Question

Difficulty: MediumPhrasal Verbs and Prepositional Verbs

Pair each of the following phrasal verbs on the left with its appropriate contextual meaning on the right.

  • Fritter awayTo waste resources foolishly or bit by bit
  • Cave inTo yield under pressure or surrender to demands
  • Tamper withTo alter or interfere with something without authorization
  • Bank onTo rely upon or count on something with confidence

Answer

'Fritter away' matches 'To waste resources foolishly or bit by bit'; 'Cave in' matches 'To yield under pressure or surrender to demands'; 'Tamper with' matches 'To alter or interfere with something without authorization'; 'Bank on' matches 'To rely upon or count on something with confidence'.
Each phrasal verb is accurately matched with its standard definition: 'Fritter away' signifies wasting resources gradually; 'Cave in' denotes surrendering under pressure; 'Tamper with' indicates unauthorized interference; and 'Bank on' conveys confident reliance.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the idiomatic sense of each phrasal verb
Distinguish the figurative meaning of each verb stem when combined with its specific particle
Phrasal verb meanings cannot always be deduced literally from the verb alone
2
Correlate each verb with its precise definition
Establish accurate, unambiguous pairings for all items
Standardized English assessments test precise lexical usage and semantic accuracy

Key Concept

Phrasal Verbs and Prepositional Verbs Contextual Meaning
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