C2 Proficiency: Use of English Part 2 - KEY
Phrasal Verbs
Choose the correct preposition.
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2.
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10.
11.
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18.
19.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
The new students struggle to figure out/off what they had to do in class. c
New evidence has come to light that backs up/down the researchers’ previous theory. k
A series of tests will be carried on/out to try to ascertain the cause of the accident. d
I couldn’t make out/off what she was saying over the loud music. b
All the kids were happily tucking away/into their burgers and chips. e
At the end of the day, it all boils down/up to money, there just isn’t enough to fund the project this year. n
How did such a nice, well-behaved girl get mixed down/up in a bank robbery? m
The government have clamped down on/at illegal parking by introducing hefty fines. o
He doesn’t have any savings to fall back/down on if he loses his job. h
I still haven’t got about/around to fixing the window in the garage. g
You should hang onto/into those old Star Wars toys, they’ll be worth a fortune someday. i
I hate the way he looks down/up on the wait staff whenever we eat out. r
He makes himself off/out to be this hotshot lawyer but he’s never actually been to law school. l
You can opt out/off of English classes at school once you have a C1 level. s
The manager singled the goalkeeper down/out for praise after their 1-0 win. f
He’s such a sexist, he always talks down/up to the women in meetings. j
I managed to talk him out/in of shaving his head, it would have looked horrible. p
It was my uncle who talked me into/onto studying Japanese, and I’m really glad he did. a
When I was a kid I wanted to be a vet but I went out/off the idea when I realised how much blood and guts were
involved! q
Convince sb to do st
hear/see/perceive
guess/deduce
complete/do/perform
Start eating
Highlight sb/st over others
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
Find time to finally do st
Rely on as a safety net
Keep st
Speak in a patronising way
Support
Pretend/present oneself as
Become entangled in a bad
situation
n. Be the main reason/most
basic part of st
o. Introduce restrictions
p. Convince sb not to do st
q. Lose interest in st/sb
r. Think you’re better than sb
s. Choose not to do
Dependent Prepositions
1. According TO researchers, the human brain may be capable of much more than was initially thought. I
2. You need to show your ID card to enter the building regardless OF how long you’ve been working
here. E
3. The summer course he did had a huge impact ON his choice of degree course.N
4. Her room was completely bereft OF colour or any type of decoration. F
5. The demise OF the high street shop has been predicted for decades. D
6. The prisoners were deprived OF sleep for 2 days straight. J
7. Over 65s are exempt FROM paying bus fares, they just have to show their passes. O
8. He’s prone TO outbursts of anger ON occasion. Q, P
9. I’ve decided to abstain FROM eating chocolate for lent. C
10. Congratulations ON passing your driving test! H
11. Patients must be careful as they will be susceptible TO infection in the weeks after the operation. K
12. I have identical twins in my class, I struggle to distinguish one FROM the other. L
13. Please refrain FROM using mobile devices during take-off and landing. R
14. Contrary TO popular belief, not all Indian curries are spicy. M
15. They have a whole room dedicated TO Picasso’s blue period. B
16. A strange black shape emerged FROM the fog and began moving towards them. S
17. Fox News’ coverage of the election was biased AGAINST the Democrats. A
18. Any company found to have discriminated AGAINST employees on the basis of age or sex will
receive a hefty fine. G
Substitute the collocations in bold for ones in the box, make any necessary changes to the sentence:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Prejudiced against
Devoted to
Forgo
Downfall of
No matter
Lacking in
Mistreated
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
Good job on
As stated by
Robbed of
Vulnerable to
Tell …. From …..
Despite what people think,
n. Influence on
o. Not required to* (sentence
changes required)
p.
q.
r.
s.
Every now and then
Inclined to
Take care not to
Came out of
Expressions with Prepositions
I’ve driven this route so many times I can do it ON auto-pilot. -WITHOUT THINKING
I was fortunate IN that I could move back in with my parents after uni. In that - because
It has been brought TO my attention that motivation levels have dropped.
Thanks TO all your hard work, we’ve had one of our best years. BECAUSE OF
No way! Taking the whole week off is completely OUT of the question.
Her expertise IN the field of robotics was a godsend for the company.
He got carried AWAY while shopping on Amazon and bought new bikes for the whole family. - get
over excited
8. Be careful! There’s an iceberg dead AHEAD! - Exactly in front
9. The asteroid is ON a collision course with Earth! We have to do something about it.
10. I’m sure he’s going to play a major role IN the project.
11. We’re a bit short OF/ON time so let’s wrap things UP for the day and pick UP again tomorrow.
12. I’m afraid I have deep misgivings ABOUT the investment and I don’t think I can go ON/AHEAD with
it.
13. They talked about the issues AT length and finally came TO a compromise.
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