Fill in the blank with a suitable Phrasal Verb.
The students were _________ by the principal for their misbehaviour with the class teacher.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → pulled up
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.
To pull someone up (for something) means to criticise or scold someone for a mistake or for bad behaviour. The principal scolded the students for misbehaving with the class teacher, so they were pulled up for their misbehaviour.
Example: The coach pulled him up for arriving late to practice.
Complete sentence: The students were pulled up by the principal for their misbehaviour with the class teacher.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: put down — Incorrect. To put someone down is to make someone feel foolish by belittling them. It also means to crush a revolt. With "for", put down for means to enter someone's name for something, so the sentence would not mean a scolding.
Example: The army put down the rebellion within a week.
Option 3: pulled down — Incorrect. To pull down is to demolish a building or structure. People are not pulled down for misbehaviour.
Example: The old cinema was pulled down to make way for a mall.
Option 4: pulled with — Incorrect. "Pull with" is not a phrasal verb in English and has no meaning here.