Exercise 1
Choose the correct phrasal verb or collocation to complete each sentence.
Example: She decided to ______ her bad habits after the doctor's warning. (give up / give in / give out)
Answer: She decided to give up her bad habits after the doctor's warning.
Advanced Phrasal Verbs and Collocations
Mastering advanced phrasal verbs and collocations is one of the most powerful steps you can take towards sounding natural and fluent in English. At B2 level, you already know the basics — but now it is time to move beyond simple combinations and explore the richer, more nuanced expressions that native speakers use every day in professional, academic, and social contexts.
Consider this situation: Your colleague, Priya, has been struggling with a difficult project at work. She finally managed to resolve the main issues and is now preparing to present her findings to senior management. In the corridor, she tells you: "I've been trying to get my head around the data all week, but I think I've finally pulled it off. The deadline crept up on me, but I managed to come up with a solid conclusion in the end."
In just a few sentences, Priya used three advanced phrasal verbs naturally and fluently. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to do exactly the same — and much more.
Key Vocabulary and Meaning Breakdown
1. Phrasal Verbs for Thinking and Understanding
These phrasal verbs are frequently used in academic, professional, and intellectual contexts. They describe mental processes such as understanding, analysing, and forming ideas.
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| get your head around | phrasal verb — to succeed in understanding something complex or confusing | It took me days to get my head around the new accounting software. | Often used in negative or near-negative contexts: "I just can't get my head around it." |
| come up with | phrasal verb — to produce or think of an idea, plan, or solution | The team managed to come up with a creative solution to the budget problem. | Collocates strongly with: an idea, a plan, a solution, an excuse, a proposal |
| think through | phrasal verb — to consider all aspects of something carefully before deciding | You should think through the consequences before you resign. | Often followed by "carefully" or used with "fully": "fully think through" |
| work out | phrasal verb — to calculate, understand, or solve something (also: to exercise) | I couldn't work out why the figures didn't add up. | Collocates with: a solution, the cost, the reason, a problem, a plan |
| dwell on | phrasal verb — to spend too much time thinking or talking about something, often negative | There is no point dwelling on past mistakes — focus on moving forward. | Often used in negative advice: "Don't dwell on it." Register: slightly formal. |
| draw on | phrasal verb — to use a supply of something, especially knowledge or experience | In her speech, she drew on her years of experience in the field. | Collocates with: experience, knowledge, expertise, resources, memories |
2. Phrasal Verbs for Actions and Outcomes
These phrasal verbs describe what people do, achieve, attempt, or fail to do. They are widely used in both spoken and written English at B2 level and above.
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| pull off | phrasal verb — to succeed in doing something difficult or surprising | Nobody thought she could pull off the negotiation, but she did it brilliantly. | Informal register. Often used with "manage to": "He managed to pull it off." |
| set out | phrasal verb — to begin a task or journey with a specific intention; to arrange or present clearly | The report sets out the key findings in a logical order. | Collocates with: to do something, a plan, arguments, objectives. Semi-formal. |
| carry out | phrasal verb — to perform or complete a task, duty, or plan | The research team carried out a series of experiments over six months. | Collocates with: research, an investigation, a task, repairs, instructions, a plan |
| fall through | phrasal verb — to fail to happen; to not be completed as planned | The merger fell through at the last minute due to financial disagreements. | Subject is always the plan or deal, not the person: "The deal fell through." |
| take on | phrasal verb — to accept responsibility for something; to employ someone; to compete against | She decided to take on more responsibilities after her promotion. | Multiple meanings. Context clarifies: take on (work), take on (staff), take on (a rival) |
| give up on | phrasal verb — to stop believing in someone's potential or stop trying to achieve something | Despite the setbacks, he refused to give up on his ambitions. | Stronger than "give up". Compare: "give up smoking" vs "give up on a person/goal" |
3. Advanced Collocations for Discussion and Opinion
The following collocations appear frequently in academic writing, formal discussion, debates, and professional communication. Learning these expressions will immediately raise the quality and sophistication of your spoken and written English.
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| raise concerns | collocation (verb + noun) — to express worry or doubt about something | Several board members raised concerns about the proposed restructuring. | Collocates with: about, over, regarding. Formal register. |
| reach a consensus | collocation (verb + noun) — to arrive at a general agreement among a group | After lengthy discussions, the committee finally reached a consensus. | Formal. Also: "come to a consensus". Note: NOT "make a consensus". |
| shed light on | collocation / idiomatic expression — to make something easier to understand; to reveal new information | The new research sheds light on the causes of the disease. | Formal and academic. Collocates with: a problem, an issue, a mystery, a question |
| take into account | collocation (verb + noun) — to consider a factor when making a decision or judgement | We must take into account the potential environmental impact of the project. | Synonyms: bear in mind, consider, factor in. Formal register. |
| draw a distinction | collocation (verb + noun) — to identify and express a clear difference between two things | It is important to draw a distinction between correlation and causation. | Formal. Often used in academic writing and debate. |
| hold a view | collocation (verb + noun) — to believe or maintain a particular opinion | Many economists hold the view that inflation will stabilise next year. | More formal than "think" or "believe". Variants: "hold the opinion/belief that..." |
Collocations and Useful Expressions
The following pairings show how advanced phrasal verbs and collocations work naturally in connected language. Study the verb and noun partnerships carefully, as native speakers rely on these fixed combinations.
come up with + a solution / an idea / a plan
The designers came up with a completely original concept for the campaign.
carry out + research / an investigation / repairs / instructions
The council carried out urgent repairs on the bridge after the storm.
draw on + experience / knowledge / expertise / resources
Good teachers draw on a wide range of techniques to engage their students.
raise + concerns / questions / doubts / awareness / issues
The documentary raised serious questions about corporate responsibility.
take into account + factors / differences / risks / the fact that...
The judge took into account the defendant's personal circumstances when sentencing.
shed light on + a mystery / a problem / a situation / a question
His memoirs shed light on the political tensions of that era.
reach + a consensus / an agreement / a conclusion / a decision
The negotiators finally reached an agreement after three days of talks.
set out + to do something / a plan / objectives / findings
The government set out its plans for economic reform in the new budget.
fall through + (deal, plan, arrangement, merger)
Our plans for the overseas expansion fell through when the funding was withdrawn.
give up on + a person / a dream / a project / an idea
She never gave up on her dream of becoming a professional musician.
Important Differences and Confusing Expressions
Work Out vs Figure Out vs Think Through
These three phrasal verbs all relate to mental problem-solving, but they are used in slightly different ways:
Work out suggests calculating or logically solving something, often involving numbers or practical details.
Can you work out how much we owe each?
Figure out is more informal and suggests understanding or making sense of something puzzling or confusing.
I finally figured out why the application kept crashing.
Think through emphasises the process of considering all aspects of a situation carefully before acting.
Let us think through all the implications before we make any commitments.
Take On vs Take Up vs Take Over
These three phrasal verbs with take are frequently confused:
Take on means to accept new work, responsibility, staff, or a challenge.
The firm decided to take on three new employees to cope with demand.
Take up means to begin a new hobby, activity, or habit — or to occupy space or time.
She took up yoga after her doctor recommended regular exercise.
Take over means to gain control of something, often a business, role, or situation.
A large corporation took over the smaller company last spring.
Raise a Concern vs Express a Concern
Both collocations are correct and widely used, but with slight differences in register and context:
Raise a concern is typically used in formal or professional settings — meetings, reports, or official discussions — and implies bringing something to the attention of a group or authority.
She raised concerns at the board meeting about the proposed timeline.
Express a concern is slightly broader and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. It simply means to communicate your worry to another person.
He expressed his concerns to his manager during their one-to-one meeting.
Give Up vs Give Up On
These may look similar but have an important structural and meaning difference:
Give up (without "on") is used with an activity, habit, or substance as its object.
He gave up smoking two years ago.
Give up on is used with a person, dream, goal, or idea — and carries a stronger emotional sense of abandoning hope.
She refused to give up on her ambition despite repeated failures.
Common Mistakes
❌ She came up a great idea during the brainstorming session.
✅ She came up with a great idea during the brainstorming session. — The phrasal verb is "come up with" — the preposition "with" is always required.
❌ The deal felt through at the last moment.
✅ The deal fell through at the last moment. — The correct verb is "fall through", not "feel through". Note the past tense: fell.
❌ They made a consensus after the meeting.
✅ They reached a consensus after the meeting. — The correct collocation is "reach a consensus". Never use "make" with "consensus".
❌ You should take in account the risks involved.
✅ You should take into account the risks involved. — The full collocation is "take into account", not "take in account".
❌ He is always dwelling about his past failures.
✅ He is always dwelling on his past failures. — "Dwell" must be followed by "on", not "about".
❌ The study shed lights on the causes of the problem.
✅ The study shed light on the causes of the problem. — "Light" is always singular in this expression: "shed light on".
❌ I can't get my head over the new system.
✅ I can't get my head around the new system. — The correct preposition is "around", not "over".
❌ She drew from her experience to give the speech.
✅ She drew on her experience to give the speech. — "Draw on" is the correct collocation, not "draw from".
Advanced Phrasal Verbs and Collocations: Quick Summary and Review
In this lesson, you have explored a wide range of advanced phrasal verbs and collocations that will help you communicate with greater precision, fluency, and sophistication in English.
- Phrasal verbs for thinking and understanding — such as get your head around, draw on, and think through — describe intellectual processes used in professional and academic contexts.
- Phrasal verbs for actions and outcomes — such as carry out, pull off, and fall through — describe whether plans succeed, fail, or progress.
- Advanced collocations for discussion and opinion — such as raise concerns, shed light on, and reach a consensus — are essential for formal writing and spoken discussion at B2 level and above.
- Pay attention to the prepositions and particles that form part of each expression — changing them changes the meaning entirely.
- Register matters: expressions such as hold the view and draw a distinction are more formal, while figure out and pull off are more informal.
The key to mastering advanced phrasal verbs and collocations is not just memorising them — it is understanding how they work in context, which words they pair with naturally, and when it is appropriate to use them. Keep a vocabulary notebook, write your own example sentences, and look for these expressions in articles, podcasts, and authentic conversations.
Now practise advanced phrasal verbs and collocations vocabulary in the exercises below.
📄 Download the Advanced Phrasal Verbs and Collocations PDF
Download this Advanced Phrasal Verbs and Collocations grammar lesson as a free printable PDF.
It includes grammar rules, examples, and explanations so you can study offline anytime.