Collocations and Phrasal Verbs Quiz

Which verb best collocates with "influence" when discussing someone's thinking or decision?

1. exert
2. command
3. approve
4. preserve

Answer: (a) exert

Which of the following verbs best collocates with "criticism" when referring to responding formally?

1. discard
2. reverse
3. counter
4. inspect

Answer: (c) counter

Choose the sentence that uses the correct collocation naturally:

1. The athlete gained a serious injury during the race.
2. The committee reached a unanimous agreement after hours of discussion.
3. She performed a suggestion that nobody had asked for.
4. The team underwent a brilliant victory over their rivals.

Answer: (b) The committee reached a unanimous agreement after hours of discussion.

Match the Phrasal Verbs with Their Correct Meanings Phrasal Verbs Meanings 1 Pan out a to desire something intensely or longingly 2 Hanker after b to attack someone verbally or physically, often suddenly 3 Lash out c to turn out successfully or as expected 4 Plough through d to investigate or figure something out with effort 5 Suss out e to move through something slowly and with difficulty, often reading or writing

1. 1-b, 2-c, 3-e, 4-a, 5-d
2. 1-e, 2-d, 3-c, 4-b, 5-a
3. 1-c, 2-e, 3-a, 4-d, 5-b
4. 1-c, 2-a, 3-b, 4-e, 5-d

Answer: (d) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b, 4-e, 5-d

Match the blanks in Column A with the correct word choices in Column B to complete the collocations appropriately. Column A (Sentences with Blanks) Column B (Word Options) 1 The leader sought to ____ trust among the divided communities. a undermine 2 The editor decided to ____ several paragraphs from the article. b foster 3 The lawyer tried to ____ the witness's credibility during cross-examination. c capture 4 The speaker managed to ____ the audience’s interest from the start. d omit

1. 1 → a, 2 → b, 3 → d, 4 → c
2. 1 → b, 2 → d, 3 → a, 4 → c
3. 1 → b, 2 → a, 3 → c, 4 → d
4. 1 → d, 2 → c, 3 → a, 4 → b

Answer: (b) 1 → b, 2 → d, 3 → a, 4 → c

Fill in the blanks in the following sentence with the most appropriate phrasal verbs from the options given: During the heated debate, the spokesperson tried to ___ the tension, ___ the errors in the report, and ___ support from the undecided audience.

1. lash out – dwell on – roll out
2. get out – dwell on – roll out
3. play down – fall apart – weigh in
4. tone down – gloss over – drum up

Answer: (d) tone down – gloss over – drum up

Identify the only sentence with a correct and precise collocation.

1. The policy sparked an uproar among the business leaders.
2. She captured a decision without consulting her team.
3. He pulled a request for urgent leave.
4. The journalist carved the truth from political lies.

Answer: (a) The policy sparked an uproar among the business leaders.

Which sentence contains an incorrect collocation?

1. She cast a glance at the cryptic note on the desk.
2. The interns filed a complaint regarding unsafe working conditions.
3. The interns avoided a complaint despite unsafe working conditions.
4. They made an intense argument against the proposal.

Answer: (d) They made an intense argument against the proposal.

Which sentence contains an incorrect collocation?

1. She mounted a challenge to the outdated policy.
2. They launched a protest in front of city hall.
3. He did a breakthrough in renewable technology.
4. The team forged a partnership with local authorities.

Answer: (c) He did a breakthrough in renewable technology.

Which of the following sentences uses the wrong phrasal verb?

1. She turned down the offer because it didn’t meet her expectations.
2. He ran over the report quickly before the meeting began.
3. They came up with a clever excuse to skip the event.
4. I broke out the plan to the team during the presentation.

Answer: (d) I broke out the plan to the team during the presentation.