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ESL Medium Quiz - Before Continuing - Phrasal Verbs With -ing (Questions)

Quiz playing is a wonderful way to increase your knowledge of English as a Second Language. Remember that all of our ESL quizzes have titles that are both friendly and technical at the same time… In the case of this quiz you might like to tell your friends about “Before Continuing” but no doubt your teachers will talk about the “Phrasal Verbs With -ing quiz”! If you hear a technical term and you want to find a quiz about the subject then just look through the list of quiz titles until you find what you need.

The word 'continuing' is a phrasal verb ending in 'ing'.

Before continuing with this quiz or any others, please notice how often, and how easily, English uses phrases like 'before leaving' and 'since starting'. In fact, we almost do this 'without thinking' (there's another one!).

Take a look at these phrasal verbs ending with ‘-ing’

1. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
Reasonably enough, it is illegal in Britain to use a handheld mobile phone ... ... .
[ ] ... when you are in a car.
[ ] ... after speaking.
[ ] ... while driving.
[ ] ... before leaving.
2. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
... ... at all, you should check that your vehicle is in good working order.
[ ] Without worrying ...
[ ] Before driving ...
[ ] When travelling ...
[ ] On any journey ...
3. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
Nor should you pull out into traffic ... ... in your mirror and ... ... your intention to any other road users.
[ ] ... without looking ... / ... singaling ...
[ ] ... without looking ... / ... signalling ...
[ ] ... before you look ... / ... signling ...
[ ] ... unless you watch ... / ... cygneling
4. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
Many animals, including human beings, enjoy having a little 'digestive rest' ... ... a meal.
[ ] ... before they approach ...
[ ] ... while they eat ...
[ ] ... after they have finished ...
[ ] ... after eating ...
5. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
... ... to the High School, she has become a much more mature and confident young woman.
[ ] After she moved ...
[ ] ... Since moving up ...
[ ] ... Since she moved on ...
[ ] Now that she goes ...
6. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
All staff are reminded to wear the appropriate safety clothing and equipment ... ... on this site.
[ ] ... during their working hours ...
[ ] ... after working ...
[ ] ... while working ...
[ ] ... if they expect to keep their job ...
7. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
They managed to get snarled up in the traffic ... ... half-an-hour early.
[ ] ... by setting off ...
[ ] ... despite setting out ...
[ ] ... because they left ...
[ ] ... even though they started ...
8. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
The caterers have put themselves to a lot of trouble ... ... the decorations are perfect.
[ ] ... to check ...
[ ] ... detailing ...
[ ] ... over making sure ...
[ ] ... and seen to it that ...
9. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
That is not the sort of language to use ... ... formally to anyone of importance, such as your employer.
[ ] ... when writing ...
[ ] ... if (ever) you need to write ...
[ ] ... in a letter ...
[ ] ... on paper ...
10. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
When we say that a criminal is 'caught red-handed', the suggestion is that they are covered in blood ... ... someone.
[ ] ... after they have killed ...
[ ] ... after they killed ...
[ ] ... from killing or injuring ...
[ ] ... after death or injury of ...
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ESL Medium Quiz - Before Continuing - Phrasal Verbs With -ing (Answers)
1. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
Reasonably enough, it is illegal in Britain to use a handheld mobile phone ... ... .
[ ] ... when you are in a car.
[ ] ... after speaking.
[x] ... while driving.
[ ] ... before leaving.
This is clearly the most sensible answer, and it emphasises the danger of trying to do both actions at once ('while ...ing').
2. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
... ... at all, you should check that your vehicle is in good working order.
[ ] Without worrying ...
[x] Before driving ...
[ ] When travelling ...
[ ] On any journey ...
Another basic precaution for road safety.
3. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
Nor should you pull out into traffic ... ... in your mirror and ... ... your intention to any other road users.
[ ] ... without looking ... / ... singaling ...
[x] ... without looking ... / ... signalling ...
[ ] ... before you look ... / ... signling ...
[ ] ... unless you watch ... / ... cygneling
Answer 2 makes sense; has the right structure in the front part of the sentence; and has the only correct version of 'signalling'.
4. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
Many animals, including human beings, enjoy having a little 'digestive rest' ... ... a meal.
[ ] ... before they approach ...
[ ] ... while they eat ...
[ ] ... after they have finished ...
[x] ... after eating ...
Answer 3 makes similar sense, but does not include the structure that we have been concentrating on in this Quiz.
5. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
... ... to the High School, she has become a much more mature and confident young woman.
[ ] After she moved ...
[x] ... Since moving up ...
[ ] ... Since she moved on ...
[ ] Now that she goes ...
Unusually, any of these Answers would be fine in spoken or written English; but again, we wanted to oblige you to use this particular structure.
6. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
All staff are reminded to wear the appropriate safety clothing and equipment ... ... on this site.
[ ] ... during their working hours ...
[ ] ... after working ...
[x] ... while working ...
[ ] ... if they expect to keep their job ...
Arguably, any of these Answers 'would do' apart from No.2, which makes little practical sense.
Answer 1 had two '-ing' words in it, but neither of them within the structure we are practising here.
Answer 4 is a fairly true paraphrase of the sign outside many building sites: 'No hard hat : No job'!
7. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
They managed to get snarled up in the traffic ... ... half-an-hour early.
[ ] ... by setting off ...
[x] ... despite setting out ...
[ ] ... because they left ...
[ ] ... even though they started ...
This is perhaps the most 'extreme' example of this structure, because it doesn't really refer to two actions that support each other, nor even coincide. One thing has been tried (no doubt with effort, and in good faith) and it has not made any positive difference to the other action.
Apart from not containing our special structure, Answer 4 is a good clear alternative. The odd-numbered answers (1 & 3) seemed to suggest that the people were stuck in the traffic as a direct result of allowing themselves more time, by starting their trip earlier. This does not make a great deal of sense, nor express any understanding or sympathy for their efforts to make their journey simpler. One never knows what may happen on the roads, here or indeed anywhere else ...
Welcome to the Great British Traffic Experience!
8. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
The caterers have put themselves to a lot of trouble ... ... the decorations are perfect.
[ ] ... to check ...
[ ] ... detailing ...
[x] ... over making sure ...
[ ] ... and seen to it that ...
We 'take trouble (over) doing' things in English. Answers 1 and 4 are more or less possible, if we were not insisting on the -ING structure here.
9. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
That is not the sort of language to use ... ... formally to anyone of importance, such as your employer.
[x] ... when writing ...
[ ] ... if (ever) you need to write ...
[ ] ... in a letter ...
[ ] ... on paper ...
Neither of Answers 3 & 4 even contains a verb, though the sense is clear and they are each perfectly plausible English.
10. Pick the most sensible version that includes the '[preposition] + -ING' structure.
When we say that a criminal is 'caught red-handed', the suggestion is that they are covered in blood ... ... someone.
[ ] ... after they have killed ...
[ ] ... after they killed ...
[x] ... from killing or injuring ...
[ ] ... after death or injury of ...
You will probably see by now that wherever the sense allows or encourages it, English can make almost a limitless range of expressions in this shape.
We hope you will now be confident at forming and using such expressions, 'without giving it a second thought'!