Unit 12 Exercises

 Good morning, everyone.

Let's dive into some practical applications of the phrasal verbs we've been discussing. Today, we'll be tackling some exercises that challenge our understanding of these versatile verbs.

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Correcting Phrasal Verbs

First, let's look at the correcting exercise. This helps us see how subtle changes in a phrasal verb can completely alter a sentence's meaning.

Remember, the goal is to identify if the phrasal verb is correct in its context. If it's not, we need to replace it with the correct one.

Let's start with the example: "The watch was broken so I took it off to the shop."

The correct phrasal verb here is take back, meaning to return something. So, we cross out "off" and replace it with back.

Now, let's go through the other sentences:

• "I bought a new jacket but it had a mark on it so I took it back." This is correct. You're returning the item.

• "The shop assistant took me offside and told me..." This is incorrect. The phrasal verb we need here is take aside, which means to separate someone for a private conversation.

• "...if I was prepared to keep the jacket she would take away ten per cent." This is correct. It means to subtract an amount from a total.

• "I didn’t really take in what she was saying at first..." This is also correct. It means to understand and absorb information.

• "...but once I understood, I decided to take her over on the offer." Incorrect. The right phrasal verb is take up, meaning to accept the offer.

As you can see, understanding the nuances of these verbs is crucial for correct usage.

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Completing Dialogues

Now let's move on to the second exercise, where we'll complete some dialogues using the phrasal verbs we've learned.

1. Roy says, "I find it very offensive that you called Ciaran an idiot." Kim replies, "OK, OK. Sorry, I shouldn’t have said it. I take it back." This means he is admitting he was wrong.

2. Matt says, "Fiona seems really keen on her tennis these days." Clare responds, "She's so taken up with it that she’s stopped going to the swimming pool." This means she is very busy with or engrossed in the activity.

3. Jim says, "I tried to clean the inside of my computer and I’ve put all the bits back but I have two bits left over." Len replies, "Well, I’m not surprised! I warned you not to take it apart in the first place." This refers to separating something into its different parts.

4. Brian says, "I get so bored since I retired from my job." Miriam suggests, "Well, why don’t you take up golf?" Here, she is suggesting he start a new hobby or activity.

5. Ali asks, "What’s this figure here, £30?" Paul explains, "It's what you get when you take away £15 from £45." This is a straightforward example of subtraction.

6. Anoma says, "You look exhausted these days." Terry replies, "Yes, teaching 28 hours a week really takes it out of me." The phrasal verb means the activity makes him feel very tired.

7. Hilary asks, "Geoff left very suddenly, didn’t he?" Kersty confirms, "Yes, he just took off without even saying goodbye." This means he left suddenly and without explanation.

I hope going through these examples has solidified your understanding of the different meanings of "take" and its many phrasal verbs. Remember, the best way to learn these is through practice and seeing them in context.