Separable Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs where the object can go between verb and particle: turn off the light / turn the light off

intermediate

When to Use

•When the object is a noun: Turn off the TV. / Turn the TV off. (both correct)
•When the object is a pronoun: Turn it off. (pronoun must go in the middle)
•Common separable verbs: turn on/off, pick up, put down, take off, throw away, look up, fill out, figure out.
•The particle can separate from the verb when there's a noun object.
•Pronouns (it, them, her, him) MUST go between verb and particle.

How to Form

Affirmative (+)

Verb + object + particle OR Verb + particle + object (noun only)

Negative (-)

Don't/Didn't + verb + object + particle

Question (?)

Did you + verb + object + particle?

💡 With pronouns, always separate: pick it up (not pick up it).

Examples

✓Please turn off the light. / Please turn the light off.

✗Please turn off it.

Both orders work with nouns; pronouns must go in the middle.

✓I picked up the book. / I picked the book up.

✗I picked up it.

Pronoun must separate: I picked it up.

✓She threw away the trash. / She threw the trash away.

✗She threw away it.

Pronoun: She threw it away.

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

• Nouns: either order (turn off the TV / turn the TV off).
• Pronouns: always in the middle (turn it off).
• Learn common separable verbs: turn on/off, pick up, put down, take off, throw away.
• Test with 'it': if it sounds wrong in the middle, it's probably inseparable.

phrasal-verbs-inseparable stative-verbs prepositions-movement 📝 verbs-intermediate 📝 phrasal-verbs-quiz

Separable Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs where the object can go between verb and particle: turn off the light / turn the light off

intermediate

When to Use

•When the object is a noun: Turn off the TV. / Turn the TV off. (both correct)
•When the object is a pronoun: Turn it off. (pronoun must go in the middle)
•Common separable verbs: turn on/off, pick up, put down, take off, throw away, look up, fill out, figure out.
•The particle can separate from the verb when there's a noun object.
•Pronouns (it, them, her, him) MUST go between verb and particle.

How to Form

Affirmative (+)

Verb + object + particle OR Verb + particle + object (noun only)

Negative (-)

Don't/Didn't + verb + object + particle

Question (?)

Did you + verb + object + particle?

💡 With pronouns, always separate: pick it up (not pick up it).

Examples

✓Please turn off the light. / Please turn the light off.

✗Please turn off it.

Both orders work with nouns; pronouns must go in the middle.

✓I picked up the book. / I picked the book up.

✗I picked up it.

Pronoun must separate: I picked it up.

✓She threw away the trash. / She threw the trash away.

✗She threw away it.

Pronoun: She threw it away.

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

• Nouns: either order (turn off the TV / turn the TV off).
• Pronouns: always in the middle (turn it off).
• Learn common separable verbs: turn on/off, pick up, put down, take off, throw away.
• Test with 'it': if it sounds wrong in the middle, it's probably inseparable.

phrasal-verbs-inseparable stative-verbs prepositions-movement 📝 verbs-intermediate 📝 phrasal-verbs-quiz

Separable Phrasal Verbs

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

Related

Separable Phrasal Verbs

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

Related

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

✗Turn off it.

✗I looked up it in the dictionary.

✗Pick up them.

💡 Practice Tips

Related

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

✗Turn off it.

✗I looked up it in the dictionary.

✗Pick up them.

💡 Practice Tips

Related