The Fabulous Phrasal Verb Quiz / Test | English

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. A phrasal verb is constructed from a verb and at least one particle, which may be either an adverb or a preposition. In the l960s Timothy Leary gave this infamous yet pithy advice: "turn on, tune in, and drop out". This phrase utilizes three phrasal verb constructions. What variety of particle is used? (Hint: A preposition requires an object.)

Answer: Adverb

Distinguishing between adverbial and prepositional usage within a phrasal verb can be problematic, and whether the distinction is useful is open to debate. As you wade through this explanation you are wading through "this explanation" which is the object of the phrasal verb "wade through". On the other hand, if you are ill and pull through, "through" is an adverb modifying "pull". If this is not making complete sense, I apologize. I have not found a satisfyingly simple rule for making this distinction.

The best discussion I found on the issue can be found at "http://www.fortunecity.com/bally/durrus/153/gramch27.html"

2. When a verb and a particle are combined, a phrasal verb does not necessarily result; "phrasal fizzle" may occur. In the case of a phrasal verb, the verb-particle combination has a meaning different from the verb alone. Consider, "As I came across the field, I came across an injured bird." There are two occurrences of "came across" in the previous sentence. Which is an instance of a phrasal verb?

Answer: Only the second

In the first instance "came across" is a straightforward verb-prepositional phrase construction and "came" means "came". In the second instance, "came across" means "unexpectedly found". Sometimes the same phrase may be interpreted in two ways depending on whether one takes the phrasal or non-phrasal sense of the verb. "I decided on the boat" could either mean that you have selected the boat or that you made your decision while onboard the boat.

The verb-particle combination may also have more than one phrasal meaning, e.g. "I think I'll turn in (go to bed)" or "I'm turning you in (handing you over to law enforcement)".

3. Phrasal verbs are a source of consternation for those learning English as a second language. Which of the following factors contribute to the difficulty that English learners encounter?

Answer: All of these

As I chew on such phrases as "let off the fireworks" or "nail down the terms", it dawns on me that I should pipe down about how difficult languages other than English are to pick up. As I tick off the difficulties the student of English as a second language runs into, I wind up realizing how amazing it is that any non-native speaker ever catches on to English phrasal verbs.

4. You're probably getting the knack of phrasal verbs by now. So, how many phrasal verbs are contained in the following sentence: "John barged in and lashed out, telling off the assembled bigwigs for singling out the younger staff and lording it over them?

Answer: Five

The five are: "barged in", "lashed out", "telling off", "singling out" and "lording (it) over".

"The Cambridge International Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs" contains 6000 English language phrasal verbs. You can search the dictionary on line at "http://dictionary.cambridge.org/default.asp?dict=P". The Purdue University Online Writing Lab has an excellent phrasal verb page at "http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/eslphrasal.html".

5. Phrasal verbs are classified as separable or inseparable depending on whether the particle can be separated from the verb. You can think a separable phrasal verb up or think up a separable phrasal verb but you can't break into the middle of an inseparable phrasal verb like "break into". Which of the following is an inseparable phrasal verb? (Hint: Try sticking "it" between the words.)

Answer: Touch on

One can "touch on a subject", but "touch a subject on" is a partial phrase leaving open the matter of which part of the subject was touched. The Old English precursors of the robust, modern, flexible English phrasal verbs were generally inseparable verbs with prefixes.

6. Following the Norman Conquest, French language and usage gained ascendancy in England and the use of phrasal verbs was stigmatized as being colloquial. Which author of the early Modern English era used phrasal verbs extensively and, thus, elevated its status? (Hint: "But I must go and meet with danger there..." Northumberland in "King Henry IV, part ii")

Answer: William Shakespeare

Old English verbs were inflected, and meaning tended to be communicated by means of prefixes and suffixes. Middle English, being much less inflected, made much freer use of phrasal verbs. With the Norman Conquest, the influx of French words into English and the snobbish dismissal of colloquial English by the upper classes slowed the process. During the early years of Modern usage the process again accelerated. Phrasal verbs, after all, have been characterized as being, "informal, emotive, and slangy" (McArthur, Tom 1992: "Phrasal verbs". Oxford University Press. 774). As such, phrasal verbs perfectly suited the Bard's style, and Shakespeare made free use of them. Over 1500 semantically distinct phrasal verbs have been counted in Shakespeare's works.
(Castillo, Concha 1994: "Verb-particle Combinations in Shakespearean English".
Neuphilologische Mitteilungen 95/4: 439-51)

7. Historically, phrasal verbs have tended to begin life as colloquial idioms. Geographical variation is, therefore, to be expected. Which of the following slangy phrasal verbs is not concerned with sleep?

Answer: Pan out

"Doss down" and "kip down" are predominantly Australian and British phrasals that indicate that one is retiring for the night, presumably in humble circumstances. "Roget's Thesaurus" gives "fleabag, hay, pallet, and sack" as synonyms for both "doss" and "kip". "Drop off" as a term for falling asleep is apparently in widespread use.

Although now in wide use, "Pan out" is thought to have had a colloquial origin during the California gold rush. The reference is to what will come out when one finishes one's gold panning.

8. Certain words tend to occur together, a situation termed "collocation". Thus it's amends that we make, it's living we scratch out, and we place our "kith" with our "kin". Certain phrasal verbs are more likely to take certain objects than others. Which of the following words is LEAST likely to come after "I seem to have run into..."?

Answer: An illness

Phrasal verbs may demonstrate collocation even before taking an object. We generally barge in or into, rack up, and rake in. However the collocation can come in two layers. It's likely to be money or dough we're raking in but points we're racking up.

9. Some verbs seem to prefer the collocated life, seldom being seen without their favorite preposition or adverb. In the process, the original meaning of the verb may be lost. But bursting with a savage semantic energy you yearn to break the bounds of common usage and sally - not sally forth - but just sally. This presents an opportunity for etymological exploration and you want to sally in the most vigorous and ancient etymologic sense of this now often trivialized idiom. Which of the following best captures the flavor of "sel",the Indo-European root of "sally"?

Answer: Leaping like a salmon

The verb "sally" seems to have entered English via the Old French participle "salir", which means "to rush forward". In military usage "sallying forth" denoted bursting forth, generally from a defensive position, and rushing at the enemy. Sally can also connote a journey off the beaten track and the word "jaunt" is offered as a synonym in some dictionaries. The expression is even used casually, if inaccurately, to denote no more than going forth. On leave taking one might say, "I think I shall sally forth, shall I?"

But sally can be traced back to the Indo-European root "sel", which means "to leap". Other words thought to be derived from this root include "salmon", the leaping fish, and desultory, jumping from one thing to another. Salacious derives from a Latin root "salax", which meant both lustful and fond of leaping.

10. It's time for me to stop rabbiting on; but before you move on to the next quiz, a final opportunity to show off your mastery of the fabulously functional phrasal verb. Which of the following words properly characterizes the phrasal verb "to rabbit on"?

Answer: All of them

The technicality of the term "phrasal verb" belies the proletarian energy of this vigorously exuberant and innovative construction. Whatever we are trying to convey - from going the vole to just skiving off, from sallying forth to coming up empty - the phrasal verb is an "informal, emotive and slangy" vehicle just waiting to be driven.

Source: Author uglybird

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
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The Fabulous Phrasal Verb Trivia Quiz

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