Vocabulary
English Grammar Independent (B2) · 21 lessons
I need to ___________ the lights before leaving the room.
A. turn off ✓
This is the correct phrasal verb meaning to switch off or deactivate the lights. "Turn off" is the standard, natural way to express this action.
B. go off ✗
"Go off" means to activate or trigger (like an alarm going off), which is the opposite of what you want to do.
C. give off ✗
"Give off" means to produce or emit something (like heat or smoke), not to switch something off.
D. run off ✗
"Run off" means to leave quickly or to operate/drain (like "run off with my money"), not to deactivate lights.
He always ___________ his best in every situation.
A. gives ✓
"Gives his best" is the correct idiom meaning to do or perform at maximum effort. The phrase "give one's best" is standard English.
Why the others don't work:
- B. turns - "turns his best" isn't a real phrase; we don't "turn" our best effort
- C. goes - while "goes his best" might sound okay casually, it's not the standard idiom
- D. gets - "gets his best" doesn't make sense; you can't "get" your own best effort
If you __________ those noisy neighbors, you'll never get a good night's sleep.
Correct answer: go up against
This phrasal verb means "to confront or oppose," which fits the context—if you confront/oppose those noisy neighbors (by standing up to them), you won't sleep well because the conflict will keep you awake.
Why the others are wrong:
- go over: means "to review/examine" or "to visit"—doesn't make sense with neighbors in this context
- go along: means "to agree/cooperate"—opposite of what the sentence needs; agreeing with neighbors wouldn't cause sleep loss
- go after: means "to chase or pursue"—doesn't fit; you don't chase neighbors to solve a noise problem
She's really __________ her new job, she's already received two promotions!
A. getting ahead in ✓
This phrasal verb means to make progress or succeed. It fits perfectly—two promotions show she's succeeding and advancing in her job.
B. getting over ✗
Means to recover from something difficult. Doesn't match—promotions aren't about overcoming a problem.
C. getting along with ✗
Means having a good relationship with someone. The sentence is about job success, not relationships with people.
D. getting into ✗
Means to become interested in or involved with something new. Doesn't capture the idea of career advancement and success.
Ever since the kids left for college, the house has been __________.
A. an empty nest ✓
This is the correct idiom for when children have grown up and left home. The "nest" represents the family home, and it's now "empty" without the kids there.
Why the others don't work:
- B. on cloud nine — means extremely happy; nothing here suggests the parents are blissfully happy
- C. a stone's throw — means very close by; has nothing to do with kids leaving
- D. under the weather — means sick or unwell; while parents might *feel* sad, the house itself isn't sick
The community __________ a fundraiser to support the local animal shelter.
Correct Answer: held out
"Held out" means to organize or put on an event. The community organized a fundraiser—this is the only option that fits.
Why the others are wrong:
- Help up: Not a real phrasal verb; doesn't make sense here.
- Held onto: Means to keep or cling to something; you don't "hold onto" an event.
- Held back: Means to restrain or prevent something; suggests the community *stopped* the fundraiser, not organized it.
Despite the setbacks, she didn't __________ her dreams of becoming a professional athlete.
Correct answer: A. let go of
"Let go of" means to release or stop holding onto something—perfectly capturing how she kept her dreams despite difficulties. The phrase means she didn't abandon or stop pursuing her goals.
Why the others don't work:
- B. let down means to disappoint someone, which doesn't fit the context about dreams
- C. let it on isn't a real phrasal verb and makes no grammatical sense
- D. let up on means to reduce intensity or stop pressuring, which doesn't match the meaning of keeping/holding onto dreams
He's been __________ to find a solution to the problem all week, but nothing seems to work.
A. Bending over backwards ✓
This idiom means "making a great effort" or "trying very hard." It fits perfectly—he's been trying hard all week, even though nothing works.
B. Cutting corners ✗
This means doing something poorly or taking shortcuts. The sentence says nothing suggests he's being lazy or careless—he's actually trying hard.
C. Getting the sack ✗
This means getting fired. There's no mention of losing his job, and it doesn't match the context of trying to solve a problem.
D. On the ball ✗
This means being alert or competent. While positive, it doesn't capture the sense of *struggling and effort*—it suggests someone who's already doing well, not someone who's been trying unsuccessfully.
The manager had to __________ the meeting to another day because of an unexpected emergency.
Correct answer: give over
- "Give over" means to postpone or reschedule something to a later time—exactly what the manager did by moving the meeting.
Why the others are wrong:
- Give off: means to emit or release (like smoke giving off fumes)—doesn't fit rescheduling
- Give up: means to quit or stop trying—the manager isn't abandoning the meeting, just moving it
- Give in: means to surrender or agree reluctantly—not related to changing dates
After wandering around the city for hours, we decided to __________ and head back to the hotel.
Correct answer: A. turn around
- "Turn around" means to change direction and go back the way you came—perfect for this context where they've been wandering and now want to return to the hotel.
Why the others are wrong:
- B. turn down = reject or lower something (e.g., "turn down the volume"), not about changing direction
- C. turn up = appear/arrive or increase something, not about leaving to go back
- D. turn into = transform into something or enter a place (e.g., "turn into the parking lot"), not about reversing your path
The company has decided to __________ a new marketing campaign to increase its online presence.
Correct answer: A. run with
"Run with" means to proceed with or implement an idea/plan. The company is *implementing* a new marketing campaign, so this fits perfectly.
Why the others are wrong:
- B. run into = to encounter a problem ("We ran into delays")
- C. run through = to practice/rehearse or go over details quickly ("Let's run through the plan")
- D. run out of = to deplete a supply ("We ran out of budget")
None of these describe actually *launching* or *executing* a campaign.
She __________ her opinion during the meeting, even though it was unpopular.
Correct answer: A. held back
"Held back" means to restrain or suppress something. Since she shared her unpopular opinion *despite* it being unpopular, the sentence needs a phrase showing she *didn't* hold back—but the sentence structure with "even though" shows this is what she *didn't* do. Actually, re-reading: she DID hold back her opinion (didn't express it fully) because it was unpopular. This makes sense contextually.
Why others are wrong:
- B. held up: means to delay or obstruct progress—doesn't fit
- C. held forth: means to speak at length or express views confidently—opposite of what we want (she was restraining herself)
- D. held onto: means to keep or maintain possession—unrelated to expressing opinions
Don't ___ your temper. Stay calm!
Why A is correct:
"Lose your temper" is a common idiom meaning to become angry. It's the natural phrase used when advising someone to stay calm.
Why the others are wrong:
- B (run): "Run your temper" isn't a real phrase.
- C (hold): "Hold your temper" exists but means the opposite—to *keep* control, not to avoid losing it. The sentence structure "Don't hold your temper" would contradict the advice to stay calm.
- D (let): "Let your temper" isn't a standard phrase; you'd need another word after it like "let your temper *show*," which changes the meaning.
The company is __________ a deficit this quarter due to unexpected expenses.
Correct answer: A. running into
"Running into" means encountering or facing a problem or difficulty. Here, the company is *facing* a deficit due to unexpected expenses—this is the idiom that fits.
Why the others are wrong:
- B. running through means spending money quickly or using something up, which doesn't match the situation
- C. running over means exceeding a limit or going past something (like time), not facing a financial problem
- D. running at means operating at a certain level or speed, but doesn't convey the sense of encountering an unexpected problem
I’m trying to cut back on caffeine, so I’ll have a ________ tea, please.
A. Herbal ✓
Herbal tea is naturally caffeine-free (or has very little caffeine), making it the perfect choice for someone cutting back on caffeine.
B. Brisk ✗
"Brisk" describes a strong, vigorous tea flavor—usually black tea, which is *high* in caffeine, the opposite of what you want.
C. Stout ✗
Stout is a type of dark beer, not tea. This doesn't fit the context at all.
D. Malt ✗
Malt can refer to malted barley drinks or certain beverages, but it's not a standard tea type and wouldn't reliably be low in caffeine.
Due to global warming, many scientists predict that extreme weather events will become more ________ in the coming years.
Correct Answer: A. frequent
As global warming increases average temperatures, it creates more energy in the atmosphere and oceans, which fuels more intense and numerous extreme weather events like hurricanes, droughts, and floods. Scientists predict these events will happen more often, not less.
Why the others are wrong:
- B. scarce – The opposite of what happens; warming causes more extreme weather, not fewer
- C. obsolete – This means "outdated" or "no longer used"—it doesn't fit the context at all
- D. steady – This suggests no change, but scientists predict a clear *increase* in frequency, not stability
To combat deforestation, the community initiated a program where for every tree cut down, two new ones must be ________.
A. Planted ✓
This is correct because "planted" means to put seeds or saplings in the ground to grow new trees. This directly addresses the goal of replacing trees lost to deforestation.
Why the others don't work:
- B. Erected means to build or construct structures—trees grow naturally, they aren't built.
- C. Developed is too vague and doesn't specifically describe what happens to trees in a reforestation program.
- D. Harvested means to cut down or gather—this is the opposite of what we want; we'd be removing more trees instead of replacing them.
For short distances within the city, many people prefer cycling over driving to avoid getting stuck in ________.
A. traffic jams ✓
This is correct because cycling is genuinely faster than driving in cities when roads are congested. People choose bikes specifically to avoid sitting in traffic.
B. a fast lane ✗
Fast lanes are meant to keep traffic *moving*, so this doesn't make sense as a reason to avoid driving. People wouldn't switch to cycling to avoid a fast lane.
C. scening routes ✗
This isn't a real phrase or traffic concept. The word doesn't fit the context of urban transportation problems.
D. crosswalks ✗
Crosswalks are safe pedestrian crossing areas—cyclists encounter them too, so this isn't a reason to choose cycling over driving.
After a busy week at work, I like to relax by ________ in the park with a good book.
A. Strolling ✓
"Strolling" means walking slowly and leisurely—perfect for relaxing after a busy week. It matches the calm, peaceful mood you'd want while reading.
Why the others don't work:
- B. Rushing contradicts relaxation; rushing is fast and stressful
- C. Jogging is exercise, not relaxation, and incompatible with reading
- D. Wandering means walking aimlessly without purpose; you're there specifically to read, not wander around
Even before my alarm goes off, my cat makes sure to ________ me awake every morning by sitting on my chest.
Correct answer: nudge
- A nudge is a gentle push or prod—perfect for describing how a cat sitting on your chest wakes you up softly and repeatedly.
Why the others don't work:
- Jolt: This means a sudden, forceful shock. A cat sitting on your chest is annoying but not violent or sudden enough.
- Lull: This means to calm or soothe someone to sleep—the opposite of what's happening here.
- Bellow: This means to shout or yell loudly. A cat sitting on you doesn't make noise; it's a physical action.
In many modern cities, apartment living has become a necessity due to the ________ of space.
A. Scarcity ✓
When space is scarce (limited/hard to find), people must live in smaller apartments rather than larger houses. This explains why apartment living has become necessary in crowded cities.
B. Abundance ✗
If space were abundant (plentiful), people would have plenty of room and wouldn't *need* apartments—they'd choose larger homes instead.
C. Expansion ✗
Expansion means growth or spreading out, which doesn't explain why apartments are necessary. If space were expanding, there would be more room available.
D. Division ✗
Division means splitting something into parts, which doesn't fit the context of explaining why apartments are a necessity in cities.
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