Problem-Solving & Opinions — Part 3
The Celpip Plus team
Written and reviewed against the official CELPIP scoring criteria
What you'll learn: the phrasal verbs native speakers use when working through a problem or reasoning toward an opinion — natural alternatives to stiff, formal verbs like "determine" or "resolve" that keep spoken and written responses sounding fluent.
Why phrasal verbs matter alongside formal vocabulary
Problem-solving tasks tempt learners toward formal, single-word verbs — "resolve," "determine," "generate" — because they sound impressive. But native speakers reach for phrasal verbs just as often, if not more: "figure out," "come up with," "sort out." Using only formal vocabulary can make a response sound stilted, especially in Speaking, where phrasal verbs are the more natural default. This lesson builds a working set for talking through problems and opinions fluidly.
Grouping the phrasal verbs by stage of reasoning
These phrasal verbs map onto three stages of reasoning: understanding a problem (figure out, get to the bottom of), generating ideas (come up with, think through), and resolving things (sort out, work out). Thinking in terms of stage rather than a flat list makes it easier to reach for the right one mid-response.
Word bank: problem-solving & opinion phrasal verbs
| Collocation | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| figure out | understand or solve something through thought | It took a while to figure out what was causing the delay. |
| come up with | produce an idea or plan | The team came up with a clever solution overnight. |
| sort out | resolve a problem or organize something confusing | We finally sorted out the scheduling conflict. |
| work out | calculate or resolve something through effort | It took some effort to work out a fair way to split the costs. |
| think through | consider something carefully before deciding | You should think through the risks before signing anything. |
| get to the bottom of | discover the true cause of a problem | Investigators are trying to get to the bottom of the issue. |
| weigh up | compare the pros and cons of something | Let's weigh up both options before we commit to one. |
| point out | draw attention to a fact or detail | She pointed out a flaw in the original plan. |
| back up (an opinion) | support a claim with evidence or reasons | You need to back up your opinion with real examples. |
| bring up | introduce a topic or point in conversation | He brought up an interesting counterargument during the debate. |
| rule out | eliminate a possibility from consideration | We can probably rule out cost as the main issue here. |
| settle on | finally choose one option after consideration | After much debate, the group settled on the second proposal. |
Worked example — Speaking Task 6
Prompt: Two people disagree about how to solve a problem. Give your opinion and explain why.
"Before choosing a side, I think it's important to figure out exactly what's causing the disagreement in the first place. One person wants to come up with a completely new system, while the other wants to sort out the existing one. Personally, I'd want to weigh up both approaches before settling on one. If we think through the long-term costs, building something new might rule out a lot of the recurring problems the old system has. That said, I'd want someone to get to the bottom of why the current system keeps failing before assuming a new one would be any better. Whoever proposes a plan should also back up their opinion with real examples, not just point out flaws in the other side without offering anything to replace them."
This response uses eight phrasal verbs to sound like genuine spoken reasoning, giving the answer the natural rhythm that CELPIP Speaking raters listen for.
Common mistakes
- "Solve out" instead of sort out or work out — "solve" does not take "out"; learners often blend two correct phrasal verbs into an incorrect one.
- "Discover the bottom of" instead of get to the bottom of — the fixed phrase requires "get to," not "discover."
- "Choose on" instead of settle on — "settle on" is the correct pairing when finally selecting one option among several.
- "Say an opinion" instead of give an opinion, then back it up — many learners forget the second step of supporting the opinion with a phrasal verb like "back up."
Recap
Phrasal verbs give problem-solving and opinion language a natural, conversational quality that pairs well with more formal vocabulary from other lessons. Practice by describing a recent disagreement or decision using at least four phrasal verbs from the table above, moving from understanding the problem to resolving it.