Grammar notes: phrasal verbs D-F

List of verbs

deal with something/someone
to take action on something
to be responsible for
to have as its subject
to do business with

We should deal with the staff problems now before they get too serious.

The computer maintenance team can deal with any type of emergency.

The report deals with the introduction of new technology.

This company has many years of experience in dealing with customers from abroad.

We have been dealing with a number of multinationals ever since we opened our office in London.

do away with something
to abolish

We've finally done away with the manual system for goods registration.

The profit margin has been much higher ever since the company did away with its labour intensive production system.

drag on
to continue slowly and boringly

The meeting dragged on for hours and we still didn't come to a decision.

The chairman's speech seemed to drag on for ever. I had difficulty staying awake.

drag something out
to prolong unnecessarily

The presentation should only last two hours, but they want me to drag it out for three.

It's usually a four-day course, but I can drag it out with some practice sessions if you like.

draw something up
to prepare
to compose

If you decide to buy the company, we can draw up a contract within seven days.

We'll have to draw up a list of all the people who might want to attend the conference.

end up as something
end up somewhere
end up doing something
to eventually become
to eventually find oneself/itself

She started in the company as a secretary. Who would have thought she would end up as the managing director?

The plane was diverted because of fog, so we ended up in Barcelona instead of Valencia.

That temporary secretary is completely useless! He made so many mistakes in the report that I ended up doing it myself.

face up to something
to accept a situation and take action

You have to face up to the fact that things have changed since you opened the company. You need to modernise.

We argued for hours, but he finally faced up to the problem and he's going to call a meeting to discuss it next week.

fall off
to decrease

Sales have fallen off ever since we introduced the new packaging. Nobody likes it.

The number of people coming into the office has fallen off since we set up the website.

fall through
to not succeed

The plans we had to relocate the company fell through because we couldn't get planning permission.

We've put so much effort into this project that I'll be very annoyed if it falls through.

fill something in
to complete

fill in (for someone)
to substitute for someone at work

fill someone in (on something)
to give information about

Please fill in the application form and return it to us as soon as possible.

You have to fill in all the boxes marked with an asterisk, otherwise the computer rejects it.

Our usual receptionist is on maternity leave at the moment, but one of the secretaries is filling in for her.

I don't usually do this job. I'm just filling in.

Come into my office and I'll fill you in on everything that happened in the meeting.

Have you heard the news? Come down to the bar and I'll fill you in.

find (something) out
find out (about something)
to discover

Did you know that the sales manager is being replaced? I've only just found out.

You've got the number of his private line? How did you find that out? I've been trying to get it for months.

He found out about the redundancy plans from the union representative.

fit in (with something/people)
to work well with others in a group
to complement or be in harmony with

fit something/someone in
to have/find enough time

The new designer fits in really well. The team has done some excellent work since he arrived.

I think we'll have to terminate his contract because he doesn't fit in with the other people in the office.

No, I don't want to expand abroad. That doesn't fit in with the plans I have for the company.

Well, I'm busy on Monday and Tuesday, but I could fit you in on Wednesday morning at about 11 o'clock.

Everyone's got lots of work, but we've got to fit the meeting in before the end of the week.

Links to exercises and pdf files

Grammar notes from this page - pdf file for download or printing
Matching exercise - online
Gapfill exercise - online
Gapfill exercise - pdf file for download or printing
Phrasal verbs A-B: account for --> brush up
Phrasal verbs C: call for --> cut off
Phrasal verbs G: get across --> go under
Phrasal verbs H-L: hand out --> look up to
Phrasal verbs M-P: make out --> put through
Phrasal verbs R-S: reckon on --> sum up
Phrasal verbs T-Z: take down --> work out