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B2 FIRST · VOCABULARY · PART 1

Phrasal verbs

Verbs with a small word after them, like give up or come across.

Finn the puffin with glasses and a book, your vocabulary teacher
Finn says

A phrasal verb is a verb + a small word like up, out, off or on. Together they often mean something completely new: give up means 'stop trying', which has little to do with giving. In Part 1, the small word is usually printed after the gap, and you have to choose the verb that makes the right phrasal verb with it.

Starting, stopping and continuing

take up
start a new hobby or activity
She took up the guitar last year.
give up
stop doing something, or stop trying
He gave up smoking in January.
carry on
continue
We carried on walking even though it was raining.
set up
start a business or organisation
They set up their own company.
put off
decide to do something later
Don't put off your homework until Sunday.
call off
cancel an event
The match was called off because of the snow.

Finding out and dealing with things

come across
find something by chance
I came across some old photos in the attic.
find out
discover information
Did you find out what time the train leaves?
turn out
happen in the end, in a way you did not expect
The party turned out to be great fun.
get over
recover from an illness or a bad experience
It took her weeks to get over the flu.
run out of
have none left
We've run out of milk.
look forward to
feel happy about something that will happen
I'm looking forward to seeing you.

How it comes up in Part 1

In Part 1 you choose the word (A, B, C or D) that best fits each gap. The four options often have similar meanings, so knowing which words go together is what gets you the mark.

The concert was called off because the singer was ill.
A called B put C taken D set

Call off means cancel. Put off means delay – the concert would happen later.

I came across an old friend in the supermarket.
A came B went C got D ran

Come across means to find or meet by chance. Run into also exists, but it needs "into".

The trip turned out to be much more expensive than we expected.
A turned B came C went D got

Turn out means that something happens in the end in a surprising way.

Common mistakes

  • ✗ I'm looking forward to see you.✓ I'm looking forward to seeing you.In look forward to, 'to' is a preposition, so it is followed by -ing.
  • ✗ She gave up to eat meat.✓ She gave up eating meat.Give up is followed by -ing.
  • ✗ We've run out from sugar.✓ We've run out of sugar.The phrasal verb is run out of.
  • ✗ They put the meeting off to next week.✓ They put the meeting off until next week.We postpone something until a time.
Finn the puffin, smiling kindly
Finn's exam tip

Cover the options and look at the small word after the gap (up, off, out…). Ask yourself which verbs you know that go with it, then check the meaning of the whole sentence. Two options may make real phrasal verbs, but only one will make sense.

Quick check

Choose the word that best fits each gap.

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