The friendly match will kick … at 4,00 p.m. today as scheduled

Analyze the question The sentence needs a word that completes a phrasal verb describing the start of a football match: "The friendly match will kick __ at 4:00 p.m."

Explain the concept "Kick off" is a phrasal verb meaning to begin or start, especially a football (soccer) match. It can also be used more generally for the start of an event, such as "The programme will kick off at 10 a.m."

Test each option

• A. kick up: means to cause trouble (e.g., "kick up a fuss"). It does not fit the start of a match.
• B. kick on: not a standard phrasal verb in this sense.
• C. kick of: incorrect, because "of" is a preposition and does not form a phrasal verb with "kick" here. Note that it is also easily confused with "off".
• D. kick off: correct. It means to start.

Complete sentence "The friendly match will kick off at 4:00 p.m. today as scheduled."

The correct answer is D. off.

Exam tip Link sports to their phrasal verbs: a match kicks off, a race gets underway, and a game is called off when cancelled. Also watch out for "of" and "off", which look similar but are very different. "Off" is the one that shows the start or departure in phrasal verbs like kick off, set off, and take off.