English Phrasal Verbs With “cut”

English Phrasal Verbs With “Cut”

Phrasal verbs are an essential part of English vocabulary, and mastering them can significantly improve your fluency. In this article, we will explore common phrasal verbs that include the word “cut”, their meanings, examples, and exercises to help you practice.

1. Cut Back

Meaning: To reduce something, often expenses or consumption.

Example 1: “We need to cut back on our spending to save money.”
Example 2: “She decided to cut back on sugar for health reasons.”
Example 3: “The company had to cut back its workforce due to financial issues.”

Exercise:

Complete the sentences with “cut back”:

I need to _____ on coffee because it affects my sleep.
The government plans to _____ on pollution by enforcing stricter laws.
They had to _____ their travel budget this year.

Answers:

cut back
cut back
cut back

2. Cut Off

Meaning: To disconnect or stop something abruptly; to isolate someone or something.

Example 1: “The storm cut off the electricity in our area.”
Example 2: “She cut off all contact with her toxic friend.”
Example 3: “The phone call was suddenly cut off.”

Exercise:

Fill in the blanks with “cut off”:

The heavy snowfall _____ the village from the rest of the city.
He _____ the conversation when he realized it was getting heated.
The internet was _____ during the maintenance work.

Answers:

cut off
cut off
cut off

3. Cut Out

Meaning: To remove something by cutting; to stop doing something (often a habit).

Example 1: “She cut out the article from the magazine.”
Example 2: “He needs to cut out junk food to stay healthy.”
Example 3: “The noise was so loud that I couldn’t cut it out of my mind.”

Exercise:

Use “cut out” in the following sentences:

She _____ a picture of her favorite actor from the newspaper.
You should _____ smoking if you want to improve your health.
The teacher told the students to _____ the distractions and focus.

Answers:

cut out
cut out
cut out

4. Cut Down

Meaning: To reduce the amount of something; to chop or fell a tree.

Example 1: “He is trying to cut down on his screen time.”
Example 2: “They had to cut down the old tree because it was unsafe.”
Example 3: “The doctor advised her to cut down on salt.”

Exercise:

Complete the sentences with “cut down”:

We need to _____ on plastic waste to help the environment.
The workers _____ several trees to make space for the new road.
She decided to _____ her working hours to spend more time with family.

Answers:

cut down
cut down
cut down

5. Cut In

Meaning: To interrupt someone while they are speaking; to move suddenly in front of another vehicle.

Example 1: “He always cuts in when others are talking.”
Example 2: “The car suddenly cut in front of us, causing a near accident.”
Example 3: “She didn’t mean to cut in, but she had an important point.”

Exercise:

Fill in the blanks with “cut in”:

It’s rude to _____ when someone else is speaking.
The motorcycle _____ between the two cars dangerously.
She apologized for _____ during the meeting.

Answers:

cut in
cut in
cutting in

Summary Table of Phrasal Verbs with “Cut”

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
Cut back	Reduce something (expenses, consumption)	“We need to cut back on spending.”
Cut off	Disconnect or stop abruptly	“The storm cut off the electricity.”
Cut out	Remove by cutting; stop a habit	“She cut out the article from the magazine.”
Cut down	Reduce amount; chop a tree	“He cut down on screen time.”
Cut in	Interrupt; move suddenly in traffic	“He cut in during the conversation.”

Final Exercise

Fill in the blanks with the correct phrasal verb (“cut back,” “cut off,” “cut out,” “cut down,” or “cut in”):

She _____ the coupon from the newspaper.
We must _____ on unnecessary expenses this month.
The phone line was _____ during the storm.
He _____ between two cars without signaling.
The doctor advised him to _____ on fatty foods.

Answers:

cut out
cut back
cut off
cut in
cut down