Everyday English Verbs: Housework Collocations

Quiz: Common Collocations for Household Chores

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Question 1

Please _______ the towels before putting them in the closet.

A	make
B	fold
C	square

Question 1 Explanation:

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

Question 2

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

A	sponge
B	dry
C	wipe

Question 2 Explanation:

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

Question 3

My mother asked me to _________ the floor.

A	brush
B	sweep
C	broom

Question 3 Explanation:

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

Question 4

Could you _______ the table? Dinner is almost ready.

A	set
B	put
C	make

Question 4 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 5

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

A	set
B	arrange
C	make

Question 5 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 6

It's your turn to _______ the dog.

A	go
B	run
C	walk

Question 7

I accidentally broke a plate while __________ the dishes.

A	soaking
B	watering
C	washing

Question 7 Explanation:

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

Question 8

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

A	shorten
B	weed
C	mow

Question 8 Explanation:

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

Question 9

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

A	moved
B	took away
C	shoveled

Question 9 Explanation:

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

Question 10

Don't forget to _______ out the trash!

A	put
B	take
C	carry

Question 10 Explanation:

We can say "take out the trash" or "take out the garbage" to describe the action of putting the garbage outside the house.

Question 11

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

A	save
B	put
C	keep

Question 11 Explanation:

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

Question 12

I _______ the laundry every Sunday afternoon.

A	do
B	wash
C	make

Question 13

I spent the afternoon __________ the bushes.

A	cutting
B	shaving
C	trimming

Question 13 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 14