A hungry wolf finds an old sheepskin, and has an idea.
Aesop’s Fables · Part 3 · Phrasal verbs
The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Put on, turn up, look out for, find out, give away, take off, run away, give up: everyday phrasal verbs, with a hungry Wolf in disguise and a watchful Shepherd.
🐑 Play the story too: in the gamebook, you are the Shepherd.Play the gamebook →
SOPHIA
DEMETRIA
Oh no. Poor sheep.
The fable
After Aesop
A hungry Wolf found an old sheepskin and put it on. Disguised as a sheep, he turned up in a Shepherd’s flock, and walked into the fold with the others.
But the Shepherd always looked out for wolves. He counted his sheep and found out that there was one too many. Then the Wolf’s long grey tail gave him away.
The Shepherd called his dogs. The Wolf took off the sheepskin so that he could run faster, and ran away into the hills. In the end, he gave up and never came back.
Appearances can be deceptive.
Clothes and disguises
MARCOS
He put on a sheepskin, and then he had to take it off.
SOPHIA
put on (start wearing) ≠ take off (remove). Both are separable: put it on, take it off (a pronoun goes in the middle).
Finding the truth
PHILO
The Shepherd looked out for wolves, and found out the truth. The tail gave him away.
SOPHIA
look out for = watch for danger. find out = discover. give someone away = reveal who they are, by accident.
Coming and going
DEMETRIA
He turned up in the flock, ran away, and finally gave up.
SOPHIA
turn up = arrive, appear. run away = escape. give up = stop trying. In formal writing you might say arrive, escape, abandon, but in conversation, phrasal verbs are more natural.
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the fable |
|---|---|---|
| put on / take off | clothes | He put on a sheepskin. |
| turn up | arrive, appear | A strange sheep turned up. |
| look out for | watch for danger | Look out for wolves! |
| find out; give away | discover; reveal | His tail gave him away. |
| run away; give up | escape; stop trying | The Wolf gave up. |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose the best answer
Choose the right word.
1. It’s cold. Put ___ your coat.
2. He turned ___ late for the meeting.
3. I found ___ that she was lying.
4. Look ___ for cars when you cross!
5. Her smile gave her ___.
6. Don’t give ___! You can do it.
B · Complete the sentence
Write the missing word or words.
7. Please take your shoes before you come in.
8. The thief ran when he saw the police.
9. Can you find when the train leaves?
10. He put the hat and looked in the mirror.
C · Right or wrong?
Is the sentence correct English?
11. “Put on it, please.”
12. “She turned up at midnight.”
13. “I gave up to smoke.”
Now be the Shepherd yourself. Can you find the Wolf?Play the gamebook →