Phrasal verb
work out
Definition
phrasal verb. to do physical exercise to get fit; also, to find a solution to a problem.
phrasal verb. to engage in physical exercise for fitness; alternatively, to resolve a problem or calculate a result through reasoning.
Examples
“I work out at the gym three times a week.”
“We need to work out a way to finish the project before the deadline on Friday.”
“The scientists spent months trying to work out why the experiment failed despite following the established protocols.”
Examples
simple
“I work out at the gym three times a week.”
contextual
“We need to work out a way to finish the project before the deadline on Friday.”
complex
“The scientists spent months trying to work out why the experiment failed despite following the established protocols.”
Usage
the exercise sense is usually intransitive, while the problem-solving sense is often transitive.
Teaching tip
distinguish between the intransitive 'I work out' (exercise) and the transitive 'I worked out the answer' (solved); the latter allows for object placement between the verb and particle.
Pitfall
I need to work out it.
I need to work it out.
when using a pronoun as the object in the 'solve' sense, it must go between the verb and the particle.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out
Separability
optional
Pattern
work + (object) + out