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C1 Business English • 12-Min Grammar

Multi-Meaning Phrasal Verbs

Master essential multi-meaning action verbs used in corporate strategy, news reporting, and high-level business negotiation.

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How to use this lesson

For Teachers

Use this 12-minute session to build accuracy with core business action verbs.

Check answers together by discussing why other options do not fit the context.

For Learners

Read the four simple rules in the summary table first.

Then complete the twelve practice exercises using the single-word context clues in brackets.

Core Grammar Rules

4 Key Patterns

1. set up

This phrase can mean making a new business, planning a meeting, or tricking someone so that they look guilty. The words after the verb tell you which meaning is used.

• "The two directors will set up a new subsidiary in the spring."

• "They set up a meeting to negotiate the acquisition terms."

2. take over

With a company name after it, this means gaining control of a firm. With no extra word after it, it means starting a job after someone else leaves.

• "A rival firm took over the struggling chain last year."

• "When the CEO resigned, her deputy took over immediately."

3. roll out vs phase out

Roll out means starting a new thing everywhere. Phase out means stopping an old thing step by step. Pronouns like it or them must go in the middle.

• "The airline will roll out free wifi on all its planes this year."

• "The bank will phase out paper statements by December."

4. wind up

With an object, this means closing a failing business. Without an object, it means ending up in a situation without planning to.

• "The court ordered the failing builder to be wound up."

• "After the bad merger, the tech firm wound up in heavy debt."

Practice Exercises

12 items testing 10 business phrasal verbs & corporate strategy vocabulary

12 Questions

Part 1 Choose the Correct Option

1. The electronics giant bought a 51% stake to _______ the smaller competitor.

(control)

____ a. take over ____ b. phase out ____ c. set up

2. The main shareholder offered to _______ the remaining founders during the acquisition.

(purchase)

____ a. wind up ____ b. buy out ____ c. step down

3. After the unsuccessful merger, the chief executive decided to _______ from his position.

(resign)

____ a. roll out ____ b. carry out ____ c. step down

Part 2 Rewrite Sentences with a Phrasal Verb

Original Sentence:

"The company stopped using the old software a little at a time."

(gradual)

Rewrite the sentence using 'phase out':

____

Original Sentence:

"The board decided to launch the new compliance system across all branches."

(launch)

Rewrite the sentence replacing 'launch' with 'roll out':

____

Original Sentence:

"The judge ordered the bankrupted subsidiary to be closed completely."

(close)

Rewrite the sentence replacing 'closed' with 'wound up':

____

Part 3 Complete the Gaps (Correct Tense)

7. The strategic restructure _______ a major increase in the annual dividend.

(cause)

Fill in the phrasal verb meaning "to cause or make happen" (past tense):

____

8. The audit team will _______ a detailed inspection of the firm's assets next week.

(perform)

Fill in the phrasal verb meaning "to perform or execute a task":

____

9. During the hostile takeover, the board _______ unexpected opposition from key shareholders.

(face)

Fill in the phrasal verb meaning "to face or encounter a difficulty" (past tense):

____

Part 4 Error Correction in Messages

Email excerpt:

"Hi Sam, about the outdated reporting process: we need to phase out it before the merger."

(order)

Correct the underlined pronoun placement error (write the fixed phrase):

____

Chat message:

"Can you set out a meeting with the corporate lawyers to discuss the monopoly risk?"

(arrange)

Replace 'set out' with the correct phrasal verb meaning to arrange:

____

Memo draft:

"If we downsize too quickly, we might wind out in legal trouble with the union."

(result)

Replace 'wind out' with the correct phrasal verb meaning to end up in a situation:

____

Multi-Meaning Phrasal Verbs

Multi-Meaning Phrasal Verbs

How to use this lesson

Core Grammar Rules

Practice Exercises

Part 1 Choose the Correct Option

Part 2 Rewrite Sentences with a Phrasal Verb

Part 3 Complete the Gaps (Correct Tense)

Part 4 Error Correction in Messages

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