Everyday English Verbs: Housework Collocations

Quiz: Common Collocations for Household Chores

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Question 1

My mother asked me to _________ the floor.

A	brush
B	sweep
C	broom

Question 1 Explanation:

The verb is "sweep," and the object we use to sweep the floor is called a "broom."

Question 2

It's your turn to _______ the dog.

A	run
B	go
C	walk

Question 3

Don't come into the kitchen - I've just ________ the floor and it's still wet.

A	watered
B	rinsed
C	mopped

Question 3 Explanation:

The verb is "mop" and the object we use to do this is also called a "mop."

Question 4

We pay our neighbor's son $25 to ______ our lawn.

A	shorten
B	weed
C	mow

Question 4 Explanation:

The verb is "mow" and the machine is called a "lawn mower."

Question 5

Please _______ the towels before putting them in the closet.

A	make
B	fold
C	square

Question 5 Explanation:

You can "fold" towels, clothes, or paper.

Question 6

Please remember to _________ the plants every day while I'm gone.

A	wet
B	water
C	wash

Question 7

My shoulders are sore because I _________ snow for two hours yesterday.

A	shoveled
B	moved
C	took away

Question 7 Explanation:

"Shovel" is both the verb and the name of the object we use to do this.

Question 8

I'm teaching my son to _______ away his toys after he's finished playing with them.

A	keep
B	save
C	put

Question 8 Explanation:

The phrasal verb "put away" means to put an object in its correct place.

Question 9

I didn't have enough time to ________ the bed this morning.

A	make
B	set
C	arrange

Question 9 Explanation:

"Making the bed" is organizing the sheets, blankets, and pillows so that everything is in the correct place and looks nice and organized.

Question 10

I'll help you with your homework after I finish _______ the dishwasher.

A	putting
B	loading
C	filling

Question 10 Explanation:

"Loading the dishwasher" is putting dirty dishes into the machine. "Unloading the dishwasher" is taking clean dishes out of the machine.

Question 11

Could you _______ the table? Dinner is almost ready.

A	put
B	set
C	make

Question 11 Explanation:

To "set the table" is to put all the plates, cups, forks, spoons, and knives in the correct places on the table before eating.

Question 12

Make sure you ________ down the counter - you spilled some ketchup near the sink.

A	sponge
B	wipe
C	dry

Question 12 Explanation:

To "wipe" is to pass a sponge or cloth over an area to clean it.

Question 13

I _______ the laundry every Sunday afternoon.

A	wash
B	do
C	make

Question 14

I always ________ the table after we finish eating.

A	take
B	clear
C	remove

Question 14 Explanation:

Removing the dirty dishes from the table after a meal is called "clearing the table."

Question 15

I accidentally broke a plate while __________ the dishes.

A	washing
B	soaking
C	watering

Question 15 Explanation:

We can say "wash the dishes" or "do the dishes" for this activity.

Question 16

I spent the afternoon __________ the bushes.

A	cutting
B	shaving
C	trimming

Question 16 Explanation:

The verb "trim" means to cut something only a little bit, so that it is the correct size or length. We also talk about "getting a trim" meaning a very small haircut.

Question 17