SSC Phrasal Verbs Questions with Answers and Meanings

Phrasal verbs are verbs combined with a small word such as up, off, out or on, and the meaning of the group is often different from the meaning of the verb alone. SSC asks phrasal verbs in fill in the blanks, error spotting and vocabulary questions. This practice paper gives you a list of 30 important phrasal verbs with meanings and 21 questions with answers and short explanations.

What Is a Phrasal Verb?

A phrasal verb is a verb followed by a particle (a preposition or an adverb). For example, give up means to stop, and look after means to take care of. You cannot guess the meaning from the words alone, so you must learn them.

• Some phrasal verbs are separable: turn off the light or turn the light off.
• Some are inseparable: look after the baby (not look the baby after).
• The same verb with a different particle gives a different meaning: take off, take after, take over.

Important Phrasal Verbs with Meanings

• Learn five phrasal verbs a day and use each in a sentence.
• Group them by the main verb (take, get, put, turn) to remember them easily.
• Check the particle first in fill in the blanks, because only one particle gives the right meaning.

Set 1: Fill in the Correct Particle (Q1–Q7)

Q1. Please turn ___ the lights when you leave.
Answer: off
Solution: Turn off means to switch off.

Q2. He gave ___ smoking last year.
Answer: up
Solution: Give up means to quit.

Q3. The plane took ___ at 6 am.
Answer: off
Solution: Take off means to leave the ground.

Q4. Look ___ the word in the dictionary.
Answer: up
Solution: Look up means to search for information.

Q5. She takes ___ her mother.
Answer: after
Solution: Take after means to resemble.

Q6. The meeting was put ___ till Monday.
Answer: off
Solution: Put off means to postpone.

Q7. They called ___ the match because of rain.
Answer: off
Solution: Call off means to cancel.

Set 2: Meaning of the Phrasal Verb (Q8–Q14)

Q8. What does "break down" mean?
Answer: To stop working or collapse
Solution: The car broke down on the way.

Q9. What does "carry on" mean?
Answer: To continue
Solution: Carry on with your work.

Q10. What does "come across" mean?
Answer: To find by chance
Solution: I came across an old friend.

Q11. What does "give in" mean?
Answer: To surrender
Solution: He finally gave in to their demand.

Q12. What does "look after" mean?
Answer: To take care of
Solution: She looks after her old parents.

Q13. What does "run out of" mean?
Answer: To have no more of something
Solution: We have run out of sugar.

Q14. What does "turn down" mean?
Answer: To refuse
Solution: He turned down the job offer.

Set 3: Exam-Level Phrasal Verbs (Q15–Q21)

Q15. What does "put up with" mean?
Answer: To tolerate
Solution: I cannot put up with this noise.

Q16. What does "get over" mean?
Answer: To recover from
Solution: She got over her illness quickly.

Q17. What does "bring up" mean?
Answer: To raise a child
Solution: He was brought up by his uncle.

Q18. What does "call off" mean?
Answer: To cancel
Solution: The strike was called off.

Q19. What does "make up" a story mean?
Answer: To invent
Solution: He made up an excuse.

Q20. What does "show off" mean?
Answer: To display proudly
Solution: He likes to show off his new car.

Q21. What does "set off" mean?
Answer: To begin a journey
Solution: They set off at dawn.

Phrasal Verbs with Common Particles

A phrasal verb is a verb plus a particle (a preposition or adverb) that together have a new meaning. The meaning is often different from the meaning of the single verb, so you cannot guess it from the words alone.

Tips to Learn Phrasal Verbs Fast

Learn ten phrasal verbs a day, grouped by the main verb: all the "look" verbs together, all the "put" verbs together and so on. Write a short sentence for each. Revise them before sleep and again the next morning. In the exam, read the sentence for its meaning first and then pick the phrasal verb that fits the situation.

Common Mistakes in Phrasal Verbs

• Choosing the wrong particle because of the literal meaning of the verb.
• Confusing look after with look for and look into.
• Using a phrasal verb in the wrong form (for example gave up with ing).
• Mixing separable and inseparable forms.
• Not revising the same list again and again.
• Ignoring the context of the sentence.

How to Practice These 21 Questions

1. Learn five phrasal verbs a day.
2. Write one sentence for each phrasal verb.
3. Group by the main verb.
4. Revise the list every Sunday.

Related Topics to Study Next

• Synonyms and Antonyms Questions
• Fill in the Blanks Questions
• Error Detection Questions
• SSC English Practice Set

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a phrasal verb?

It is a verb combined with a particle, whose meaning is often different from the verb alone.

What is the difference between look after, look for and look into?

Look after means to take care of, look for means to search and look into means to investigate.

What is the meaning of give up?

To stop trying or to quit a habit.

What is the meaning of put off?

To postpone.

What is the meaning of call off?

To cancel.

What is the meaning of take after?

To resemble a family member.

What is a separable phrasal verb?

It is one in which the object can come between the verb and the particle, such as turn the light off.

What is the meaning of come across?

To find or meet by chance.

How many phrasal verb questions come in SSC exams?

One to three questions in the English section of CGL, CHSL and CPO.

How can I remember phrasal verbs?

Learn them in groups, use them in sentences and revise often.

Is it important to learn the particle?

Yes. The particle changes the meaning of the verb completely.

How should I prepare phrasal verbs for SSC exams?

Learn the list, practise questions and revise previous year questions.