Phrasal verbs and the Cambridge: Advanced Use of English Paper

In my previous post, I discussed the presence of phrasal verbs in the wordlists at the different levels of the Common European Framework as defined in the English Vocabulary Profile.

I had said that I would share some useful links with you for working on the area of phrasal verbs in my next (i.e. this) post, but on reflection, I thought I'd go into WHERE phrasal verbs are tested on the Cambridge English: Advanced Use of English Paper.

Let's look at the December 2009 CAE Use of English Paper:

Phrasal verbs are tested twice in Part 1 of this CAE paper - within the context of a text about the Toronto Shoe Museum.

In question 3 of this part, candidates had to choose from phrasal verbs containing the verb 'look' in the following sentence:

The more I (3) .................... the subject, says Sonja, the more I find that footwear (4) ...... (reveals) more about the world of the wearer than any other item of clothing.

For question 3, candidates were given these four phrasal verbs:

look through, look into, look up, look over

Later on in this same text, candidates had to choose between:

pick up, take on, get over, make out

In this case, it was the precise meaning of different phrasal verbs connected with the idea of understanding or perceiving that was being tested.

I just couldn't .......... (11) why it was like that.  

In Part 2 of the same CAE Use of English Paper, in an article about the Census of Marine Life,

the phrasal verb 'cut off' is tested.  Here, candidates have to supply the particle in the gap fill text:

(The project) is expected to discover thousands of new species of marine animals, many of ..........  (which) have been completely cut ........ (off) from the rest of the world for thousands of years.

In Parts 3 and 4 (Worldbuilding and Gapped Sentences), no phrasal verbs are tested.  With the wordbuilding task, this is to be expected, but with Part 4, phrasal verbs ARE tested on some versions of this exam.

For example:

At the start of his career, James was ..... between taking a job in television and becoming an accountant.

The main suspect in the case told the police that his jacket had been ........ when he fell off his bicycle.
                                                                                                                                                 
In some urban areas, tower blocks are being ......... down to be replaced by rows of houses.               

CAE Handbook

(In all three sentences, the missing word is 'torn' and in the last sentence, it is part of a phrasal verb - tear down)

Finally, in this paper, phrasal verbs may also be tested in Part 5 - the Key Word Transformations.

In December 2009, candidates had to transform the first sentence:

They told Nick not to go to the city centre on New Year's Eve.

using the key word 'warned'

to complete this second sentence:

Nick  ..................................   from the city centre on New Year's Eve.

Here, two phrasal verbs could form part of the answer:  to stay away or to keep away.

Nick was/has been warned to stay/keep away from the city centre on New Year's Eve.

As you can see, knowledge of phrasal verbs is tested considerably in the CAE Use of English Paper (and at other levels of the Cambridge ESOL exams too)

So, in my next post, I will share some great resources with you for working on phrasal verbs.


So, I'll sign (1) ......... now but will be. back with you again soon!


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