The Murder

add up (fit) / bring on (cause , re: illness) / bring round (change a point of view)

bring up (mention) / bring on one’s self (be the cause of) / bargain for (expect to happen) bring about (caused by) / back down (give up, retreat) / break up (finish)

bear out (substantiate) / break down (lose emotional control) / carry out (Implement, do)

carry off (manage to do) / come in for (receive)

The murder plan had been carried out very cleverly. Only a professional could have carried it off. A professional or a lunatic! The police had come in for a lot of criticism during the last murder case, and so the Inspector Corner of the Yard was determined to find the murderer this time. The chief suspect was the dead man’s daughter.

She had quarrelled with her father the night before. She had a lung problem brought on by smoking. He said he wouldn’t give her any more pocket money unless she gave up. They quarrelled and she had broken down in floods of tears. Bob said that this was a little unfair. She was old enough to decide for herself if she smoked or not. Anyway, after a long discussion, Bob managed to bring her father round to his point of view. Eventually he backed down. Then he brought up the subject of her boyfriend. He hadn’t bargained for her reaction. She went mad! She screamed and shouted and threw things at him. She was a rather unstable woman. To be honest, her condition had been brought about by her parents splitting up. The problem with smoking itself was something he had brought on himself by always leaving packets of cigarettes lying around the house.

She said she had been at the party all night and had left when it finally broke up at about three. Her alibi was subsequently borne out by the statements made by other people at the party.

The inspector wasn’t sure. He felt the story just didn’t add up.

Exercise 1: Put the phrasal verbs in the box below into the sentences underneath.

add up break down bring round bargain for come in for back down bring on (x2) bear out bring about carry out bring up carry off break up

The murder plan had been (1)______very cleverly. Only a professional could have (2)______A professional or a lunatic! The police had (3)______a lot of criticism during the last murder case, and so the Inspector Corner of the Yard was determined to find the murderer this time. The chief suspect was the dead man’s daughter.

She had quarrelled with her father the night before. She had a lung problem (4)______by smoking. He said he wouldn’t give her any more pocket money unless she gave up. They quarrelled and she had (5)______in floods of tears. Bob said that this was a little unfair. She was old enough to decide for herself if she smoked or not. Anyway, after a long discussion, Bob managed to (6)______him ______to his point of view. Eventually he (7)______. Then he (8)______the subject of her boyfriend. He hadn’t (9)______her reaction. She went mad! She screamed and shouted and threw things at him. She was a rather unstable woman. To be honest, her condition had been (10)______by her parents splitting up. The problem with smoking itself was something he had (11)______by always leaving packets of cigarettes lying around the house.

She said she had been at the party all night and had left when it finally (12)______at about three. Her alibi was subsequently (13)______by the statements made by other people at the party.

The inspector wasn’t sure. He felt the story just didn’t (14)______

Exercise 2:

Add up break down bring round bargain for come in for

back down bring on (x2) bear out bring about

carry out bring up carry off break up

Put the phrasal verbs from the above box into the correct sentence below:

  1. In the end the pressure became too much to bear and he ______in tears.
  1. It’s a nice theory but it just isn’t ______by the evidence.
  1. Police sources have said that they believe they know who ______the attack.
  1. After making her appeal on the radio, she was inundated with letters, rather more than she had ______.
  1. “There’s no point complaining, you’ve ______the criticism yourself.”
  1. After two hours of intensive discussion, the meeting finally ______without any decision being made.
  1. He’s as stubborn as a donkey! He will never ______.
  1. “If you think this matter is really important, why don’t you ______at the next meeting?”
  1. It was an incredible achievement. I never believed for one minute he would be able to ______.
  1. The wet weather tends to ______my rheumatism.
  1. I think there’s more to this than meets the eye. I’ve heard all the so-called explanations for what happened but to be honest, it doesn’t ______.
  1. “I think it’s a good idea but you do realise that you’re going to ______a lot of criticism from the members of the committee. “
  2. “Yes, but I reckon I’ll be able to ______them______in the end. I can be quite persuasive when I need to be.”
  1. The problem was ______by reckless spending in the late 1980’s.