Phrasal Verbs Questions and Answers

Q: 'As the enemy was closing in, we decided to stay away.'The phrase 'close in' means :-

'Close in' means Come nearer.To close in (on someone) is to come nearer and surround or approach, usually in a threatening way: 'As the enemy was closing in, we decided to stay away' means the enemy was moving closer. It is used also of darkness or weather ('night was closing in').'Go away' is the opposite movement. 'Shoot out' and 'win' describe a gun battle and its result, not the approach the phrasal verb expresses.

Q: Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate phrasal verb.The situation is difficult and calls _______ great tact.

The answer is for: 'The situation is difficult and calls for great tact.''Call for' means to require or demand: a difficult situation requires tact.'Call out' means to shout or to challenge someone, 'call up' to telephone or summon for service, and 'call to' to shout to someone; none means to require.

Q: Choose the correct phrasal verb :Karan __________ all information and then gave the note to his wife so that she could put it into a computer file.

The answer is took down: Karan took down all information.To take down information is to write it down or record it. The rest of the sentence confirms the sense: he then gave the note to his wife to enter into a computer file.Took on means accepted a task or employed someone, and took over means assumed control of something. Neither describes making a note, and since took down fits, 'None of these' is wrong.

Q: Replace the underlined common phrases with the right option.Yesterday I called at Mohan's house.

Called at means visited.To call at a place is to make a short visit there: Yesterday I visited Mohan's house. (One calls at a place but calls on a person.)Produced, published and persuaded have nothing to do with going to see someone; they share only the sound of the options, not the meaning.Compare call on a person (I called on my uncle), call off an event (cancel it) and call for something (require it).

Q: Replace the underlined common phrases with the right option.Prices are slowly coming down indeed due to good control by local government.

Coming down means falling.When prices are coming down, they are decreasing: Prices are slowly falling. The reason given, good control by the local government, fits a drop in prices.Rising is the opposite, and winning makes no sense with prices. Since falling fits, "None of these" is wrong.Other phrasal verbs with the same sense are go down and come down; the opposite is go up. Coming down is about the level of prices, not a contest, which is why winning is meaningless here.

Q: Replace the underlined common phrases with the right option.Cut down your expenses otherwise you will be in debt.

Cut down means reduce.To cut down (on) expenses is to spend less: Reduce your expenses otherwise you will be in debt.Increase is the opposite and would lead into debt rather than away from it. Shorten is used for length or time (shorten a dress, a speech), not for amounts of money. Since reduce fits, "None of these" is wrong.The verb is often used with on: cut down on sugar, cut down on smoking. It also has a literal sense, to fell a tree.

Q: Replace the underlined common phrases with the right option.Hard work enabled him to get through the test.

To get through means to succeed.To get through a test or examination is to pass it: Hard work enabled him to succeed in the test. The phrase hard work enabled him points to a good result.To fail is the opposite. To preserve means to keep safe, and to persuade means to convince someone; neither fits a test.Other senses of the phrasal verb include finishing a task (get through the work) and making contact by phone (I could not get through to him).

Q: Replace the underlined common phrases with the right option.Customs are handed down from generation to generation.

Handed down means passed on.Customs, traditions and heirlooms are handed down when one generation passes them on to the next: Customs are passed on from generation to generation.Taken back is the reverse movement, and applied means put into use, which does not express transmission between generations. Since passed on fits, "None of these" is wrong.The same idea is expressed by pass down; the related noun is a hand-me-down, something passed from an older to a younger person.

Q: Replace the underlined common phrases with the right option.If you hold on courageously you will win.

Hold on means continue.To hold on is to keep going or persist in a difficult situation without giving up: If you continue courageously you will win.Discontinue is the opposite, giving up. Fall and decrease do not mean persisting, and neither fits with courageously you will win.Hold on also means "wait" (Hold on, I'm coming) and "grip tightly" (hold on to the rail), but with courageously you will win the sense is to persist.

Q: Replace the underlined common phrases with the right option.Obey the rules of the road to keep off accidents.

Keep off means prevent.To keep off something is to keep it away or stop it happening: Obey the rules of the road to prevent accidents.Catch and occur say the opposite, that accidents happen. Since prevent fits exactly, "None of these" is wrong.In other contexts keep off means to stay away from (Keep off the grass) or to avoid a subject. The idea in every use is keeping something at a distance.

11.

'As the enemy was closing in, we decided to stay away.'

The phrase 'close in' means :-

A.Shoot out
B.Go away
C.Come nearer
D.Win

Exam Year(s)

Rajasthan High Court Civil Judge - 2018, Rajasthan Judicial Service - 2018,

Answer: C

'Close in' means Come nearer.

To close in (on someone) is to come nearer and surround or approach, usually in a threatening way: 'As the enemy was closing in, we decided to stay away' means the enemy was moving closer. It is used also of darkness or weather ('night was closing in').

'Go away' is the opposite movement. 'Shoot out' and 'win' describe a gun battle and its result, not the approach the phrasal verb expresses.

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12.

Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate phrasal verb.

The situation is difficult and calls _______ great tact.

A.out
B.up
C.to
D.for

Exam Year(s)

Rajasthan High Court Civil Judge - 2019, Rajasthan Judicial Service - 2019,

Answer: D

The answer is for: 'The situation is difficult and calls for great tact.'

'Call for' means to require or demand: a difficult situation requires tact.

'Call out' means to shout or to challenge someone, 'call up' to telephone or summon for service, and 'call to' to shout to someone; none means to require.

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13.

Choose the correct phrasal verb :

Karan __________ all information and then gave the note to his wife so that she could put it into a computer file.

A.took on
B.took down
C.took over
D.None of these

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2025,

Answer: B

The answer is took down: Karan took down all information.

To take down information is to write it down or record it. The rest of the sentence confirms the sense: he then gave the note to his wife to enter into a computer file.

Took on means accepted a task or employed someone, and took over means assumed control of something. Neither describes making a note, and since took down fits, 'None of these' is wrong.

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14.

Replace the underlined common phrases with the right option.

Yesterday I called at Mohan's house.

A.produced
B.published
C.persuaded
D.visited

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2019,

Answer: D

Called at means visited.

To call at a place is to make a short visit there: Yesterday I visited Mohan's house. (One calls at a place but calls on a person.)

Produced, published and persuaded have nothing to do with going to see someone; they share only the sound of the options, not the meaning.

Compare call on a person (I called on my uncle), call off an event (cancel it) and call for something (require it).

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15.

Replace the underlined common phrases with the right option.

Prices are slowly coming down indeed due to good control by local government.

A.winning
B.rising
C.falling
D.None of these

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2019,

Answer: C

Coming down means falling.

When prices are coming down, they are decreasing: Prices are slowly falling. The reason given, good control by the local government, fits a drop in prices.

Rising is the opposite, and winning makes no sense with prices. Since falling fits, "None of these" is wrong.

Other phrasal verbs with the same sense are go down and come down; the opposite is go up. Coming down is about the level of prices, not a contest, which is why winning is meaningless here.

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16.

Replace the underlined common phrases with the right option.

Cut down your expenses otherwise you will be in debt.

A.increase
B.shorten
C.reduce
D.None of these

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2019,

Answer: C

Cut down means reduce.

To cut down (on) expenses is to spend less: Reduce your expenses otherwise you will be in debt.

Increase is the opposite and would lead into debt rather than away from it. Shorten is used for length or time (shorten a dress, a speech), not for amounts of money. Since reduce fits, "None of these" is wrong.

The verb is often used with on: cut down on sugar, cut down on smoking. It also has a literal sense, to fell a tree.

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17.

Replace the underlined common phrases with the right option.

Hard work enabled him to get through the test.

A.to fail
B.to preserve
C.to succeed
D.to persuade

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2019,

Answer: C

To get through means to succeed.

To get through a test or examination is to pass it: Hard work enabled him to succeed in the test. The phrase hard work enabled him points to a good result.

To fail is the opposite. To preserve means to keep safe, and to persuade means to convince someone; neither fits a test.

Other senses of the phrasal verb include finishing a task (get through the work) and making contact by phone (I could not get through to him).

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18.

Replace the underlined common phrases with the right option.

Customs are handed down from generation to generation.

A.passed on
B.taken back
C.applied
D.None of these

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2019,

Answer: A

Handed down means passed on.

Customs, traditions and heirlooms are handed down when one generation passes them on to the next: Customs are passed on from generation to generation.

Taken back is the reverse movement, and applied means put into use, which does not express transmission between generations. Since passed on fits, "None of these" is wrong.

The same idea is expressed by pass down; the related noun is a hand-me-down, something passed from an older to a younger person.

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19.

Replace the underlined common phrases with the right option.

If you hold on courageously you will win.

A.discontinue
B.continue
C.fall
D.decrease

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2019,

Answer: B

Hold on means continue.

To hold on is to keep going or persist in a difficult situation without giving up: If you continue courageously you will win.

Discontinue is the opposite, giving up. Fall and decrease do not mean persisting, and neither fits with courageously you will win.

Hold on also means "wait" (Hold on, I'm coming) and "grip tightly" (hold on to the rail), but with courageously you will win the sense is to persist.

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20.

Replace the underlined common phrases with the right option.

Obey the rules of the road to keep off accidents.

A.catch
B.occur
C.prevent
D.None of these

Exam Year(s)

Tripura Public Service Commission - 2019,

Answer: C

Keep off means prevent.

To keep off something is to keep it away or stop it happening: Obey the rules of the road to prevent accidents.

Catch and occur say the opposite, that accidents happen. Since prevent fits exactly, "None of these" is wrong.

In other contexts keep off means to stay away from (Keep off the grass) or to avoid a subject. The idea in every use is keeping something at a distance.

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Phrasal Verbs Questions and Answers

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