Fill in the blank with the most appropriate phrasal verb:
Offered only a small raise, the bank staff union ______ for a full wage revision and kept the strike going.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → held out
A phrasal verb is a verb joined with a small word such as up, out or together. The two words together have a new meaning.
Complete sentence: Offered only a small raise, the bank staff union held out for a full wage revision and kept the strike going.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) held back | to stop yourself from doing or showing something | Priya held back her tears during the farewell speech. |
| (2) held off | to delay something, or to keep an attacker away | The defenders held off three attacks in the second half. |
| (3) held out (answer) | to refuse to accept less and keep waiting until you get what you asked for | The cricketer held out for a two-year contract instead of one. |
| (4) held up | to delay someone or something | A broken signal held up our train for an hour. |