5 exercises — the phrasal verbs you need for IT team communication: starting and ending meetings, following up, approving, and reviewing.
Meeting phrasal verb cluster
kick off — start a meeting, sprint, or project
wrap up — bring a meeting or task to a close
follow up (on / with) — take further action after a conversation
sign off on — formally approve a design, plan, or document
run through — quickly review or walk through steps together
look into — investigate a problem or issue in depth
touch base — make a quick check-in with someone
0 / 10 completed
1 / 10
The Scrum Master says: "Let's _____ the sprint planning meeting — we have a lot to cover today." Which phrasal verb is correct?
Kick off means to start a meeting, project, sprint, or event — it's extremely common in agile and corporate environments. "Kick off the sprint planning", "kick off the project", "kick off the retro". The noun "kickoff" is used for the event itself: "the sprint kickoff", "kickoff meeting", "project kickoff call". "Kick off" implies an energetic, organised start — not just beginning, but beginning with intent and a group. Related: "kick things off" = start proceedings: "Let's kick things off with a quick round of status updates." "Fire up" is informal and suggests enthusiasm (fire up the team, fire up the engine) — it's not the standard choice for formally starting a meeting. "Launch away" — not standard; "launch" alone is used for products, features, or campaigns. "Open through" — not a standard phrasal verb in this context.
2 / 10
At the end of the retrospective, the team lead says: "OK, let's _____ — it's been a productive session." Choose the right phrasal verb.
Wrap up means to bring a meeting, conversation, or task to a close in an organised way — summarising, completing, and concluding. "Wrap up the retro", "wrap up the call", "wrap up this feature". The noun "wrap-up" is used for a summary or closing section: "Let's do a quick wrap-up before we log off." "Wrap up" conveys a sense of tying loose ends together — not just stopping, but completing properly. "End away" — not a phrasal verb. "Finish off" can mean to complete the last part of something ("finish off the PR review"), but it's less natural for formally closing a meeting. It can also mean to use the last of something ("finish off the coffee") or to eliminate (informal). For meetings, "wrap up" is the standard choice. "Close through" — not a standard phrasal verb.
3 / 10
After the standup, the PM says: "I'll _____ with you after this call about the timeline change." Which phrasal verb is correct?
Follow up means to take additional action after an initial conversation, meeting, or event — to continue a thread of communication or ensure something was done. "I'll follow up with you" = I'll contact you again to continue this discussion. The noun "follow-up" is ubiquitous in IT teams: "follow-up message", "follow-up ticket", "follow up on the PR review". "Follow up on" something specific: "Can you follow up on the security audit status?" vs. "Follow up with someone": "I'll follow up with the client tomorrow." "Check back" means to return to a conversation or source at a later time: "Check back with me later" / "Check back on the ticket tomorrow" — it implies the conversation is paused, not continued. "Come back around" — informal but sometimes used; "come back to it later" is more common. "Touch forward" — not a standard phrase; "touch base" is the standard: "Let's touch base after the release."
4 / 10
In a design review, the senior architect says: "I need to _____ the new API contract before we commit to this approach." Choose the correct phrasal verb.
Sign off on means to formally approve something — giving your official endorsement or authorisation. "Sign off on the design", "sign off on the budget", "sign off on the architecture decision". In IT contexts, sign-off is a key gate in design review, security review, and change management processes. "Get sign-off" = obtain approval: "We need sign-off from the security team before deployment." "Sign off" (without "on") also means to end a session: "I'm going to sign off for the day" — so the "on" is essential when talking about approvals. "Look over" means to review or examine, but it doesn't imply formal approval — it's informal: "Can you look over my PR?" vs. "Can you sign off on this architecture?" "Check into" means to investigate or to register at a hotel — not for formal approvals. "Agree over" — not standard; "agree on" is correct: "We agreed on the approach."
5 / 10
The team says: "Let's _____ the release plan one more time before the call with the client."
Run through means to go over something quickly — to review, rehearse, or summarise so everyone is aligned. "Run through the plan", "run through the agenda", "run through the steps". It implies a focused, systematic review rather than a casual glance. "Let's run through the release plan" = Let's cover the main points together before the meeting. "Run over" is tricky: in British English it can mean to review quickly (similar to "run through"), but it primarily means to exceed a time limit ("the meeting ran over by 20 minutes") or to hit something with a vehicle. In international/remote teams, "run through" is safer and unambiguous. "Look into" means to investigate something: "I'll look into why the tests are failing" — implies a deeper investigation, not a quick review. "Go away with" — not standard; "go over" means to review: "Let's go over the plan" is also perfectly natural.
6 / 10
During a code review, Alex comments: 'This function needs to be refactored. It's overly complex and hard to understand.' What does 'refactor' mean in this context?
'Refactor' in software development refers to improving the internal structure of code while preserving its external behavior. It's about making things cleaner and more maintainable, not adding new features or changing what the code *does*. The incorrect options all describe changes that would alter the function's output.
7 / 10
Sarah sends a Slack message to the team: 'We need to pull together and fix this critical bug before the deadline.' What does 'pull together' suggest in this communication?
'Pull together' is a common idiom meaning to work collaboratively towards a shared goal. It implies that the team needs to combine their efforts and expertise to resolve the bug quickly. The other options represent unproductive or counterproductive actions in this situation.
8 / 10
As a PR author, you write: 'I'll circle back with you after the meeting to discuss the design changes.' What does 'circle back' imply?
'Circle back' indicates that you will return to the conversation at a later time. It's often used when you need more information or want to discuss something in detail after an initial exchange. It doesn't mean rejection or immediate implementation; it means a follow-up.
9 / 10
During the API design review, David says: 'We need to iron out these inconsistencies in the data format.' What does 'iron out' mean in this context?
'Iron out' means to smooth out or resolve something that is difficult or problematic. In this case, it refers to fixing inconsistencies in the data format – essentially making things consistent and reliable. The other options describe actions that would worsen the API design.
10 / 10
The team is preparing for a client call: 'Let's run through the updated release plan one last time to ensure everyone's on the same page.' What does 'run through' mean in this scenario?
'Run through' signifies a thorough rehearsal or review. It suggests that the team needs to go over the release plan step-by-step to confirm understanding and identify any potential issues before presenting it to the client. This is about preparation and ensuring clarity.
What will I practise in "Meetings & Communication Phrasal Verbs"?
This module focuses on Phrasal Verbs — real workplace phrasing you'll use on the job. It contains 10 scenario-based multiple-choice questions with instant feedback.
Is this exercise free to use?
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How many questions does this exercise have?
This module includes 10 questions. Each one gives an immediate right/wrong result plus a full explanation of the correct phrasing.
What happens if I answer a question incorrectly?
You'll see the correct answer highlighted straight away, along with a plain-English explanation of why it's right and why the other options don't fit — mistakes are part of the learning here.
Can I retry the exercise if I want a better score?
Yes — use the 'Try again' button on the results screen to reset your score and go through the questions again. There's no limit on attempts.
Who is this Phrasal Verbs exercise for?
It's aimed at IT professionals with working English who want to sound more natural and precise around phrasal verbs — useful whether you're preparing for real conversations at work or just building confidence with the vocabulary.
Do I need an account to track my progress?
No account is needed. Your progress through the exercise is tracked locally in your browser for the current session, and you can replay the module at any time.
How is this different from reading a blog article?
This exercise is an interactive drill that tests and reinforces specific phrasing through multiple-choice questions with instant feedback, while blog articles explain concepts and vocabulary in prose. The two work well together.
Where can I find more Phrasal Verbs exercises?
See the Phrasal Verbs hub for more modules like this one, or browse the full Exercises page for other IT-English topics.
Can I complete this exercise on my phone?
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