PHRASAL VERBS – verbs followed by a preposition or adverb

- Can add variety and color to writing

Find the words and their equivalent phrasal words at the end of each story that are more
appropriate to be used.

Story 1

Talks aimed at averting industrial action by municipal workers have collapsed. During the latest
round of negotiations the employers submitted a number of fresh proposals on pay and working
conditions. However, the workers’ union rejected them on the grounds that they failed to meet
even their most basic demands. The union is accusing management of succumbing to
government pressure. With neither side showing any signs of being willing to retreat from the
position they have adopted, there appears to be little prospect of them reaching an agreement.
As matter stand, a series of one-day strikes scheduled for next week will take place as planned.
Although the union has not categorically dismissed the possibility of further talks, it is
maintaining its threat to take further strike action should its claim not be met. Last year, a
similar dispute led to thousands of workers taking strike action. The government will be hoping
that even at this last stage the union will cancel the strikes planned for next week.

Collapsed – broken down

Submitted – put forward
Rejected – turn down
Succumbing – to give in to pressure
Retreat from the position they have adopted – to back down
Reaching – come to an agreement
Take place as planned – to go ahead
Dismissed the possibility of – to rule out
Maintaining – to standby
Taking strike action – to walk out
Cancel – to call off
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Story 2

The government is to introduce new legislation in an effort to. Research suggests that drunken
behavior is the reason behind most of the crimes committed by young people under the age of
18. The new laws will make provision for tougher penalties on shopkeepers who sell alcohol to
this group. Police have welcomed the move, drawing attention to the fact that they will know
be given great powers of arrest. But opposition parties are demanding tougher action.

Introduce – to begin with

Is the behind – to account for
Make provision for – to allow for
Drawing attention to the fact – pointing out
Demanding – to call for
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Story 3

Diplomats meeting in Cairo have prepared plans and aimed at creating peace in the Middle East.
In the past, efforts to bring the opposing factions together have repeatedly encountered
problems, with the Palestinian side calling for an end to the building of settlements before giving
written consent to any agreement on the future of the region. The Israeli government insists that
it is the responsibility of the Palestinians to start the peace process and that it is impossible to
plan in detail any kind of peace settlement whole they continue to fire rockets into Israel.

Prepared – drawn up
Creating – bringing about
Encountered – run into
Giving written consent – signing up
Is the responsibility of – up to
To plan in detail – to map out
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Story 4

Research undertaken by scientists in America suggests that people who eat vegetables are less
likely to develop a serious illness n later life. Their study examined the eating habits of 100 over
60s and found that those whose diet regularly included five portions of vegetables a day were
healthier than those who did not. The findings support earlier studies by doctors in Finland. The
researcher are still investigating the reasons for this and are optimistic that further research
will enable them to discover more about the relationship between vegetables and maintaining a
healthy life style.

Undertaken – carried out

Examined – looked at
Support – back up
Investigating the reasons for – looking into why
Discover – find out
Maintaining – keeping up
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Story 5

Many households are incurring debts that they are finding increasingly difficult to free
themselves from. When the economic climate was less harsh, many families spent freely on
luxury items. Now they find they have to reduce spending on essentials. At the same time, more
and more workers are actively seeking a wage increase while the government is clearly
determined to pursue a policy aimed at reducing wages. Opposition parties have roundly
criticized government threats to increase taxes of wages are not kept under control. Recent
surveys suggest there are few signs that the economy will improve in the near future.

Incurring – running up
To free themselves from – pay off
Spent freely – splashed out
Reduce spending – cut back
Actively seeking – pushing for
Determined to pursue – bent on pursuing
Reducing – pushing down
Roundly criticized – hit out
Increase – put up
Improve – pick up
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Story 6

Police have forcibly ended demonstrations held on protest at government spending cuts.
Hundreds of people marched on government buildings but encountered superior numbers of
officers. A spokesman for the protesters admitted that plans to occupy the buildings had
backfired but insisted they were not abandoning hope of making their grievances known. They
had a number of options they could have recourse to and had formed a new chain of command
to ensure that the fight continued.

Forcibly ended – broken up

Encountered – were up against
Backfired – gone wrong
Abandoning – giving up
Have recourse to – fall back on
Formed – set up
Continued – go on
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Story 7

Unions representing car workers say they are prepared to confront employers over plans to put
overtime. A meeting scheduled for early next week has been postponed indefinitely while the
two sides continue to seek ways of resolving the dispute. The unions are demanding that a clause
in their contract requiring them to cut their hours be excluded.

Confront – take on / do battle with

Postponed – put off
Seek – look for
Excluded – left out

EXERCISE
Rewrite each story replacing the words in bold with the phrasal verbs. Take note of the tenses of
the verb and make sure these are appropriate in the sentence. Keep your work. We will discuss
your answers next month.