Idioms: Intransitive Verbs with Particles and Prepositions
Here, verbs which are intransitive, because objects do not follow them, are followed with a particle and a preposition. The preposition is followed by a noun phrase. An adverb can sometimes be placed between the particle and the preposition (e.g. I look forward greatly to my vacation.).
You should understand these expressions, know other ways of saying the same thing, and know which of these synonyms to use in a particular context. You can learn a lot about an idiom if you look at the context of its use. Try to guess the meaning of each idiom as it is used in the following sentences. Then, click on any idiom for complete explanations and examples, but be aware that these expressions may have other meanings not listed here. Remember: you can use Word Neighbors to find out how frequently any expression is used in English.
1. I can put up with some noise while I’m studying, but I can’t accept loud noise.
2. I have been working so hard that I’m looking forward to a nice, relaxing vacation.
3. We tried for hours to solve our problem; Sally came up with an answer after she studied the problem carefully.
4. Some people go in for sports like football, while other people go in for hobbies like reading.
5. The idea was too difficult and he couldn’t catch on to my explanation; I could never get through to him.
6. You can look up to a teacher who really wants to help you and always does his or her best.
7. To lose weight, you have to cut down on sugar and other sweet things.
8. Because he did a very poor job and came up with bad results, his boss felt that he hadn’t lived up to his responsibilities.
9. It’s not enough to cut down on atomic bomb production; we must do away with it completely.
10. During all four years of high school, I ran around with the same group of friends; we did everything together.
11. Her social schedule was very busy, and she liked to be in on every party or activity.
12. When driving near a school, look out for children crossing the road.
13. My body was well-prepared for the ten?mile race, so I was able to keep up with the other runners.
14. My grandmother tells me many interesting historical facts when she looks back on her youth.
15. Tom began as a local salesman, but after thirty years with the same company he had worked up to sales manager.
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