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Top 8 Phrasal Verbs for Meeting Expectations at Work – Business English Guide
- Erin West
- Apr 19
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 7
Welcome to the Business English Phrasal Verbs Quiz!
Meeting expectations at work isn’t always easy. You may need to impress your boss, keep a client happy, or manage a major project. That’s where the right language makes a difference.
Today’s Focus:
In this lesson, you’ll learn 8 common Business English phrasal verbs used to talk about meeting goals, taking responsibility, and getting things done. These expressions will help you sound more confident and professional in everyday work situations.
Today’s Challenge:
Your boss wants good results. Your clients want fast replies. Your coworkers need help. It can feel hard to do everything people expect. What do you say?
It’s hard to ___ everyone’s expectations sometimes.
A) hold up
B) keep on up
C) keep up with
D) hold up to
Choose the correct option and listen to the sentence.
Did you get it right?
HOLD UP
phrasal verb
to delay something or someone
Sorry, I'm late—traffic held me up.
The meeting was held up by technical issues.
Don’t let one problem hold up the whole project.
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KEEP ON UP
not a correct phrasal verb
KEEP UP WITH
phrasal verb
to stay at the same level as someone or something; to not fall behind
It's hard to keep up with all the new updates.
She reads every day to keep up with her industry.
They struggled to keep up with the growing demand.
HOLD UP to something
phrase
to remain strong or good when tested or used
This material holds up to regular washing.
Does the theory hold up to scrutiny?
The claim didn’t hold up to close inspection.
That's right! The correct answer is C) keep up with.
Learn More Business English Phrasal Verbs for Meeting Expectations at Work
When people talk about performance at work, they often use phrasal verbs. These expressions are key to understanding feedback, goals, and responsibilities. Let’s take a look at some of the most useful ones that will help you follow conversations and express yourself more naturally at work.
LIVE UP TO (for example, expectations)
phrasal verb
to be as good as people expected, to meet a standard
The product didn’t live up to our expectations — it was slow and hard to use.
She worked hard to live up to her new role as team leader.
The hotel looked great online, but it didn’t live up to the photos.
MEASURE UP TO (for example, expectations)
phrasal verb
to be good enough compared to someone or something else
The new assistant is nice, but he doesn’t measure up to the last one.
I’m not sure this plan measures up to what the client wanted.
His presentation didn’t really measure up to our standards.
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STEP UP
phrasal verb
to take more responsibility
When our manager left, Sara stepped up and led the team.
We need someone to step up and take control of the situation.
Jason finally stepped up and admitted his mistake.
TAKE ON (responsibility, projects)
phrasal verb
to accept new work or responsibility
I can’t take on another project right now — I’m too busy.
She took on a leadership role in the new department.
We’re taking on more clients this quarter.
phrasal verb
to succeed in doing something difficult
Nobody thought we could finish the project on time, but we pulled it off.
It was a risky move, but they pulled it off perfectly.
He managed to pull off a great presentation without any notes.
CARRY OUT (a task, plan)
phrasal verb
to complete a task or a plan
The team carried out the project successfully.
Please carry out the instructions carefully.
They’re carrying out a full review of the process.
Explore more Business English phrases here.
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FOLLOW THROUGH
phrasal verb
to finish something you started or promised to do
We need to follow through on the plan we agreed on.
He says he’ll help, but he never follows through.
The company is finally following through on its promise to improve training.
KEEP UP WITH (expectations)
phrasal verb
to stay at the same level or speed as others or as expected
It’s hard to keep up with all these deadlines.
She works quickly — I can’t keep up with her sometimes.
We need to keep up with the latest trends in the market.
Practice These Common Business English Phrasal Verbs in Real Work Situations
Choose the correct option.
Download the PDF Guide: 8 Essential Phrasal Verbs for Meeting Expectations at Work
ANSWER KEY
1. We thought the event would be a disaster, but somehow they managed to ______ it ______.
A) take... on
B) follow... through
C) pull... off
2. After our manager left unexpectedly, Jen had to ______ and lead the meeting.
A) keep up with
B) step up
C) live up to
3. I’ve already got three major projects, so I really can’t ______ anything else right now.
A) measure up to
B) follow through
C) take on
4. The auditors will ______ a full review of our financial records next week.
A) step up
B) carry out
C) live up to
5. The pressure to meet all these deadlines is intense — I’m struggling to ______ everything.
A) keep up with
B) live off
C) step up
6. That proposal just doesn’t ______ what the client asked for. We’ll need to revise it.
A) pull off
B) take on
C) measure up to
7. They promised to improve communication, but they didn’t ______.
A) carry out
B) pull off
C) follow through
8. He’s doing a good job, but he still has a lot to prove if he wants to ______ the team’s expectations.
A) live up to
B) measure up to
C) step up
Ready for more? Click the image below to try another Business English Phrasal Verbs Quiz!
Business English Vocabulary Quiz: Test Your Skills with a Longer Challenge!
This article was brought to you by RealBusinessEnglish.com, where learning Business English is practical, professional, and just the right amount of fun.
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