c. look on
2. look before                           d. look after                             e. look in

8. With Jeremy’s amazing skills, he ____ the problem in a few minutes.

1. worked for                   c. work in
2. work to                         d. worked out                             e. work on

9. Marina visits her grandparents every week. They really _____ her.

1. depend on                            c. defend to
2. defend on                             d. depend to                                e. depend in

10. I had just gone to bed and was _____ for the night when I heard a noise.

1. settling off                            c. settling down
2. settling out                          d. haven’t                                e. settling in

11. The Lusitania, a British passenger ship,  _____ by a German torpedo, resulting in great loss of life.

1. was sink                             c. was sank
2. had sinked                        d. were sunked                                e. has sunk

12. Arlene’s long speech does not _____ the current issue on corruption.

1. bear in                              c. bear off
2. bear on                             d. bear out                             e. bear with

13. Scientific studies _____ that for various reasons, girls spend less time playing video games than boys.

1. reveals                          c. revealing
2. revealed                       d. revealed                             e. had reveal

14. Everyone in the movie industry _____ to watch the Golden Globe Awards Night telecast.

1. were excited                         c. were exciting
2. was exciting                         d. was excited                           e. we’re excited

15. The barangay tanods tried to _____ the fight between the two gossipy housewives on the street.

1. break in                                c. break up
2. break down                         d. break off                               e. break into

16. When making a movie, the creative director shall make the story ______ in order for the watchers to understand them easily.

1. hang together                                c. hang up
2. hung on                                          d. hang back                          e. hung out

17. Cardo was asked to _____ his pick-up truck due to a traffic violation.

1. pullover                                         c. pull up
2. pull together                                 d. pull in                                  e. pullout

18. The professor _____ the student from his class because of the latter’s insufferable attitude.

1. threw away                                    c. threw out
2. threw open                                    d. threw in                               e. threw off

19. The Brave Girls _____ of disbanding prior to their consolation performances video going viral.

1. had taught                                     c. have taught
2. had thought                                  d. have thought                        e. had think

20. We’re going to have to _____ our vacation until this pandemic disappear.

1. put on                                             c. put down
2. put off                                            d. put in                                    e. put out

 

Civil Service Exam Phrasal Verbs Keys

After you are done with the exercises above, you can view the answers by clicking any of the social media buttons below.