This lesson covers 30 C2 phrasal verbs on Problems, Risk & Decision-making. At Proficiency you must distinguish particles that change meaning subtly and match register across formal and informal contexts. Complete the runner, then use the glossary below to consolidate each verb. Detailed explanations appear in Review mode once you finish the set.
be riddled with sth
be full of something, especially something bad or unpleasant
The initial plan was riddled with technical problems.
land (sb) in sth
to be in a difficult situation, or to cause someone to be in a difficult situation or an unpleasant place [e.g. prison]
A careless decision could land the company in trouble.
think over sth
to consider something carefully before deciding
Take time to think over the consequences.
play on sth
if someone plays on your fears or weaknesses, they use them to try and make you do what they want, often in a way that is unfair
The advert played on people’s fear of missing out.
come through sth
to manage to get to the end of a difficult situation
The company came through the crisis with a stronger plan.
come around/round
to agree to a plan or idea that you were against, or to stop having a bad opinion about something, after thinking about it for a long time or being persuaded by other people that it is good
After reviewing the evidence, she came round to the safer option.
decide on sth/sb
to choose something or someone after thinking carefully
The committee decided on the less risky option.
live with sth
to accept a difficult or unpleasant situation and continue with your life while it exists
We may have to live with a temporary inconvenience.
attend to sb/sth
to deal with a situation or problem
Please attend to the most urgent issue first.
bank on sth
to depend on something happening or being true
Do not bank on good weather when planning the outdoor event.
head off sth
to prevent a problem or difficult situation before it develops
Early testing can head off serious problems later.
tend towards sth
to be likely to choose a particular thing
The group tends towards the safer solution.
reason with sb
to try to persuade someone not to do something stupid by giving them good reasons not to
It is hard to reason with someone who refuses to listen.
point to/towards sth
if one thing points to something else, it makes it seem likely that it is true
The early warning signs point to a larger problem.
walk away
to stop being involved in a situation that is difficult to deal with or that does not give you any advantages
If the deal looks unsafe, walk away.
do without (sth/sb)
to manage without something or someone
The team had to do without the usual software for a day.
toy with sth
to consider something or doing something, but not in a very serious way and without making a decision
They toyed with the idea of delaying the launch.
narrow down sth
to reduce the number of possible choices or options
The team narrowed down the options to three realistic choices.
lead to sth
if an action or event leads to something, it causes that thing to happen or exist
Poor planning often leads to costly mistakes.
depend on sth/sb
if something depends on a particular situation, condition, or person, it is influenced by them or cannot change without them
The final decision depends on the safety test.
account for sth
to explain the reason for something or the cause of something
The risk report must account for possible delivery delays.
add up
to be a reasonable or likely explanation for something
His explanation did not add up, so the team checked the data again.
work out sth or work sth out
to think carefully about how you are going to do something and to make a plan or decision
The engineers worked out a solution to the fault.
result in sth
to cause something to happen, or to make a situation exist
A missed deadline can result in extra costs.
come out of sth
if something comes out of a process or an event, it is one of the results
Several useful lessons came out of the failed project.
run into sth
if you run into difficulties or problems, you begin to experience them
The plan ran into trouble when the supplier withdrew.
go through sth
to experience an unpleasant or difficult situation or event
Go through the checklist before making a decision.
arrive at sth
to achieve an agreement or decision, especially after thinking about it or discussing it for a long time
After a long discussion, the group arrived at a sensible decision.
contribute to sth
to be one of the causes of an event or situation
Poor communication contributed to the failure.
be rooted in sth
to be based on, or caused by
The delay was rooted in poor planning.