He _____ his ideas very clearly at meetings.

Analyze the question: The sentence needs a phrasal verb that means communicating or explaining ideas so that others understand them.

Explain the concept: Phrasal verbs change meaning depending on the particle (the small word) after the verb. Here are the options:

• puts out: extinguishes (a fire) or publishes/releases something. "He puts out the fire."
• puts across: communicates or explains ideas clearly so they are understood. "She puts her message across well."
• puts away: stores something in its proper place, or saves money. "He puts away his books."
• puts in: installs, or contributes time or effort. "He puts in extra hours."

Step-by-step solution:

1. The sentence is about ideas being expressed very clearly at meetings.
2. We need a verb meaning "to convey or communicate."
3. Only puts across has this meaning.
4. Checking: "He puts across his ideas very clearly at meetings" is natural and correct.

Answer: B. puts across

Tip: Think of across as a bridge: you carry your ideas across to your listeners. "Get across" and "put across" both mean to make others understand. Questions about phrasal verbs often test this kind of meaning, so learn them in pairs with example sentences.