Fill in the blank with most appropriate phrasal verb:
The fire was so intense that the firefighters struggled to it .
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Correct Answer
put — out
Explanation
The question asks you to fill in the blank with the correct phrasal verb that means to extinguish a fire. When a phrasal verb is split by a pronoun like 'it' (e.g., put it out), it is called a separable phrasal verb.
The correct phrasal verb is put out.
Let's look at the meanings of all the options to see why 'put out' is the only correct fit:
put out means to extinguish something that is burning, such as a fire, a cigarette, or a candle. Substituting it back into the sentence ('...firefighters struggled to put it out') matches the context of fighting an intense fire perfectly.
put off means to postpone or delay an event or an action until a later date or time (e.g., Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today).
set in means to begin and seem likely to continue for a long time, typically used when describing weather, seasons, or negative conditions (e.g., Winter has set in or Panic began to set in).
take over means to assume control, command, or responsibility for something from someone else (e.g., The assistant will take over the manager's duties).
Because the job of a firefighter is specifically to extinguish flames, Option 3 is the correct choice.
Key Points
Phrasal verbs with the verb 'put' are incredibly common on competitive exams. Remembering this simple list will help you solve similar questions quickly:
Put out: Extinguish a fire or light.
Put off: Postpone an event.
Put up with: Tolerate an annoying situation or person.
Put on: Dress oneself in clothing or simulate an expression/accent.