English Word Skills Exercises for A2 – Phrasal verbs

1. Match words from box A with words from box B to make compound nouns. Write them below.

1   climate change

2   …………………………………………………………..

3   …………………………………………………………..

4   …………………………………………………………..

5   …………………………………………………………..

6   …………………………………………………………..

7   …………………………………………………………..

8   …………………………………………………………..

9   …………………………………………………………..

2. Complete the sentences with the particles below. You need to use three of them more than once. Are the sentences true (T) or false (F)? Check your answers at the bottom of the page.

down      off      on      out      up      with

1   Factories and power stations give ……………….. greenhouse gases.

2   When we cut ……………….. trees, we increase the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.

3   The world’s oceans are slowly heating ………………..

4   The world’s supply of gas is likely to run ……………….. in the next ten years.

5   The EU recently decided to close ……………….. all the nuclear power stations in Europe.

6   Solar energy works better in places where you can rely ……………….. good weather.

7   Scientists recently came ……………….. ……………….. a car engine that uses only CO2.

8   Many types of animals and plants are dying ……………….. because the Earth is getting warmer.

3. Write the phrasal verbs which can replace the underlined words. Choose from the list below.

carry on        come up with        give up        go up        look after

put off        set off        use up

1   I need to think of a good excuse for not handing in my homework. ………………..………………..

2   I’m trying to stop eating junk food. ………………..………………..

3   After running ten kilometres, she was too tired to continue. ………………..………………..

4   He left his job so he could take care of his sons. ………………..………………..

5   Please don’t finish all the milk – I need some for my breakfast tomorrow. ………………..………………..

6   The number of people with smartphones is continuing to rise. ………………..………………..

7   We should delay the meeting because nobody can come that day. ………………..………………..

8   Don’t stay up late! We need to leave early tomorrow.

4. Use a dictionary to find four phrasal verbs with the base verb turn. Include short definitions.

1   ………………………… = ……………………………………………………

2   ………………………… = ……………………………………………………

3   ………………………… = ……………………………………………………

4   ………………………… = ……………………………………………………

5. Replace the underlined words with the phrasal verbs below.

carry on      close down      come up with      give up      look after

put off      use up      wake up to

1   Can you take care of the baby while I go shopping?

     …………………………………..

2   Do you think you can stop using your car for a month?

     …………………………………..

3   They delayed leaving their house in spite of the approaching forest fire.

     …………………………………..

4   We need to think of some new ways to save water.

     …………………………………..

5   How did you finish all the sugar? It was a new bag!

     …………………………………..

6   They decided to continue looking for survivors.

     …………………………………..

7   They had to shut their business because of the storm damage.

     …………………………………..

8   People need to become aware of reality and stop using so many natural resources.

     …………………………………..