ENGLISH
REFERENCE

fix up

phr. v..
B1 Intermediate Oxford Informal

phr. v.. to repair, decorate, or improve something so that it looks better or works properly.

phr. v.. to renovate, repair, or restore an object or property to a functional or aesthetically pleasing state; often used transitively with physical objects like houses or cars.


SIMPLE

They plan to fix up the old house and sell it.

CONTEXTUAL

He spent the entire summer fixing up a vintage motorcycle he found in his grandfather's garage.

COMPLEX

The community group secured a small grant to fix up the local park, focusing primarily on the dilapidated playground equipment and the overgrown flower beds.

Particles
up
Separability
optional
Pattern
fix + (object) + up
Usage

commonly used for houses, cars, or rooms; it can also mean to arrange a meeting or date for someone.

Teaching tip

focus on the physical renovation sense first before introducing the social sense of 'arranging' something; it is a high-frequency verb in DIY and real estate contexts.

Pitfall

I will fix up it.I will fix it up.when the object is a pronoun like 'it', it must go between the verb and the particle.

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