Phrasal Verbs – English Grammar Exercises for B1
You are reading an email from a family member who is sharing updates about quitting bad habits and starting a healthier lifestyle. Choose the correct option (A, B, C, or D) to complete the sentences naturally.
1 Last month, I finally decided to _____ my terrible habit of eating junk food every single day.
(A) quit out
(B) give up it
(C) give up
(D) give away
2 Because I suddenly had so much more energy, I decided to _____ a new sport.
(A) start up
(B) take up
(C) take up with
(D) take on
3 I also joined the local community center so I could _____ at least three times a week.
(A) work off
(B) work out it
(C) exercise out
(D) work out
4 Furthermore, the doctor advised me to _____ the amount of sugar I put in my morning coffee.
(A) reduce down
(B) cut down on
(C) cut off
(D) cut down
5 Honestly, I had _____ quite a lot of weight over the winter, and I knew I needed a change.
(A) put up
(B) gained on
(C) put on
(D) put on it
6 To stay motivated, I _____ a beginner’s tennis class on Tuesday evenings.
(A) signed up
(B) signed up for
(C) signed in
(D) wrote up for
7 Before every tennis practice, I always make sure to spend ten minutes stretching to _____ properly.
(A) make warm
(B) heat up
(C) warm up myself
(D) warm up
8 One day, I saw some other beginners playing a friendly match and asked if I could _____.
(A) join in them
(B) join in
(C) take part of
(D) involve in
9 I haven’t just reduced my sugar intake; I have completely _____ soda from my diet.
(A) cut away
(B) cut it out
(C) cut out
(D) cut off
10 I wasn’t sure if I would like tennis at first, but I’ve really _____ lately.
(A) got into it
(B) became into it
(C) got in it
(D) got into
11 It is very hard to wake up early on weekends, but I am determined to _____ my new routine.
(A) keep on
(B) stick with to
(C) hold to
(D) stick to
12 Slowly but surely, I have managed to _____ my stamina and leg strength.
(A) build up
(B) build up it
(C) grow up
(D) make up
13 Playing on the court for two hours straight really _____, but it feels like a great accomplishment.
(A) exhausts out
(B) tires out me
(C) makes me tired out
(D) tires me out
14 It is definitely the perfect way to _____ all the extra calories from my weekend dinners.
(A) burn down
(B) burn off
(C) fire off
(D) burn out
15 My new coach runs incredibly fast, so it is still quite difficult for me to _____ him.
(A) hold up with
(B) catch up
(C) keep up with
(D) keep on with
16 After a heavy training session, I always walk slowly for five minutes to _____.
(A) freeze down
(B) cool off down
(C) chill out
(D) cool down
17 It was tough at first to _____ my daily chocolate bar, but I honestly feel much healthier now.
(A) go without
(B) do without of
(C) leave without
(D) pass without
18 I sprained my ankle a bit last week, so I unfortunately had to _____ the upcoming amateur tournament.
(A) quit out of
(B) drop out
(C) drop out of
(D) fall out of
19 Even if I couldn’t play in the tournament, I told my friends I would still go to the court to _____.
(A) cheer them on
(B) support on them
(C) cheer on them
(D) shout them out
20 I cannot wait to visit home next month for the holidays and _____ my new fitness level to you all!
(A) show up
(B) show it off
(C) show off
(D) boast off
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (C) give up
Why it is correct: “Give up” means to stop doing a habit.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) quit out (Common Mistake: overusing the particle “out” with the verb “quit”). – (B) give up it (Structural Error: “it” is redundant because the object “my terrible habit” is already in the sentence). – (D) give away (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap: means to donate or reveal a secret).
2 (B) take up
Why it is correct: “Take up” means to start a new hobby or sport.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) start up (Common Mistake: used for businesses or machines, not sports/hobbies). – (C) take up with (Structural Error: adding an unnecessary preposition). – (D) take on (Strong Distractor: means to accept a difficult challenge or responsibility, not a casual hobby).
3 (D) work out
Why it is correct: “Work out” is the natural phrasal verb for exercising at a gym.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) work off (Strong Distractor: means to exercise to lose specific weight/calories, but it requires an object, e.g., “work off dinner”). – (B) work out it (Structural Error: intransitive here, so it cannot take an object). – (C) exercise out (Common Mistake: literal translation/over-application of “out”).
4 (B) cut down on
Why it is correct: A three-part phrasal verb meaning to reduce the consumption of something.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) reduce down (Common Mistake: redundancy/tautology). – (C) cut off (Strong Distractor: means to completely stop or sever, but the context specifically says “amount”, implying reduction, not complete elimination yet). – (D) cut down (Structural Error: missing the preposition “on” to connect the verb to the object “the amount”).
5 (C) put on
Why it is correct: “Put on” is the standard phrasal verb collocation with “weight”.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) put up (Strong Distractor: means to tolerate or to build something). – (B) gained on (Common Mistake: mixing “gain weight” with “put on weight”). – (D) put on it (Structural Error: redundant object).
6 (B) signed up for
Why it is correct: “Sign up for” means to register or enroll in a class or event.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) signed up (Structural Error: missing “for” to connect to the object “a class”). – (C) signed in (Strong Distractor: means to log into a system or record your arrival at a reception desk). – (D) wrote up for (Common Mistake: literal translation of registering your name).
7 (D) warm up
Why it is correct: “Warm up” means to prepare your body for exercise by doing light movements.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) make warm (Common Mistake: unnatural literal phrasing). – (B) heat up (Strong Distractor: used for food or weather, not human muscles). – (C) warm up myself (Structural Error: “warm up” is intransitive in this context, using a reflexive pronoun is grammatically incorrect).
8 (B) join in
Why it is correct: “Join in” means to become involved in an activity with other people.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) join in them (Structural Error: “join in” does not take a direct object pronoun like “them” without “with”). – (C) take part of (Common Mistake: mixing “take part in” and “be a part of”). – (D) involve in (Strong Distractor: the active voice is wrong here; you would say “get involved in”).
9 (C) cut out
Why it is correct: “Cut out” means to completely eliminate something from your diet or life.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) cut away (Common Mistake: refers to literal, physical cutting with a knife). – (B) cut it out (Structural Error: the pronoun “it” cannot be used when the object “soda” is already stated). – (D) cut off (Strong Distractor: used for stopping a supply, like electricity, or interrupting someone speaking).
10 (A) got into it
Why it is correct: “Get into” means to become interested in an activity. “It” is required here to refer back to tennis.
Distractor Analysis: – (B) became into it (Common Mistake: mixing “became interested in” and “got into”). – (C) got in it (Strong Distractor: means to physically enter a space like a car or box). – (D) got into (Structural Error: missing the required object “it” at the end of the clause).
11 (D) stick to
Why it is correct: “Stick to” means to continue doing a routine or plan without changing it.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) keep on (Strong Distractor: means to continue, but grammatically requires an “-ing” verb, not a noun phrase like “my routine”). – (B) stick with to (Structural Error: double preposition). – (C) hold to (Common Mistake: direct, unnatural translation from other languages).
12 (A) build up
Why it is correct: “Build up” means to gradually increase something, like strength, confidence, or stamina.
Distractor Analysis: – (B) build up it (Structural Error: wrong pronoun placement, though here “it” is also redundant because of “my stamina”). – (C) grow up (Common Mistake: used for children maturing into adults, not for physical skills). – (D) make up (Strong Distractor: means to invent a story, form a whole, or apologize).
13 (D) tires me out
Why it is correct: “Tire out” means to make someone exhausted. Because “me” is a pronoun, it MUST separate the verb and the particle.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) exhausts out (Common Mistake: “exhaust” does not take the particle “out”). – (B) tires out me (Structural Error: the pronoun must be placed in the middle: tire me out). – (C) makes me tired out (Strong Distractor: overly wordy and redundant phrasing).
14 (B) burn off
Why it is correct: “Burn off” specifically means to use energy or calories through physical exercise.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) burn down (Structural Error: grammatically fits, but it means to destroy a building with fire, completely wrong meaning). – (C) fire off (Common Mistake: means to send something quickly, like an angry email). – (D) burn out (Strong Distractor: means to become psychologically or physically exhausted from overworking).
15 (C) keep up with
Why it is correct: A three-part phrasal verb meaning to move at the same speed as someone else.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) hold up with (Common Mistake: mixing “hold up” and “keep up”). – (B) catch up (Structural Error: missing “with” to connect to the object “him”). – (D) keep on with (Strong Distractor: means to continue doing a task, not matching someone’s physical pace).
16 (D) cool down
Why it is correct: “Cool down” means to lower your heart rate and body temperature after intense exercise.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) freeze down (Common Mistake: literal, unnatural translation). – (B) cool off down (Structural Error: double particle). – (C) chill out (Strong Distractor: means to relax mentally/socially, not physically recover from a workout).
17 (A) go without
Why it is correct: “Go without” means to manage to live or survive without something you usually have.
Distractor Analysis: – (B) do without of (Structural Error: “do without” is a valid synonym, but it does not take the preposition “of”). – (C) leave without (Strong Distractor: means to physically depart without taking someone or something with you). – (D) pass without (Common Mistake: mixing “pass up” and “go without”).
18 (C) drop out of
Why it is correct: “Drop out of” means to quit a competition, school, or class before it is finished.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) quit out of (Common Mistake: unnecessarily adding “out of” to the verb “quit”). – (B) drop out (Structural Error: missing “of” to connect to the object “the tournament”). – (D) fall out of (Strong Distractor: “fall out with” means to have an argument; “fall out of” means to physically tumble out of a bed/tree).
19 (A) cheer them on
Why it is correct: “Cheer on” means to shout encouragement to someone. Because “them” is a pronoun, it MUST go between the verb and the particle.
Distractor Analysis: – (B) support on them (Common Mistake: “support” does not take the particle “on”). – (C) cheer on them (Structural Error: pronoun placed at the end instead of the middle). – (D) shout them out (Strong Distractor: “shout out” means to publicly praise or acknowledge someone, usually online or on stage, not to encourage during a sports match).
20 (C) show off
Why it is correct: “Show off” means to display something you are proud of so people will admire it.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) show up (Strong Distractor: means to arrive at a place). – (B) show it off (Structural Error: “it” is grammatically incorrect because the object “my new fitness level” is already at the end of the sentence). – (D) boast off (Common Mistake: mixing the verb “boast” with the phrasal verb “show off”).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Habits & Hobbies: To sound natural in English, avoid constantly using “start” or “stop”. Use take up (start a hobby) and give up (stop a habit).
- Health & Fitness Vocabulary: Master the opposites and pairs: warm up (prepare for exercise) vs. cool down (recover), put on weight (gain) vs. burn off calories (lose), and cut down on (reduce) vs. cut out (completely eliminate).
- Separable Phrasal Verbs & Pronoun Rule: For separable verbs like tire out or cheer on, if the object is a pronoun (me, you, him, her, it, us, them), it MUST be placed in the middle.
- Correct: The workout tired me out. / I will cheer them on.
- Incorrect: The workout tired out me. / I will cheer on them.
- Three-Part Phrasal Verbs: Verbs like cut down on, keep up with, and drop out of are inseparable. You cannot split them, and you must use all three parts to connect to the object!