Phrasal Verbs 5 on/off (2)

A Verb + o n = continue doing som ething

d riv e o n / w a lk o n / p la y o n = continue walking/driving/playing, etc.

■ Should we stop at this gas station or should we d riv e o n to the next one?
go o n = continue
■ The party w e n t o n until 4 o’clock in the m orning.
go o n doing som ething = continue doing something
■ W e can’t go o n spending m oney like this. W e’ll have nothing left soon.
Also go o n w ith som ething
■ D on’t let m e disturb you. Please go o n w ith w hat you were doing,
k ee p o n doing som ething = do it continuously or repeatedly
■ H e k ee p s o n criticizing me. I’m really tired o f it!
d ra g o n = continue for too long
■ Let’s make a decision now. I don’t w ant this problem to d ra g on.

B O th er verbs + o n

h o ld o n / h a n g o n = wait
■ (on the phone) H o ld o n a m inute. I’ll see if M ax is home.
m o v e o n = start a new activity, start talking about a new topic
■ (in a lecture) T hat’s enough about the political situation. Let’s m o v e o n to the econ'
ta k e o n a jo b / extra w ork / a responsibility = accept it and do what is necessary
■ W hen Sally was sick, a friend to o k o n her w ork at the office.

C Verb + o f f

d o z e o f f / d ro p o f f / n o d o f f = fall asleep
■ The lecture wasn’t very interesting. In fact, I d o z e d o f f in the m iddle o f it.
d ro p som ebody/som ething o f f = take to a place by car and leave there
■ Sue d ro p s her children o f f at school before she goes to w ork every m orning.
go o f f = explode
■ A bom b w e n t o f f in a hotel dow ntow n, but fortunately nobody was hurt.
Also an alarm can go o f f (= ring)
■ D id you hear the alarm g o off?
lay som eone o f f = stop employing someone because there isn’t enough work
■ My brother was la id o f f two m onths ago and still hasn’t found another job.
r ip somebody o f f = cheat somebody (informal)
■ D id you really pay $2,000 for that painting? I think you were r ip p e d o f f
(= you paid too much)
sh o w o f f = try to impress people with your ability, your knowledge, etc.
■ Look at that boy on the bike riding w ith no hands. H e’s ju st s h o w in g o f f
te ll somebody o f f = speak angrily to somebody because they did something wrong
■ Claire’s m other to ld her o f f for wearing dirty shoes in the house.

276 Go on Unit 51B Phrasal Verbs 1 (Introduction) Unit 134 More Verbs + o n / o ff Unit 137
rcises u N 1T 118
■ange the underlined words. Keep the same meaning, but use a verb + on or off.
id you hear the bom b explode?
Did you hear the bom b g o o f f ?
- The m eeting continued longer than I expected.
The m e e tin g longer than I expected.
We didn’t stop to rest. We continued walking.
We didn’t stop to rest. W e ________________________ .
- I fell asleep while I was watching TV.
I while I was watching TV.
Gary doesn’t w ant to retire. H e wants to continue w orking.
Gary doesn’t w ant to retire. H e wants t o ________________________ working.
The fire alarm rang in the m iddle o f the night.
The fire a la rm ________________________ in the m iddle o f the night.
M artin calls me continuously. It’s very annoying.
M a rtin ________________________ . It’s very annoying.

Complete each sentence using a verb + on or off.

We can’t g o on spending m oney like this. W e’ll have nothing left soon.
I was standing by the car w hen suddenly the alarm .
I ________________________ my clothes at the laundry and then I w ent shopping.
A: M ichael seems very busy at the office these days.
B: Yes, he h a s ________________________too m uch extra work, I think.
Bill paid too m uch for the car he bought. I think he w a s ______________________
As tim e ________________________ , I feel less and less upset about w hat happened.
I was very tired at w ork today. I n e a rly ____________________ at my desk a couple o f times.
* Ben w a s ________________________ by his boss for being late for w ork repeatedly.
If business doesn’t improve, my company may have t o _______________________ some
employees.
There was a very loud noise. It sounded like a b o m b ________________________ .
L I _______________________ making the same mistake. It’s very frustrating.
2 P lease________________________ w ith w hat you were saying. I’m sorry I interrupted you.
Peter is always trying to impress people. H e’s alw ays________________________ .
- “Are you ready to go yet?” “Almost. Can y o u ________________________ ju st a while longer?”

Complete the sentences. Use the following verbs (in the correct form) + on or off. Sometimes
.ou will need other words as well.
d ra g go go h o ld lay m ove r ip te ll
A: (on the phone) May I speak to Mrs. Jones?
B: H old on a second. I’ll get her for you.
A: Are you still w orking on that project? I can’tbelieve it isn’t finished.
B: I know. I’m fed up w ith it. It’s really
A: W e took a taxi to the airport. It cost forty dollars.
B: Forty dollars! N orm ally it costs about tw enty dollars. You _
A: W hy were you late for w ork this m orning?
B: I overslept. M y alarm clock didn’t .
5. A Have we discussed this point enough?
B I think so. Let’s ___________________________ to the next point on our agenda.
A: T here w on’t be any m ore interruptions. I’ve turned off my phone.
B: Good. Let’s _______________________________w hat we were doing.
A: Some children at the next table in the restaurant were behaving very badly.
B: W hy didn’t their p a re n ts _______________________________?
. A: W hy did Paul quit his job?
B: H e didn’t quit. He w a s _______________________________.

al Exercises 37-41 (pages 317-318) 277