Complete this exercise by choosing one of the phrasal verbs given in the box below.

Each phrasal
verb is used one time. Sometimes, you must use a pronoun between the main verb and the particle.
If this is the case, the required pronoun can be found in brackets after the space. Put the phrasal
verbs in the correct tenses.
break off butter up break into back up
ask after ask over break down act up
blow up build on buy off break up
1. I'm tired and stressed and the kids ____have been acting up_____________ all day. They don't
seem to know how to behave properly.
2. I met Harold in the supermarket. He ____asked after_____________ you and I said you were fine
and really happy about this new job you've got.
3. I __________will ask your boss over_______ (your boss) for dinner tonight if he isn't busy. It will
make a good impression, don't you think?
4. If your boss accuses you of missing yesterday's meeting on purpose, I _____will back you
up____________ (you) by saying you had to do something for me.
5. I can hardly read this document. Go and _______blow it up__________ (it) so it is at least twice
the size.
6. These statistics are too confusing. We need to _______break them down__________ (them) into
the four different seasons of the year for a clearer picture.
7. If someone phones me while I am in the meeting, I will have to _______break off__________ for a
few minutes as I am expecting a really important call.
8. After the First World War, the Austro-Hungarian empire __broke up_____________ into several
pieces.
9. Sales are up 10% on this period last year. We need to ___build on_______ that if we are to save
this company.
10. When I told her about her mother's illness being incurable, she _______broke into__________
tears.

C Complete the sentences, using one of these phrasal verbs (in the correct form). cross out /
turn up / come across / make up/ wear out /show round / carry out / put out / catch up / turn
down / cut down / blow up
1. Would you like to see the factory? Would you like me __to show___ you __round___ ?
2. The children ___made up__ a little poem and wrote it in the card.
3. Sue was offered a job as a translator but she __turned___ it ___down__ .
4. His shoes are quite ___worn out___ . He’ll have to get a new pair.
5. He’s missed so much school that he’s going to find it very hard __to catch up___.
6. It took firefighters three hours _to put out__the blaze.
7. Rachel knew that Rose would be worried if she didn’t __turn up___ .
8. Terrorists had threatened __to blow up____ the embassy.
9. Can you imagine who I _came across_____ while I was in Paris?
10. An investigation ___is carried out___ by the local police.
11. The doctor advised him ___to cut down___ his working hours.
12 If you make a mistake on the form, just _cross___ it _out___ .
b)kept in touch
c)grew up
d)went out together
e)fell out
f)got on well with
g)ran away from
h)let hom down
i)moved in with
j)got to know