1. As the crops were so abundant we decided to ———– them ———-.

a) put down
b) put by
c) put up
d) put on

2. If you want to suceed in life, you must ———– all negative thoughts ———–
a) put away
b) put off
c) put down
d) put on

3. His collegues ————- him ————– as a snob.

a) put down
b) put away
c) put by
d) put with

4. My uncle, who is an influential politician, has agreed to ————- a good word for me.

a) put in
b) put down
c) put for
d) put after

5.When I spoke to her I found out that she was much ————- her health.

a) put about
b) put on
c) put in
d) put down

6. Despite trying really hard, he failed to ———— his message ———–

a) put across
b) put away
c) put off
d) put in

7. All that you need is to  ————- an appearance at the meeting.

a) put in
b) put off
c) put down
d) put up

8. Please ————– the fire.

a) put out
b) put off
c) put up
d) put by

9. They did ————- a fight before giving in.

a) put up
b) put off
c) put on
d) put away

10. He accused the partisan crowd of ————- him ————- his game.

a) putting away
b) putting off
c) putting down
d) putting on

Answers

1. put by (save for future use)
2. put away (discard)
3. put down (categorize)
4. put in (introduce)
5. put about (be worried)
6. put across (persuade people to accept something)
7. put in (be present at)
8. put out (cause something to stop burning)
9. put up (offer resistance)
10. putting off (cause somebody to perform badly by taking his attention from it)

1. Is it wise to —————- appearances?

a) go with
b) go by
c) go down
d) go for

2. Prices of essential commodities have —————- in recent years.

a) gone by
b) gone up
c) gone with
d) gone off

3. The pistol ————– all of a sudden.

a) went down
b) went on
c) went off
d) went up

4. Suddenly all the lights ———————-

a) went out
b) went off
c) went on
5. went up

5. This watch is  —————— $50.

a) going for
b) going after
c) going on
d) going up

6. The manager promised to —————— the matter himself.

a) go into
b) go in for
c) go out
d) go by

7. Finding further resistance useless, he —————–

a) gave in
b) gave out
c) gave over
d) gave way

8. The doctor asked him to ——————- smoking.

a) give in
b) give up
c) give away
d) give out

9. The president —————— the prizes.

a) gave away
b) gave up
c) gave in
d) gave forth

10. Because of his being the son of a minister, he ————— very lightly.

a) got off
b) got on
c) got over
d) got through

Answers

1. go by (judge from)
2. gone up (increased)
3. went off (fired)
4. went out (extinguished)
5. going for (selling for)
6. go into (examine)
7. gave in (surrendered)
8. give up (stop doing something)
9. gave away (distributed)
10. got off (escaped punishment)

Airplane (American English), aeroplane (British English)

Apartment (AE), flat/apartment (BE)

Area code (AE), dialling code (BE)

Attorney, lawyer (AE), barrister, solicitor (BE)

Cab/taxi (AE), taxi (BE)

Can (AE), tin (BE)

Candy (AE), sweets (BE)

Cookie, cracker (AE), biscuit (BE)

Corn (AE), maize (BE)

Crib (AE), cot (BE)

Crazy (AE), mad (BE)

Diaper (AE), nappy (BE)

Dumb, stupid (AE),  stupid (BE)

Elevator (AE), lift (BE)

Eraser (AE), rubber, eraser (BE)

Fall, autumn (AE), autumn (BE)

Faucet, tap (AE), tap (BE)

First floor (AE), ground floor (BE)

Flashlight (AE), torch (BE)

French fries (AE), chips (BE)

Garbage, trash (AE), rubbish (BE)

Garbage can (AE), dustbin (BE)

Gas, gasoline (AE), petrol (BE)

Highway (AE), main road (BE)

Hood (AE), bonnet (AE)

Intersection (AE), crossroads (BE)

Mad (AE), angry (BE)

Mail (AE), post (BE)

Mean (AE), nasty (BE)

Movie, film (AE), film (BE)

Pants, trousers (AE), trousers (BE)

Pitcher (AE), jug (BE)

Chips (AE), crisps (BE)

Railroad (AE), railway (BE)

Raise (AE), rise (BE)

Rest room (AE), public toilet (BE)

Sneakers (AE), trainers (= sports shoes) (BE)

Truck (AE), van, lorry (BE)

Vacation (AE), holidays (BE)

Zipper (AE), zip (BE)

a) set aside
b) set off
c) set up
d) set about

2. In England, winter —————- December.

a) sets in
b) sets up
c) sets down
d) set apart

3. He immediately —————- organizing the program.

a) set about
b) set out
c) set aside
d) set off

4. The pilgrims —————- in the morning.

a) set off
b) set up
c) set down
d) set upon

5. The robbers ————– the poor traveler.

a) set upon
b) set forth
c) set in
d) set off

6. These seats are ————— for ladies.

a) set apart
b) set for
c) set upon
d) set off

7. The smoke ————— the fire alarm.

a) set off
b) set upon
c) set down
d) set on

8. The accused alleged that somebody had ———— him ————–

a) set up
b) set off
c) set out
d) set down

9. What ———— you ————— to do that?

a) set on
b) set off
c) set down
d) set up

10. In his speech, he ————- his ideas clearly.

a) set forth
b) set upon
c) set in
d) set down

Answers

1. a) set aside (annulled)
2. a) sets in (start)
3. a) set about (took steps towards)
4. a) set off (started)
5. a) set upon (attacked)
6. a) set apart (reserved)
7. a) set off
8. a) set up (trapped)
9. a) set on (instigate)
10. a) set forth

a) looks after
b) looks at
c) looks for
d) looks up

2. He ————- upon his poor cousins.
a) looks up
b) looks down
c) looks after
d) looks into

3. The teacher asked the student to ————— the word in the dictionary.

a) look up
b) look for
c) look at
d) look after

4. I will ————– the matter.

a) look into
b) look for
c) look at
d) look after

5. We all ————— to him.

a) look up
b) look after
c) look down
d) look for

6. We are —————– to your visit.

a) looking after
b) looking forward
c) looking for
d) looking into

7. ————! We are going to crash!

a) look for
b) look out
c) look after
d) look at

8. We are ————– the possibility of buying a new house.

a) looking into
b) looking at
c) looking after
d) looking on

9. We are —————- a new place to live.

a) looking at
b) looking after
c) looking for
d) looking forward

10. He ————– his father for advice.

a) looks to
b) looks at
c) looks for
d) looks down

Answers

1. a) looks after
2. b) looks down
3. a) look up
4. a) look into
5. a) look up
6. b) looking forward
7. b) look out
8. a) looking into
9. c) looking for
10. a) looks to

He is generous to a fault. (= He is too generous. He is so generous that his generosity is a fault.)

Gain ground (Become more acceptable)

The belief in the efficacy of vaccination is gaining ground.

Pay off an old score (take revenge on someone for a some grievance)

She paid off an old score by going out with her best friend’s boy friend.

Off and on (now and then, occasionally)

He visits us off and on.

Put a spoke in somebody’s wheel
To put a spoke in somebody’s wheel is to spoil their plans and stop them from doing something.

It was he who put a spoke in my wheel.

Fall flat (fail)

If a film falls flat, people do not enjoy it.

He made several attempts at humor during his speech, but all of them fell flat.

Put one’s foot down

To put one’s foot down is to assert something strongly.

The boss put his foot down and refused to make any changes to his plan.

Turn over a new leaf (to turn over a new leaf is to reform and begin again)

He is not drinking any more. He has turned over a new leaf.

Make up one’s mind (come to a decision about something)

I have finally made up my mind to quit politics.

I think I am right, but if I am wrong, I am ready to eat humble pie.

Meet something half way

To meet something half way is to anticipate it or worry about it before it happens.

It is silly to meet trouble half way.

Worth one’s salt

If a person is not worth his salt, he is quite worthless.

He is not worth his salt, if he fails at it again.

Make both ends meet (Be able to live within one’s income)

The cost of living is so high that we find it difficult to make both ends meet.

Within an ace of (on the point of)

At the battle of Marengo,  Napoleon was within an ace of defeat. (= Napoleon was nearly defeated.)

Lose ground (become less powerful or acceptable)

The belief in witchcraft is losing ground.

With open arms (Wholeheartedly)

When the prodigal son returned to his father’s house, he was received with open arms.

Play fast and loose (say one thing and do another)

You can’t trust a person who plays fast and loose.

Take one to task (rebuke)

The teacher took him to task for not doing his homework.

Turn a deaf ear to (disregard)

He turned a deaf ear to my advice. (= He disregarded my advice.)

By hook or crook (by all means; by fair means or foul means)

He is determined to achieve his object by hook or crook.

Take exception to (object)

I must take exception to your remark. (= I must object to your remark.)

Put across (state clearly)

She failed to put her views across during the hearing.

Put away (discard, consume food or drink, kill (informal)

You must put all negative thoughts away if you want to succeed in life.
They put away the dinner in a few minutes.
The injured horse was put away.

Put by (save for later use)

Put down (write down, bring to an end, render ineffective, criticize, attribute)

He put down a list of people he wanted to invite for his birthday.
The authorities failed to put down the rebellion.
He was put down for his poor performance in class.
Let’s put this disaster down to inefficiency.

Put forward (propose for consideration)

She put forward an interesting plan.

Put in (make a formal offer of, introduce, spend time at a job, apply)

He has put in a plea of guilty.
My friend has agreed to put in a good word for me.
I put in ten hours at the office.
He has put in a claim for compensation.

Put off (postpone, take off, repulse)

The meeting has been put off.
He put off the coat.
His indifference put me off.

Put on (clothe oneself with, activate, assume)

He put on a coat.
Put on the brakes.
He puts on an air of dignity.

Put out (extinguish)

The firemen put out the fire.

Put up with (tolerate)

I couldn’t put up with his insolence.

I saw Joe yesterday.
Suddenly I saw something strange.

Progressive forms of see are not normally used with this meaning.

I can see an elephant. (NOT I am seeing a elephant.)

Look (at)

When we look at something we are trying to see what it is – we are paying attention. Note that we can see something even if we don’t want to, but we can only look at something deliberately.

He looked at the baby with his eyes full of love. (NOT He saw the baby with his eyes full of love.)
She looked at the picture.
‘Look here.’

Note that look is followed by a preposition when there is an object. When there is no object, there is no preposition.

Look at the photo. (NOT Look the photo.)
Look here. (NOT Look at here.)

Watch

Watch has more or less the same meaning as look. We usually use watch to talk about looking at events that change or develop.

Did you watch the football match yesterday. (NOT Did you look at the football match yesterday.)

What are you doing? I am watching the TV serial.

Watch him – I am certain he is up to something.

Watch is normally used with TV.

Don’t spend too much time watching TV.

Both watch and see can be used to talk about films and TV programs.

We watched/saw a great film yesterday.

See can be followed by if and weather. Look and watch are not normally followed by if or whether.

Let’s see whether she is in. (NOT Let’s watch/look whether she is in.)
See if there is any food left. (NOT Look/watch if there is any food left.)

That is certainly a plain-clothes policeman. (= I know that is a plain-clothes policeman.)
Surely that is a plain-clothes policeman? (= He does look like a plain-clothes policeman and I find it very surprising.)

They are certainly coming. (= I know they are coming.)

Surely they are coming? (= It looks like they are coming and I can’t believe it.)

Note that sentences with surely often have question marks.

Surely you are quitting? I thought you would continue. (= I can’t believe that you are quitting.)

Surely that’s Peter over there? I thought he was in Switzerland.

When used with heavy stress, surely suggests that the speaker would like to believe something, but is beginning to lose hope.

Surely she is going to get a job? (= I would like to believe that she will get a job, but it looks like she will never.)

Surely there is somebody in the house? Why don’t they answer the phone?

Surely not is used to express difficulty in believing something.

Surely you are not quitting that job? (= I can’t believe that you are quitting that job.)
Surely you are not going out in that coat? (= I can’t believe that you are going out in that coat.)

American English
In American English, surely is used in replies to mean ‘certainly’.

Could you lend me some money? Surely.
Do you want something to eat? I surely do.

The results are surely encouraging.