Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate Quiz: Phrasal Verbs And Fixed Expressions

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Phrasal Verbs And Fixed Expressions, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

Question 1

1. Rosa should not tolerate the unfair treatment and should express her concerns instead of staying silent. (correct answer)
2. Rosa should not post any complaints about her job on public websites or social media platforms.
3. Rosa should not try to organize or arrange her workspace to make it more comfortable for herself.
4. Rosa should not agree to work longer hours or take on any additional projects in the future.

Question 2

1. She decided to weigh up her options before the meeting, but in the end she went along with the group's decision even though she had doubts. (correct answer)
2. He weighed up the heavy boxes at the gym, and his teammates went along the hallway to find the coach after practice.
3. They weighed up their luggage at the airport counter, and the whole family went along with matching suitcases for the long trip.
4. She weighed up the cake ingredients carefully, and her sister went along with her to the grocery store to buy more flour.

Question 3

1. I will look into the complaint right away and report back to you once I have figured out what happened on that day. (correct answer)
2. I will look into the window of the office to check if the client came in, and I will figure the report out by sorting the pages.
3. I will look into buying new office supplies this week and will figure out a way to move the furniture to a better location.
4. I looked forward to the complaint being resolved, and I will figure the client out by calling their office number directly.

Question 4

1. He takes after his lunch break every day at noon, and he grew up all the leftover food before leaving the office kitchen.
2. She takes after her mother in many ways — both are patient and creative — and she grew up in a small coastal town near the border. (correct answer)
3. They take after the project deadline by one week, and the interns grew up their presentations for the final board meeting.
4. She takes after her workload carefully each morning, and her confidence grew up quickly once she joined the new department.

Question 5

1. In my previous role, I kept up with my manager by scheduling weekly check-ins to discuss updates, followed through the office hallways to attend all required team meetings, and worked independently on organizing the break room for staff celebrations.
2. In my previous role, I regularly worked on my own without guidance, kept up with software updates by taking monthly training courses, and always followed through on every project until completion, even when priorities shifted. (correct answer)
3. In my previous role, I followed through several online training programs to build new skills, kept up a positive attitude during challenging periods at work, and worked independently from home during winter months when commuting was difficult.
4. In my previous role, I kept up with staying late on Fridays to show dedication, followed through with my daily lunch choices by planning meals in advance, and worked independently by choosing to ask my supervisor fewer questions than my colleagues typically did.

Question 6

1. get off on the right foot in
2. put your foot down in
3. find your feet in (correct answer)
4. drag your feet about

Question 7

1. She called the meeting off because not enough people could attend on such short notice.
2. He turned down the job offer even though the salary was much higher than his current position.
3. They brought up an interesting point during the discussion that no one had considered before.
4. We looked forward the summer vacation with great excitement after a very long and difficult school year. (correct answer)

Question 8

1. The message is unrelated to the situation because 'something came up' is not a recognized fixed expression in English and therefore cannot be meaningfully connected to either chipping in or backing out of a commitment.
2. The message completely matches the organizer's request because 'something came up' means the volunteer found an unexpected way to contribute to the event, which is exactly the kind of chipping in the organizer was asking for.
3. The message partially conflicts with the organizer's expectation because 'something came up' suggests an unexpected problem caused the absence, but the organizer specifically warned against backing out, making the excuse understandable but still a form of the behavior the organizer cautioned against. (correct answer)
4. The message fully satisfies the organizer's concerns because sending an apology is the same as chipping in, and any volunteer who communicates with the group in writing is considered to have fulfilled their commitment to the event.

Question 9

1. take it up
2. get along with it
3. come up with an answer
4. stick with it (correct answer)

Question 10

1. We ran out of milk this morning, so I need to stop at the store on my way home from work today. (correct answer)
2. The children ran out of the building quickly when they heard the fire alarm ringing in the hallway.
3. My grandmother always runs out of her house to greet us warmly whenever our family visits her.
4. The athletes ran out of the stadium tunnel and onto the field as the crowd cheered at the start of the game.