Advanced phrasal verbs 7

Today, let's talk about some more advanced phrasal verbs.

• pitch in (to join people doing a job): We'll finish the job quickly if we all pitch in.

• faff around (to waste time doing things that aren't important): Stop faffing around and let's go!

• stumble across (to find by chance = come across): We stumbled across these documents in the

attic.

• dump something on someone (give someone an unpleasant job): Don't dump all the admin on

me!

• tiptoe around (be very careful about how you talk to someone because they are easily upset):

She spent Christmas tiptoeing around her mother-in-law.

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Let's review!

Put in the correct phrasal verb. If you need a tense, it's the past simple.

1. I really need some help with the food. Could you all _____?

2. Don't _____ (all the work) Anna.

3. She _____ some old photographs in her grandmother's house.

4. It's hard when we see Julie. She's so sensitive that we have to _____ her.

5. Do stop _____! We have important things we need to do!

6. We all _____ and the kitchen was clean in a few minutes.

7. She _____ her boss when he was in a bad mood.

8. We _____ a fabulous cafe when we were out for a walk.

9. I hated that job because they always _____ (the worst jobs) me.

10. He _____ so much that we were late for dinner.

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Answers

1. I really need some help with the food. Could you all pitch in?

2. Don't dump all the work on Anna.

3. She stumbled across some old photographs in her grandmother's house.

4. It's hard when we see Julie. She's so sensitive that we have to tiptoe around her.

5. Do stop faffing around! We have important things we need to do!

6. We all pitched in and the kitchen was clean in a few minutes.

7. She tiptoed around her boss when he was in a bad mood.

8. We stumbled across a fabulous cafe when we were out for a walk.

9. I hated that job because they always dumped the worst jobs on me.

10. He faffed around so much that we were late for dinner.

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May be freely copied for personal or classroom use.