436 set set | sets · set · have set  irregular

PHRASAL VERBS
set   sep aside/down/forward/out/ The logician set the problem aside
up/etc. put in a specified position   and went to lunch.
Our neighbors set scraps out for our dog.
set about begin The Scouts set about repairing the holes in the tent.
set against cause to disagree with His budget policies set the president against Congress.
set apart make distinctive His honesty and sense of justice set him apart.
set   sep aside keep apart We set aside $200 a month for the kids’ education.
set   sep aside reject, nullify They set their differences aside and became close friends.
Congress set the issue aside for the time being.
The Supreme Court set aside the appellate court ruling.
set   sep back delay The bad economy will set back our plans to expand.
The president’s order set genetic research back six years.
set   sep back cost [someone] [informal] How much did the new lawn tractor set you back?
set   sep down put in writing The secretary has set down what was said at the executive
  meeting.
set down to blame [something] on The boss set Hank’s mistake down to inexperience and
  naiveté.
set   sep forth announce, make known The church set forth its principles of equality and inclusion.
set in begin Decay has already set in.
With all the political commercials on TV, voter fatigue
  has set in.
set off/out depart, start out Three hundred pioneers set off from St. Joseph, Missouri.
Refugees set out in overcrowded boats for the mainland.
set   sep off make distinctive The designer set the title off from the text below.
set   sep off cause to be very emotional Be careful not to set Dolores off; she’s already angry.
set   sep off trigger, cause to make a noise My husband set the metal detector off with his belt buckle.
set   sep off cause to explode Quarrymen set off 150 pounds of dynamite.
set on/upon attack The citizens set upon the soldiers and beat them badly.
set   sep out display The store sets out its Christmas items right after
  Halloween.
set   sep out plant Don’t set your tomatoes out before the last frost.
set to begin Farmers set to plugging the hole in the dike.
Engineers set to work on the project.
set to order to My parents set me to vacuuming the dining room.
set   sep up arrange Let’s set a meeting up with the committee chairpersons.
set   sep up build, erect Gerry set up a miniature railroad in the living room.
set   sep up found, establish Our group set up a web-based discussion forum.
set   sep up prepare for use She set her mom’s computer up to do e-mail.
set   sep up raise to power / a higher Adolf Hitler set himself up as dictator.
position / etc.
set   sep up make They set me up on April Fool’s Day, and I fell for it.
[someone] the target

top
of a joke/deception

40
set   sep up with Would you set me up with your roommate?
arrange a date for
[someone] with

verb
09 Big Verbs pp 450-503.indd 488 17-6-2009 3:20:24 AM
  regular answer | answers · answered · have answered answer 27

Present Present Progressive

I answer we answer I am answering we are answering
you answer you answer you are answering you are answering
he/she/it answers they answer he/she/it is answering they are answering
 An intern answers customer inquiries.  Rob is answering the reporters’ questions.

Past Past Progressive

I answered we answered I was answering we were answering
you answered you answered you were answering you were answering
he/she/it answered they answered he/she/it was answering they were answering
 I finally answered all my e-mails.  The entire staff was answering the phones.

Present Perfect … have | has answered Future … will answer

Past Perfect … had answered Future Progressive … will be answering
Future Perfect … will have answered
Past Passive
I was answered we were answered
you were answered you were answered
he/she/it was answered they were answered
 All my questions were answered by the candidate.

COMPLEMENTS
answer speak/write in reply He answered in a friendly manner.
answer act in response The visiting team quickly answered with a three-pointer.
answer speak/write in reply
object I answered the question as best I could.
He will answer his critics in an op-ed article.
that-clause I answered that I hadn’t decided yet.
direct quotation I answered, “I haven’t decided yet.”
answer speak/write in rebuttal
object The defendant answered all of the prosecutor’s accusations.
answer act in response to
object The country answered the president’s call to arms.
answer fulfill
object The microwave answers our need for fast food.

PHRASAL VERBS
answer   sep back reply to, usually Ben’s mother became angry
rudely   when he answered her back.
answer for be accountable for Teenagers must answer for their behavior.
answer to be subordinate to I answer to the deputy prime minister.
answer to match, correspond to My neighbor answers to the suspect’s description.

01 Big Verbs pp 19-70.indd 47 17-6-2009 2:33:54 AM

 136 deliver deliver | delivers · delivered · have delivered  regular

Present Present Progressive

I deliver we deliver I am delivering we are delivering
you deliver you deliver you are delivering you are delivering
he/she/it delivers they deliver he/she/it is delivering they are delivering
 The company only delivers on weekdays.  I’m delivering the speech tonight.

Past Past Progressive

I delivered we delivered I was delivering we were delivering
you delivered you delivered you were delivering you were delivering
he/she/it delivered they delivered he/she/it was delivering they were delivering
 Someone just delivered the pizza.  They were delivering furniture yesterday.

Present Perfect … have | has delivered Future … will deliver

Past Perfect … had delivered Future Progressive … will be delivering
Future Perfect … will have delivered
Past Passive
I was delivered we were delivered
you were delivered you were delivered
he/she/it was delivered they were delivered
 The package was delivered this morning.

COMPLEMENTS
deliver engage in delivery Do you deliver?
The deli only delivers in the neighborhood.
deliver fulfill promises/expectations He always delivers when he is most needed.
No matter how sick he is, a good player always delivers.
deliver give birth The mother in Room 313 delivered yesterday.
deliver transport [to the proper person or location]
object Did they deliver my package?
They delivered the wrong thing again!
wh-clause We can only deliver what has been prepaid.
They will deliver whatever you need to ship.
deliver provide [something desirable]
object My group can deliver the votes.
The new hybrid delivers great mileage.
deliver hand over, surrender
object ( to object) The suspect delivered the stolen goods.
The guard delivered the prisoners to the county jail.
deliver set free, rescue
object  from object Please deliver us from our enemies.
My aunt and uncle delivered me from an unhappy childhood.
deliver speak/sing in a performance
object The senator delivered his speech in Chicago.
She delivered her song in a clear, ringing voice.
deliver give birth to
object Andrea delivered a baby girl this morning.
deliver help in giving birth to
object The nurse delivered the twin girls.
EXPRESSIONS
deliver a blow strike [someone/ The policeman delivered a blow that broke
something] in a certain way   the hoodlum’s jaw.
[often figurative] The candidate delivered a blow that undermined
  his opponent’s argument.

03 Big Verbs pp 130-180.indd 166 17-6-2009 2:48:29 AM

  regular share | shares · shared · have shared share 439

Present Present Progressive

I share we share I am sharing we are sharing
you share you share you are sharing you are sharing
he/she/it shares they share he/she/it is sharing they are sharing
 Thomas always shares his toys.  Brandon isn’t sharing!

Past Past Progressive

I shared we shared I was sharing we were sharing
you shared you shared you were sharing you were sharing
he/she/it shared they shared he/she/it was sharing they were sharing
 We shared a cubicle when we were interns.  We were sharing a cab to the airport.

Present Perfect … have | has shared Future … will share

Past Perfect … had shared Future Progressive … will be sharing
Future Perfect … will have shared
Past Passive
— —
— —
it was shared they were shared
 The profits and expenses were shared equally.

COMPLEMENTS
share divide something into parts for Mommy! They aren’t sharing!
the use of two or more people We would be happy to share; we have more than enough.
Some kids have a hard time learning to share.
All members of the group must share equally.
share divide into parts for the use of two or more people, have/use together
object Let’s share a dessert.
Barb and I often share a bottle of wine at dinner.
Can I share this box of donuts with you?
We shared an apartment in Pittsburgh.
passive The costs must be shared by all participants equally.
wh-clause We will share what resources we have.
You can’t share what you don’t have.
Investors will share whatever profits the company makes.
share participate
in object The whole class shared in the gift for the teacher.
All of us share in my brother’s happiness.
share have in common
object Tim and Johanna share a love for old movies.
We don’t share their enthusiasm for home-roasted coffee.
passive A dislike of snakes and spiders is shared by most cultures.
share tell, express
The boss shared a story from his childhood.
object
Please share your ideas with us.
The widow was unable to share her feelings with the
  support group.

09 Big Verbs pp 450-503.indd 491 17-6-2009 3:20:27 AM

  irregular tear | tears · tore · have torn tear 508

Present Present Progressive

I tear we tear I am tearing we are tearing
you tear you tear you are tearing you are tearing
he/she/it tears they tear he/she/it is tearing they are tearing
 He tears stamps off envelopes.  Be careful—you’re tearing your shirt.

Past Past Progressive

I tore we tore I was tearing we were tearing
you tore you tore you were tearing you were tearing
he/she/it tore they tore he/she/it was tearing they were tearing
 The ligament tore with a “popping” sound.  The kids were tearing into the chocolate brownies.

Present Perfect … have | has torn Future … will tear

Past Perfect … had torn Future Progressive … will be tearing
Future Perfect … will have torn
Past Passive
I was torn we were torn
you were torn you were torn
he/she/it was torn they were torn
 A huge hole was torn in the building by the explosion.

note: The irregular verb tear, which rhymes with care, is presented here.
The regular verb tear, which rhymes with deer, means “to cry.”

COMPLEMENTS
tear rip, come apart Darn it! My new jeans are tearing.
The canvas will tear if there is a high wind.
tear cause to rip / come apart
object I tore the envelope trying to open it.
A big gust of wind tore our only sail.
passive The documents had been torn in shipping.
tear make/punch [a hole, opening] in
object The artillery fire tore a huge gap in our right flank.
passive A hole was torn in his shield by a spear.
tear move with force/speed
adverb of place to/from The kids tore out of the room.
The horses tore around the last curve.
tear damage [a muscle, ligament] by overstretching
object Dirk tore his rotator cuff playing tennis.
Soccer players often tear muscles in their knees.
passive His shoulder was torn lifting weights.
tear damage greatly [used only in the passive]
object The country was torn by war and famine.

PHRASAL VERBS
tear around/away/down/off/out/etc. The limousine tore away from the curb.
move with force/speed in a specified direction The neighbor’s dog always tears out after moving cars.
tear   sep apart/away/down/off/out/up/ Tear the coupons apart and organize them.
etc. pull in a specified direction Carpenters tore up the old carpet.
tear into begin to do/eat/etc. forcefully Jackie is tearing into remodeling the kitchen.
The girls really tore into the peanut butter.
tear into scold severely The boss tore into an employee who was late.
tear   sep up reject The manager tore up the singer’s contract and offered
  her 10 times the money.

11 Big Verbs pp 557-618.indd 565 17-6-2009 3:29:50 AM