1. I wasn't sure if my plan would work, and I thought about it for a long time before I finally decided to try it. What did I do with my plan?
2. The secretary gave me an application and told me to put the correct information in the spaces, What did the secretary tell me to do?
3. In Question 2, how would you describe the application after I put the correct information in the spaces?
4. The mechanic is trying to fix my car's transmission, but she's making a lot of mistakes. What is the mechanic doing to my car's transmission?
5. In Question 4, how would you describe the transmission after the mechanic finishes fixing it?
6. You give $3,000 to the mayor every month so that he will give your company city business. What do you do every month?
7. In Question 6, what is the $3,000 that you give to the mayor every month?
8. Business is bad at Nancy's company, and they told her that they don't need her anymore. What happened to Nancy?
9. The hotel clerk forgot to call me in the morning to wake me up, and I was late for a very important meeting. What did the hotel clerk do to me?
10. I was born in Hawaii, and I lived there until I was eighteen. What did I do in Hawaii?
11. Sally's parents told her she can't watch a TV show because it's for adults. What did Sally's parents tell her about the TV show?
12. New home construction will decrease if there is a recession. What will new home construction do if there is a recession?
13. In Question 12, if there is a decrease in new home construction, what would it be called?
14. Timmy was teasing Susie all day until his mother told him to stop. What did Timmy's mother tell him to do?
15. All is doing Omar's job while Omar is on vacation. What is Ali doing?
16. Blankets and boxes of food will be given to the people whose homes were destroyed by the tornado. What will be done with the blankets and boxes of food?
17. Sarah had to answer the phone while she was watching a movie. After she returned to the TV room, Sarah's friend Sally told Sarah everything she had missed. What did Sally do for Sarah?
EXERCISE 10e, Review — Complete the sentences with these nouns from previous sections. To check their meanings, review the section number given after each one.
| breakdown, 5 breakout, 9 | holdup, 7 hookup, 9 | put-on, 1 setup, 5 | takeoff, 1 |
1. The pilot said that the ___________ would be on time.
2. There was a ___________ on the highway, and traffic was barely moving at all.
3. A cable ___________ is usually $39.95, but this month it's free.
4. The guards suspected the prisoners were planning a ___________.
5. Waiter, we've been waiting for our dinner for an hour. What's the ___________?
6. I told my lawyer that it was a ___________ and that I was innocent.
7. When the detectives came and arrested Hank, we didn't think it was real —just a big
EXERCISE 10f, 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.
| catch up, 9 chicken out, 9 | get along, 9 give up, 9 | hook up, 9 pick out, 8 | talk down to, 3 work up, 9 |
1. Don't try to run ten miles at first; you have to ________ ________ to it.
2. After searching for three days without any luck, the rescue team ________ ________ on finding any survivors.
3. The police showed me some pictures to see if I could ________ ________ the guy who mugged me.
4. You go to the bank, I'll go to the post office, and we'll ________ ________ with each other at the corner in forty-five minutes.
5. I wasn't happy about having Nancy for a partner on the project. I don't ________ ________ with her.
6. Just because you went to college and I didn't, doesn't make it okay for you to _______ ________________me.
7. The teacher said, "Your daughter has missed a lot of school, and she'll need to work hard to ________ ________ to the rest of the class."
8. Maria got scared and__________of jumping off the high diving board.
11. FOCUS ON: phrasal verbs used in compound nouns
As we saw in Section 10, many two-word phrasal verbs can be used as nouns. Many. of these nouns formed from two-word phrasal verbs can be combined with ordinary nouns to form compound nouns:
noun: backup compound noun: backup disk
noun: follow-up compound noun: follow-up call
Like ordinary compound nouns, the first noun has a function similar to that of an adjective:
question: What kind of clothes?
answer: Dirty clothes.
adjective
question: What kind of clothes?
answer: Workout clothes.
noun
The adjective dirty and the noun workout serve the same function: modifying the noun clothes. Always accent the first word in a compound noun:
noun: BACKup compound noun: BACKupdisk
noun: FOLLOW-up compound noun: FOLLOW-up call
| Infinitive | ||||
| present tense | -ing form | past tense | past participle | |
| backup | ||||
| back up & backs up | backing up | backed up | backed up |
1. back... up p.v. When you walk backward, you backup. When you drive a vehicle in reverse, you back up or back the vehicle up.
The fire was so hot that we had to back up.
I put the car in reverse and backed it up.
2. back up p.v. When you are explaining something, and you repeat something that you already said, you back up.
You're going too fast. Can you back up a little and explain your plan again?
Sorry, I forgot part of the story. Let me back up a little.
3. back... up p.v. When you make a claim or statement and then show people evidence or give them information proving that the claim or statement is true or correct, you back it up.
No one believed Jim's accusations because he couldn't back them up with any evidence.
The IRS asked me for some receipts to back up my deductions.
4. back... up p.v. When you support people in a conflict or a confrontation, you back them up. When you support people by doing some work or a difficult assignment, you back them up.
Linda said she would back me up if I complained about our supervisor.
The general backed up his threats with 400,000 soldiers.
Jerry is the bar's main bartender, and Tanya backs him up when it gets busy.
backup n. Someone or something that supports or is ready to provide support in a conflict or a confrontation by doing some work or a difficult assignment is a backup.
When the rioters grew more violent, the police called for backup.
The firefighter entered the burning building without a backup.
5. back... up p.v. When you duplicate important information, such as a computer program or data, so that you will still have it if the original information is lost or damaged, you back it up.
If you're going to install that new software, be sure you back up your entire hard disk first.
I back my work up every day before I go home.
backup n. A duplicate of important information, such as a computer program or data, is a backup.
/ keep a backup of my important computer files on floppy disks.
The major gave a backup copy of the battle plan to his secretary.
backed up part.adj. After you duplicate important information/such as a computer program or data, the original is backed up.
/ accidentally erased your book from your computer. I hope your work was backed up.
6. back... up p.v. When a piece of equipment or machinery is very important and another is kept available in case the one that is normally used fails, the second piece of equipment or machinery backs up the first.
The hospital bought a generator to back up the unreliable city power supply. We kept the old computer to back the new one up.
backup n. When a piece of equipment or machinery is very important and another is kept available in case the one that is normally used fails, the second piece of equipment or machinery is a backup.
The skydiver checked his main parachute and his backup before the flight. The school had to dose when the main power and the backup both failed.
7. back... up p.v. When something backs up, it is being prevented from moving, progressing, or flowing normally.
An accident backed up traffic for three miles. The assembly line is going to back up if Erik doesn't get the parts he needs soon.
backup n. A backup is a situation in which something is being prevented from moving, progressing, or flowing normally.
/ sat in that backup for three hours without moving an inch. The huge number of Christmas cards and packages caused a backup at the post office.
backed up part.adj. When something is being prevented from moving, progressing, or flowing normally, it is backed up.
Let's take the train downtown. Traffic is always backed up at this time of the morn in a.
| Infinitive | ||||
| present tense | -ing form | past tense | past participle | |
| cut off | ||||
| cut off & cuts off | cutting off | cut off | cut off |
1. cut... off p.v. When you completely remove part of something with a knife, saw, or pair of scissors, you cut it off.
He cut off a piece of cheese so that I could taste it. One of the kings of England had his head cut off.
2. cut... off p.v. When you stop the supply or flow of something, such as water, electricity, or money, you cut it off or you cut off the people receiving it.
/ won't be surprised if my electricity is cut off — I haven't paid the bill in three months.
The bartender told the drunk guy that she was cutting him off.
cutoff n. The time when something, such as water, electricity, or money, is cut off is the cutoff, cutoff point, or cutoff date.
/ got a notice saying that if I don't pay my water bill soon, the cutoff date will be March 10. Ninety is the cutoff — students with lower scores on the exam won't be accepted into the advanced program.
3. cut... off p.v. When you abruptly and rudely drive a vehicle in front of other people's vehicles, causing them to suddenly slow down or stop, you cut them off.
/ had to slam on the brakes when some jerk cut me off on the way to work. The lady in the red car tried to cut me off, but I wouldn't let her get in front of me.
4. cut... off p.v. When someone is cut off while speaking on the telephone, the connection is accidentally broken.
/ was in the middle of an important call when I was cut off. Getting cut off happens all the time when you're on the phone to China.
5. cut...off p.v. When you create a physical or psychological barrier between yourself and other people, you cut yourself off from them. When you are separated from other people because of a barrier or a great distance, you are cut off from them.
After Dan joined a cult, he completely cut himself off from his family and friends. A flash flood cut us off from the rest of the expedition.
cutoff part.adj. When you are separated from other people because of a barrier or a great distance, you are cutoff.
The bridge was destroyed by the earthquake, and now we're cut off.
| Infinitive | ||||
| present tense | -ing form | past tense | past participle | |
| drop off | ||||
| drop off & drops off | dropping off | dropped off | dropped off |
1. drop... off p.v. When you take things or people to another place and leave them there, you drop them off.
Can you drop me off at the train station on your way to work? Luis dropped off his laundry at the cleaners.
drop-off n. Something that has been dropped off is a drop-off. The place where something or someone is dropped off is a drop-off point, drop off window, and soon.
Luis left his laundry at the drop-off window. The north side of the train station parking lot is for drop-offs.
2. drop off p.v. When a business's sales, the occurrence of some event, or the interest some people have in something declines, it drops off.
Attendance at baseball games has been dropping off in the last few years. After CDs were introduced, sales of records dropped off sharply.
drop-off n. A decline in a business's sales, in the occurrence of an event, or in the interest some people have in something, is a drop-off.
There has been a drop-off in traffic deaths thanks to strict drunk driving laws. The drop-off in car sales was explained by the recession.
3. drop off p.v. When the level of the ground declines steeply, it drops off.
Be careful hiking this trail, it drops off steeply on the other side of the mountain. The island has no beach at all. The land drops off straight into the sea.
drop-off n. A steep decline in the level of the ground is a drop-off.
The bus driver didn't see the drop-off, and the bus plunged into the gorge. It was hard to see the drop-off because of the dense jungle.
| Infinitive | ||||
| present tense | -ing form | past tense | past participle | |
| follow up | ||||
| follow up & follows up | following up | followed up | followed up |
1. follow up (on) p.v. When you follow up on something, you return to something that was important to you previously because you now have more information or more time or because you want to make sure some effort you made previously is correct or effective.
/ saw a beautiful house with a "for sale" sign and I followed up on it when I got home. The doctor told me I'd need to follow up the treatment with physical therapy.
follow-up n. A follow-up, follow-up call, follow-up visit, and so on, is a return to something that was important to you previously because you now have more information or more time or because you want to make sure some effort you made previously is correct or effective.
The customer service manager made a follow-up call to make sure I was happy with the repair job. The doctor asked me to see him two months after the operation for a follow-up.
| take out | ||||
| take out & takes out | taking out | took out | taken out |
1. take... out (of) p.v. When you take something out or take it out of a container, storage place, or building, you remove it. Put in/into is the opposite of take out.
/ want to take some books out of the library tonight. Jake took out a gun and shouted, "This is a holdup!" Nancy took $500 out of the bank.
takeout n. Takeout is food that is taken from a restaurant to be eaten at another location. Carryout and carry-out food are the same as takeout and take-out food.
/ don't feel like cooking tonight. Let's get takeout. That take-out chicken is good, but it sure is greasy.
2. take...out (of) p.v. When you remove something because you do not want it or because it is damaged, you take it out or take it out of something. Put in/into is the opposite of take out.
The teacher said my story would be a lot better if! took this part out of the third paragraph.
The school will be closed while the asbestos insulation is being taken out and replaced.
3. take... out (of) p.v. When you take money out or take money out of a bank or a bank account, you withdraw the money. Put in is the opposite of take out.
/ had to take money out of my savings account to pay for my medical bills.
Nicole's at the bank taking $ 1,000 out.
4. take...out p.v. When you take people out/you go with them to do something enjoyable — dinner in a restaurant, a movie, and so on — and pay for it yourself.
What do you think about taking Mom out for Mother's Day?
Jim took his girlfriend out last Friday.
5. take...out p.v. [informal] When you take people out, you kill them.
The snipers will try to take out the kidnapper when he opens the door.
The hit man took Vito out with a shotgun blast to the head.
| Infinitive | ||||
| present tense | -ing form | past tense | past participle | |
| try out | ||||
| try out & tries out | trying out | tried out | tried out |
1. try... out p.v. When you try something out, you try it to see if you want to buy it or to see if you want to start using it regularly.
I'm not going to spend $2,000 on a bicycle unless I try it out first. You can try it out for thirty days without any obligation.
tryout n. When you give something a tryout,you test it to see if you want to buy it or start using it regularly.
/ gave Betty's new diet a tryout, but I actually gained weight.
The airline gave the new plane a thorough tryout before making a decision.
2. try... out p.v. When you try people out, you give them a chance to show that they can perform a job well before hiring them or before giving them more difficult work to do.
The manager agreed to try him out for a week.
I told the supervisor that if she tried me out, she'd see that I could do the job.
tryout n. When you give people a tryout, you give them a chance to show that they can perform a job well before giving them more difficult work to do.
Tryouts for the football team will be next Saturday and Sunday.
If you give Mike a tryout, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
3. try out (for) p.v. When you try out or try out for something, you try to show that you can perform a job well in order to get hired.
A lot of guys will try out, but only a handful will make the team.
Daniela's mother told her, "Trying out for the cheerleading squad isn't as important as doing your homework."
| Infinitive | ||||
| present tense | -ing form | past tense | past participle | |
| wake up | ||||
| wake up & wakes up | waking up | woke up | woken up |
1. wake... up p.v. When you stop sleeping, you wake up. When you cause other people to stop sleeping, you wake them up.
AH is so sleepy in class that the teacher must wake him up every five minutes.
I woke up at 2:00 AM and couldn't get back to sleep.
wake-up part.adj. When you are staying at a hotel and you ask the desk clerk to call you at a certain time to wake you up, you ask for a wake-up call.
/ asked the desk clerk to give me a wake-up call at 7:30.
2. wake... up p.v. When you learn something that causes you to understand the truth about something or someone, it wakes you up or wakes you up to the truth about something or someone,
/ used to smoke, but when my best friend died of lung cancer, it really woke me up. Hey, wake up! Nicole is lying to you. Can't you see that?
| work out | ||||
| work out & works out | working out | worked out | worked out |
1. work out p.v. When a situation works out a certain way, it happens that way. When a situation does not work out, it is not satisfactory.
The switch to the new system worked out a lot better than anyone expected.
She said that living with her in-laws wasn't working out very well.
2. work out p.v. When a situation works out, the end result is successful.
Yes, I thought your idea was terrible, but I must admit it worked out.
The marriage didn't work out, and they were divorced after six months.
3. work out p.v. When a calculation or measurement works out to be a certain amount, this amount is the result of the calculation or measurement.
The cost of the booze we need for the reception works out to more than $ 1,500.
The monthly payment on a 6 percent loan works out to $642.
4. work... out p.v. When you work out a calculation, measurement, or other problem, you do the work necessary to determine the result of the calculation or measurement or think about how to solve the problem.
Maria worked out bow much paint we will need for the living room — twenty-five gallons.
I've forgotten how to work out math problems without a calculator.
You need to go to the airport, I need to go to work, and we have only one car. How are we going to work this out?
5. work out p.v. When you work out a solution or plan, you decide what to do after careful consideration, either alone or in discussion with other people.
The opposing lawyers worked out a compromise.
I think I've worked out a way to buy a new car without borrowing money.
6. work out p.v. When you exercise in order to improve your health or physical appearance, you work out.
Bob works out in the gym for two hours every night. I'm a fat slob.
I need to start working out again.
workout n. A series of exercises done in order to improve your health or physical appearance is a workout. Workout clothes are clothes you wear while exercising.
I'm really sore from that workout last night. The trainer designed a workout for each player on the team.
workout n. When you say that you gave a mechanical device or system a workout, you mean that you caused it to perform some lengthy or difficult work,
Driving to Alaska sure gave this old truck a workout.
The snack bar got a real workout when three buses full of hungry tourists stopped at the same time.
