CDS English · Grammar
Phrasal verbs
A phrasal verb is a verb plus one or two small words (put out, get over, fall out with) that together have a new meaning. Change the small word and the meaning changes.
Why this matters
CDS papers often give four options built on the same verb (put in, put out, put on, put off) and ask which one fits. You cannot guess these from the verb alone. Learn the meanings below, and use the particle as a clue when you meet a new one.
Concept 1 of 3: Phrasal verbs for meeting, getting on and enduring
Many phrasal verbs describe how we deal with people: we call on them, run into them, get along with them, fall out with them, and sometimes we just put up with them. Learn them as a small story of a friendship.
Definition
The terms:
- Phrasal verb: a verb + a particle, sometimes + a preposition, with one meaning (get over = recover from).
- Particle: the small word after the verb (up, out, off, on, in). It looks like a preposition but works with the verb.
The method:
- Read the sentence and say its meaning in plain words (they quarrelled, he recovered, I met him by chance).
- Match that plain meaning to the phrasal verb from the table.
- Check the full form: some need a third word (put up with, keep up with, fall out with).
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Sitting |
|---|---|---|
| call on a person | visit someone, often formally | 2018 (II), 2020 (I) call at a place (call at the office); call on a person. |
| run into someone | meet by chance | 2020 (I) |
| fall out with someone | quarrel and stop being friends | 2026 (I) |
| get along with someone | have a friendly relationship | 2018 (II) |
| put up with something | tolerate, bear | 2017 (II) |
| get over a shock | recover from | 2018 (I) |
| keep up with someone | move or progress at the same speed | 2021 (I) |
The third word (with) is part of the phrasal verb: do not leave it out.
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2026 · CDS (I) 2026 — English · Q76Moderate
Example 1 · Grammar · Phrasal Verbs with Prepositions and Particles
Directions: Each of the following sentences in this section has a blank space with four options. Select the preposition or determiner you consider the most appropriate for the blank space and mark your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.
I'm not speaking to Ravi. I've fallen _______ with him.
Call on a person, call at a place
call on the Prime Minister (visit a person). call at the office (stop at a place). call off = cancel. call in = ask someone to come. call up = phone.
Get over, not get through, for a shock
get over = recover from (a shock, an illness, a loss). get through = finish or survive a difficult time. get by = manage with little. get off = leave a bus or train.
Keep up with, not keep up to
keep up with someone = move at their speed. 'Keep up to' is not this phrasal verb. Check that the option and the printed with join to make the full phrase.
Concept 2 of 3: Read the particle: on, off, out, about
When all four options share one verb (went on, went off, went about, went around), the particle decides. Each particle has a usual sense. Fit that sense to the sentence and the right option often stands out.
Definition
The usual sense of each particle:
- on = start, connect, continue: turn on the light, carry on.
- off = stop, leave, go away, explode: call off, take off, the gun went off, the rain kept off.
- out = finish, end, remove, until nothing is left: put out a fire, run out of time.
- about = happen, come into being: how did it come about?
- away = disappear, scatter: the clouds clear away.
- up = finish completely or increase: use up, speed up.
The method:
- Say what the sentence needs in plain words (stop the fire, switch on the light, it happened).
- Pick the particle whose usual sense matches.
- Check the context: a dark room needs light on, not off.
Phrasal verbs tested this way:
- put out the fire = extinguish (2020 I)
- turn on the light = switch on (2021 I)
- the gun went off = fired (2021 II)
- the clouds of suspicion will clear away = disappear (2017 II)
- the rain will keep off = stay away, not fall (2018 I)
- how the accident came about = happened (2020 I)
- running out of time = having little left (2020 I)
Worked example
The meeting was ______ because the chairman fell ill. (a) called on (b) called off (c) called up (d) called in
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2020 · CDS (I) 2020 — English · Q52Easy
Example 2 · Grammar · Phrasal Verbs with Prepositions and Particles
Directions: select the word or group for the blank
The fire brigade fought for four hours to _______ the fire in the building.
Check the context before choosing on or off
'The room is a bit dark. Could you turn ___ the light?' The answer is on. Students who see 'turn off the light' every night pick off by habit. Ask what the sentence needs.
Keep off is not put off
The rain keeps off = it does not fall. put off = postpone (put off the picnic); it needs an object. If the subject is the rain itself, put off cannot fit.
Come about, come off, come out
come about = happen (how did it come about?). come off = succeed, or become detached. come out = appear, become known. 'How the accident ___' asks how it happened: came about.
Running out of needs the -ing and the of
'The group was ___ of time' needs running out: was + -ing for the continuous, and the printed of completes run out of. 'Run out' alone breaks the tense.
Concept 3 of 3: Phrasal verbs for effort, duty and avoidance
A second family of phrasal verbs is about work and duty: you put in effort, carry through on a promise, make up for a loss, fall back on help. Others describe avoiding something: you keep off a topic or shy away from a task.
Definition
The rules:
- Learn each verb with all its words: make up for, fall back on, shy away from, carry through on.
- Many look alike but mean different things: carry out (do a task) vs carry through on (keep a promise); keep off (avoid) vs keep out (stay outside).
- Check the word after the blank: if the sentence already prints for, on or from, the option must join it to make the full verb.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Sitting |
|---|---|---|
| carry through on a promise | keep a promise, do what you said | 2020 (I) carry out a task, a plan or an order. When the printed word after the blank is on, carry through is the one that joins it. |
| put in years of service | spend time or effort on work | 2020 (I) |
| keep off a subject | avoid talking about it | 2020 (I) |
| shy away from | avoid because of fear or doubt | 2021 (II) |
| make up for lost time | compensate for | 2022 (I) |
| fall back on | rely on in a time of difficulty | 2025 (I) |
Each verb is learnt with its full set of words.
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2022 · CDS (I) 2022 — English · Q18Easy
Example 3 · Grammar · Phrasal Verbs with Prepositions and Particles
Directions: choose best word or group for the blank
He must work very hard and make up _______ lost time.
Carry out a task, carry through on a promise
carry out = do or perform (carry out an order, a plan). carry through on = keep a promise to the end. carry off = win or manage something hard. Let the printed on decide.
Keep off, not keep out, for a topic
keep off politics = avoid the subject. keep out = stay outside (keep out of the room). keep on = continue.
Shy away from needs both words
The full verb is shy away from. An option with only 'in', 'with' or 'upon' cannot make it.
Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance
A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.
Reference tables (2)
Phrasal verbs for meeting, getting on and enduring7 rows
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Sitting |
|---|---|---|
| call on a person | visit someone, often formally | 2018 (II), 2020 (I) call at a place (call at the office); call on a person. |
| run into someone | meet by chance | 2020 (I) |
| fall out with someone | quarrel and stop being friends | 2026 (I) |
| get along with someone | have a friendly relationship | 2018 (II) |
| put up with something | tolerate, bear | 2017 (II) |
| get over a shock | recover from | 2018 (I) |
| keep up with someone | move or progress at the same speed | 2021 (I) |
The third word (with) is part of the phrasal verb: do not leave it out.
Phrasal verbs for effort, duty and avoidance6 rows
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Sitting |
|---|---|---|
| carry through on a promise | keep a promise, do what you said | 2020 (I) carry out a task, a plan or an order. When the printed word after the blank is on, carry through is the one that joins it. |
| put in years of service | spend time or effort on work | 2020 (I) |
| keep off a subject | avoid talking about it | 2020 (I) |
| shy away from | avoid because of fear or doubt | 2021 (II) |
| make up for lost time | compensate for | 2022 (I) |
| fall back on | rely on in a time of difficulty | 2025 (I) |
Each verb is learnt with its full set of words.
Watch out for (10)
- Call on a person, call at a place→ Phrasal verbs for meeting, getting on and enduring
- Get over, not get through, for a shock→ Phrasal verbs for meeting, getting on and enduring
- Keep up with, not keep up to→ Phrasal verbs for meeting, getting on and enduring
- Check the context before choosing on or off→ Read the particle: on, off, out, about
- Keep off is not put off→ Read the particle: on, off, out, about
- Come about, come off, come out→ Read the particle: on, off, out, about
- Running out of needs the -ing and the of→ Read the particle: on, off, out, about
- Carry out a task, carry through on a promise→ Phrasal verbs for effort, duty and avoidance
- Keep off, not keep out, for a topic→ Phrasal verbs for effort, duty and avoidance
- Shy away from needs both words→ Phrasal verbs for effort, duty and avoidance
Test yourself on Grammar
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