00 / Other
Separable phrasal verbs
Phrasal verbs consist of a verb and a particle that create a new meaning. This guide explains how to position objects with separable and inseparable phrasal verbs.
B1Intermediate
01 / Overview
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and a particle (a preposition or adverb). The meaning of the combination is often different from the individual words. Some phrasal verbs allow you to put the object between the verb and the particle, while others require the object to stay after the particle.
02 / Separable vs. Inseparable
Verb + Particle + Object OR Verb + Object + Particle
With separable phrasal verbs, a noun object can go in the middle or at the end. However, if the object is a pronoun (me, you, him, her, it, us, them), it must go in the middle. With inseparable phrasal verbs, the object always follows the particle.
03 / Object Placement
Most phrasal verbs that take an object are separable, but many common ones like look for, get on, and run into are inseparable.
| Type | Noun Object | Pronoun Object |
|---|---|---|
| Separable (e.g., turn off) | Turn off the light / Turn the light off | Turn it off (Correct) / Turn off it (Incorrect) |
| Inseparable (e.g., look for) | I am looking for my keys | I am looking for them |
04 / Examples
05 / Common mistakes
I threw away it.
I threw it away.
With separable phrasal verbs, pronouns must always go between the verb and the particle.
He is looking his glasses for.
He is looking for his glasses.
Inseparable phrasal verbs cannot be split by the object.
06 / Practice
Complete the sentence with the pronoun 'it': 'I finished the book and gave ___ back.'
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Answer: it
Why: 'Give back' is a separable phrasal verb. When using a pronoun object, it must be placed between the verb and the particle.
Is this sentence correct? 'She is looking after them.'
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Answer: Yes
Why: 'Look after' is an inseparable phrasal verb, so the object (them) correctly follows the particle.
Rewrite 'Turn off the radio' using a pronoun.
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Answer: Turn it off
Why: Because 'turn off' is separable, the pronoun 'it' must move to the middle position.