Fall for
fall for & falls for falling for fell for fallen for
1. fall for p.v. When someone successfully tricks[S10] or deceives[S11] you, youfall for the trick or deception[S12] or youfall for it.
I feel like an idiot. The salesman promised me it was a real diamond, not glass, and I fell forit.
Your girlfriend told you that guy she was dancing with at the party was her brother? How could youfall for a story like that?
2. fall for p.v. When you suddenly feel a strong attraction to someone or something, youfall for that person or thing.
Jim met Sam's sister last week, and now he calls her every day. I guess he reallyfell for her in a big way.
When I saw this house,Ifell for it immediately, and I made an offer the same day.
| give in | ||||
| give in & gives in | giving In | gave in | given in |
1. give in (to) p.v. When someone pressures or forces you to do something or allow something even though you do not want to, yougive in.
My son drove me crazy asking me to buy him a new bicycle, and I finallygave in.
The strike lasted[S13] for eight months, but the company nevergave in to the workers' demands[S14] .
| hear about | |||
| hear about & hears about | hearing about | heard about | heard about |
1. hear about p.v. When you hear and learn information about someone or something, youhear about it.
Have youheard about the new Thai restaurant downtown?
Iheard about the earthquake on CNN.
| pull through | |||
| pull through & pulls through | pulling through | pulled through | pulled through |
1. pull through p.v. When you recover[S15] from a serious illness or injury[S16] , youpull through.
The doctor didn't think his chances were very good, but hepulled through.
Erik is very sick, but he's young and strong, so I'm sure he'llpull through.
| Infinitive | ||||
| present tense | -ing form | past tense | past participle | |
| stay off | stay off & stays off | staying off | stayed off | stayed off |
1. stay off p.v. When youstay off something, you don't walk or sit on it.
You kids can play in the living room, butstay off the Persian rug.
What can I do to get my cat tostay off the kitchen counter?
| throw up | ||||
| throw up & throws up | throwing up | threw up | thrown up |
1. throw up p.v. When peoplethrow up, they vomit[S17] .
Alex was so sick that hethrew up all over my shoes.
I feel like I'm going tothrow up.
1. throw... up p.v. When something causes small particles of dirt, dust, or a liquid to rise into the air, itthrows themup.
Be careful with that chain saw [S18] — It'llthrow sawdust[S19] up in your eyes.
Don't stand too close to the fire; it'sthrowing up sparks.
EXERCISE 2a — Complete the sentences with phrasal verbs from this section. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense.
1. Heather calls Tom every day. I have a feeling she's________ ________him.
2. I went to the shoe repair guy because the heel ________ ________ my shoe.
3. I ________ ________ ten minutes after the movie started, and I missed the whole thing.
4. The bride drank too much champagne, and she ________ _______ all over the best man.
5. I needed a car to go to the party, so I told my father I needed his car to go to the library to study, and he ________ ________ it.
6. Uncle Fred's really sick. If he _________ _________, it'll be a miracle.
7. I just shampooed the carpet in the living room, so ________ ________ it.
8. The coup ________ ________ without any bloodshed.
9. I don't care if you beg me all night — I'm not ________ ________!
10. I ________________ your brother's accident last night. Is he all right?
11. Don't get close to the fire. It's ________ ________ ashes and sparks.
12. Do you really expect me to believe a crazy story like that? ________ ________ it!
EXERCISE 2b— Change the sentences to questions using do, does, or did.
Example: Francisco usually dozes off after dinner.
Does Francisco usually doze off after dinner?
1. The sick boy threw up.
2. Rosa falls for every boy she meets.
3. The tops come off easily.
4. The dog stays off the bed.
5. Erik heard about the new job.
EXERCISE 2c— Change the sentences to negatives using do not or don't, does not or doesn't, or did not or didn't.
Example: Francisco dozes off after dinner.
Francisco doesn't doze off after dinner.
1. I always give in to her demands.
2. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor fell for the salesman's promises.
3. These machines throw up sparks.
4. The patient pulled through.
5. The plot come off as planned.
EXERCISE 2d — Write answers to the questions using phrasal verbs from this section. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense.
1. My mother told me not to walk on the kitchen floor. What did my mother tell me?
2. When Dan saw that new motorcycle, he decided he had to buy it no matter how much it cost. How did Dan feel about the motorcycle?
3. The students are so tired that they are starting to sleep in class. What are the students doing?
4. Nicole learns about everything that happens in town. What does Nicole do?
5. The meeting didn't happen the way I planned it. What didn't the meeting do?
6. You had an accident after one of the wheels separated from your car. Why did you have an accident?
7. You can ask a thousand times if you want to, but I'm not agreeing to your demands. What am I not doing to your demands?
8. My cousin made a lot of promises to me, and I believed them. How did I react to her promises?
9. Dr. Wood said Ted's disease is very serious, and she doesn't think there's much hope that he'll recover. What doesn't Dr. Wood think?
10. Timmy is very sick, and he was vomiting all night. What was Timmy doing all night?
EXERCISE 2e,Review— Complete the sentences with these phrasal verbs from Section 1. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense. To check their meanings, review Section 1.
| come from | give back | put on | show up |
| figure out | look for | run into | take off |
1. Look what time it is! We have to be at work in fifteen minutes. We'd better ________
_______ right now.
2. I waited for Joe for three hours, but he never ________ ________.
3. The maid ________ ________ the dirty sheets and washed them.
4. I'm ________ ________ a job closer to home.
5. Potatoes originally ________ ________ South America.
6. That's mine! ________ it ________ right now or I'm telling Mom!
7. They were killed when they ________ ________ a truck.
8. The mechanic can't ________ ________ what the problem is with my car.
3. FOCUS ON: three-word phrasal verbs
Phrasal verbs are not always composed of two words. Three-word phrasal verbs are composed of a verb and two particles: the first particle is normally an adverb, and the second a preposition. Like two-word phrasal verbs, three-word phrasal verbs are either separable or nonseparable:
I know it's been a long day, but do youfeel up to playing tennis after dinner?
Jake alwayswent in for fishing when he was a kid. It was nice to meet you, and Ilook forward to seeing you again.
I'm sorry I can't say yes about the motorcycle, but I have togo along with your mother's decision.
I'veput up with these love handles long enough — next week I'm getting liposuction.
Mr. Baker tried toscrew his ex-wifeout of her share of the lottery prize.
Youtalk down to me like I'm some kind of idiot. Karen's nervous about the job interview.
She just wants toget itover with so she can stop worrying about it.
| Infinitive | ||||
| present tense | -ing form | past tense | past participle | |
| feel up to | feel up to & feels up to | feeling up to | felt up to | feel up to |
1. feel up to p.v. When youfeel up to doing something, you have the confidence[S20] or energy to do it.
I'm sorry to cancel, but I just don'tfeel up to going dancing tonight.
The top of the mountain is only 1,000 feet away — do youfeel up to it?
| get over with | ||||
| get over with & gets over with | getting over with | got over with | gotten over with |
1. get... over with p.v. [always separated] When you want toget somethingover with, it is because it is something unpleasant that you want to finish so that you can stop worrying about it or dreading[S21] it.
Let's fix both cavities[S22] today, doctor; I just want toget itover with.
I think it's better toget the examover with first period than to be nervous about it all day long.
| go along with | ||||
| go along with & goes along with | going along with | went along with | gone along with |
1. go along with p.v. When you agree with people or agree with what they are saying, yougo along with them.
I understand your concern[S23] , Linda, but I have togo along with Maria on this matter.
What's my opinion? Igo along with Omar.
2. go along with p.v. When you obey[S24] a rule or follow a decision, yougo along with it.
Mrs. Taylor wasn't happy about the committee's decision, but shewent along withit anyway.
I don't care what the boss says — I'm notgoing along with any changes that will mean longer hours for less money.
| Infinitive | |||
| present tense | -ing form | past tense | past participle |
| go in for | |||
| go in for & goes in for | going in for | went in for | gone in for |
1. go in for p.v. When yougo in for a certain activity, you like it and do it regularly.
Bryan reallygoes in for any kind of outdoor activity.
When I was a kid Iwent in for football, but I don't watch it much anymore.
| look forward to | |||
| look forward to & looks forward to | looking forward to | looked forward to | looked forward to |
1. look forward to p.v. When youlook forward to something orlook forward to
doing something, you are excited about something in the future because you enjoy it or because it will benefit you in some way.
It's been four years since my brother went overseas. I'mlooking forward to seeing him again.
Ilook forward to an opportunity to meet with you in person.
| put up with | |||
| put up with & puts up with | putting up with | put up with | put up with |
1. put up with p.v. When youput up with something you do not like or are not happy about, you accept it and do not try to change it.
Her neighbors have loud parties every night, but she doesn't complain. She just puts up with it.
My husband said, "I'veput up with your brother long enough!"
| screw out of | ||
| screw out of & screws out of screwing out of | screwed out of | screwed out of |
1. screw... out of p.v. [informal] When you get money or something valuable from people in a dishonest way, youscrew themout of it.
That con manscrewed meout of my life savings.
Their sleazy son-in-lawscrewed themout of thousands of dollars.
| talk down to | |||
| talk down to & talks down to | talking down to | talked down to | talked down to |
1. talk down to p.v. When youtalk down to people, you use a tone of voice or an attitude that shows you think they are less intelligent, less educated, or from a lower level of society than you.
/ was furious about the way hetalked down to me!
Bob hates Jane because of the way shetalks down to him.
EXERCISE 3a— Complete the sentences with phrasal verbs from this section. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense.
1. Thanks for inviting me, but I don't ________ ________ ________ card games.
2. I couldn't ________ ________ ________ my husband's smoking any longer.
I told him to choose between cigarettes and me.
3. I'm sorry, but I think your plan is a big mistake, and I can't ________ ________
________it.
4. Even though Mr. Watson is the richest man in town, he never ________ ________
________ people.
5. It's been only two weeks since the tragedy. I'm sure they don't ________ ________
________ going to the party.
6. If that crook thinks he's going to ________ me ________ ________
500 bucks, he's crazy!
7. The whole family's going to be here for Thanksgiving, and Mom is really ________
________________it.
8. I volunteered to give my speech first just so I could ________ it ________
9. Even if you don't like the rules, you have to ________ ________ ________
them.
EXERCISE 3b— Write answers to the questions using phrasal verbs from this section. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense.
1. Jerry's brother-in-law talks to him like he's an idiot. How does Jerry's brother-in-law talk to Jerry?
2. Nicole can't work tomorrow, and she's nervous about telling her boss. What should Nicole do?
3. They paid $5,000 too much for their house because the salesman lied to them. What did the salesman do to them?
4. Sally's going to fly in an airplane for the first time, and she's very excited about it. How does Sally feel about flying in an airplane?
5. The winters in Minneapolis are terrible, but you can't move or change the weather. What do you have to do?
6. Erik just got out of the hospital, and he doesn't feel strong enough to go back to work. Why can't Erik go back to work?
7. I thought the new policy was an excellent idea, and I agreed with it 100 percent. How did I feel about the new policy?
EXERCISE 3c, Review— Complete the sentences with these phrasal verbs from Section 2. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense. To check their meanings, review Section 2.
| come off | fall for | hear about | stay off |
| doze off | give in | pull through | throw up |
1. Miguel told me he didn't steal my TV, but I didn't________________ his lies.
2. Jim is really sick, and he stayed home from school today. He ________ ________
twice last night.
3. After a few weeks, the gold on this cheap jewelry starts to ________ ________.
4. He kept nagging and nagging, and I finally ________ ________.
5. If that cat doesn't learn to ________ ________ the table, it will have to go.
6. After Betty's temperature got up to 105 degrees, we started to think she might not
7. The meeting was so boring that I ________ ________.
8. I _______ ________ a country where people use big stones for money.
4. FOCUS ON: present and past continuous phrasal verbs
Like one-word verbs, phrasal verbs can normally be used in the continuous tense (also called the progressive tense) using the -ing form of the verb (also called the present participle) and a form of be:
The principal told me you'd beencheating on the test.
I've beengoing after my master's for nearly five years.
Which dictionary is helooking up the words in?
How will she bepaying for her tuition bill?
The compass needle couldn't bepointing to the south.
We would beplanning for a bigger crowd if the weather weren't so bad.
They should bewrapping the meetingup in a few minutes.
Thanks for all your help. I'm sorry forputting youto so much trouble.
| Infinitive | ||||
| present tense | -ing form | past tense | past participle | |
| cheat on | ||||
| cheat on & cheats on | cheating on | cheated on | cheated on |
1. cheat on p.v. When youcheat on your sexual partner, you have sex or a romantic relationship with another person.
Sarah filed for divorce after she caught Georgecheating on her. Can you believe it? She wascheating on me with my best friend!
2. cheat on p.v. When you do something dishonest so that you can do better on a test, youcheat on the test.
The teacher caught Alicheating on the exam.
If I didn'tcheat on the tests, I'd never pass any of my classes.
| go after | ||||
| go after & goes after | going after | went after | gone after |
1. go after p.v. When you chase and try to physically stop or to attack people, yougo after them.
A policeman saw him stealing the car andwent after him.
Captain Morgan was ordered togo after the enemy soldiers.
2. go after p.v. When law enforcement officials try to prosecute people through a legal procedure, theygo after them.
Federal prosecutors arenow going after the top drug dealers.
The senator introduced a bill designed togo after deadbeat dads.
3. go after p.v. When a business tries to increase its profits by trying to increase its market share or its number of customers, itgoes after them.
The tobacco company deniedgoing after the teenage market.
The CEO said he wanted togo after new customers in China.
4. go after p.v. When yougo after something, you try to obtain it even though it may be difficult to do.
Sofiawent after a degree in accounting.
Todd trained for a year beforegoing after the record in the 100-yard dash.
| Infinitive | ||||
| present tense | -ing form | past tense | past participle | |
| look up | ||||
| look up & looks up | looking up | looked up | looked up |
1. look... up p.v. When you get information from a reference book, such as a word from a dictionary or a telephone number from a telephone book, youlook the word or numberup.
The teacher told the students tolook the new wordsup in a dictionary.
Ilooked up his number, but it's not in the phone book.
2. look... up p.v. When you locate and visit people you have not seen for a long time, youlook themup.
/ was in Dallas on business, and Ilooked up Dan Jones, my old college roommate.
If you're ever in Kempton,look meup.
3. look up p.v. When a situation islooking up or starting tolook up, it is improving.
Business was pretty bad for a while, but things are starting tolook up.I'm much happier than I was last year. Things arelooking up.
| pay for | ||||
| pay for & pays for | paying for | paid for | paid for |
1. pay... for p.v. When you give someone money in exchange for something, you pay for it orpay someonefor it.
CanI pay for this stuff with a credit card?
Alfonsopaid the waiterfor his dinner.
paid for part.adj. After you have paid for something, it ispaid for.My car is old, but at least it'spaid for.
2. pay for p.v. When you are punished for something, youpay for what you have done.
I caught the guy who's spreading these false rumors about me, and hepaid for ruining my reputation. Young people think that drugs are harmless, but they'll pay for their foolishness someday.
| Infinitive | ||||
| present tense | -ing form | past tense | past participle | |
| plan for | ||||
| plan for & plans for | planning for | planned for | planned for |
1. plan for p.v. When you make preparations for something in the future, youplan for it.
The festival was a disaster because they didn't plan for such a huge crowd.
It's never to early too startplanning for retirement.
| point to | ||||
| point to & points to | pointing to | pointed to | pointed to |
1. point to p.v. When you indicate people or things with your hand or a finger, you point to them. When an arrow or a sign indicates something, itpoints to it.
The waitress couldn't hear me, so Ipointed to my empty glass and she understood. The prosecutor asked, "Can youpoint to the man you saw carrying the gun?"
2. point to p.v. When a situation or occurrence causes you to consider something else, itpoints to that thing.
These terrible test scorespoint to a need for some major changes in our educational system.
The fact that all the people with food poisoning ate tuna salad sandwichespointed to contaminated mayonnaise as the source of the illness.
| put to | ||||
| put to & puts to | putting to | put to | put to |
1. put... to p.v. When you confront people with a difficult or thought-provoking question, accusation, or proposition, youput itto them.
He didn't want to tell me the truth, but I really put itto him, and he finally told me the whole story.
When Prof. Klineput his theoryto me like that, I realized what he was talking about.
2. put... to p.v. When you put people to trouble or put them to an expense, you cause them to do extra work or to spend money.
Thanks for helping me with my flat tire. I'm sorry to put youto so much trouble.
I know my father would pay my dental bill if I asked him, but I hate toput himto such an expense.
3. put ...to p.v. When youput part of your body or something in your handtosomething, you touch or press it to something.
The neighbors were arguing again, so weput our earsto the wall to try to hear what they were saying.
When heput a gunto my head, I realized he wasn't joking.
| Infinitive | ||||
| present tense | -ing form | past tense | past participle | |
| wrap up | ||||
| wrap up & wraps up | wrapping up | wrapped up | wrapped up |
1. wrap... up p.v. When you enclose an object in some kind of paper, usually gift wrapping paper or packaging paper, youwrap itup.
/ have towrap this giftup before I go to the party.
The moverswrapped up the china with newspapers.
wrapped up part.adj. After you enclose an object in some kind of paper, usually gift wrapping paper or packaging paper, it iswrapped up.
2. wrap... up p.v. When you conclude an event that has been happening for some time, you wrap it up.Wind up is similar towrap up.
Wewrapped up the meeting around 4:00 and went home.
The salesman blabbered for two hours before I finally told him towrap itup.
EXERCISE 4a— Complete the sentences with phrasal verbs from this section. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense.
1. It's 12:30. Let's________this meeting________and goto lunch.
2. There was no way he could deny his guilt after the prosecutor ________ it _______ him.
3. The high crime rate ________ ________ a need for more police officers.
4. You'll _______ ________ what you did to me if it's the last thing I ever do!
5. The principal gave a zero to each of the students who ________ ________ the test.
6. I _______ my ear ________ the wall to try to hear what Sally was saying about me.
7. Mike is ________ the words ________ in the dictionary.
8. The police officers ________ ________ the robbers, but they didn't catch them.
9. Linda told Ned that she would divorce him if he ever ________ ________ her again.
10. Yes, it was quite a surprise — we didn't ________ ________ twins.
11. We saw an arrow________________the door at the end of the hallway.
12. After she won the silver medal, she ________ ________ the gold.
13. Most insurance companies won't ________ ________ plastic surgery.
14. I returned to my hometown for the first time in forty years and ________ ________ my first girlfriend.
15. The guy in the seafood store _________ the fish _________ in old newspapers.
16. The FBI is ________ ________ major drug smugglers.
17. These last six months have been difficult for Sally, but now things are starting to
18. The company started in California, but now it's ________ ________ customers all over the country.
19. You ________ me ________ a lot of trouble to help you move your piano, and you didn't even say thank you.
EXERCISE 4b— Write sentences using the objects in parentheses. Be sure to put the objects in the right place.
1. I was looking up in the dictionary, (a word, it) ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________
2. I was in Boston looking up. (some old army buddies, them) ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________
3. Dad's upstairs wrapping up. (Mom's birthday present, it) ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________
4. The committee is wrapping up. (their discussion, it) ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________
EXERCISE 4c— Write answers to the questions using phrasal verbs and participle adjectives from this section. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense.
1. He showed me where the bathroom was with his finger. What did he do?
2. We're preparing for 300 wedding guests. What are we doing?
3. The situation is getting better. What is the situation doing?
4. The little boy ran away, and his father chased him and tried to catch him. What did the father do?
5. Sofia is going to try to break the record in the high jump. What is Sofia going to try to do?
6. Tom did a lot of work to get his guest bedroom ready for me when I visited him. What did I do to Tom?
7. I'm giving money to the cashier for the book I want to buy. What am I doing?
8. In Question 7, how would you describe the book after I give the money to the cashier?
9. The people in the meeting are concluding the meeting. What are they doing?
10. When Rosa was in New Orleans, she looked for and visited a childhood friend. What did Rosa do to her friend?
11. Jim asked you a really difficult question. What did Jim do to you?
12. Megan is trying to find Erik's telephone number in a telephone book. What is Megan doing?
13. Tom is married, but he slept with another woman. What did Tom do to his wife?
EXERCISE 4d, Review— Complete the sentences with these phrasal verbs from previous sections. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense. To check their meanings, review the section number given after each one.
| come from, 2 | figure out, 1 | hear about, 2 | pull through, 2 |
| fall for, 2 | give in, 1 | look for, 1 | show up, 1 |
1. I ______ ________ your mother on our first date, and we got married three months later.
2. Carmen's family ________ _________ Michoacan around twenty years ago.
3. Paul was supposed to meet us at 8:00, but he never ________ _________.
4. These instructions don't make any sense at all. I can't ________ them ________.
5. After Aunt Mary's stroke, her chances didn't look good, but she ________ _______
1. My daughter begged me to let her get her ears pierced, and I finally ________
7. My father was listening to the radio, and he said he ________ ________ a new car that runs on water.
2. I spent two hours _________ _________ the remote control before I found it.
5. FOCUS ON: pronunciation of two-word phrasal verbs