8. My father-in-law was ________ ________ ________ $800 by a house painter
who took the money but never came back to start painting the house.
9. When I was a child, my mother was on drugs and my father was in jail. That situation didn't
________ ________ a very happy childhood.
10. Carlos ________ ________ the table, and a glass of wine fell on the floor.
11. All you ever do is talk, talk, talk. Will you please ________ ________?
12. It sure was hot yesterday. It must have ________ ________ to 100 degrees.
13. Our daughter has decided to get her nose pierced, and there's no way we can ________ her
________ ________ it.
14. I found my old army uniform in the attic, and I can still ________________ it even though it's
twenty-five years old.
15. My teacher caught me cheating on the test today, and he said he's going to call my parents
tomorrow to tell them. How am I going to _______ _______ of this mess?
16. I saw a guy today who looked exactly like my dead brother. It really ________ me ________.
48. FOCUS ON: modals and present perfect passive phrasal verbs
In Section 43, we discussed the use of several modal and semimodal auxiliaries in the present perfect.
These same modals and semimodals are commonly used in passive sentences. The modal or
semimodal is followed by have or the contraction 've, been, and the past participle:
could
+ have + been +
past participle would +
have + been +
past
participle should +
have + been +
past participle have to
+ have + been
+
past participle must
+ have + been +
past participle might

(by
the night manager because he's the only one with a key).
and a participle adjective:
The burglar alarm must have been switched
off (because if it had been on,
everyone in the neighborhood would have heard it when the burglars
smashed the window of the jewelry store).
Infinitive

present tense -ing form past tense past participle
close down

close down & closes down closing down closed down closed down

1. close... down
p.v.
When you close down a business or a business is
closed down, it closes permanently or for a long time.
The restaurant was closed down by the health department.

The ski resort will close down for the summer on May
1.
knock out
knock out & knocks out knocking out knocked out knocked out
1. knock... out
p.v.
When you knock people out, you hit them hard enough to cause
them to lose consciousness. When people are knocked out, they are hit by someone or
something hard enough to cause them to lose consciousness.
The boxer knocked his opponent out with a blow to the head.

Marsha's Thanksgiving dinner was fabulous. She really
knocked
herself out.

Thanks for inviting me to spend the weekend with you, but don't knock yourself
out
— I don't mind
sleeping on the couch.

4. knock... out p.v. When soldiers knock out a piece of the enemy's equipment, they
destroy it or damage it enough so that it no longer operates.
The enemy radar installation was
knocked out
by a 500-pound bomb.

I can't contact headquarters. I think our communications system might have been
knocked out

during the attack.

Infinitive present tense -ing form past tense past participle
look down on

look down on & looks down on looking down on looked down on looked down on

1. look down on p.v. When you look down on people, you consider them to be less
intelligent, less educated, or from a lower level of society than you.

the project back or it puts the people involved in the project back.
The hurricane
put
the hotel construction project
back
by at least three months.

I had planned to finish college last year, but being hospitalized for several months
put
me
back.
374
3. put... back p.v. When you put back the date that you plan to do or complete something by,
you postpone it.
The closing on the house I'm selling might have to be
put back
if the buyers can't get their loan approved in time.

The graduation date will have to be
put back
if the teachers strike doesn't end soon.

4. put... back p.v. [informal] When you put back alcoholic beverages, you drink a lot of them.
Did you see how much David was drinking last night? He sure can
put
it
back.
I'm not surprised he has a hangover — he must have
put back
half a bottle of tequila.

Switch off is the opposite of switch on.
Push this button to
switch
the computer
on.
The sign should have been
switched on
by the manager in the morning.

switched on part.adj. After you have changed the controls of an electrical or mechanical
device to make it start producing or doing something, it is switched on. Switched off is the
opposite of switched on. Turned on is similar to switched on.
When I drove by the restaurant, I noticed that the sign wasn't
switched on.
throw out
throw out & throws out throwing out threw out thrown out
1. throw... out p.v. When you throw something out, you dispose of it by putting it in the
wastebasket, trash, and so on. Throw away is the same as throw out.
l

can't find some important papers, and I think they might've been accidentally
thrown out.
Don't
throw
that newspaper
out
— I haven't read it yet.

375
2. throw... out (of) p.v. When you throw people out or throw people out of a group, place,

EXERCISE 48b — Write three sentences using the objects in parentheses. Be
sure to put the objects in the right place.
1. The health department should
close down.
(the restaurant, it)
2. Ali's left hook
knocked out.
(Joe, him)
3. General Johnston had to
put back.
(the attack, it)
4. Have you
switched
on? (the TV, it)
5. Are you going to
switch off?
(the lights, them)
6.
Throwing out
is going to be a big job. (all this junk, it)
377
EXERCISE 48c — Write answers to the questions using phrasal verbs, participle
adjectives, and nouns from this section. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct
tense.
1. The judge's decision has slowed our fight for justice. What has the judge's decision done to us?
2. Jim respects his uncle and wants to be like him. What does Jim do to his uncle?
3. Todd was really amazed at how good Erik's new book is. What did Erik's book do toTodd?
4. In Question 3, what would Todd call Erik's book?
5. You pushed the button on the remote, and now the TV is on. What did you do to the TV?
6. In Question 5, how would you describe the TV after I pushed the button on the remote?

their meanings, review the section number given after each one.
blow out, 43 con into, 46 pull out, 47 talkinto,46
brush up, 47 con out of, 46 put in
l
into, 47 talk out of, 46
bump into, 46 move in
l
into, 47 stick out, 32 turn over, 45
carry away, 44 move out, 47 stress out, 44 turn up, 45

1. Your work isn't very good. You ought to ________ more effort ________ it.
2. I was so mad at my boss that I almost quit my job. Fortunately, my wife ________ me ________
________it.
3. Did you see Mike's house? He said he was going to put a few Christmas tree lights on the roof, but
there must be 5,000. I guess he got ________ ________.
4. Don't let that crooked contractor ________ you ________ ________ any money for unnecessary
home repairs.
5. France was a member of NATO until it ________ ________ in 1966.
6. Don't quit now, we're almost finished. You've just got to ________ it ________ for a little while
longer.
7. What a surprise! I ________ ________ Bob at the train station yesterday. I hadn't seen him in years.
8. The police acted on a tip that the suspect would be at the bus station on Saturday morning, but he
didn't ________ ________.
9. If you're not careful that crook will ________ you ________ selling him your land for a lot less than
it's worth.
10. Mike used to speak Arabic pretty well, but he ought to ________________ before he goes to
Egypt.
11. How could I have been ________ ________ doing something stupid?
12. The apartment has been cleaned and painted. You can ________ right ________ any time you
want.

get to
modified by back (
get
back
to
).
The numbers in the chart correspond with the meanings in the definitions.
get to

1. Although the phrasal verb
get to
is defined here as meaning arrive, it can be understood
as the basis for some of the phrasal verbs that were discussed in Section 42:
Bill
got to
Peoria. (Bill arrived in Peoria.)
Bill
got back
to Peoria. (Bill returned to Peoria.)
Bill
got up
to Peoria. (Bill arrived in Peoria from the south.)
Bill
got down
to Peoria. (Bill arrived in Peoria from the north.)
380

Bill
got over
to Peoria. (Bill arrived in Peoria from the east or west.)

an
arrival at a place where someone works:

Ann got to work.
(Ann arrived at the place where she works.)
But
get to work
(see meaning 3) can also mean
start working,
without any
reference to a change of location:
Joe got to work.
(Joe started working.)
Joe got back to work.
(Joe started working again.)
Joe got right to work.
(Joe started working immediately.)
Joe got right back to work.
(Joe started working again immediately.)
The difference in these two meanings is illustrated by the following sentence:
l

got to work at 9:00, but I didn't get to work until 10:00, which can paraphrased as I arrived at my
office at 9:00, but I didn't start working until 10:00.

2. Although the phrasal verb
get to
is defined here as meaning
reach a certain level,
number, or amount,

3. If you start to do something, you
get to
it:
l
'
ll

try to get to my homework after dinner.

If you start to do something, stop doing it, and then later start to do it again, you
get
back to
it:
l
'
ll

try to get back to my homework after dinner.

If you start to do something, stop doing it, and then later quickly start to do it again,
you
get right back to
it:
l
'
ll

try to get right back to my homework after dinner.

Remember that when both

clogged up part.adj. When a drain or something else that liquids must flow throughis
clogged up, something is in it that prevents water or other liquids from going through it or
that prevents it from working properly.
The mechanic told me that the engine valves in my car were clogged up.

get ahead
get ahead & gets ahead getting ahead got ahead gotten
l
got ahead
1. get ahead p.v. When you get ahead, you become more successful and make progress in
your job or your life.
With your pessimistic attitude, you'll never get ahead.

Getting ahead is pretty easy when your father owns the company.

get back to
get back to & gets back to getting back to got back to gotten
l
got back to
1. get back to p.v. When you get back to people, you talk to them later, usually because
you do not have time to talk to them at the time or because you will have information for
them later that you do not have now.
l don't have time to talk now; I'm really busy. Can I
get back to
you ?
That real estate agent still hasn't
gotten back to
me to let me know if our offer was accepted.

Infinitive

place, you help them to go there or take them there. When you get to work,you arrive at
the place where you work.
Sarah left her house at 8:30 and got to the beach at 9:15.
When I get to Tokyo, I'll call to let you know I arrived safely.
Frank got fired because he kept getting to work late.
I went to the restaurant across the street for lunch, and I didn't get back to work
until 2:30.
2. get to p.v. When things or people get to a certain level, number, or amount, they
reach it.
lr sure was hot yesterday. It must have gotten to 100 degrees.
When I run, I always try to get to five miles before I quit.
3. get to p.v. When you get to something that you want or need to do, you find the time
to do it. When you get to work, you start working.
l didn't have time to do the ironing last night. I'll try to get to it tonight.
Karen finally got back to her school project yesterday. She hadn't worked on it for weeks.
You've wasted the entire morning. When are you going to get to work?
My boss told me to get off the phone and get back to work.
4. get to p.v. [informal] When you get to doing something, you begin todo it
gradually.
Dad got to thinking that maybe we ought to move to Los Angeles and try to find work there.
384
After seeing all those strange lights in the sky, I
got to
wondering if maybe UFOs really exist
after all.

5. get to p.v. When you get to do something, you are allowed to do it or are able to
do it.
Timmy was excited because he
got to

If she'd
hung on
to my hand, she wouldn't have fallen off the cliff.

2. hang on p.v. [informal] When you hang on, you wait for a short time. Hold on is the
same as hang on.
Hang on
for a minute — I'll be right back.

Judy's coming to the phone now — can you
hang on?
start off
start off & starts off starting off started off started off
1. start off (withlby) p.v. When an activity or event starts off, it begins. When you start
an activity or event off with something, you begin with it. When you start an activity or
event off by doing something, you begin by doing it.
The singer
started
the concert
off
with a song from her latest CD.

Many speakers like to
start off a
speech by telling a joke.

2. start off p.v. When people or things start off a certain way, they are this way at the
beginning of a process that changes them. Start out is similar to start off.
The day
started

a chance to become vice-president of the company.

EXERCISE 49a — Complete the sentences with phrasal verbs from this section.
Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense.
1. We were lucky that the floodwater didn't ________ ________ the second floor.
2. These steps have ice on them, so ________ ________ to my arm.
3. I usually________________work at 8:40.
4. It's important to ________ your day ________ with a good breakfast.
5. I never used to care about Maria's bad attitude, but now it's starting to ________ ________ me.
6. I'm a little busy now. Give me your phone number, and I'll ________ right________ ________you.
7. Go ________ your shoes ________ — we're leaving in a minute.
8. Ann cut her hair in the bathroom, and she _______ the sink _______ with hair.
9. Don't let the baby ________ ________ the table — he might fall off.
10. If you hadn't ________ ________ the theater late, you wouldn't have missed the beginning of the
movie.
11. ________ ________ all that junk in the garage made a lot more room.
12. As Jerry was _____ _____ the train, he realized that he had forgotten his ticket.
13. Whenever I ________ ________ feeling depressed, I call my mother.
14. If you want to ________________ in this world, you need a good education.
15. The trail to the top of the mountain ________ ________ level, but then it gets steeper and steeper.
386
16. Maybe you should ________ ________ with your work and stop wasting time.
17. ________ ________ for a couple of minutes — I'm almost ready.
18. This is a great opportunity. Don't be stupid and ________ it ________.
19. I know you're busy, but when do you think you might have time to ________ back ________ fixing
that leak in the roof?
20. I waited outside Mr. Baker's office for two hours, but I never ________ ________ talk to him.
21. Madeleine fell off her bike, but she ________ right back ________ again.
22. ________ ________ work! This has to be finished in three hours, and you haven't even started.
EXERCISE 49b — Write answers to the questions using phrasal verbs and

What couldn't Heather have done already?
22. The salesperson always begins his presentation by introducing himself. What does the
salesperson always do?
23. Having an MBA should help you to progress in your career. What should an MBA do?
EXERCISE 49c — Write five original sentences using
get to
and
get back to.
Try to
use
right
and
back
in some of the sentences.
1. __________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________
5. __________________________________________________________
388

EXERCISE 49d, Review — Complete the sentences with these phrasal verbs from
previous sections. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense. To check
their meanings, review the section number given after each one.
close down, 48
get over, 42 look down on, 48 switch on, 48
come in
l
into, 47 knock out, 48 look up to, 48 throw out, 48
cut back, 47 know about, 33 put back, 48 trick into, 35

the right word when you write or speak. But don't get stressed out and give up if you can't
remember every meaning of every verb — improving your vocabulary takes time. It comes down
to regularly brushing up on what you have learned and, when you come across a word you don't
know, looking it up in a dictionary. Keep at it!
Infinitive

present tense -ing form past tense past participle
ask out
ask out & asks out asking out asked out asked out

1. ask... out p.v. When you ask people out, you ask them to go with you to a place of
entertainment in order to have fun and spend time together.
Being
asked out
by Tom was quite a surprise to Judy.

The Bakers called and
asked
the Ortegas
out.
come down to
come down to & comes down to coming down to came down to come down to
1. come down to p.v. When the key to understanding a situation or problem is knowledge
and consideration of a certain aspect of the situation or problem, this aspect of the situation
or problem is what the situation or problem comes down to.
Learning a language
comes down to
practice, practice, practice.

Our marriage problems aren't really that complicated. What it

hold on
hold on & holds on holding on held on held on

1. hold on (to) p.v. When you hold on or hold on to something, you hold it tightly so that
you will not fall or be hurt. Hang on is similar to hold on.
When the horse jumped over the fence, I held on as hard as I could.
Hold on to the rail when you get out of the bathtub — it's slippery.
2. hold on (to) p.v. When you hold on or hold on to people, you hold them tightly to
protect them or to prevent them from leaving. When you hold on or hold on to things,
you hold them tightly to protect them or to prevent them from being taken.
Sam grabbed the robber's legs and held on while the guard handcuffed her.
We were holding on to each other as the tornado passed.
3. hold on p.v. [informal] When you hold on, you wait for a short time. Hang on is the same
as hold on.
Can you hold on just a little longer? I'll be right with you.
I've been holding on for fifteen minutes. I can't wait any longer.
pay back
pay back & pays back paying back paid back paid back
1. pay... back p.v. When you pay people back, you give them money that you
borrowed from them.
Would you lend me $200? I'll pay you back next Friday when I get paid.
Mark has never been paid back for all his sister's medical bills.
2. pay... back (for) p.v. When you pay people back or pay people back for
something bad they have done to you, you do something bad to them.
l'll pay that guy back for the terrible things he's done to me if it takes the rest of my life.
Jake shot Hank to pay him back for turning him in to the police.
take up on
take up on & takes up on taking up on took up on taken up on
1. take... up on p.v. When you take people up on an offer, you accept their offer.
My brother has invited us many times to visit him in Hawaii, and last winter we took him up on the offer.

weak from use and age and is no longer usable.
People who live in the city wear out their car brakes faster than people who live in the country.

The carpet in the hallway wore out and had to be replaced.

worn-out part. adj. When something is worn-out, it has become damaged or weak from use
and age and is no longer usable.
l

need new running shoes. These are totally worn-out.

2. wear... out p.v. When something wears you out, it makes you very tired.
Playing with his grandchildren really wore Fred out.

Shoveling snow for three hours would wear anyone out.

worn-out part.adj. When something has made you very tired, you are worn-out. l have
to sit down and rest for a minute — I'm
worn-out.

EXERCISE 50a — Complete the sentences with phrasal verbs from this section. Be
sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense.
1. I lent Sally $1,000 last year, but she still hasn't________me________.
2. Children usually get too big for their clothes long before the clothes ________ ________.
392
3. The company's new CEO promised the shareholders that he would ________ the company ________.
4. Judy told me that she said all those terrible things about me at work to ________ me ________ for
stealing her boyfriend.
5. Dr. Wood's new book________________with preventive medicine.
6. Carrying those boxes of books up to the attic ________ me ________.

did my mother do to her purse?
12. Shampooing the carpet was a lot of work, and it made Janice really tired. What did
shampooing the carpet do to Janice?
13. In Question 12, how did Janice feel after shampooing the carpet?
EXERCISE 50c — Write eight original sentences using phrasal verbs from
this section.
1. __________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________
5. __________________________________________________________
6. __________________________________________________________
7. __________________________________________________________
8. _______________________________________________________
EXERCISE 50d, Review — Complete the sentences with these participle adjectives
from this section and previous sections. To check their meanings, review the section
number given after each one.
beat-up, 44 mixed up, 44 turned off, 45
built-in, 46 pissed off, 44 turned on, 45
clogged up, 49 stressed-out, 44 worn-out, 50
grossed out, 43 switched off, 48
locked up, 44 switched on, 48

394
1. Trying to take care of my family and work full-time has made me really ___________.
2. You should get rid of those ___________ shoes and buy some new ones.
3. I felt really ________ ________ after dancing the merengue with Maria.
4. Maria seemed a little ________ ________ when she saw my big belly hanging over my belt.
5. While I was driving on the interstate, about a billion bugs splattered all over the windshield. I was really
________ ________.