Unit 142: Phrasal verbs 6 (up/down)

English Grammar in Use With Answers » Unit 142: Phrasal verbs 6 (up/down)

Compare up and down:

put something up (on a wall etc.) I put a picture up on the wall.	take something down (from a wall etc.) I didn't like the picture, so I took it down.
pick something up There was a letter on the floor. I picked it up and looked at it.	put something down I stopped writing and put down my pen.
stand up Alan stood up and walked out.	sit down / bend down / lie down I bent down to tie my shoelace.
turn something up I can't hear the TV. Can you turn it up a bit?	turn something down The oven is too hot. Turn it down to 150 degrees.

Knock down, cut down etc.

knock down a building, blow something down, cut something down etc.

Some old houses were knocked down to make way for the new shopping centre.
Why did you cut down the tree in your garden?

be knocked down (by a car etc.)

A man was knocked down by a car and taken to hospital.

burn down = be destroyed by fire

They were able to put out the fire before the house burnt down.

Down = getting less

slow down = go more slowly

You're driving too fast. Slow down.

calm (somebody) down = become calmer, make somebody calmer

Calm down. There's no point in getting angry.

cut down (on something) = eat, drink or do something less often

I'm trying to cut down on coffee. I drink too much of it.

Other verbs + down

break down = stop working (for machines, cars, relationships etc.)

The car broke down and I had to phone for help.
Their marriage broke down after only a few months.

dose down / shut down = stop doing business

There used to be a shop at the end of the street; it dosed down a few years ago.

let somebody down = disappoint them because you didn't do what they hoped

You can always rely on Paul. He'll never let you down.

turn somebody/something down = refuse an application, an offer etc.

I applied for several jobs, but I was turned down for all of them.
Rachel was offered the job, but she decided to turn it down.

write something down = write something on paper because you may need the information later

I can't remember Tim's address. I wrote it down, but I can't find it.

142.1 For each picture, complete the sentences using a verb + up or down. In most sentences you will need other words as well.

There used to be a tree next to the house, but we ⁽¹⁾ .
There used to be some shelves on the wall, but I ⁽²⁾ __________ .
The ceiling was so low, he couldn't ⁽³⁾ __________ straight.
She couldn't hear the radio very well, so she ⁽⁴⁾ __________ .
While they were waiting for the bus, they ⁽⁵⁾ __________ on the ground.
A few trees ⁽⁶⁾ __________ in the storm last week.
We've got some new curtains, but we haven't ⁽⁷⁾ __________ yet.
Lisa dropped her keys, so she ⁽⁸⁾ __________ and ⁽⁹⁾ __________ .

142.2 Complete the sentences. Use the following verbs (in the correct form) + down:

calm
let
~~take~~
turn
turn
write

I don't like this picture on the wall. I'm going to .
The music is too loud. Can you __________ ?
David was very angry. I tried to __________ .
Sarah gave me her phone number. I __________ on a piece of paper.
I promised I would help Anna. I don't want to __________ .
I was offered the job, but I decided I didn't want it. So I __________ .

142.3 Complete each sentence using a verb (in the correct form) + down.

I stopped writing and my pen.
I was really angry. It took me a long time to __________ .
The train __________ as it approached the station.
Sarah applied to study medicine at university, but she __________ .
Our car is very reliable. It has never __________ .
I need to spend less money. I'm going to __________ on things I don't really need.
I didn't play very well. I felt that I had __________ the other players in the team.
The shop __________ because it was losing money.
This is a very ugly building. Many people would like it to __________ .
I can't understand why you __________ the chance of working abroad for a year. It would have been a great experience for you.
A: Did you see the accident? What happened exactly?
B: A man __________ by a car as he was crossing the road.
Peter got married when he was 20, but unfortunately the marriage __________ a few years later.

Answer Key

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