Phrasal Verbs – English Grammar Exercises for B1
You are reading an email from your personal trainer/doctor giving you advice on how to get in shape for the upcoming summer. Choose the correct phrasal verb (A, B, C, or D) to complete the sentences naturally.
1 To get your body in shape for the beach, you need to ______ at the gym at least three days a week.
(A) exercise out
(B) work off
(C) work out
(D) work out it
2 I know you are feeling stressed because you have ______ a few extra kilos during the winter holidays.
(A) put on
(B) gained on
(C) put up
(D) put on it
3 The most important rule of my diet plan is that you must ______ the amount of sugar you consume daily.
(A) reduce down
(B) cut down on
(C) cut off
(D) cut down
4 If you truly want to lose belly fat, you have to completely ______ drinking sweet sodas.
(A) quit out
(B) give away
(C) give up it
(D) give up
5 Always remember to ______ for ten minutes before lifting heavy weights to avoid muscle injuries.
(A) warm up
(B) heat up
(C) make warm
(D) warm up yourself
6 Fast food is terrible for your health and fitness progress, so you should really try to ______.
(A) cut out it
(B) cut away
(C) cut it out
(D) cut off it
7 The first week of a new diet is always the hardest, but if you want results, you must ______ the plan.
(A) keep on it
(B) stick to
(C) hold to
(D) stick it to
8 Running on the treadmill is an excellent way to ______ all those extra calories you ate over the weekend.
(A) burn down
(B) fire off
(C) burn out
(D) burn off
9 That intense cardio training session really ______, but I guarantee you will feel amazing tomorrow!
(A) tired me out
(B) exhausted me out
(C) made me tired out
(D) tired out me
10 If you strictly follow my nutritional advice, you will definitely ______ before your summer holiday.
(A) thin out
(B) slim down
(C) slim up
(D) small down
11 Eating plenty of protein after exercising will help you ______ your muscle strength gradually.
(A) grow up
(B) make up
(C) build up
(D) build up it
12 Your running partner is very fast, so you will need to push yourself hard to ______ him.
(A) keep up with
(B) hold up with
(C) catch up him
(D) keep on with
13 After a heavy workout, always spend five minutes walking very slowly on the treadmill to ______.
(A) freeze down
(B) chill out
(C) cool off down
(D) cool down
14 You ate a massive burger for lunch, so you will need to spend an extra hour exercising to ______.
(A) work off it
(B) work it off
(C) work it out
(D) exercise it off
15 Whenever you feel a sudden craving to eat a whole pizza late at night, please do not ______ to the temptation!
(A) give up
(B) give away
(C) give in
(D) surrender up
16 For better flexibility and mental focus, I highly recommend that you ______ yoga.
(A) start up
(B) take up
(C) get up to
(D) involve in
17 Many people start a strict fitness program in January, but very few are strong enough to ______ until the summer.
(A) keep it up
(B) hold it up
(C) keep up it
(D) carry it on
18 Don’t train for three hours every single day, or you will quickly ______ and quit before you see any results.
(A) tire out yourself
(B) burn down
(C) exhaust out
(D) burn out
19 To achieve a healthy lifestyle, it is not just about eating less; you must absolutely ______ late-night snacks.
(A) cut down
(B) cut away
(C) cut out
(D) drop out of
20 Every Friday morning, you need to ______ so we can track your exact progress on the scale.
(A) measure up
(B) weigh in
(C) scale out
(D) weigh up
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (C) work out
Why it is correct: “Work out” is the standard phrasal verb meaning to exercise at a gym or do physical training.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) exercise out (Common Mistake: literal translation, adding an unnecessary particle). – (B) work off (Strong Distractor: means to exercise to lose the calories from a specific meal, not the general act of exercising). – (D) work out it (Structural Error: intransitive here, it takes no object).
2 (A) put on
Why it is correct: “Put on” is the natural phrasal verb collocation used with “weight” or “kilos” to mean gaining weight.
Distractor Analysis: – (B) gained on (Common Mistake: mixing “gain weight” and “put on weight”). – (C) put up (Strong Distractor: means to tolerate or build a structure). – (D) put on it (Structural Error: redundant object).
3 (B) cut down on
Why it is correct: “Cut down on” is a 3-part phrasal verb meaning to reduce the amount of something you consume.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) reduce down (Common Mistake: redundancy). – (C) cut off (Strong Distractor: means to completely sever or stop a supply, not reduce). – (D) cut down (Structural Error: missing the preposition “on” to connect to the object).
4 (D) give up
Why it is correct: “Give up” means to completely stop doing a habit.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) quit out (Common Mistake: unnecessarily adding “out” to the verb “quit”). – (B) give away (Strong Distractor: means to donate something for free). – (C) give up it (Structural Error: wrong pronoun placement).
5 (A) warm up
Why it is correct: “Warm up” means to prepare your muscles for intense exercise.
Distractor Analysis: – (B) heat up (Strong Distractor: used for food in a microwave, not human muscles). – (C) make warm (Common Mistake: unnatural translation). – (D) warm up yourself (Structural Error: “warm up” is intransitive in this context; you do not use a reflexive pronoun).
6 (C) cut it out
Why it is correct: “Cut out” means to completely eliminate something from your diet. The pronoun “it” (replacing fast food) MUST go in the middle.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) cut out it (Structural Error: wrong pronoun placement). – (B) cut away (Common Mistake: literal physical cutting). – (D) cut off it (Structural Error: invalid combination).
7 (B) stick to
Why it is correct: “Stick to” means to continue doing a plan or routine without changing or quitting.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) keep on it (Common Mistake: “keep on” requires an -ing verb, not a noun object). – (C) hold to (Strong Distractor: unnatural translation). – (D) stick it to (Structural Error: idiom meaning to criticize or punish someone severely).
8 (D) burn off
Why it is correct: “Burn off” specifically means to use up calories or energy by exercising.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) burn down (Structural Error: means to destroy a building with fire). – (B) fire off (Common Mistake: means to send an angry message quickly). – (C) burn out (Strong Distractor: means to become exhausted from overworking).
9 (A) tired me out
Why it is correct: “Tire out” means to make someone physically exhausted. The pronoun “me” must separate the verb and the particle.
Distractor Analysis: – (B) exhausted me out (Common Mistake: “exhaust” does not take a particle). – (C) made me tired out (Strong Distractor: clunky and overly wordy). – (D) tired out me (Structural Error: wrong pronoun placement).
10 (B) slim down
Why it is correct: “Slim down” means to gradually lose weight and become thinner in a healthy way.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) thin out (Common Mistake: used for crowds or hair becoming less dense, not people losing weight). – (C) slim up (Structural Error: invalid particle). – (D) small down (Strong Distractor: unnatural translation).
11 (C) build up
Why it is correct: “Build up” means to gradually increase the size, strength, or amount of something.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) grow up (Common Mistake: refers to children maturing into adults). – (B) make up (Strong Distractor: means to invent a story or apologize). – (D) build up it (Structural Error: redundant object since “your muscle strength” is already present).
12 (A) keep up with
Why it is correct: “Keep up with” means to move at the same speed as someone else.
Distractor Analysis: – (B) hold up with (Common Mistake: mixing “hold up” and “keep up”). – (C) catch up him (Structural Error: missing “with”). – (D) keep on with (Strong Distractor: means to continue a task, not match physical speed).
13 (D) cool down
Why it is correct: “Cool down” is the athletic term for allowing your heart rate to return to normal after exercise.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) freeze down (Common Mistake: literal, unnatural translation). – (B) chill out (Strong Distractor: means to relax mentally/socially, not physically recover from cardio). – (C) cool off down (Structural Error: double particle).
14 (B) work it off
Why it is correct: “Work off” means to exercise specifically to burn the calories of something you ate. The pronoun “it” (the burger) must go in the middle.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) work off it (Structural Error: wrong pronoun placement). – (C) work it out (Strong Distractor: means to solve a problem). – (D) exercise it off (Common Mistake: unnatural verb choice).
15 (C) give in
Why it is correct: “Give in” means to surrender to a temptation or finally agree to something you were fighting against.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) give up (Strong Distractor: means to stop trying entirely, but “give in to temptation” is the specific idiom here). – (B) give away (Common Mistake: means to donate). – (D) surrender up (Structural Error: invalid combination).
16 (B) take up
Why it is correct: “Take up” means to start a new sport, hobby, or physical routine.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) start up (Common Mistake: used for machines or businesses). – (C) get up to (Structural Error: means what you are doing/planning, often mischief). – (D) involve in (Strong Distractor: passive voice required: “get involved in”).
17 (A) keep it up
Why it is correct: “Keep it up” is an inseparable phrase used to encourage someone to continue doing a good job or maintaining a habit.
Distractor Analysis: – (B) hold it up (Common Mistake: means to physically support something in the air). – (C) keep up it (Structural Error: wrong pronoun placement). – (D) carry it on (Strong Distractor: “carry on” is fine, but adding “it” in the middle makes it sound like carrying physical luggage).
18 (D) burn out
Why it is correct: “Burn out” means to ruin your physical or mental health by working or training too hard.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) tire out yourself (Structural Error: reflexive pronoun not needed here). – (B) burn down (Common Mistake: means to destroy by fire). – (C) exhaust out (Strong Distractor: “exhaust” does not take a particle).
19 (C) cut out
Why it is correct: “Cut out” means to completely stop eating something. (Notice the difference: “cut down on” is to reduce, “cut out” is to eliminate).
Distractor Analysis: – (A) cut down (Structural Error: missing “on”). – (B) cut away (Common Mistake: physical cutting). – (D) drop out of (Strong Distractor: means to quit school or a competition).
20 (B) weigh in
Why it is correct: “Weigh in” is the specific fitness/medical term for stepping on a scale to officially check your weight.
Distractor Analysis: – (A) measure up (Strong Distractor: means to meet expectations or standards). – (C) scale out (Common Mistake: fake phrasal verb). – (D) weigh up (Structural Error: means to consider the pros and cons of a decision).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Fitness Slogans: Instead of using basic verbs, native speakers frequently use phrasal verbs to motivate and drive action: Work out (exercise), Warm up (prepare your body for exercise), Cool down (recover after exercise), Slim down (lose weight to become thinner), and Build up (increase muscle or strength).
- Cut down on vs. Cut out:
- Cut down on: To reduce the amount of something you consume (e.g., Cut down on sugar). This is an inseparable three-part phrasal verb.
- Cut out: To completely eliminate something from your diet or lifestyle (e.g., Cut out fast food).
- Burn off vs. Work off:
- Burn off: To use up energy or calories through general physical activity.
- Work off: To exercise with the specific goal of getting rid of the calories from a particular meal you just ate (e.g., I ate a cake, now I have to work it off).
- The Pronoun Rule: For separable phrasal verbs like work off, cut out, tire out, if the object is a pronoun (it, me, him, them), it MUST be placed directly between the verb and the particle.
- Correct: Work it off. / Cut it out.
- Incorrect: Work off it. / Cut out it.