English Grammar in Use With Answers » Unit 143: Phrasal verbs 7 - up (1)

go up / come up / walk up (to ... ) = approach
  • A man came up to me in the street and asked me for money.

catch up (with somebody), catch somebody up = move faster than somebody in front of you so that you reach them
  • I'm not ready to go yet. You go on and I'll catch up with you / I'll catch you up.

keep up (with somebody) = continue at the same speed or level
  • You're walking too fast. I can't keep up (with you).
  • You're doing well. Keep it up!

set up an organisation, a company, a business, a system, a website etc. = start it
  • The government has set up a committee to investigate the problem.

take up a hobby, a sport, an activity etc. = start doing it
  • Laura took up photography a few years ago. She takes really good pictures.

fix up a meeting etc. = arrange it
  • We've fixed up a meeting for next Monday.

grow up = become an adult
  • Ann was born in Hong Kong but grew up in Australia.

bring up a child = raise, look after a child
  • Her parents died when she was a child and she was brought up by her grandparents.

clean up / clear up / tidy up something = make it clean, tidy etc.
  • Look at this mess! Who's going to tidy up? (or tidy it up)

wash up = wash the plates, dishes etc. after a meal
  • I hate washing up. (or I hate doing the washing-up.)

end up somewhere, end up doing something etc.
  • There was a fight in the street and three men ended up in hospital. (= that's what happened to these men in the end)
  • I couldn't find a hotel and ended up sleeping on a bench at the station. (= that's what happened to me in the end)

give up = stop trying, give something up = stop doing it
  • Don't give up. Keep trying!
  • Sue got bored with her job and decided to give it up. (= stop doing it)

make up something, be made up of something
  • Children under 16 make up half the population of the city. (= half the population are children under 16)
  • Air is made up mainly of nitrogen and oxygen. (= Air consists of ... )

take up space or time = use space or time
  • Most of the space in the room was taken up by a large table.

turn up / show up = arrive, appear
  • We arranged to meet David last night, but he didn't turn up.

use something up = use all of it so that nothing is left
  • I'm going to make some soup. We have a lot of vegetables and I want to use them up.

143.1 Look at the pictures and complete the sentences. Use three words each time, including a verb from Section A.


  1. A man me in the street and asked me the way to the station.

  2. Sue __________ the front door of the house and rang the doorbell.

  3. Tom was a long way behind the other runners, but he managed to __________ them.

  4. Tanya was running too fast for Paul. He couldn't __________ her.

143.2 Complete the sentences. Use the following verbs (in the correct form) + up:

  • end
  • end
  • give
  • give
  • grow
  • make
  • take
  • take
  • turn
  • use
  • wash
  1. I couldn't find a hotel and sleeping on a bench at the station.
  2. I'm feeling very tired now. I've __________ all my energy.
  3. After dinner I __________ and put the dishes away.
  4. People often ask children what they want to be when they __________ .
  5. We invited Tom to the party, but he didn't __________ .
  6. Two years ago James __________ his studies to be a professional footballer.
  7. A: Do you do any sports?
    B: Not at the moment, but I'm thinking of __________ tennis.
  8. You don't have enough determination. You __________ too easily.
  9. Karen travelled a lot for a few years and __________ in Canada, where she still lives.
  10. I do a lot of gardening. It __________ most of my free time.
  11. There are two universities in the city, and students __________ 20 per cent of the population.

143.3 Complete the sentences. Use the following verbs + up (with any other necessary words):

  • bring
  • catch
  • fix
  • give
  • go
  • keep
  • keep
  • make
  • set
  • tidy
  1. Sue got bored with her job and decided to .
  2. I'm not ready yet. You go on and I'll you.
  3. The room is in a mess. I'd better __________ .
  4. We expect to go away on holiday sometime in July, but we haven't __________ yet.
  5. Stephen is having problems at school. He can't __________ the rest of the class.
  6. Although I __________ in the country, I have always preferred cities.
  7. Our team started the game well, but we couldn't __________ and in the end we lost.
  8. I saw Mike at the party, so I __________ him and said hello.
  9. When I was on holiday, I joined a tour group. The group __________ two Americans, three Germans, five Italians and myself.
  10. Helen has her own intern et website. A friend of hers helped her to __________ .

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