Advanced English Grammar

Phrasal Verb CUT

The phrasal verb cut has many uses. Study the list and do the exercise that follows below. Then check your answers.

CUT ACROSS = A. go through rather than around B. Affect different groups or classes

A. Let's cut across the school yard, it'll be faster.
B. This new law will cut across all social clases from the highest to the lowest.

CUT BACK = A. reduce B (on) reduce expenses

A. Tom was told to he was smoking too much and he needed to cut back.
B. We had to cut back on cleaning supplies as the economy worsened.

CUT DOWN = A. (on) consume less B. shoot (as in war) C. lower from a high position D. to fell a tree

A. We have to cut back on sugar if we want it to last the week.
B. The brigade was cut down as they charged the machine gun stongehold.
c. He was cut down to size after he lost his job at the factory.
D. They cut down the tree and brought it to their home to be decorated for Christmas.

CUT IN = A. begin working B. go recklessly in front of another vehicle C. interrupt D. include someone on a money making deal

A. The radio cut in just as the where announcing the end of the war.
B. The green Ford cut in front of us as if he owned the road.
C. I was speaking with Jill when John cut in.
D. We had to cut him in on the deal, otherwise he would have made trouble.

CUT IT OUT = stop your current behavior

Tommy's little sister yeld at him to 'cut it out,' or she would tell his mother.

CUT OFF = A. isolate; make inaccessible B. disconnect (telephone or other communication device)

A. The severe winter storm meant that they were cut off from the city.
B. While I was talking to mother over Christmas we were cut off and i couldn't reach her again.

CUT OUT = A. exclude from a deal B. cut paper or picture from book or magazine C. when an engine stops working

A. He was cut out of the deal and swore he'd take revenge.
B. Her bedroom wall was covered in cut outs of her favorite pop star.
C. When the engine cut out he new the plane was going to crash.

CUT OUT ON = leave stranded

while we were all at the mall George cut out on us and we had to take the bus home.

CUT UP = A. make small pieces B. make jokes, laugh

A. John was too small to cut up the steak himself so his mother helped him.
B. John cut up his classmates with the stories he told.

Phrasal Verb CUT exercise

1. If you want to lose weight, you have to cut ____ the amount of food you consume.
2. John cut ____ on Jill again while she was presenting her idea to the group.
3. We cut _____ the cemetary to save time even though it was kind of scary.
4. Jill cut ____ the piece of meat into small pieces for her little brother.
5. The people on the mountain were cut ____ due to inclimate weather.
6. While I was talking to Jill the phone went dead. We were cut ____.
7. He was cut ____ of the deal and became very angry.
8. We need to cut ____ all living expenses this month.
9. Some fathers cut ____ their families making life difficult for those who remain.
10. The doctor told him to cut ___ salt as his blood pressure was a little high.

For more information about the phrasal verb cut click on the preceding link.

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