Select the appropriate phrase that completes the sentence CORRECTLY. He is so…

Concept

A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a particle (a preposition or adverb), and the whole unit carries a fixed meaning that is usually different from the literal meaning of its parts. Changing the particle changes the meaning entirely, so the correct choice depends on the relationship the sentence describes.

Application

The sentence describes a person who is rude, so the blank must express the difficulty of maintaining a friendly relationship with him. The phrasal verb "get on with (somebody)" means to have a friendly, harmonious relationship with that person. So "difficult to get on with him" means it is hard to be on good terms with him, which fits a rude person perfectly.

Contrast

• "get out" means to leave or escape from a place; it does not describe a relationship between people.

• "get up" means to rise from bed or to stand up; it has nothing to do with how two people relate.

• "get away" means to escape or to take a short holiday; it expresses departure, not the difficulty of relating to someone.

Only the phrase meaning "have a friendly relationship" matches the idea that a rude person is hard to be on good terms with.