Separable phrasal verbs can be separated by their object. When the object is a noun, it is usually entirely optional whether the object is placed between the verb and the particle or placed after the particle. Both sentences below are correct:
I tookmy shoesoff.
Itook offmy shoes.
However, when a pronoun is used instead of a noun, the pronoun must be placed between the verb and the particle:
I tookthemoff.
I took offthem.
But in one type of sentence, separable phrasal verbs must be separated — when the phrasal verb has two objects:
Sheput a blanketon. Sheput on a blanket.
Sheputablanketonthebed. Sheput ona blanket the bed.
Nonseparable phrasal verbs
Nonseparable phrasal verbs cannot be separated by their object:
Heran into a tree. Heran a treeinto.
Throughout this book, phrasal verbs that can be separated have three dots (...) between the verb and the particle.
present tense -ing form past tense past participle
Come from
come from & comes from coming from came from come from
1. come from p.v. When youcome from a place, you were born there or lived there previously. When youcome from a family or a social situation, your past experience helps to explain your present attitudes and behavior.
Mikecomes from Alaska, so he's used to cold weather.
Jane had a difficult childhood. Shecame from a broken home.
2. come from p.v. When somethingcomes from a source, that is where it originated.
The word "admiral" comesfrom an Arabic word. The mechanic heard a strange soundcoming from the engine.
Infinitive
present tense
-ing form
past tense
past participle
figure out
figure out & figures out
figuring out
figured out
figured out
1. figure ... out p.v. [the object can be a noun or a noun clause] When youfigure out something, such as the answer to a question, the solution to a problem, or why a person is a certain way or acts a certain way, you think about and succeed in understanding it.
Joe's so hostile all the time. I can'tfigure himout. I looked everywhere for my keys, but I couldn'tfigure out where I put them.
give back
give back & gives back
giving back
gave back
given back
1. give ... back (to) p.v. When you return something to someone, yougive itback.
Can I use your pen? I'llgive itback after the test.
Timmy,give that toyback to your sister right now!
look for
look for & looks for
looking for
looked for
looked for
1. look for p.v. When youlook for things or people, you try to find them.
/ looked for you at the party, but I didn't see you. Excuse me, can you help me? I'mlooking for 303 Main St.
put on
put on & puts on
putting on
put on
put on
1. put... on p.v. When you place something on or apply something to your body, youput iton.
I put on my new dress before going to the party. Eric forgot toput suntan lotionon, and now he's as red as a lobster.
2. put... on p.v. When you place something on or apply something to another surface, youput iton.
I put the bookon the table.
Jerry put too much fertilizeron his lawn[S1] , and now he has to cut it twice a week.
3. put... on p.v. When you attach or affix something to another thing, youput iton.
The Wilson’sput a new roof on their house last year.
I told the tailor toput red buttonson the dress he's making for me.
4. put... on p.v. When youput on weight, you gain weight.
THE ULTIMATE PHRASAL VERB BOOK
Did you see Mike? He'sput on so much weight that I didn't recognize him. I need to go on a diet. I've beenputting on a lot of weight lately.
5. put ...on p.v. When you organize or perform something for other people's entertainment, such as a play or a concert, youput iton.
The clubput on a show to raise money for the party.
That opera hasn't beenput on in more than 200 years.
6. put.. .on p.v. [informal] When youput people on, you kid or tease them.
You won the lottery? You'reputting meon!
Don't put meon — tell me the truth.
put-on n. Something done with the intention[S2] of fooling ordeceiving[S3] people is aput-on.
He didn't really win the lottery. It was all a bigput-on to impress his girlfriend.
Infinitive
present tense
-ing form
past tense
past participle
run into
run into & runs into
running into
ran into
run into
1. run into p.v. When you are driving and hit another vehicle or something near the road, such as a tree or a telephone pole, yourun into it.
Ali was driving too fast, and heran into a telephone pole. I wasrun into by a drunk driver.
2. run into p.v. When you meet people unexpectedly[S4] or unintentionally[S5] , yourun into them.Bump into is the same asrun into.
Weran into Karen and her new boyfriend at the supermarket yesterday.
I owe Frank $300, so I hope I don'trun into him.
3. run into p.v. When you unexpectedly encounter[S6] difficulties or problems, youruninto them.
/ thought it would be easy to fix my car, but I've beenrunning into problems.
Janiceran into one problem after another at work today.
4. run into p.v. When the total of something grows to a large amount or number, it runs into that amount or number.
If you fixed everything on that old car that needs fixing, it wouldrun into thousands of dollars. The number of starving people in the countryran into millions.
show up
show up & shows up
showing up
showed up
shown up
1. show up p.v. When you appear somewhere, youshow up. Turn up is similar to show up.
/ was supposed to meet my sister for lunch, but she hasn'tshown up yet.
Over a hundred peopleshowed up for the news conference.
2. show up p.v. When something appears or becomes visible, itshows up.
It's hard to photograph polar bears because they don'tshow up well against the snow. The spots won'tshow up until the last stages of the disease.
Infinitive
present tense
-ing form
past tense
past participle
take off
take off & takes off
taking off
took off
taken off
1. take ...off p.v. When you remove something from your body, youtake itoff.
/ was so tired when I got home that Itook my clothes off and went straight to bed. Take off your shoes. You're getting mud on the carpet.
2. take ...off p.v. When you remove something from a surface, youtake itoff.
Itook the bookoff the table. You need totake the old waxoff the floor before you wax it again.
3. take ...off p.v. When you remove something from something it is attached or affixed to, youtake itoff.
Alfonso alwaystakes the skin off chicken before he cooks it. After Janetook the flat tire off her bicycle, she put on the new one.
4. take ... off p.v. When youtake timeoff from work or study, you do something different, in stead of working or studying.
I can't work tomorrow. I have totake the day off for some tests at the hospital. Our company always lets ustake the week between Christmas and New Year's Day off.
5. take off p.v. When an airplane leaves the ground and flies up into the air, ittakes off.
Our planetook off an hour late because of the snow. Put on your seat belt; we'retaking off now.
takeoffn.Takeoff is when an airplane leaves the ground and flies up into the air. Thetakeoff was delayed because of the snow.
6. take off p.v. When a business or other organized activity becomes very successful, ittakes off.
The new restaurant's business istaking off because it got a good review in the newspaper. If this businesstakes off, we could make a lot of money.
7. take off p.v. [informal] When you leave suddenly or quickly, youtake off.
After he found out the FBI was looking for him, hetook off in a hurry. This party's boring — let'stake off.
8. take ... off p.v. When you reduce the price of something that is for sale by a certain amount, youtake that amountoff the price.
The sign in the store window said, "Every Mondaytake 10 percent off all marked prices." The car dealertook $2,000off the list price.
EXERCISE 1 a— Complete the sentences with phrasal verbs from this section. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense.
Example: Sergeant Jones is very strict with his children. He COMES FROM a military family.
1. After the police arrived, we _________________quickly.
2. Sales of air conditioners really ________________ when the temperature got over 100 degrees last summer.
3. Megan ________ a lot of weight ________ when she was pregnant.
4. I'm going to install a new program tonight, and I hope I don't _______________ any problems.
5. The invisible ink _________________only under ultraviolet light.
6. I was expecting 100 people at the party, but only around 50 _________________.
7. Jane was lucky; she _________________ a good family.
8. Be sure you ________ a coat of primer[S7] ________before you paint the fender[S8] .
9. My cousin is so weird that even his mother can't ________ him ___________.
10. I don't feel well; I think I'll ________ tomorrow _________ and stay home.
11. We were scared to death when we heard voices ________the attic.
12. My son always forgets to ________________ his coat before he goes outside.
13. I was surprised when our plane ________________ on time.
14. We ________________ our dog all night, but we couldn't find him.
15. Paul finally _________________ my CDs after I asked him for them about a million times.
16. I'm not going to the party because I don't want to _______________________Janice.
17. The real estate agent said that our asking price was too high and that we should __________ at least $10,000 __________ it if we want to sell our house.
18. ________ ________ those muddy shoes before you come inside.
19. Sending my son to Stanford and my daughter to Yale is going to ________ ________ some serious money.
20. _________ the ornaments ________ the Christmas tree isn't as much fun as putting them on.
21. You can't be serious — you're ________ me ______________!
22. Don't forget to ________ a stamp __________ that letter before you mail it.
23. A special performance of The Nutcracker was _________________ at the children's hospital.
24. The maid ________ the dirty sheets ________ the bed.
25. Be careful! You almost ____________ ______ that truck back there.
EXERCISE 1 b— Write three sentences using the objects in parentheses. Be sure to put the objects in the right place.
Example: I can't figure out. (the answer, it)
I can't figure out the answer. I can't figure the answer out. I can't figure it out.
1. I finally figured out. (the instructions, them)
________________________________________________
2. Give back when you are finished, (my tools, them) ______________________________________________