Practice

In carrying out management functions, such as planning, organizing, motivating and controlling, a manager will be continually making decisions. Imagine yourself as a top-manager who faced with some problems. Choose which phrase (a, b, c) is the best decision of each problem.

1. We don’t have enough money to finance our new research and development programme, so I think …

   1. we’ll lend some money to the bank;

   2. we’ll attract more shareholders and increase the share capital;

   3. we’ll reduce our profits;

2. We have too much work at the moment, and none of the staff want to work longer hours, so …

   1. we want have enough work;

   2. we’ll have to think about taking on more staff;

   3. we’ll ask them to do shorter hours;

3. We have a 75% market share in our country, but only 6% of the world market, so …

   1. I think we’ll concentrate on developing our export activity;

   2. I don’t think our share of the home market will be very high;

   3. we’ll probably import more goods;

4. If we don’t get any batter candidates for the new sales job …

   1. we’ll take the worst one;

   2. we want have any sales;

   3. we’ll have to advertise again;

5. We won’t interest the general public in our new range of computers if …

   1. we don’t offer competitive prices;

   2. we do a direct mailing;

   3. we offer them tree technical assistance;

Grammar

A phrasal verb is a verb + adverb (e.g. go out, turn round, take away, put down). There are very many phrasal verbs in English. Some phrasal verbs have an object: I let the cat out. Others have no object: The car went out.

Many phrasal verbs are idiomatic. The verb and adverb together have a special meaning:

Emma turned up hall an hour late (=arrived)

Why did you turn down such a good offer? (=refuse)

The machine often breaks down (=stops working properly)

I can’t make out if it’s a man or a woman over there (=see clearly)

An object can usually go either before or after the adverb:

I wrote the number down. Or: I wrote down the number

A long object goes after the adverb:

Why don’t you try on that dress in the window?

A pronoun always goes before the adverb:

If you like the dress, why not try it on?

I. Complete the following sentences using suitable forms of phrasal verbs below:

sort out

spell out

sell out

make out

buy out

sound out

bring out

carry out

turn out

pull out

1. The firm … about five hundred sports cars a year.

2. We hope to …our production problems soon.

3. If the firm doesn’t make a profit, the owners will probably … .

4. I’m willing to consider introducing flexitime, but would you first … the advantages of the system, please?

5. Givenchy have … an exciting new perfume.

6. Would you … the cheque to David Cotton, please?

7. In order to develop new products, pharmaceutical companies have to … a lot of research.

8. Several leading banks such as Barclay’s have … of South Africa.

9. A group of senior managers want to take over the firm by … it … .

10. We’re looking for a new chief executive. I understand one or two possible candidates have already been … .