Advanced phrasal verbs · B2. Distinguish “account for” (explain the cause of something) from “rule out” (exclude a possibility after considering it). Read the situation before choosing; these words are not interchangeable. Additional contrast: “put up with” means tolerate something unpleasant; “come up against” means encounter a difficulty or opposition. Compare their uses in the learning cards.
Complete 24 original tasks. Use the situation to choose the intended meaning, practise the form, then apply it in a fresh context.
The historian used shipping records to account for the sudden growth of the port.
The historian used shipping records to account for the sudden growth of the port.
These match this sense. Word families can change meaning; near meanings are not always interchangeable.
Practise “account for a difference” as a whole phrase. Here “account for” has the sense explain the cause of something.
Distinguish “account for” (explain the cause of something) from “rule out” (exclude a possibility after considering it). Read the situation before choosing; these words are not interchangeable. Additional contrast: “put up with” means tolerate something unpleasant; “come up against” means encounter a difficulty or opposition. Compare their uses in the learning cards.
The data may account for the discrepancy.
Distinguish “follow through” (complete a promised or planned course of action) from “bring about” (cause a change to happen). Read the situation before choosing; these words are not interchangeable. Additional contrast: “live up to” means be as good as others expect; “fall back on” means use a reserve when the first plan fails. Compare their uses in the learning cards.
Good intentions require us to follow through.
Distinguish “carry out” (perform a task or procedure) from “phase out” (remove something gradually over time). Read the situation before choosing; these words are not interchangeable. Additional contrast: “iron out” means resolve small remaining problems; “back down” means stop defending a position after opposition. Compare their uses in the learning cards.
The team will carry out the inspection.
The discrepancy has already occurred. Analysts are using the data to explain why it happened, not claiming that looking at the data caused it.
Distinguish “follow through” (complete a promised or planned course of action) from “bring about” (cause a change to happen). Read the situation before choosing; these words are not interchangeable. Additional contrast: “live up to” means be as good as others expect; “fall back on” means use a reserve when the first plan fails. Compare their uses in the learning cards.
Good intentions require us to follow through.Distinguish “carry out” (perform a task or procedure) from “phase out” (remove something gradually over time). Read the situation before choosing; these words are not interchangeable. Additional contrast: “iron out” means resolve small remaining problems; “back down” means stop defending a position after opposition. Compare their uses in the learning cards.
The team will carry out the inspection.Distinguish “account for” (explain the cause of something) from “rule out” (exclude a possibility after considering it). Read the situation before choosing; these words are not interchangeable. Additional contrast: “put up with” means tolerate something unpleasant; “come up against” means encounter a difficulty or opposition. Compare their uses in the learning cards.
The data may account for the discrepancy.Keep the first try. Understand the change. Check it in a fresh situation.
No practice notes yet. Try a short warm-up.
explain the cause of something
exclude a possibility after considering it
complete a promised or planned course of action
cause a change to happen
perform a task or procedure
remove something gradually over time
tolerate something unpleasant
encounter a difficulty or opposition
be as good as others expect
use a reserve when the first plan fails
resolve small remaining problems
stop defending a position after opposition
Opening an answer records help for that question.
The discrepancy has already occurred. Analysts are using the data to explain why it happened, not claiming that looking at the data caused it.
The deciding cue is “explain why it happened”: it identifies the meaning “explain the cause of something”. Check explaining an outcome that exists versus causing a new outcome to happen; “account for” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “The data may account for the discrepancy.”.
The investigation has not established the cause. A mechanical fault is still a possibility that we cannot eliminate.
The deciding cue is “possibility that we cannot eliminate”: it identifies the meaning “exclude a possibility after considering it”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “rule out” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “We cannot rule out a mechanical fault.”.
Complete the sentence with the expression that matches the stated situation.
The deciding cue is “Good intentions”: it identifies the meaning “complete a promised or planned course of action”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “follow through” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “Good intentions require us to follow through.”.
The sentence asks which phrase means to cause a new outcome to happen, not to explain an outcome that already exists.
The deciding cue is “cause a new outcome”: it identifies the meaning “cause a change to happen”. Check explaining an outcome that exists versus causing a new outcome to happen; “bring about” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “The reforms could bring about lasting change.”.
The inspection has already been scheduled and the team’s job is to perform it, not cancel it or explain why it exists.
The deciding cue is “job is to perform it”: it identifies the meaning “perform a task or procedure”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “carry out” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “The team will carry out the inspection.”.
The company plans to replace paper tickets with digital ones, reducing paper use step by step until it stops completely.
The deciding cue is “reducing paper use step by step”: it identifies the meaning “remove something gradually over time”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “phase out” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “The company will phase out paper tickets.”.
The unexpected result has already been recorded. Here the speaker is proposing an explanation for it, not describing a new action that will produce a different result.
The deciding cue is “proposing an explanation”: it identifies the meaning “explain the cause of something”. Check explaining an outcome that exists versus causing a new outcome to happen; “account for” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “A change in sampling could account for the unexpected result.”.
Complete the sentence with the expression that matches the stated situation.
The deciding cue is “found no infection”: it identifies the meaning “exclude a possibility after considering it”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “rule out” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “The tests found no infection, allowing doctors to rule out that explanation.”.
Complete the sentence with the expression that matches the stated situation.
The deciding cue is “deliver them”: it identifies the meaning “complete a promised or planned course of action”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “follow through” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “Announcing reforms is easy; leaders must follow through and deliver them.”.
The sentence asks about the treatment producing a new improvement, rather than an analyst explaining an improvement that has already happened.
The deciding cue is “producing a new improvement”: it identifies the meaning “cause a change to happen”. Check explaining an outcome that exists versus causing a new outcome to happen; “bring about” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “The new treatment may bring about a substantial improvement in survival.”.
Complete the sentence with the expression that matches the stated situation.
The deciding cue is “under controlled conditions”: it identifies the meaning “perform a task or procedure”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “carry out” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “Researchers must carry out the experiment under controlled conditions.”.
Complete the sentence with the expression that matches the stated situation.
The deciding cue is “gradually”: it identifies the meaning “remove something gradually over time”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “phase out” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “Over the next five years, the factory will gradually phase out the old machines.”.
Choose the expression that matches the situation.
The deciding cue is “even though it is irritating”: it identifies the meaning “tolerate something unpleasant”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “put up with” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “We have to put up with the building noise until the repairs are finished, even though it is irritating.”.
Choose the expression that matches the situation.
The deciding cue is “encountering resistance”: it identifies the meaning “encounter a difficulty or opposition”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “come up against” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “When naming the act of encountering resistance, not resolving it, we say the team may come up against strong opposition to its closure plan.”.
Choose the expression that matches the situation.
The deciding cue is “quality people expect”: it identifies the meaning “be as good as others expect”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “live up to” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “The restaurant must live up to its excellent reputation by serving food of the quality people expect.”.
Choose the expression that matches the situation.
The deciding cue is “reserve resource”: it identifies the meaning “use a reserve when the first plan fails”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “fall back on” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “Using a backup supplier as a reserve resource when the first supplier fails is to fall back on that backup supplier.”.
Choose the expression that matches the situation.
The deciding cue is “resolving them”: it identifies the meaning “resolve small remaining problems”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “iron out” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “The agreement is almost ready; we only need to iron out a few minor problems by resolving them, rather than simply tolerating them, before signing.”.
Choose the expression that matches the situation.
The deciding cue is “abandon the proposed ban”: it identifies the meaning “stop defending a position after opposition”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “back down” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “After widespread criticism, the minister decided to back down and abandon the proposed ban.”.
Choose the expression that matches the situation.
The deciding cue is “refused to tolerate”: it identifies the meaning “tolerate something unpleasant”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “put up with” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “She would no longer put up with rude comments; she refused to tolerate them.”.
Choose the expression that matches the situation.
The deciding cue is “encountering those barriers”: it identifies the meaning “encounter a difficulty or opposition”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “come up against” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “During the project, we could come up against unexpected legal barriers. Here we mean encountering those barriers, not resolving them.”.
Choose the expression that matches the situation.
The deciding cue is “much worse than promised”: it identifies the meaning “be as good as others expect”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “live up to” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “The product failed to live up to the manufacturer's claims; its performance was much worse than promised.”.
Choose the expression that matches the situation.
The deciding cue is “reserve source of money”: it identifies the meaning “use a reserve when the first plan fails”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “fall back on” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “Without a regular salary, she had to fall back on her savings as a reserve source of money.”.
Choose the expression that matches the situation.
The deciding cue is “by resolving them”: it identifies the meaning “resolve small remaining problems”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “iron out” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “The final rehearsal will help us iron out small timing difficulties by resolving them, not merely learning to live with them.”.
Choose the expression that matches the situation.
The deciding cue is “continued defending”: it identifies the meaning “stop defending a position after opposition”. Check the action and its object, especially explaining, causing, tolerating or resolving; “back down” expresses that specific meaning here. Completed wording: “Although challenged repeatedly, she refused to back down and continued defending her original position.”.