LanguageTeach

San Jose City College

Page: 1 2 3 4 5 [ 6 ] 7

  IV. Word Order with Separable Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are two- or three-word verbs that end in a particle. When a verb phrase contains a preposition, the preposition is called the verb particle. Some phrasal verbs are separable; that is, the object can come either after the verb phrase or between the verb and its particle. Here are two examples:
   ♦ Melissa helped out her brother. She helped her brother out. She helped him out.
   ♦ Students often look up information on the Internet. They look information up.
      They look it up.

As in the examples above, when a noun object is used, the object can come after the verb or between the verb and its particle. However, when a pronoun object is used, the pronoun MUST be positioned between the verb and its particle. Placing the pronoun after the particle is a word order error if the phrasal verb is separable.

  The sentences in the table below have separable phrasal verbs with noun objects. Rewrite a short form of the sentence using the correct SUBJECT and OBJECT pronouns and correct verb phrase word order.

Change the noun object after the phrasal verb →	to a pronoun object between the verb and its particle.
Example: The scientist locked up his equipment.	→ He locked it up.
1. Three applicants filled out application forms.	. NoteDon't forget that subject and object personal pronouns must agree in number with the nouns they replace. Please also note that the period is after the frame. Don't add another one.
2. The publishers sent out the book orders a week ago.	a week ago.
3. The female librarian didn't allow Mary to check out the novel.	.
4. Mrs. Tran dropped off her son at school.	.
5. The gardener agreed to take out three trees.	.
6. Mr. Fox failed to get across the math lesson.	.
7. George can't pay off his debts.	.
8. Ana took back her new clothes to the department store.	to Macy's.

Separable or Inseparable Verb?

In the following examples, the meaning of the verb determines whether the verb phrase is separable or inseparable.
    ♦ Hank backed out of the driveway. ("Of the driveway" shows from where he backed out.
       There's no direct object; driveway is the object of the prepostion.)
    ♦ Hank backed his truck out of the driveway. He backed it out of the driveway.
       (The verb has an object, making this verb separable. He backed what out of the driveway?)
    ♦ Hank backed out of his promise and didn't do the repair work. (Backed out of what? His
       promise.) The meaning (failed to keep) restricts word order; the verb is inseparable.

For a long list of separable and inseparable verbs and their meaning, go to this link. Use the back arrow to return to this page.
Remember! If a verb phrase is separable, you must position any pronoun object between the verb and its particle.

Next