Lesson 9: B2 ‘Education & Learning’ Phrasal Verbs Masterclass: Catch On to Think Over

Exercise 1 — Precision Gap-Fill with Distractors

Complete each sentence with the **correct phrasal verb** from the wordbank in the correct form. Use each at most once. Warning: several distractors look right but change the meaning or pattern.

1. It suddenly ________ me that the file I sent had no attachment.
2. Before we vote, let me ________ the four options and their costs.
3. Rita walks so fast that I can’t ________ her unless I jog.
4. We shouldn’t ________ the rumors; let’s wait for a formal statement.
5. After a week of trials, the board finally ________ the hybrid policy.
6. If you miscalculate, ________ the number and write the new one below.
7. Even with little sleep, Mei ________ the interview and got an offer.
8. He almost ________ buying the designer bag but decided to save.
9. They built a plan, assigned owners, and then simply ________ it.
10. It took a few examples for the class to ________, but then progress was fast.
11. We’ve received 130 emails today; I’ll ________ the urgent ones first.
12. When funding dried up, three startups ________ the accelerator.
13. I can’t tell what you’re ________. Are you proposing we delay the launch?
14. I’m not answering right away—I need to ________ the terms overnight.

Exercise 2 — Error Hunt & Repair (Separable vs. Inseparable)

Each sentence contains one error with the target phrasal verb. Identify the error and rewrite the sentence correctly.

1. Please cross out it and write the correct date.
2. Only later dawned me that she was being sarcastic.
3. The memo sets out to our policy in five points.
4. We must deal the budget before the presentation.
5. He gave in for their pressure after midnight.
6. Are you getting what I mean ?
7. She kept up the news by reading two newsletters.
8. The team got on the sprint after lunch.

Exercise 3 — High-Precision Transformations

Rewrite each sentence using the phrasal verb in brackets so that the meaning stays the same. Keep the tense/aspect and any negation.

1. After the case study, the concept finally became clear to the interns. (catch on)
2. We should not surrender to short-term fashion. (give in (to))
3. In the introduction, the author explains the theoretical model. (set out)
4. Only hours later did I realize the message had been ironic. (dawn on)
5. Let’s continue the backlog while the designer is away. (get on with)
6. She left the accelerator program because of a funding crisis. (drop out (of))
7. I can’t understand what you mean by that comparison. (get at)
8. I will answer tomorrow after I consider the offer. (think over)
9. Thanks to rehearsal, the choir completed the audition without difficulty. (sail through)
10. The helpdesk handled the tickets in order of severity. (deal with)

Exercise 4 — Cloze Paragraph (Discourse & Cohesion)

Fill the paragraph with the correct phrasal verbs in the right forms. Do not repeat a verb.

Startup Diary — At the kickoff, Farah [1] the roadmap in four phases. During phase one, the team tried hard to [2] the weekly research briefs, but the pace was brutal. Halfway through sprint two, it suddenly [3] the founders that the KPIs were unrealistic, so they [4] three metrics and wrote improved ones below. By week five, Ben threatened to [5] the accelerator; Farah told him to [6] the decision over the weekend. After seeing the prototype, skeptical advisors finally [7] the vision. The mock audit that everyone feared turned out easy—the team [8] it. In the final presentation, however, one investor kept asking where the revenue would come from; nobody could tell what he was [9], so Farah asked a clarifying question. After Q&A, the support team stayed late to [10] the bug reports, and the next morning everyone simply [11] the launch checklist. Looking back, it took the interns two sprints to [12], but once they did, progress was fast.

Exercise 5 — Pairwise Contrast Drill

Choose the correct option. Explain why the other option is not appropriate in that context.

1. “Do not (give in / give up) to peer pressure.”
2. “After the lunchtime break, let’s (get on with / deal with) the sprint backlog.”
3. “The textbook (sets out / sets up) the steps of the algorithm.”
4. “It (caught on / dawned on) me that the email was a scam.”
5. “Read one curated newsletter each day to (keep up with / catch up with) the industry.”
6. “Attach the feedback and (cross out / strike through) the outdated paragraph.” (Assume it’s handwritten.)
7. “The audit team (sailed through / got on with) the compliance check.”
8. “I can’t understand what you’re (getting at / dealing with) in that analogy.”

Exercise 6 — Sentence Surgery (Edit & Improve)

Rewrite the sentences to sound natural and precise using a target phrasal verb. Keep all original information.

1. Before voting, I will explain the steps of our plan clearly.
2. Please remove the extra zero neatly and write the correct figure.
3. After reading the article, the idea finally became clear to us.
4. The policy document is about ethical use of data.
5. We continued the quarterly report while the CFO was away.
6. Don’t surrender to the temptation to buy noise you don’t need.
7. I will consider your offer and reply by Friday.
8. Two teams left the competition at the semi-final stage.
9. Because of practice, the team completed the demo easily.
10. I don’t know what you mean when you compare our app to a library.

Exercise 7 — Tense & Aspect Challenge

Supply the correct tense/aspect of the given phrasal verb to fit the context exactly.

1. By the time the auditors arrived, we __________ (set out) every assumption in an appendix.
2. Don’t worry about Jules—she __________ (sail through) most coding interviews she’s taken.
3. Only after the call __________ it __________ (dawn on) them that they had misread the figures.
4. For two months now I __________ (keep up with) the weekly research letters.
5. When you see an error in your essay, __________ (cross out) and rewrite the line neatly. (imperative)
6. We nearly __________ (give in) to the demand, but the counter-proposal worked.
7. He said he would decide after he __________ (think over) our offer.
8. Once we finish lunch, let’s __________ (get on with) the user testing.

Exercise 8 — Collocation Sorter (Make Natural Matches)

Match each noun phrase with the most natural phrasal verb. Then write a full sentence for any three pairs.

1. the contract terms
2. the wrong serial number
3. peer pressure
4. a marathon (participant)
5. a surprisingly tough exam (result)
6. the quarterly complaints
7. a rapid-talking speaker (audience pace)
8. a hesitant reviewer (opinion)
9. a vague questioner (intended point)
10. your decision about a counter-offer

Exercise 9 — Dialogue Completion (Pragmatics)

Complete each dialogue with an appropriate phrasal verb (correct form). More than one may work, but choose the best for the context.

1. A: I still don’t see the difference between “sources” and “citations.”
   B: No worries—after two examples you’ll ________.
2. A: We’re split on the four-day week.
   B: Give it a month; some of the team will ________ the idea.
3. A: This pen inked the wrong price.
   B: Just ________ it and write “€19.90.”
4. A: Why are you comparing us to a streaming service?
   B: Sorry—what I’m ________ is that users expect constant content.
5. A: The questionnaire is long.
   B: I’ve ________ the plan in three stages so it’s easier.
6. A: We’re already behind schedule.
   B: Then let’s stop debating and ________ the build.
7. A: You look exhausted. Buy it tomorrow.
   B: Good idea—I’ll ________ it tonight.
8. A: The comments are harsh—should we just accept their demands?
   B: No, let’s not ________; we can negotiate.

Exercise 10 — Mini-Cases (Applied Production)

Write a 2–3 sentence response to each scenario using the required phrasal verb(s). Aim for natural, professional tone.

1. (set out + deal with) — You’re project lead. In a status email, organize the next steps and say how you’ll handle risks.
2. (think over) — A recruiter has offered a position with a 20% raise, but you need two days.
3. (come around to) — Your colleague opposed a documentation overhaul; after a pilot, they changed their mind. Write a friendly note.
4. (get at) — A client keeps asking vague questions in a meeting. Ask for precise clarification politely.
5. (keep up with) — Your team is struggling to stay informed about weekly regulation updates. Give a practical tip.
6. (cross out) — You’re returning a paper form with one incorrect date. Provide a short instruction to a teammate who will fix it.
7. (give in) — A partner demands an unrealistic discount. Respond firmly without closing the door.
8. (get on with) — Your stand-up is running long. Move the team back to the sprint tasks politely.
9. (dawn on) — You realized late at night that an attachment was missing from an earlier email. Inform the recipient.
10. (drop out of + sail through) — A classmate left a course, yet you did extremely well on the final. Write a short reflective message.

Bonus Challenge — Mixed Review Grid

Choose the best phrasal verb for each sentence and justify the choice with one line about meaning or grammar.

1. “The appendix ________ the formula derivation in detail.”
2. “She almost ________ the late-night craving for cake.”
3. “If you can’t hear the lecturer, move forward so you can ________ the pace.”
4. “After two demos, the investors finally ________ the idea.”
5. “Once you’ve edited your draft, ________ any duplications.”
6. “Don’t worry if you’re confused—you’ll ________ by week two.”